US2579740A

US2579740A - Convertible folding reading stand

Info

Publication number: US2579740A
Application number: US45631A
Authority: US
Inventors: Vera D Hiemenz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-08-23
Filing date: 1948-08-23
Publication date: 1951-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 1968-12-25

Description

Dec. 25, 1951 v D, HlEMENz 2,579,740

CONVERTIBLE FOLDING READING STAND Filed Aug. 25, 1948 2 SI-XEETS--SHEET l.

. INVENTOR.

- 4rraz/YEY Dec. 25, 1951 v. 0. HIEMENZ 2,579,740

CONVERTIBLE FOLDING READING STAND Filed Aug. 23, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 \INVENTOR. Z9. /0- V524 flfl/EME/vz Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GONVERTIBLE FOLDING READING STAND Vera D. Hiemenz, Montrose, Calif. Application August 23, 1948, Serial No. 45,631

1 This invention relates to reading stands or easels for supporting books, magazines and the like. The general object of the invention is to provide a multi-purpose easel having adjustable means for supporting it in any of a wide variety of positions.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an easel that may be supported at varying heights upon a supporting surface such as the top of a table or desk. Another object is to provide an easel that may be supported at varying degrees of angular inclination with reference to a supporting surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easel that has a supporting means adapted to support it either upon a table on a desk top, on a bed or couch, or on the sides of a bath tub, with the stand extending down into the tub.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easel having a novel and improved page holding device.

Another object is to provide an easel having extension means for rendering it better able to support large magazines and the like.

A further object is to provide an easel having all of the foregoing characteristics, and in addition, being capable of folding into a fairly small compact package.

Other objects will becomeapparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved easel in its normal leg-supported position;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the easel in a semileg supported position;

Fig. i is a rear view of the easel with its legs shown in full lines in a partially folded position and in dotted lines in a fully folded position;

Fig. 5 is an underneath view of a portion of the easel showing the folded position of the page holders; I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the easel supported in a bath tub;

Fig. 7 is an end View of the same;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the upper portion of a modified form of the easel;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a rear view of the upper portion of another modified form of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line Il-II of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a detail view of one of the knee joints of the easel.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I have shown in Figs.

1 to 7 and 12, a stand comprising a supporting panel I5, a base plate It secured to the lower edge of the panel I5, a pair of thigh members I! pivoted at I8 to the panel 15, and a pair of leg rods I9 and 20 attached to the outer end of each of the thigh members IT.

The base plate I6 is secured to the lower edge of the panel It with a portion of its width pro jecting forwardly from the panel I5 to provide a ledge 22 that functions to. support the bottom of a book, and with the remainder of its width projecting rearwardly from the panel It to provide a flange 23 the width of which is substantially the same as the thickness of the: thigh members 11. While various means for securing the base plate to the panel may be employed, 1 find it quite satisfactory to provide a groove 2i in the upper side of the base plate (as shown in Fig. 3 by illustrating a portion of the end of the base plate in cross section) and by gluing the lower edge of the panel into the groove 2|.

The pivots it are disposed at right angles to the plane of the panel Iii, whereby the thigh members I! swing in planes parallel to the panel I5. The pivots I8 are located at the lower corners of the panel It, whereby the thigh members may assume positions projecting outwardly beyond the sides of the panel I5 as in Fig. 1, their lower faces engaging the end extremities of the flange 23 and in alignment with the upper surface of the flange 23, or positions in which they project toward each other, within the area of the panel I5, with their opposite faces resting against the flange 23 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, or intermediate positions. The ends of the thigh members I? are rounded as at 26 in order to permit them to swing through arcs of degrees between the two extreme positions, without interference from the flange 23.

The rods l9 and 2;] are shown as being constructed from cylindrical rod material (e. g. dowling) although they need not necessarily be cylindrical. The rods Iii are secured in sockets 25 (Fig. 12) in the thigh members ii, and lie in the plane of swinging movement of the thigh members Ii, i. e. a plane parallel to the panel it. The rods 29 are secured in trunnions 2% which are pivotally mounted in cylindrical sockets 28 in the thigh members I7. The trunnions it fit snugly in the sockets 28, sufiiciently toresist any tendency of the knee members to .drop .out of the sockets, but loose enough to allow the trunnions to be swivelled in the sockets 28 and to be shifted 3 axially therein, when manual force is applied to the rods 29.

Keepers 29 are secured to the rear sides of the thigh members I1, and have portions projecting beyond the ends of the thigh members IT and provided with notches 30 to receive the rods 20.

