US416471A - John r - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. R. LOMAS..

MUSIC RACK FOR HANDS.

Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

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T IDEEEHIEE SUEDE@ i. EDDIIEIII VlVH-H- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. LOMAS, OF VEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIAIE TO BERNARD SIIONINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

MUSIC-RACK FOR PIANOS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,471, dated December 3, 1889.

Application iiled September 9, 1889. Serial No. 323,377. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN R. LOMAS, of IVest Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Iniprovement in Music-Racks for Pianos 5 and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a front view showing the panel in the closed position, and representing the internal mechanism in broken lines; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section cutting` through the panel in the closed position; Fig. 3, the same as Fig. 2, representing the panel as thrown outward, as for a book or music support; Fig. 4, an interior view of a portion of the'case, showing one of the crank-arms and its connection with the panel; Fig. 5,a transverse section through the lower bar of the 'panel-frame and the' desk, showin g the hinge between them; Eig. 6, a modification in the link-connection between the crank-arm and desk.

This invention relates to an improvement in racks for that class of pianos commonly called uprights,7 and in which a panel, usually of open-work, is formed in the case over the key-board and in front of the player. Various appliances have been arranged for supporting the music in this class of pianos. In some cases the panel itself has been utilized as a part of the support. It is to this construction that this invention particularly relates, the object being a simple mechanism by which the pan el may be thrown outward and forward at its lower edge to an inclined position, with a desk combined therewith to turn into horizontal position as the panel is thrown outward and returned as the panel is returned and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A "represents the lower and B the upper bar of the upper panel of the front portion of the piano-case; C, the panel which is surrounded by a frame composed of a'top D, a

bottom E, and ends F F. The panel itself is of open-work, as usual in this class of instruments, for the escape of the sound from the interior.

The frame is constructed with an upward f extension G, through an opening below and into a space behind the upper bar B, surrounding the panel, and directly behind thc top of the panel, a stationary stop or bearing II is arranged in the frame, against which the panel will bear when in its up and closed position, as seen in Fig. 2. The space between the stop II and the bar B permits the panel to slide downward from the top, as from the position seen iu Fig. 2 to that seen in Fig. 3, and this space permit-s the panel to be turned outward atits lower edge, it turning in the said space between the bar B and the stop H, so that as the panel with its frame is drawn downward it may be turned outward, as from the position seen in Eig. 2 to that seen in Fig. The bottom or lower portion E of the frame is lnade in two parts, the one part E being the stationary part of the panelframe, and it is recessed on its front, so that thc second part I, hinged to the frame E at its lower edge, as at J, may turn down into a horizontal position and come to a bearing against the lower edge of the bottom of the frame E, as from the position seen in Fig. 2 to that seen in Fig. This hinged part I forms a desk upon which the music may stand and be supported by the panel and its frame; or when the panel is returned to its place the desk I may be folded substantially iiush and so as to form a part of the frame-panel, as seen in Figs. l and 2.

To automatically' operate the desk and at the same time support the panel and desk in either position to which they may be turned, I arrange a rock-shaft K in bearings L L directly in rear of the panel and parallel therewith, this shaft preferably extending snbstantially the length of the panel. This rockshaft is constructed with two arms M M, turned at right angles to the shaft, the ends of the shaft being turned at right angles to the said arms and parallel with the shaft, so as to form cranlepins N. These crank-pins are supported in. bearings O on the panel,

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so that as the panel swings outward from the position in Fig. I to that in Fig. 3 the crank-arms M will be correspondingly turned outward and downward, which movement causes the cranks to operate as cams to give the required outward movem ent to the panel in order that the rack, as a whole, may stand in the proper inclined position. Normally the crank-arms M stand substantially in a vertical position, as seen in Fig. 2, with the panel closed. To these crank-arms links P are hung by one end, the other end hung to the desk below or inside the hinge-pivot J, and, as at R, the length of these arms, their connection with the cranks and the disk is such as shown, that when in theup position, as represented in Fig. 2, the desk I is turned upward, the link-connection therewith then being below the hinge-pivot J on which the desk turns, and the hinge-pivot J having approached the connection between the links and the crank-arms to its nearest point, if from this closed position, as seen in Fig. 2, the lower edge of the panel be drawn outward the crank-arms are correspondingly turned, which gives to the panel the downward movement. At the saine time the distance between the connection of the link to the crank-arm and the hinge-pivot J is increasing. Consequently the link P operates upon the desk to turn it from the position seen in Fig. 2 to that seen in Fig. 3, and as the desk comes to a bearing against the lower edge of the panelbar E, as seen in Fig. 3, and as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 5, the further movement of the crank-arms and links is arrested and the book-rack stands suspended by the crankarms and links, as 'seen in Fig. 3. If, now, the panel be raised from the lower edge, it will impart a corresponding rising and inward movement to the crank-arms, which will return the panel to its place. At the same time the links P will operate upon the desk I and canse it to turn into its np posit-ion, as represented in Fig. 2, and so that as the panel comes to a stop against the case it will there be supported, the crank-arms having been brought to substantially a vertical position. By this construction the book-rack is carried so far upward in its closed position as to be out of the way of the opening cover, and after the cover is opened and the book-rack thrown outward it will drop over the cover and so far down as to come into a convenient position for the player.

I represent'. two links as connect-ing the crank-arms with the desk, and this is preferable, but as the desk is rigid a single link will answer the purpose one, therefore, may be omitted. I also represent two crank-arms and the crank-shaft as extending nearly the length of the panel-frame; but a single crankarm may be employed-that is, one of the cranks may be omitted-but in the employment of a single crank it is preferable that it shall be arranged at the center.

It is not essential that the two crank-arms be connected, as by the rock-shaft; but such connection between the cranks is desirable.

The arrangement of the single crank at the center, as suggested, is too -apparent to require illustration.V

I have represented the links l) as connected to the crank-arms M by a downward turn formed in the crank-pin, and this is preferable, as it enables the making of the rod crankarm from wire; but the link may be connected directly to the crank-arm, as represented in Fig. G, if preferred.

lVhile I have described the invention as for book-racks for pianos, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other instruments in which the cases are of similar construction.

I claiml. The herein-described book rack tor pianos and like purposes, consisting of the front panel above the key-board constructed with an extension from its upper edge, the case constructed with an opening through which the said extension from the upper edge of the panel may pass, one or more crankarms hung to the case upon the inside of the panel, and to the panel-above the point ol' connection with the case, a desk hinged to the lower edge of the panel, a link hung to one or more of the said crank-arms between the bearings in which the said crank-arms work and extending downward, the other end of the links hung to the panel below the hinged pivot between the panel and the desk, substantially as described.

2. In a book-rack for pianos and like purposes, a front panel constructed with an extension from its upper edge, the case constructed with a corresponding opening through which the said extension works up and down, the lower bar of the panel-frame recessed longitudinally upon its front side, and from its lower edge a desk hinged to the lower edge of the said panel-frame and adapted to turn into or from said recess, the said desk extending below its pivot, one or more crank-arms hung to the case in rear of the panel and to the panel above the crank-bearing on the case, with a link hung by one end to the crankarms between the connection of said crankarms with the case and panel, the link extending downward and hung to the desk below the pivot-connection between the desk and the frame, substantially as described.

JOHN R. LOMAS. lVit-nesses:

FRED C. EARLE, J. Il. SHUMwAv.

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