GB2258611A - Bookstand - Google Patents

Abstract

A bookstand comprises an array of side by side fingers (4) which are pivotably moveable about a horizontal axis (3) and are biased to a generally horizontal orientation by a counterweight (5). When a book is placed in position in the bookstand, it displaces one or more fingers downwardly and is held in an upright position between the adjacent horizontal fingers not displaced. <IMAGE>

Description

BOOKSTAND This invention relates to bookstands for keeping books in an upright position on a shelf, desk, table or other horizontal surface.

One commonly available bookstand consists of an upright metal plate which may be mounted some distance from another upright surface, such as the end wall of a set of shelves, or the wall of a room. The distance is chosen to accommodate the expected number of books.

A disadvantage with the conventional bookstand described above is that if some books are removed from the bookstand so that a reduced number of books remain, then the remaining books may fall over on their sides.

According to the invention there is provided a bookstand comprising an array of side by side fingers each of which is pivotably moveable about a horizontal axis between an operational position, in which pairs of fingers in said operational position can in cooperation one with another hold one or more books in an upright position between them; and an inoperative position, the fingers being biased towards the operational position.

Thus, the bookstand of the invention can accommodate a variable number of books while retaining all the books in an upright position without the need to move or adjust the bookstand.

xny desired number of books may be held in an upright position by pushing the books home into the bookstand so as to push one or more fingers from the operational to the inoperational position, with the books being held upright by the immediately adjacent fingers which are in the operational position. When one or more books are withdrawn, the corresponding fingers, under the influence of the biasing, pivot back to the operational position so that the remaining books are retained in the upright position.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one construction of bookstand in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the bookstand with a book in position; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the bookstand with the book in position; Figures 3a, 3b and 3c are side views of a finger of the bookstand just before a book is placed in position, during placement in position, and after placement in position respectively; Figure 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the bookstand; and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3a but on a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings, the bookstand comprises two side walls 1 of ornamental shape, a base plate 2 of L section connecting the side walls, a horizontal shaft 3 connecting the side walls, -an array of pivotal fingers 4 mounted on the horizontal shaft, counterweights 5 to bias the fingers to pivot anti-clockwise, and a limit bar 6 to limit the rotation of the fingers in the anti-clockwise direction.

Referring to Figure 3a, before any book is inserted, the finger 4 adopts the operational position under the influence of the counterweight 5. Figure 3b shows the book 100 being placed in position, displacing the finger 4 towards the inoperative position. Figure 3c shows the book in position. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the book 100 is then held in the upright position by the two neighbouring fingers 4. If the book 100 is wider than one finger 4, then as it is pushed home it will displace additional fingers 4, but will always be held in the upright position by the immediately adjacent fingers which are in the operative position.

When the book is withdrawn from the bookstand the finger 4 or fingers which were displaced pivot back under the influence of the counterweight 5 to the operative position shown in Figure 3a. It will be appreciated that one or more books may be removed from the bookstand while leaving the other books in the upright position.

Claims (3)

1. A bookstand comprising an array of side by side fingers each of which is pivotably moveable about an horizontal axis between an operation position, in which pairs of the fingers in said operational position can, in cooperation one with another hold one or more books in an upright position between them; and an inoperative position, the fingers being biased towards the operational position.

2. A bookstand generally as herein described, with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

3. Any novel combination or sub-combination dislosed and/or illustrated herein.