When received in the notches 39, the rods 29 will diverge from the rods I9 at approximately a 60 degree angle as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. By pulling the trunnions 26 outwardly until the rods 20 clear the ends of the keepers 29, it is possible to swing the rods 29 into alignment with the rods I9 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines on the right side of Fig. 4. By pushing the trunnions 25 back into the sockets 28, the rods 29 will be brought into positions in which the keepers 29 function as stops to maintain them substantially in alignment with the rods I9, although permitting the amount of divergence shown in Fig. 6. With the rods 20 moved into alignment with the rods I9, the thigh members I! and rods I9 may be moved to positions shown in Fig. 4, in which they are disposed within the area of the panel I5.

Each thigh member I1 is provided with a latch pawl 3 I, pivoted thereto by a pivot 32. Normally the pawls 3I lie flush with the forward sides of the thigh members I'I. When the thigh members are in their extended position shown in Fig. 1, however, the pawls 3I are projected as in Fig. l to engage the side edges of the panel I5 and thereby secure the thigh members H in the extended positions cooperating with the flanges 23 to hold the thigh members against swinging movement in either direction. The thigh members are thus locked in substantially rigid relation to the panel I5 so that they may function to securely support the stand upon the rods I9 and 29, functioning as legs. The keeper 29, in the position of Fig. 1, functions to secure the rods 20 against rotation with reference to the thigh members I1, thereby preventing the rods I9 and 20 from spreading.

The base plate I6 is provided with four supporting feet in the form of buttons 33 of soft rubber or equivalent material secured to its under face. If desired, the rods I9 and 20 may be folded to the completely folded positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and the easel supported upon the buttons 33. In this case, the panel I5 will be upright. This position of use is not illustrated in the drawings but may be readily perceived by imagining the position that would :be assumed by the easel if it were tilted to an upright position with the feet 33 resting on a supporting surface 34.

In the leg supported position of Figs. 1 and 2, the panel I5 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to the vertical.

Fig. 3 illustrates a semi-leg supported position of the easel, in which the easel is supported by engagement of the flange 23 and the rods 29 against a supporting surface 34. The positions of the rods 29 with reference to the thigh members I1 is the same as in Fig. l, with the rods 2|] engaged in the notches 39. This position is also illustrated on the left side of Fig. 4. The positions of the thigh members I! with reference to the panel'l5 may be any position between the fully folded, dotted line position of Fig. 4 and the positions in alignment with the side edges of panel I5, illustrated in Fig. 6. In any of these positions, the rods 20 will projectrdownwardly 4 and rear'wardly as indicated in Fig. 3, but the angularity of the panel I5 with reference to the supporting surface 34 will be varied in accordance with the shifting of the thigh members between the two limit positions just described. When the thigh members are in the inner limit positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the angle between the panel I5 and supporting surface 34 will be at a maximum, the outer ends of the rods 29 being at a minimum distance from the edge of the flange 23. As the thigh members I! are swung outwardly, the outer ends of the rods 20 will move away from each other and away from the edge of flange 23 on an are indicated by the broken line 36 of Fig. 4, and when the thigh members arrive at positions such as that indicated by the dot and dash line Ila of Fig. 4, the ends of the rods 2|] will be at a maximum distance from the edge of flange 23 and will therefore engage the surface 34 with the angle between panel I5 and surface 34 reduced to a minimum. This minimum angle is shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The maximum angle is shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. The adjustment of angularity results from the fact that the extent of rearward projection of the rods 29 behind the plane of the thigh members I'I remains unchanged while the horizontal distance between the supporting edge of the flange 23 and the rear ends of the legs 20 varies.

When the stand is used in the Fig. 3 position, it is possible to utilize the legs I9 as extension supports for large magazines, by moving the thigh members I! to positions such as the broken line position He of Fig. 4. In such position, the

leg members I9 will project outwardly from the sides of the panel at an upward inclination such as to position beneath the upper corners of the magazine.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7, it is possible, when desired, to utilize the easel for reading in a bath tub by moving the thigh members IT to intermediate positions in which they are aligned with the side edges of the panel I5, by shifting one of the rods 29 to a position slightly diverging from its companion rod I9 as determined by contact with the edge of the keeper 29, and my moving the other rod 20 to a position where its free end abuts the trunnion 26 at the opposite side of the easel so as to function as a stud or brace holding the knee members apart, all as shown in Fig. 6. It may now be noted that with the thigh members I! extending upwardly, the rods I9 and 29 on one side, and the rod I9 on the other side, will project outwardly in substantially a common plane whereby they may rest upon the rim of a bath tub 35. Because the rods I9 are disposed beneath the rods 20, the contact will be such,

that the stand will be inclined at a proper reading angle as indicated in Fig. 7.

