Automatic music sheet feeder, music sheet support mechanism, and sequential feed mechanism

Abstract

To provide an automatic music sheet feeder, a music sheet support mechanism, and a sequential feed mechanism which are highly practical, free from difficulty in viewing due to light reflection, easy to use, and can be manufactured at low cost overall, and are convenient to mount on an existing general music stand. [Solution] The automatic music feeder drops music boards 1, each with the same number of scores attached to it, one by one in sequence to turn the page in response to a signal from a foot switch 15. The music boards are placed on a box-shaped music stand 2 and supported by a music board support mechanism, a sequential feed mechanism that controls this support mechanism to release the support for each music board and allow it to drop, a push-pull solenoid 1 as an actuator, a timer relay 13, and a power source 14. The falling music boards are caught by a music board receiving net 16.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an automatic music sheet feeder that allows music sheets to fall downwards under their own weight. [Background technology]

[0002] When playing wind or string instruments, where both hands are occupied, sheet music has traditionally been turned by hand. Recently, there have been digital methods such as automatic mechanical page feeders and tablets and iPads, but these methods are not widely used due to practical issues. Each method has the following problems and challenges. There are limits to the speed at which manual and traditional mechanical page feeders can turn. In particularly fast pieces, such as those with 200 quarter notes, the time required for a quarter note or quarter rest is 0.3 seconds, and even one measure takes 1.2 seconds, which is too slow for traditional machines. In practice, attempts have been made to manually turn pages by editing the score to include pauses when turning pages, creating time for page turning, but there are limitations. Digital displays are difficult to read, especially on concert stages where the lighting is not optimal. Furthermore, the iPads and tablets used are small and difficult to read, with 12-inch screens for A4. A3 displays are 20 inches, large, heavy, and rarely used. Furthermore, in music, there's a symbol called "dal segno" that returns you to the beginning of the first page. However, returning to the beginning requires pressing the foot switch multiple times in succession, which takes two to three seconds, and is not compatible with fast pieces. Copying the sheet music and attaching it to the end is also an option, but this appears difficult with the software at present.

