GB2149722A

GB2149722A - Book reading aid

Info

Publication number: GB2149722A
Application number: GB08330445A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laurence Samuel Hyman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-11-15
Filing date: 1983-11-15
Publication date: 1985-06-19
Also published as: GB2149722B; GB8330445D0

Abstract

A book reading aid includes an elongate element (1) whose ends (5,6) are turned back to overlay a short length of the main body (2) of the element (1), these ends being inclined to the main body to form recesses or slots for receiving the edge regions of the pages of a book whose reverse side is bridged by the main body, Figure 2. In alternative constructions, Figures 3 to 5, the main body is formed from two sections which are connected in lengthwise adjustable alignment in such manner that the separation between the ends can be selectively adjusted to accommodate various sizes of books. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Book reading aid This invention relates to arrangements for facilitating the reading of books, pamplets, magazines or other articles comprising a plurality of hinged sheets, pages or the like.

In particular the present invention is concerned with an arrangement for retaining such articles i.e., at a selected page or sheet when opened to such selected page or sheet.

It is known to hold books or the like and particularly those books which do not readily remain in an open position, in a desired open position by weighting down the two sections of the book to either side of the line of fold by means of any conveniently available weight; for example, ash trays.

Whilst such a weighting arrangement may be at times convenient, in general the need to apply weights is regarded as being undesirable.; Broadly, according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an arrangement for retaining a book or other multi-paged or sheet article in a desired position of opening, the arrangement including an elongate element for bridging the reverse side of an opened book or other article, and for providing means for engaging with the free edge regions of the pages or sheets to side of the centre, spine, or the like of the book or article.

Conveniently, the arrangement comprises a length of strip material whose end regions are deformed to provide portions that can engage with the edge regions when the remainder of the strip is located beneath the book or article.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an arrangement incorporating the features of the invention; Figure 2 is a view illustrating schematically the arrangement of Figure 1 when in use; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a persepective view of a second embodiment of the invention, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to Figure 1 a book or other paged or sheeted article page or sheet retaining arrangement 1 includes a length or strip of plastics, metal, or other suitable material is deformed into a generally elongate C formation including an elongate main body 2, two curved end portions 3 and 4, and two overlaying portions 5 and 6. The portions 5 and 6 are arranged at an angle to the main body 2. The angle is conveniently between 20-55 relative to the main body. A preferred range of angles is between 25-35".

The length of the main body 2 is such as to be able to bridge the underside of an opened book or other paged or sheeted article. That is to say the main body is able to bridge the spine and covers of an opened book for which the arrangement is intended to be used. For example, the main body is able to bridge the opened covers etc. of a conventionally sized paper back of the well known families or ranges of paper backs. Thus, for example, the main body can be 210 millimetres in length. This length has been found to be convenient for use with paper-backs having a cover width of about 110 millimetres such books opening to a spread width of aproximately 210 millimetres. In practice, the paper backs bell upwards in the central regions to accommodate the opening.

The mode of use of the arrangement of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 2. In the Figure 2 a book 7 is shown in an open position. As will be seen the arrangement 1 bridges the underside of the book 7 namely the covers 8 and 9 and the back or spine 10. As is well known when when a paper-back or other book is opened the vertical edges 12, and 12 of the opened book form inclined ramp like formations 13 and 14, whilst the central regions 11 of the sheets tend to bell upwards. It is in order accommodate this particular situation that the stub arms 3 and 4 are angularly disposed with respect to the remainder of the main body 2.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that the stub arms 3 and 4 hold the pages or sheets open since the tendency of the latter with the above upward belling causes the sheets to push against the stub arms.

It will be seen that the presence of the stub arms does not interfere with the turning of the pages since, in practice, it will be found that a page or sheet can be readily disengaged from one of the stub arms and the re-engaged with the other stub arm.

A convenient turning technique is to press upon the page to be turned, slide the depressed page from engagement with the associated arm, engage the turned page beneath the other stub arm whilst pressing the stack of leaves against the main body to provide a sufficient space for the easy insertion of the turned page beneath said other stub arm.

As so far described the page holding arrangement is intended for a specific book size, or limited range of book sizes. For example, the range of sizes used in connection with the commonly adopted formats for paper backs.

With the object of providing a book handling arrangement which is capable of being used with a wider-range of book sizes it is proposed to provide arrangements having adjustable length main body part.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of an adjustable arrangement.

