IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC AND OTHER LEAVES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Henry Padbury, of Stoke Newington, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
OR APPLIANCES FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC AND OTHER
LEAVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Henry Padbury at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1881.
ROBERT HENRY PADBURY, of Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES
OF MUSIC AND OTHER LEAVES."
Heretofore many attempts have been made to produce appliances or machines
for turning over music and other leaves, but all these appliances with which I am
at any rate acquainted the action has to a very great extent been unsatisfactory,
and the appliances themselves both costly and cumbersome. Now by my Invention
I believe that I have overcome these defects.
According to my Invention I provide a number of levers or lever arms, the
number being regulated according to the number of leaves I wish the apparatus to
be made capable of turning over. I make each lever or lever arm of thin inetal for
the sake of lightness, and preferably of steel. This lever is straight for a portion
of its length, and the end stamped or recessed to receive a spring, the whole being
preferably struck out of one piece of metal; this recess forms a box, and is intended
to contain a spring. Each lever is made in the manner above described, the box of
one being laid on that of the other. A spindle passes through the centre of the
box; this spindle has a slot cut in it from end to end, into which one end of the
spring is slipped, the other end thereof being held by a groove in the edge of
the box. All the boxes are solidified by a cap or bracket at top, its position being
adjusted by screw or otherwise. I prefer making the levers and boxes as just
described, but do not limit myself thereto; but I find that by my arrangement
great efficiency of action and compactness are obtained; besides by the removal of
a screw or screws I can gain access to the whole action, and regulate the tension.
The other ends of these levers have hinged on to them another arm or leaf turner
connected thereto, so that the turner may be raised or lowered as desired. Tho
boxes containing the springs are placed about the middle of the case in which the
+

page_text: apparatus is fitted. For holding back the levers when the same have been brought
over, and the turners placed between the leaves to be turned, I provide on the
contrary side of the case a series of cross spindles corresponding in number with
that of the levers. Each spindle carries an arm, its position being regulated
according to the lever it is intended to act on. The spindles pass outside the front
of the case, where each is provided with a key piece of cranked or other suitable
form, so that when the key is, for example raised, so is the arm on the spindle, and
in this position it is against its lever, and the latter thus held in position; but no
sooner is the key depressed than the arm releases the lever, and through the box
spring the lever, and with it the leaf is turned over. The position of the key
pieces indicates to the player which key has to be touched for turning the next
leaf, and so on. The top of the box containing the apparatus just described also
forms the rest for the leaves which are to be turned; there is a slot between the
edge and the front, or sufficient space left for the play of the levers. The back of
the rest is hinged to the top of the box, so that the appliance when not in use is
packed up and put into the pocket if desired; the leaf turners are first turned
down on the top, and the back on the leaf turners. The bottom of the box is
provided with spring clips or cramps for securing it to the ordinary music board or
other place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Henry Padbury in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
5th August 1881.
ROBERT HENRY PADBURY, of Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES
OF MUSIC AND OTHER LEAVES."
Heretofore many attempts have been made to produce appliances or machines
for turning over music and other leaves, but all these appliances with which I am
at any rate acquainted the action has to a very great extent been unsatisfactory,
and the appliances themselves both costly and cumbersome. Now by my Invention
I believe that I have overcome these defects.
According to my Invention I provide a number of lever arms, the number being
regulated according to the number of leaves I wish the apparatus to be made
capable of turning over. I make each lover or lever arm of thin metal for the sake
of lightness, and preferably of steel. This lever is straight for a portion of its
length, and the end stamped or recessed to receive a spring, the whole being
preferably struck out of one piece of metal. This recess forms a box, and is
intended to contain a spring. Each lever is made in the manner above described,
the box of one being laid on that of the other. A spindle passes through the centre
of the box; this spindle has a slot cut in it from end to end, into which one end
of the spring is slipped, the other end thereof being held by a groove in the edge of
the box, but preferably to the outer edge of the recessed part of the lever arms
which contain the springs, and as shewn in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation; Figure 2, a part front view in section; Figure 3 is
a plan; Figure 4 is a cross section; Figures 1ª, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are details;
Figures 10 and 11 and 12 are details, which will be hereafter referred to.
a, a, is the box containing the mechanism, and secured to the ordinary and
existing music rests by spring clips i; b, b; b; b, b, b, are the levers; b¹, b', b', b¹, b¹, b¹,.
are the inner ends of the levers, which are cup shaped to receive the springs;
b², b², b², 62, 62, 62, are the flyers or turners which are hinged to the levers b at 63 to
enable them to be turned down into a horizontal position for portability. Opposite
to the hinge or joint is a clip bx, fitting over the outer ends of the levers b, so as to
make the flyers 62 rigid with the levers b.