[0003] A sequential feed mechanism is essential for automatic page turning of sheet music, but there are various types of sequential feed mechanisms in general, and most of them are expensive, such as electric servo motors, pneumatic or hydraulic servo motors, servo cylinders, robots, etc. For automatic sheet music feeding, a simple, lightweight, and inexpensive mechanism is required. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Jitsuzen Showa 58-003278 [Patent Document 2] Jitsuzen Showa 55-043484 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Both the mechanical automatic feeder and the digital machine have the following issues. Conventional mechanical automatic music advancers can be broadly divided into those that advance horizontally like the pages of a book, and those that advance pages by using a roll to advance and rewind them, both horizontally and vertically. First, mechanical horizontal advancers have limited operating speed. For particularly fast pieces, such as a piece with 200 quarter notes, the quarter note and quarter note rest time is 0.3 seconds. While this level of operating speed is essential, actual speeds range from 1 to 3 seconds, making them impractical and unable to adapt to different songs. Furthermore, their mechanisms are complex and expensive, making them unpopular. Some vertical advancers with mechanical rolls advance the music sheet using a speed adjustment knob to match the speed of the piece. For musicians, this resembles the end credits of a movie, creating a sense of incongruity. Furthermore, digital devices can be extremely difficult to read depending on ambient lighting conditions, and their small size—up to a practically manageable A4 screen size—exacerbates the difficulty. Furthermore, in the musical Dal Segno, to return to the first page, it is necessary to step on the foot switch several times in succession, which is not enough for fast songs and is therefore problematic in practical use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This device turns pages by allowing them to fall downwards using gravity, so pages turn faster than conventional machines. Furthermore, by using a fast-acting actuator and timer relay, the operating time is 0.1 seconds, and even including the operating time of the mechanism, it is about 0.3 seconds, which is fast enough for practical use. Also, since the paper score is viewed directly, there is no difficulty in reading it depending on the ambient lighting conditions, as there is with digital systems. Furthermore, the Dal Segno problem can be copied and added to the last page without any problems, so all of the above issues can be solved. The configuration of this invention is as follows: The music board support mechanism supports music boards, each with multiple scores attached to it, on the front of the box-shaped music stand using a pair of support rods located on the left and right under the front of the stand. The support rods are the same length as the total thickness of the music boards, protruding from the front of the stand and gradually getting shorter. One end of the support rod is pivotally attached to the stand by a pin, and the support rod rotates around the pin. A slide bar with a notch is located below the support rod, and the non-notched part of the slide bar supports the support rod. A signal from the foot switch commanded by the performer activates a fast-acting actuator, which pushes the slide bar a certain distance using a sequential feed mechanism, causing the support rod to rotate downward at the notched part of the slide bar, releasing the support rod and allowing the music board to fall, thereby changing the page of the score. This invention uses a simple, inexpensive, and fast-acting actuator, and the sequential feed mechanism is structured using a rectangular bracket, an L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer, a headed pin and weight, and a string, resulting in a simple and inexpensive sequential feed mechanism that achieves fast operation. In addition, falling music boards are caught by a music board support net located at the bottom of the box-shaped music stand. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] This device utilizes gravity to enable rapid page changes in approximately 0.3 seconds. It also has the advantage of allowing users to see the top left corner of the score, which is the first place they should look. This is just like looking at regular sheet music, and it eliminates the discomfort of constantly moving sheets like the vertical scroll speed synchronization found on conventional machines. It's highly practical. It also eliminates the discomfort of light reflections that can be caused by digital devices. To return to the first page of a Dal Segno piece, simply add a sheet music board with a copy of that page attached, eliminating the need to repeatedly press the foot switch like with digital devices. This makes it easy to use and practical. Furthermore, by combining a fast-acting actuator with a simple sheet music board support mechanism and a sequential feed mechanism, the entire system can be manufactured inexpensively. The automatic sheet music feeder is also a thin, box-like device, about the size of an A3 sheet music, making it convenient to mount on an existing music stand. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1]1 is a partially cutaway front view of an embodiment of the automatic music sheet feeding device of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a side view of the automatic music sheet feeding device of the present invention, partially cut away and in section; [Figure 3] 2 of the automatic music sheet feeding device of the present invention, is a plan view of the cutout taken along the arrow AA. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Figure 1 is a partially cutaway front view of the automatic music feeder of this invention. The curved line around the center of the box-shaped music stand 2 has been cut into the top board, revealing the interior of the box on the right side. The left side is uncut, revealing the music board 1 resting on the top board. Furthermore, the L-shaped sliding reciprocating hammer 8 has been partially cut away and shown with oblique lines, revealing that the headed pin 9 passes vertically through the L-shaped sliding reciprocating hammer 2 and rests on the rectangular bracket 7. The music board support net 16 and the standard music stand 17 are cut in the center by the horizontal parallel wavy lines. Figure 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the automatic music feeder of the present invention, in which the box-shaped music stand 2 is cut vertically and shown with roughly diagonal lines, revealing the interior. The slide bar 5, rectangular bracket 7, and L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 are also shown in cross section with diagonal lines. Figure 3 is a cutaway plan view of the automatic music feeder of the present invention, taken along line AA in Figure 2 and viewed from above. The cut-out portion of the box-type music stand is indicated by diagonal lines. A slide bar 5 runs through the left front panel of the box-type music stand 2. Two sets of support rods 3, each of which becomes progressively shorter, are visible. The main part of the automatic music feeder of this invention is the box-shaped music stand 2, which is a thin box that can be placed on a standard music stand 17. Inside the box-shaped music stand 2 are a music board support mechanism consisting of a pair of support rods 3 installed on the left and right under the front of the box-shaped music stand 2, a pin 4, and a slide bar 5 with a notch 6 that passes through the box-shaped music stand 2 from left to right, a rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7 that is integral with the slide bar 5, an L-shaped sliding reciprocating hammer 8 that slides on the rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7, a headed pin 9, a weight 10, and a string 11. The headed pin 9 passes through the L-shaped sliding reciprocating hammer 8 and rests on the rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7, and the weight 10 is fastened to the L-shaped sliding reciprocating hammer 8 via the string 11. Additionally, a push-pull solenoid 12 as an actuator, a timer relay 13, and a power supply 14 are arranged inside the box-shaped music stand 2, and a foot switch 15 and a music board support net 16 are arranged outside the box-shaped music stand 2. The music board support mechanism of this invention is as follows. Music boards 1, each with multiple scores pasted on the same number of boards, are supported by a pair of support rods 3 located on the left and right under the front of a box-shaped music stand 2, protruding from the front of the box-shaped music stand 2. There are the same number of support rods 3 on each side as there are music boards 1. The length of protrusion of the support rods 3 from the front of the box-shaped music stand 2 decreases successively in the direction of movement of the slide bar 5 by the thickness of one music board 1, until the shortest length is the thickness of one music board 1 and the longest length is the same as the thickness of all the music boards. The protruding parts of the support rods 3 support the music boards 1. The support rod with the longest protrusion supports only the frontmost music board 1, and the support rod with the shortest protrusion supports only the last music board 1 in order. The box-shaped music stand 2 is placed on a standard music stand 17 and is usually used with the music boards tilted slightly upwards for easy viewing, so the music boards 1 will not fall off by themselves. The rear side of the support rod 3 opposite the protruding part is pivotally attached to the box-shaped music stand 2 by a pin 4, and the support rod 3 rotates around the pin 4. A slide bar 5 with a notch 6 is located below the support rod 3, and the support rod 3 is supported where there is no notch 6 on the slide bar 5, and is not supported where there is notch 6, causing the support rod 3 to rotate and fall downward, dropping the music board 1 it was supporting and causing a page change. This is a music board support mechanism characterized by this. In response to a signal from foot switch 15 commanded by the performer, push-pull solenoid 12 and sequential feed mechanisms 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, described below, push slide bar 5 out a certain distance, positioning notch 6 below support rod 3, causing support rod 3 to rotate and fall, removing support from support rod 3 and causing music board 1 to fall downward, turning the score to a new page. The falling music board 1 is caught by music board receiving net 16 located at the bottom of box-shaped music stand 2. This automatic music feeder is placed on a standard music stand 17.