The page holder comprises a pressure bar 31 which is pivoted at 38 on one end of an arm 39 the other end of which is hinged on a pintle 49. The pintle 40 is mounted in the ears M of a bracket 42 which is connected by a pivot 43 to' the notch 36 so as to permit the bracket42 to be pivoted about the pivot 43 to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the bar 31 will be pressed upwardly against the bottom of the base plate l6 by the spring 44. This is the folded position of the page holder. In it, the bar 31 is substantially aligned with the arm 39 as shown in Fig. 5.

The notch it functions to reduce the necessary length of the bracket 42 to a point where the bar 31 will not project beyond the end of the base plate 16. It also functions to retain the arm 39 against lateral movement when in the operative position shown in Fig. 1.

The panel l5 may be plain as shown in Figs. l to 6 inclusive, or may be provided with page supporting extension arms 41, pivoted at 48 at their outer ends to the upper corners of the panel a as shown in Fig. 8. In this modification of the invention, the extension arms 4'! are adapted to be folded, when not in use, into channels 49 in the upper portion of the panel 15a.

In the modifications shown in Fig. 10', the arms 41 are mounted in rabbetts 45b in the rear side of the upper portion of the panel l5b.

It is to be understood that my easel may be constructed from wood, plastic or metal, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an easel, a panel for supporting a book, magazine or the like, a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of said panel for swinging movement in a plane parallel to that of the panel, and a pair of rods attached to the outer end of each thigh member, one rod of each pair being disposed substantially in the plane of swinging movement of the thigh members and the other rod of each pair being connected to the end of its respective thigh member for swinging movement about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thigh member, from a position substantially parallel to said one rod to a position in which the two rods are spread apart, said thigh members and rods being adjustable from positions in which the thigh members extend outwardly beyond the sides of the panel and said rods diverge downwardly for engagement with a supporting surface to function as legs, to positions in which said thigh members extend inwardly toward each other behind the panel and the legs extend upwardly within the area of the panel.

2. In an easel, a panel for supporting a book, magazine or the like, a ledge at the lower extremity of said panel, functioning as a rest for the lower edge of the book, etc., a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of the panel for swinging movement from positions in which they extend toward each other behind the panel to positions in which they project outwardly beyond the sides of the panel, latch members pivoted to said thigh members for movement to positions engaging the side edges of the panel to lock said thigh members in their extended positions, and a pair of rods attached to the outer ends of each of said thigh members, one of the rods of each pair being secured to its respective thigh member andv disposed substantially in the plane of swinging movement of the thigh member and the other rod of each pair being pivoted to the outer end of its thigh member on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thigh member for swinging movement from a position substantially parallel to said one rod to a position diverging from said one rod, said rods extending downwardly when the thigh members are in their ex- (ill tended position and being engageable with a supporting surface to function as legs.

3. In an easel for books, magazines and the like, a panel having at its lower extremity a base plate projecting forwardly to provide a book supporting ledge and projecting rearwardly to provide a flange, a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of said panel for swinging movement through arcs of approximately degrees from positions extending toward each other in alignment and disposed behind the panel to positions projecting outwardly beyond the sides of the panel, said thigh members engaging said flange at each of said positions. and thereby limited against movement'beyond said positions, latch pawls. pivoted to said thigh members and adapted, in the extended positions of said thigh members to be moved into engagement with the side edges of saidpanel and cooperating with said flange to lock said thigh members in said extended positions, and rods attached to the outer ends of said thigh members and movable from positions in which they both lie substantially in the plane of swinging movement of the thigh members so as to be foldable behind the panel when said thigh members are in their first mentioned positions, to positions in which they are spread apart for resting upon a supporting surface and functioning as leg 4. In an easel for books, magazines and the like, a panel, a base plate secured to the lower edge of said panel and including a portion projecting forwardly to provide a ledge to support thelower edge of a book or the like and a portion projecting rearwardly from the panel to provide a flange, a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of said panel in contact with the rear face of the panel for movement from posi- ,tions in which they extend toward each other behind the panel to extended positions in which they project outwardly beyond the sides of the panel, means for locking said thigh members in said extended positions, and a pair of rods attached to the outer ends of said thigh members, each of said pairs including a rod disposed substantially in the plane of movement of the respective thigh member and another rod diverging therefrom and extending rearwardly, both rods of each pair diverging downwardly when the thigh members are in their extended position, and functioning as legs to support said panel in a position elevated above a supporting surface, and, when the thigh members are in their inwardly extending positions, said first mentioned rods extending upwardly and said second mentioned rods extending downwardly and rearwardly and functioning as legs to cooperate with the rear edge of said flange in supporting the panel immediately adjacent the supporting surface.

