Improvements in Music and Reading Desks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Music and Reading Desks.
I, HENRY INKSON HARRIS, of 61 Ossory Road, Old Kent Road, S.E., in the County
of Surrey, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved construction of the small arms usually fitted
to the ledge of a music or reading desk to hold back the leaves of a book or piece of
music and also to an appliance for holding the said book or music on the stand.
The aforesaid arms are ordinarily screwed into the ledge and either turn stiffly, or
become loose, and will not retain their position. My improved arms are arranged to
turn freely on pivots attiched to the ledge and are actuated by light coiled springs.
Suitable stops are provided so that the arm always stands upright, it cannot turn down
to the right, but a very slight pressure will depress it to the left and on the release of
the pressure the arm immediately flies back to the upright position. The effect of this
arrangement is that when the leaf of a book or piece of music is turned, it depresses
the arm, allowing the leaf to pass, and the arm automatically returns directly the leaf
has passed. The said arms may be permanently attached to the ledge, or they may
be provided with suitable spring clips, enabling them to be temporarily affixed to the
ledge of any music or reading stand.
To the centre of the stand I affix, by the lower end, a vertical flat strip of steel; a
piece of music, or a thin book can be opened and slipped behind the said strip, which
is provided at the top with a clip or catch to engage with the stand. By this means
the music will be held firmly, so that it will not be displaced by the turning of the
leaves, as generally occurs in the ordinary method.
Noted this #1at dan at Tahon 1800
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, S. W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Music and Reading Desks.
I, HENRY INKSON HARRIS, of 61, Ossory Road, Old Kent Road, S.E. in the County
of Surrey, Electrician, 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 following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved construction of the small arms usually fitted
to the ledge of a music, or reading desk, to hold back the leaves of a book, or piece of
music, and also to an appliance for holding the said book or music on the stand.
The aforesaid arms are ordinarily screwed into the ledge and either turn stiffly, or
become loose, and will not retain their position. My improved arms are arranged to
turn freely on pivots attached to the ledge and are actuated by a light coiled
spring. Suitable stops are provided so that the arm always stands upright, it cannot
turn down to the right, but a very slight pressure will depress it to the left, and on
the release of the pressure the arm immediately flies back to the upright position.
The effect of this arrangement is, that when the leaf of a book or piece of music is
turned, it depresses the arın, allowing the leaf to pass, and the arm automatically
returns, directly the leaf has passed. The said arms may be permanently attached to
the ledge, or they may be provided with suitable spring clips, enabling them to be
temporarily affixed to the ledge of any music or reading stand.
To the centre of the stand, I affix by the lower end, a vertical flat strip of steel; a

page_text: piece of music or a thin book can be opened and slipped behind the said strip, which
is provided at the top with a clip or catch to engage with the stand. By this means
the music will be held firmly, so that it will not be displaced by the turning of the
leaves, as generally occurs in the ordinary method.
In place of the said single strip, 1 prefer in practice, to employ a modification, con-
sisting of two short strips, or spring arms, one holding the top and the other the
bottom of the music.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Fig. 1 is an elevation to a reduced scale of an ordinary piano music desk shewing
my invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a partial full-sized elevation of the same.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sections through the lines Y Y and Z Z, respectively, in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the device shewn in Fig. 4.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
A. is the ledge of the music desk, and B, is my improved arm affixed thereto. The
arm turns upon a fixed pivot, or pin (, and is actuated by the light coiled spring D.
The spring is enclosed in the tube E, affixed to the arm, and a nut F, and washer F
on the end of the pin, keep the arm and spring in place. One end of the spring D is
fixed in the plate H, and the other end in a notch in the edge of the tube E. J is a
stud coming in contact with the plate H and forming a stop, so that the arm B, stands
vertically, and cannot be turned down to the right, but a very slight pressure will
turn it down to the left, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. On the release of
the pressure the spring D immediately returns the arm to the vertical position.
KK', are two light arms hinged to the desk at L L', and pressed against it by the
coiled springs M M¹. The music is slipped behind these arms and held firmly
thereby, so that it is not liable to be displaced by the turning of the leaves.
Fig. 5 represents a pivotted spring arm, similar to that shewn in the previous figs.
but instead of being permanently attached to the ledge A, it is provided with a spring
clip N, enabling it to be temporarily attached, and has the advantage that it can be
moved along the ledge to accommodate pieces of music of various sizes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: :-
1. An arm B, turning on a pivot C, and actuated by a spring D, for attachment to
a music or reading desk, so that the arm will be depressed by the turning of
the leaves, and will automatically return to the vertical position, substantially as
described.
2. The combination with an arm B, as described in the preceding claim, of a spring
clip N, for temporarily attaching the said arm to the ledge of a music or reading
desk, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a music or reading desk of a steel strip for, holding a book
or music thereon, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1890.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.