[0010] The sequential feed mechanism of the present invention is as follows. A sliding L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer 8 is installed on the upper surface of a rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7 that is integrated with the slide bar 5, and the L-end, which is the end of the L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer 8 on the push-pull solenoid 12 side, is placed in contact with the push shaft tip of the push-pull solenoid 12. The L-end of the L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer 8 is a plate, and the back side that is in contact with the shaft tip of the push-pull solenoid 12 is in contact with the end face of the rectangular bracket 7, and becomes the working surface that pushes out the rectangular bracket during the initial feed of a fixed dimension. Movable headed pins 9 are inserted into pre-drilled holes perpendicular to the surface of the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 that contacts the top surface of the rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7, in the feed direction for each feed dimension of the slide bar 5, and the headed pins 9 rest on top of the rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7. Regarding the number of headed pins 9, the first time the slide bar 5 is pushed out, the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 presses directly against the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, so headed pins 9 are not necessary, but they are necessary for the second and subsequent pushes of the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, and since there is no need to drop the final music board, the number of headed pins 9 is two less than the number of support rods 3. When a signal from foot switch 15 commanded by the performer activates push-pull solenoid 12 and pushes out L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 a certain distance, L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 pushes rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7 and slide bar 5, advancing notch 6 and rotating and dropping one support rod 3 around pin 4 as its axis. Meanwhile, weight 10, which acts in the opposite direction to the direction pushing slide bar 5, is connected via string 11 to the L end of L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 that comes into contact with the shaft end of push-pull solenoid 12. At the same time that the shaft of push-pull solenoid 12 returns, L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 is pulled by weight 10 and slides back to its original position, and rectangular parallelepiped bracket 7 and slide bar 5 stop where they advanced, creating a gap between L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8 and rectangular parallelepiped bracket, causing one headed pin 9 to drop and stop with its head on the top surface of the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer. The length under the head of the headed pin 9 is sufficiently longer than the thickness of the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 8, so that the axis of the headed pin 9 extends perpendicularly into the gap and is located just above the end face of the rectangular bracket 7. This prepares the next sheet to be fed. The second or subsequent foot switch signal causes the dropped headed pin 9 to act as the point of action, pushing out the rectangular bracket 7 by a certain distance, and feeding the slide bar 5, which is integrated with the rectangular bracket, by a certain distance, dropping the next sheet music board 1 onto the sheet music board support mechanism, thereby sequentially feeding a new page. This is the characteristic of this sequential feeding mechanism. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and can be widely applied within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0011] 1 music board 2 Box-shaped music stand 3 Support rod 4-pin 5 Slider 6 Notch 7 Rectangular Bracket 8 L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer 9 headed pins 10 weights 11 Thread 12 Push-pull solenoid 13 Timer relay 14 Power supply 15 Footswitch 16 Music board support net 17 Regular music stand

