GB1566781A - Shelf assembly with book-rest - Google Patents

Description

(54) SHELF ASSEMBLY WITH BOOK-REST (71) 1, KEVIN CYRIL WALDRON, a British Subject, of 12 Tor Bryan, Ingatestone, Essex, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a shelf assembly and provides an assembly which is suitable for carrying books and which incorporates a book-rest on which a book from the shelf may be laid, when open, for convenient reference. The shelf assembly is thus particularly useful for the storage of cookery books in a kitchen, where it is desirable for a book to be made available for reference without the necessity of handling the book.

According to the invention there is provided a shelf assembly comprising a flat portion providing a supporting surface, support means connected to the flat portion and extending transversely to the supporting surface thereof, a book-rest portion connected to said flat portion and located in, or adjustable to, an inclined position where, when the flat portion is substantially horizontal, the book-rest portion extends forwardly and downwardly at an angle from a front edge of the flat portion, the bookrest portion having means to retain a book thereon when in said inclined position.

Said means to retain a book on the bookrest portion may comprise stop means, such as a projecting lip, disposed at or adjacent the lower forward edge thereof.

The book-rest portion may be integral with, or rigidly secured to, said flat portion.

Alternatively, in the case where the bookrest portion is adjustable to said inclined pOsition, there may be provided guide means guiding movement of the book-rest portion between said inclined position and a storage position where it is disposed beneath the flat portion.

The aforesaid support means may be integral with, or rigidly secured to, said flat portion, and may also constitute means whereby the shelf assembly may be mounted on a vertical surface with said supporting surface of the flat portion extending horizontally.

There may be provided on the shelf assembly spaced elements which extend above the supporting surface when said surface is substantially horizontal so as to provide lateral support for books on said surface.

The following is a more detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shelf assembly according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative form of shelf assembly according to the invention; and Figure 3 is a vertical section through the shelf assembly shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1, the shelf assembly is formed in one piece from integrally moulded plastics material. It comprises a flat portion 10, providing a horizontal upper supporting surface 11-, and end walls 12 which extend upwardly from the flat portion.

Along the rear edges of the flat portion 10 and end walls 12 are formed flanges 13 by means of which the assembly may be mounted on a vertical wall or other surface, for example by screws passing through the flanges. Instead of the flanges 13, there may be provided a back wall which substantially fills the area bounded by the flat portion 10 and the end walls 12.

An inclined book-rest portion 14 extends forwardly and downwardly from the front edge of the flat portion 10, and is formed at its lower edge with a lip 15.

In use. books 16, such as cookery books, may be stored on the flat portion 10, together with other articles, and a book selected for reference may be placed open on the inclined book-rest portion 14, as indicated at 17, where it is retained by the lip 15. Means such as a weighted bar or an upwardly extending flange on the lip 15 may be provided to hold the book open. The book 17 is thus readily available for reference.

but is kept away from the liquids and cook- ing materials which are usually present on kitchen work tops.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 the inclined book-rest portion 14 is separately formed from the remainder of the shelf assembly and is adjustable between the inclined position, shown in Figure 2, and a storage position beneath the flat portion of the shelf assembly, as shown in Figure 3. For this purpose the portion 14 is integrally formed with a rear portion 18 which extends horizontally beneath the flat portion 10 when the portion 14 is in the inclined position shown in Figure 2. The side edges of the rear portion 18 are slidable in guides 19 provided at opposite ends of the flat portion on the underside thereof.The guides 19 are so shaped that the book-rest portion 14 may be tilted upwardly from the position shown in Figure 2 and slid rearwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 where it lies beneath the flat portion 10 of the shelf assembly. Any suitable stop means may be provided to limit the forward sliding movement of the portions 14 and 18 in the guides 19. For example the upper side of the rear portion 18 may be provided with a lug 20 which engages a depression or lug on the underside of the flat portion 10 when the book-rest portion reaches its required forward position.

Although the parts of the described shelf assemblies are preferably formed from plastics material, such as injection moulded plastics, it will be appreciated that any other suitable materials may be used such as wood, sheet metal, or wire frames, or any combinaticn of materials. The assembly may also be moulded from polyurethane foam.