In this embodiment the main body comprises two parts 2A and 2B and a connection 16 for effectively connecting the two body parts together such that they are capable of relative lengthwise displacement. The relative lengthwise displacement makes it possible for the handling arrangement to accommodate dooks of a relatively wide range of sizes, the range being set by the difference between the minimum distance between the ends of the main body i.e., the curved end portions 3 and 4 and the maximum distance between the curved end portions.

In the Figure the two body parts 2A and 2B are shown to be interconnected by sleeves 17. These sleeves are formed from any suitable material and may be dimensioned as required. It will be understood that the purpose of the sleeves is to ensure that the two body parts are kept in lengthwise alignment and that a sufficient clamping or cramping action is produced which ensures thatthe two body parts will remain in preselected set position. A possible material for the sleeves comprises an elasomer. A convenient form is a suitably dimensioned rubber ring.

In a variation of the connection means, the latter can comprise a length of plastics or like material wound around the two body parts to provide the equivalent of the sleeves. In the Figure 4 a connection comprising two lengths of spirally wound strip is depicted.

Referring now to Figure 6 in which there is shown a variation of the adjustable arrangement in which the body parts 2A and 2B are arranged side-by-side.

In this variation a slide block 18 includes a back plate 19 together with slide guides 20 and 21, one to each end of the back plate 19, for slidably receiving the two body parts. The internal bores of the slide guides are of a generally rectangular cross section and are of such dimension that the body parts are a close sliding fit therein. A cross through groove 22 is provided to the side of the block 18 remote from the back plate. The depth of the groove is such that the surface 23, 24 of the two body parts 2A and 2B are proud of the bottom surfaces 25 of the portions of the back plate between the guides 20 and 21 left after formation of the groove. A resilient strip i.e., rubber or other elastomer is secured in the groove with the ends thereof secured to the surfaces 25. With this arrangement, since the surfaces 23 24are proud of the surfaces 25 the mounting of the end regions of the strip 26 exerts a resilient loading upon the body parts 2A and 2B and thus provides the means whereby the body parts 2A and 2B will remain in a pre-set position relative one to the other. After engaging the body parts 2A and 28 in the guides 20 and 21 it is convenient to mount locking pieces to the ends of the body parts to prevent subsequent complete removal.

If desired the connecting plate 20 may be provided with means for enabling the block to be connected with a suport means (not shown).

Claims

1. An arrangement for retaining a book or other multipage or sheet article in a desired position of opening,the arrangement including an elongate element for bridging the reverse side of an opened book or other article, and for providing means for engaging with the free edge regions of the pages or sheets to either side of the centre spine or the like of the book or other article.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, and in which the arrangement comprises an elongate element having a main body portion whose end regions are adapted to provide portions that are co-operable with the end regions of the main body portion to define recesses or slots for receiving the book or other article page or sheet edge regions.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and comprising a length or strip of plastics, metal or other suitable material and having a generally elongate generally C-shaped formation providing a main body portion, two curved end portions and two free ends the latter extending towards each other to overly adjacent lengths of the body portion to define slots or recesses for receiving the edge regions of the book or other article.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and comprising first and second elongate elements, each of plastics, metal or other suitable material, and including an elongate main body portion and an end portion which extends towards the other end of the main body portion to overly the adjacent part of the main body portion to define therewith a recess, siot or the like to receiving the edge regions of the book or other article, and wherein means are provided for joining the two elongate elements such as to enable lengthwise adjustment of the elements relative to each other thereby to enable selective adjustment of the separation of the end portions to accommodate books or other articles of differing dimensions, whilst maintaining lengthwise alignment.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connection means includes two spaced apart connecting members which are arranged to exert a clamping or cramping action between adjacent regions of the first and second elements which is sufficient to maintain the elements in a preset relative lengthwise position, and wherein the separation is such as to maintain the lengthwise alignment.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the connecting members comprise elastomeric sleeves, rings or the like.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connection means includes at least one length of spirally wound wire or the like.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein the connection means comprises a connection block having guide channels for slidably receiving the body portions of the first and second elements, and means for exerting sufficient resilient loading of the two body portions when engage in the connection blockto maintain the two elements in a preset position lengthwise of each other.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the end parts of the element or elements are arranged at an inclination within the range 20 -55 to the main body portions thereof.

10. An arrangement for retaining a book or other mulipage or sheet article in a desired position of opening, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3,4 or 5 of the accompanying drawings.