Claims

1. An automatic music sheet feeder is provided in which a music sheet board with a score of a piece of music to be played is placed on the front of a box-shaped music stand that is installed in a position visible to a performer, and the music sheet board is dropped downward to turn pages, The automatic music sheet feeder is provided with a music sheet support mechanism for supporting the music sheet on the box-type music stand, and a sequential feed mechanism for releasing the support and dropping the music sheet at the command of the performer when a page change is required.

2. the music board support mechanism is located within the box-shaped music stand and comprises a support rod for supporting the music board, a pin on which the support rod can rotate, and a slide bar with a notch for supporting the support rod from below; 2. The automatic music feeder according to claim 1, wherein the progressive feed mechanism is located within the box-type music stand and comprises a rectangular parallelepiped bracket integrated with the slide bar, an L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer that slides on the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, a headed pin that serves as the point of action, a string that pulls the L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the slide bar, and a weight; and the slide bar is pushed out a certain distance in response to the command from the performer, causing the music board to drop onto the music board support mechanism.

3. A music board support mechanism comprising: a support rod, located inside a box-shaped music stand, for supporting a music board on which the score of the piece of music to be played is pasted; a pin on which said support rod can rotate; and a slide bar with a notch for supporting said support rod from below, wherein when said slide bar is pushed out a certain distance based on a command from the performer, the notch of said slide bar advances, causing said support rod to lose support and rotate and fall, thereby dropping said music board.

4. The box-shaped music stand is equipped with a rectangular parallelepiped bracket integrated with a slide bar having a notch, an L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer that slides on the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, a headed pin that serves as the point of application, a string that pulls the L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the slide bar, and a weight. Based on a command from the performer, the L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer, the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, and the slide bar are pushed out a certain distance to drop the music board, and then the L-shaped reciprocating slide hammer slides back to its original position by the string and the weight, and the L-shaped A gap is formed between the operating surface of the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer and the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, and one of the headed pins located in a plurality of holes bored vertically at regular intervals in the direction of movement of the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer drops a certain distance into the gap from a state in which it is resting on the rectangular parallelepiped bracket, and when the L-shaped slide reciprocating hammer is pushed out a certain distance based on the next command from the player, the dropped headed pin becomes the point of action and pushes out the rectangular parallelepiped bracket and the slide bar a certain distance, and by repeating this action, the slide bar is advanced sequentially.

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