It is not essential for the parts of the shelf assembly to be integrally formed, and they may equally well be separately formed and secured together, for example by screws or clips. In this case the parts may be secured together in a readily detachable fashion. For example, in the case of a long shelf assembly, there may be provided one or more intermediate walls, or other forms of separator, between the end walls 12 and detachably secured to the flat portion 10 so that their position is adjustable.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A shelf assembly comprising a flat portion providing a supporting surface, support means connected to the flat portion and extending transversely to the supporting surface thereof, a book-rest portion connected to said flat portion and located in, or adjustable to, an inclined position where, when the flat portion is substantially horizontal, the book-rest portion extends forwardly and downwardly at an angle from a front edge of the flat portion, the bookrest portion having means to retain a book thereon when in said inclined position.

2. A shelf assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means to retain a bool; on the book-rest portion comprise stop means disposed at or adjacent the lower forward edge thereof.

3. A shelf assembly according to claim 2, wherein said stop means comprise a projecting lip extending along the lower forward edge of the book-rest portion and extending upwardly therefrom.

4. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the book-rest portion is secured to said flat portion.

5. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, and in which the book-rest portion is adjustable to said inclined position, wherein there is provided guide means guiding movement of the book-rest portion between said inclined position and a storage position where it is disposed beneath the flat portion.

6. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said support means are integral with, or rigidly secured to, said flat portion.

7. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said support means constitute means whereby the shelf assembly may be mounted on a vertical surface with said supporting surface of the flat portion extending horizontally.

8. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein there are provided spaced elements which extend above the supporting surface when said surface is substantially horizontal so as to provide lateral support for books on said surface.

9. A shelf assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, or Figures 2 and 3, of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 the inclined book-rest portion 14 is separately formed from the remainder of the shelf assembly and is adjustable between the inclined position, shown in Figure 2, and a storage position beneath the flat portion of the shelf assembly, as shown in Figure 3. For this purpose the portion 14 is integrally formed with a rear portion 18 which extends horizontally beneath the flat portion 10 when the portion 14 is in the inclined position shown in Figure 2. The side edges of the rear portion 18 are slidable in guides 19 provided at opposite ends of the flat portion on the underside thereof.The guides 19 are so shaped that the book-rest portion 14 may be tilted upwardly from the position shown in Figure 2 and slid rearwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 where it lies beneath the flat portion 10 of the shelf assembly. Any suitable stop means may be provided to limit the forward sliding movement of the portions 14 and 18 in the guides 19. For example the upper side of the rear portion 18 may be provided with a lug 20 which engages a depression or lug on the underside of the flat portion 10 when the book-rest portion reaches its required forward position. Although the parts of the described shelf assemblies are preferably formed from plastics material, such as injection moulded plastics, it will be appreciated that any other suitable materials may be used such as wood, sheet metal, or wire frames, or any combinaticn of materials. The assembly may also be moulded from polyurethane foam. It is not essential for the parts of the shelf assembly to be integrally formed, and they may equally well be separately formed and secured together, for example by screws or clips. In this case the parts may be secured together in a readily detachable fashion. For example, in the case of a long shelf assembly, there may be provided one or more intermediate walls, or other forms of separator, between the end walls 12 and detachably secured to the flat portion 10 so that their position is adjustable. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A shelf assembly comprising a flat portion providing a supporting surface, support means connected to the flat portion and extending transversely to the supporting surface thereof, a book-rest portion connected to said flat portion and located in, or adjustable to, an inclined position where, when the flat portion is substantially horizontal, the book-rest portion extends forwardly and downwardly at an angle from a front edge of the flat portion, the bookrest portion having means to retain a book thereon when in said inclined position.

2. A shelf assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means to retain a bool; on the book-rest portion comprise stop means disposed at or adjacent the lower forward edge thereof.

3. A shelf assembly according to claim 2, wherein said stop means comprise a projecting lip extending along the lower forward edge of the book-rest portion and extending upwardly therefrom.

4. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the book-rest portion is secured to said flat portion.

5. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, and in which the book-rest portion is adjustable to said inclined position, wherein there is provided guide means guiding movement of the book-rest portion between said inclined position and a storage position where it is disposed beneath the flat portion.

6. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said support means are integral with, or rigidly secured to, said flat portion.

7. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said support means constitute means whereby the shelf assembly may be mounted on a vertical surface with said supporting surface of the flat portion extending horizontally.

8. A shelf assembly according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein there are provided spaced elements which extend above the supporting surface when said surface is substantially horizontal so as to provide lateral support for books on said surface.

9. A shelf assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, or Figures 2 and 3, of the accompanying drawings.