US449635A - pinfold - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

A. G. PINFOLD.

MBTRONOMB.

No. 449,(335. Patented Mar. 31,1891.

IIIIII (No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

A. GgPINFoLD.

METRONOMB.

No. 449,635. Patented Mar. 3l, 1891.

-fnvenor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR GOUGH PINFOLD, OF CLECKHEATON, ENGLAND.

METRONOME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,685, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed November 11, 1890. Serial No. 371,081- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR GoUeH PIN- EOLD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Cleckheaton, in the county of York, England, have invented an Improved Metronome, of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cheap, efficient, noiseless, and readily portable metronome or instrument capable of being adjusted so as to oscillate any required number of times per minute, and which may be employed for indicating or marking different times in music, or for rating and adjusting horological instruments, such as watches, chronometers, rbc. The improved metronome has n o springs, weights, escapement, wheels, or other parts which can get out of order, and it is always ready for use, as it can be placed and made to operate upon a shelf or other convenient projection, or even upon the finger, or a special stand may be provided to support same, the whole being capable of being inclosed in a suitable case and carried about the person.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of a metronome constructed according to my invention. Figs. 3 and 4. are similar views showing the metronome mounted upon a suitable stand.,

My invention consists, essentially, in a curved or bent frame A, which may be of C form, as shown, the bottom of which is weighted, as shown at B, while on the under side of the top of such frame a suitablyshaped support or bearing-surface C is provided, upon which the instrument oscillates when in operation. From the upper side of the top of the frame A a straight bar D eX- tends upward and -constitutes a slide upon which the sliding weight E to regulate the number of beats is mounted, such bar being marked with divisions and terms used in music, showing the position to which the weight E must be shifted to produce the number of beats required, the same as in metronomes of known construction.

rlhe instrument thus constructed is complete in itself, and by suspending same by the bearing-surface C on the under side of the top of the curved or bent frame A upon a shelf or other convenient part, or even upon the finger, and imparting an oscillating movement thereto, such movement will continue for a considerable period, the rate of oscillation depending upon the position to which the sliding weight E has been shifted along the slide D projecting up from the top of the frame A.

The slide D may be mounted on the top of the frame A, so that it can slide through same or be folded in relation thereto when not in use, thus reducing the size of the instrument and enabling it to be more conveniently carried about the person, either in a case or not, without damaging it.

The bearing-surface C may be of curved form or a knife edge; but in order to reduce the friction thereon to a minimum, and thereby increase the duration of its operation for a single impulse imparted to the instrument, it is preferable to make such bearing-surface in the form of a pin or pins F, preferably two, as shown.

A suitable stand G maybe provided for the instrument, having preferably at top a part or support to receive the bearing-surface C of the frame A of such instrument, a suitable form of stand consist-ing of a set of legs H, to or upon the top of one of which the support I to receive the bearing-surface C of the instrument is secured or mounted, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4;. The legs H constituting the stand are preferably hinged or pivoted together, so that they can be folded or turned fiat all in the same line, and thus enable the stand and the instrument (which is also flat) to be placed in a small case, so as to be more convenient for transport, such case being capable of being placed in the pocket.

The support I on the standand which is to receive the bearing-surface C of the instrument, may be of any suitable material, (metal, india-rubber, &c.,) and of any suitable form to suit the shape or nature of such bear ing-surface. lVhen the latter is convex, the support may be in the form of a corresponding concave recess, or the bearing-surface may be in the form of a concave recess and the support be convex. For a knife-edge bearing-surface the part to receive the knifeedge may have a slight cut or recess.

When the bearing-surface consists of two IOO pins F, the support I 'on the stand G is, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, preferably in the form of a pulley, either grooved or not, and which may be stationaryv or mounted upon a pivot, as shown; or such support I may be in the form of a ball. This construction will enable the instrument to always hang true, even when the stand is placed upon a slanting or an irregular surface.

The pins F might be arranged on the stand G and theball or roller I form the bearingsurface of the instrument.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improved metronome consisting of a curved or bent frame Weighted at its lower end and provided with a bearing-surface on the under side of the top thereof bywhich it can be suspended, and a bar or slide projecting up from the top of sueh frame and carrying a Weight the position of which can on the under side of the vtop thereof, and a bar or slide projecting up from the top of such frame and carrying an adjustable Weight, such bar or slide being capable of either sliding through the top of the frame or of folding down in relation thereto, substantially as specified.

ARTHUR GOUGH PINFOLD.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. MUMFORD, Solicitor and Notary Publio, of Bradford,

Yorkshire, England.

S. E. DEAN,

His Clerk.

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