The flyers are of the construction preferably as shown, so as not to obscure the
score, and at the base is a standard 64 of such a form, together with the flyers, as
to allow of the leaves being readily placed between the standard 6* and the flyer b²,
the edge of the adjoining flyer serving to guide the leaf of music and ensuring its
insertion.
The
The form of flyers will be seen by the elevation at Figure 1a, which shows three
flyers b², and in plan at Figure 3; Figure 5 is a section, and Figure 6 a plan of the
spring box, through the series of which passes the slotted bolt or pin d.
inner ends of the springs are passed through the slot in the bolt or pin, and the
other end through the casing, so that after the leaves have been placed in their
respective flyers the levers b and flyers 62 are turned to the right, past the cam f
when they (the springs) are then in tension. The cam fis of the construction as
shown at Figures 8 and 9, illustrating the same in two different positions, Figure 8
showing it as in action, and Figure 9 showing it in position for allowing the levers
to pass it. Each lever b has a peg k, and when the key g² of the lever g has been
turned to the position shown at Figure 1 the cam fattached thereto is brought
into position such as shown at Figure 9, that is, with the slot f¹ in a position to
allow all the pegs or pins on the underside of the levers b to pass into position.
When this has been done the key or button is depressed, and by the tension of
the spring g the lever g is moved to the position shown in dotted lines, where it
takes against the stop g*. The apparatus is now ready for work, the cam f being
then in the position shown at Figure 8, that is, the foremost peg / being
automatically sprung into the V of the second slot f2. When a leaf is required to
be turned the key g² (and attachments) is quickly depressed by a finger of the
operator as part of his manipulation of the instrument or otherwise, or it may be
actuated by the foot of the operator by cords or levers or their equivalents, thus
instantaneously releasing the foremost lever b, and bringing the leaf round. On
the return of the cam f the pin k of following lever b is admitted to the V groove
f2, and so on until all the levers and their respective flyers have been brought
round. All the spring boxes are retained by a bracket e at top, of a forked shape,
for the purpose of clamping the pin or bolt d.
Figure 7 is a detached view of this pin d, by the turning of which the springs
are tightened or released, and by the tightening of the clamping screw e¹, Figure 3,
the springs are retained at any required degree of tension. The neck of this pin
is conical, as shown, but the pin may be grooved in any convenient manner. The
boxes containing the springs are placed in about the middle of the case in which
the apparatus is fitted."
For holding back the levers when the same have been brought over, and the
flyers or turners placed between the leaves (or vice versa) to be turned, I may
also provide at one end of this case a series of cross spindles corresponding in
number with the levers.
Each spindle carries an arm, its position being regulated according to the lever it
is intended to act on. The spindles pass outside the front of the case, where each
is provided with a key piece of cranked or other suitable form, so that when the
key is, for example raised, so is the arm on the spindle, and in this position it is
against its lever, and the latter thus held in position, but no sooner is the key
depressed than the arm releases the lever, and by means of the box spring, as

page_text: before described, the lever and its flyer and with it the leaf is turned over.
Figure 10 is a part plan, and Figure 11 is part front elevation. g, g, are the
spindles, and ff, are the pins or arms thereon; g² are the key pieces. The position
of the key pieces indicate to the player which key has to be touched for turning
the next leaf, and so on.
The top of the box containing the apparatus just described also forms the rest
for the leaves which are to be turned. is the rest, and j is a central wire clip for
keeping the back of the music firm, particularly when being turned; j¹ is a spring
to keep it in position, and to allow of it being turned down flat. The rest is
hinged to the top of the box a, so that the appliance when not in use is packed up
and put into the pocket if desired. The leaf turners are first turned down on the
top and the back on the leaf turners, as shown at Figure 12, which is a view to a
smaller scale, showing the apparatus as folded.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, I would have it understood that I
claim,―
First. The adaptation to the music rest or other convenient part of a piano or
music stand or any other musical instrument of an apparatus having flyers or
turners brought round by springs, and actuated at will, in the manner substantially
as described and illustrated.
Second. The means employed for regulating or adjusting the tension of the
springs for actuating the levers and flyers or turners, all in the manner substan-
tially as set forth.
Third. The formation and construction of the flyers or turners to ensure the
entry of the leaves of music therein, also the means employed for effecting their
rigidity, and at the same time allowing of their being folded flat for portability in
the manner substantially as described and illustrated with reference to the accom-
pany Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Henry Padbury, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.