Improvements in Musical Scale Teaching Devices.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Scale Teaching Devices.
I, EVELYN ASHTON FLETCHER, of 480, Ontario Street, in the City of Toronto, in
the County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:—
My invention relates to improvements in musical scale ladders, and the object
of the invention is to devise a simple teaching apparatus, whereby not only
children, but the blind, and in fact any students in music may be readily and
quickly taught the musical scales. My invention consists essentially of a ladder
provided with side bars and abutting rundles, representing one or more octaves
of the black and white keys of the piano, the black keys being preferably roughened
and the side bars being provided with black spaces correspondingly wide, and also
preferably roughened. One of the side bars has a series of apertures in align-
ment, designed to receive the reduced ends of the abutting rundles or key tablets,
and the other side bar being divided longitudinally in the centre and having a
series of notches next the division at one side to receive the reduced ends of the
opposite side of the key tablet, such divided side bar being hinged and provided
with locking eccentrics. The key tablets may have designed on them the signs
representing their position on the staff, whether natural notes, sharps or flats.
Figure 1, is a face view of my ladder with a number of key tablets in position
to form an octave.
Figure 2, is an inside view of one of the side bars of the ladder, showing the
black and white spaces and the apertures for receiving the tablets.
Figure 3, is a view of the divided side bar of the ladder with the hinged part
thrown back to show notches.
Figure 4, is a few of the key tablets.
In the drawing, A and B, are the side bars of the ladder, the side bar A, is
divided on the inside into a series of spaces 2, and 4, which are divided off corres-
pondingly to the keys of a piano. The spaces 4, are preferably black in color,
and roughened, being in sets of twos and threes in the usual manner in an octave
form of a piano. The key tablets are represented by 3, and 5, which, when the
ladder is complete, are arranged so that the roughened and blackened tablets 5,
are opposite the corresponding spaces 4, and the white key tablets 3, are opposite
the white spaces 2. The tablets 3, and 5, are provided with preferable rectangular
reduced ends 8, fitting snugly into corresponding apertures 6, in the side bar A.
The end tablet bars are held in place by the hooks 9, pivoted to the outer side
of the side A, and fitting into holes 10, in the reduced ends of the end tablet bars.
The side bar B, is formed in two parts, divided longitudinally and connected
together by hinges 7. One part is provided with a series of equi-distant notches 12,
which are designed to receive one of the reduced ends 8, of the tablet bars. The
other part is brought over and firmly secured in place by eccentrics 14. It will
be observed that the end tablet bars have one end dovetailed to fit into a corre-
sponding notch at each end of the side B, of the ladder.
It will thus be seen that by means of the end tablets held at one side to the
side A, by the hooks 9, and at the other side to the divided side B, by the dove-

page_text: tail shape reduced ends and corresponding notches, that the scale may be held
up in desired position.
This musical scale ladder, may be of any approved convenient length, and as
many tablet bars as requisite to perform its function.
It will be perceptible in utilizing my device that the black key tablets must
fit over the black spaces in the side A, and the white key tablets over the white
spaces in the side A, consequently when the scale is formed similar to that shown,
the key tablets must be placed in their proper relative position, whether black or
white, thereby indicating to the student, the natural notes by the white key
tablets, and the sharps or flats principally, by the black key tablets.
Even the blind may be taught their scales by my simple device; seeing that the
black key tablets are roughened as indicated to distinguish them from the white
ones. Any desired scale may therefore be formed, and the end bars when con-
venient may form part of the scale or octaves.
It will thus be seen that by my device, students in music may form the different
scales, if desired, themselves, and thus impress them upon their minds very
thoroughly, the pupil is more practically impressed by constructing the scale
himself, than he otherwise would be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:--
1st. A musical scale teaching device, comprising a ladder having side bars with
apertures in them, and rundles comprising abutting key tablets with reduced ends
designed to fit into the apertures, and means for removably locking the ends of
the tablets to the side bars, as described.
2nd. A musical scale teaching device comprising a ladder having side bars with
apertures in them and rundles comprising abutting key tablets with reduced ends,
such key tablets being arranged to represent one or more of the octaves of the
piano in black and white keys, and one of the side bars having corresponding black
and white spaces, as described.
3rd. A musical scale teaching device comprising a ladder having side bars with
apertures in them and rundles comprising abutting key tablets with reduced ends,
such key tablets being arranged to represent one or more of the octaves of the
piano in black and white keys, and one of the side bars having corresponding
black and white spaces, such black notes and black spaces having roughened sur-
faces, as described.
4th. In a musical scale teaching device the tablets arranged in octave form with
black and white notes, one side bar provided with black and white spaces, and
apertures to receive the ends of the key tablets, and the longitudinally divided
opposite side bar, hinged and provided with retaining eccentrics and means for
holding the tablets in the side bars, as described.
5th. In a musical scale teaching device, the tablets arranged in. octave form of
black and white notes, one side bar of the device provided with corresponding
black and white spaces and apertures to receive the ends of the key tablets, and
the longitudinally divided opposite side bar, hinged and provided with retaining
eccentrics, the hooks on the solid side bar fitting into apertures in the end tablets
at this side, the opposite end of the key tablet being provided with a dove-tail
shape tongue fitting into corresponding end notches in the divided side bar, as
described.
Dated this 20th Nove of Tuna 1000
JOHN H HENDRY,
Agent.