5. In an easel for books, magazines and the like, a panel, a bottom plate secured to the lower edge of said panel and having a portion projecting forwardly of the panel to constitute a rest for the lower edge of a book and another portion projecting rearwardly of the panel to constitute a flange, a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of the panel for movement from positions extending inwardly toward each other with one side of each thigh member resting against said flange, to positions projecting outwardly beyond the side extremities of the panel with the other side of each thigh member resting against the outer extremity of said flange, latch pawls pivoted to the first mentioned side of the 7 respective thigh members'for movementto positions engaging the outer edges of said panel when said thigh members are in their extended positions, thereby to cooperate with said outer extremities of said flange 'tclock the thigh members in, said extended positions,v and a pair of'ro'ds attached to the outer. end of each thigh member,

each pair including a rod fixedlysecured to a.

respective thigh member. and disposed substantially in the plane of movement thereof and another rod pivoted to the outer end of. a respective thigh member on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the. thigh member, for movement from a folded position lying parallel and adjacent to the. first mentioned rod to a position extending rearwardly from, the plane of the paneland diverging from the first mentioned ro'd so that the pairs of rods may, in the second mentioned positions of said thigh members, extend downwardly in .spreadrelation to function as legs in supporting thepanel at a height above a supporting surface, and latch means forlatching. said other rod in saidrearwardlyextendin position.

6. In a reading stand, a panel and a base for conjointly supporting a book, magazine or the like, a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of said panel onthe rearside thereof for movement in a plane parallel to said panel, and a pair, of rod members attached to the outer end of eachthigh member, one rod member of each pair lying substantially in the plane of swinging movement of its respective thigh member and projecting upwardly when the thigh member projects inwardly and the other rod of each 1 pair extending rearwardly and downwardly from the respective thigh member and functioning as a leg which cooperates with the lower extremity of saidbase to support said panel in an upwardly,

. manual manipulation.

, 7. A stand as defined in claim 6, wherein said thigh members are adapted to be moved to positions extending outwardly beyond-the side extremities of said panel, in alignment with each other, in which position said rod members extend downwardly, diverging fromeach other to provide pairs of diverging legs for supporting the panel at a height'above a supporting surface.

8. In an easel, a panel and base member cooperatively functioning to support a book, magazine or the like, a pair of thigh members pivoted to the lower corners of said panel, and a pair of rods attached to the outer ends of the respective thigh members, each of said pairs including a rod secured to a respective thigh member in a plane parallel to said panel and another rod pivoted to the outer end of the respective thigh member for movement from a position diverging from the first mentioned rod at an angle of approximately 60 degrees to a position diverging from the first'mentioned rod at an angle of less than 30 degrees, said thigh members being adjustable to positions extending outwardly beyond the side extremities of the panel in alignment with each other in which position said rod members diverge downwardly to provide legs for supporting the panel at a height above a supporting surface, and to positions extending upwardly, in which latter positions three of said rods project outwardly from the side extremities of the panel with the first mentioned rod members substantially in alignment with each other and the fourth rod is extended into engagement with the opposite thigh member to resist movement of the thigh members toward each other, the aforesaid 60 degrees divergence of said rod members being utilized when said rod members extend downwardly and function as supporting legs as aforesaid and the aforesaid less than 20 degree divergence being utilized when said rod members extend outwardly, said three rod members when in said outwardly'extending positions being adapted to rest upon the rim of a bath tub at the respective sides thereof to support said panel with the lower portion thereof extending down into the bath tub and with. the panel inclined at a proper reading angle.

9. In an easel, a panel and a base member cooperative to support a book, magazine or the like,

a pair of thigh members each pivoted at one end to a respective lower corner of said panel for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the panel, and a pair of rod members attached to the outer end of each thigh member, each pair including a rod member afiixed to its respective thigh member in a plane parallel to the plane of swinging movement thereof and another rod member pivotally connected to the outer end of its respective thigh member on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thigh member, said pivotal connection comprising a trunnion member secured to the end of said other rod member, at right angles thereto and a socket in the thigh member, in which said trunnion is rotatably and axially movable, and a keeper member having'a notch in which said other rod member may be received and from which said other rod may be removed by moving said trunnion outwardly in its socket.

VERA D. HIEMENZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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