US2648931A - Knockdown bookholder - Google Patents

Description

1953 M. J. DEVEAU 2,648,931

KNOCKDOWN BOOKI-IOLDER Filed Nov. 17, 1950 MeZrzm ifleveau,

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention comprises a new and improved knock-down book holder which may be constructed at little cost from a pair of flat members of stiff sheet material such as fibreboard, plywood or light metal.

The device of my invention has the advantage that it consists of only two members which may be identical in outline except for slots which provide for interlocking engagement. It may be readily set up for use and as readily knocked down for transportation. It is adaptable for books of all usual sizes and presents a stable, solid device when set up. The design is such that an extensive base area is provided within which falls the center of gravity of the assembled holder and the book carried thereby.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the holder showing a book in dot and dash lines,

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view in side elevation, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of the individual members of the holder.

The individual members I E! and 20 which make up the holder of my invention as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are flat pieces which may be readily cut out from sheet stock of any suitable material. The member I!) has a body portion provided with a long flat bottom edge. At its forward end it merges into an upturned toe I I having a smoothly curved front edge. At the rear it merges into an upstanding back rest l2 having a straight rearwardly inclined front edge and a curved rear edge which is extended into a rearwardly extending heel I3 in the lower rear portion of the body. This acts as a force-resisting buttress which holds the member against the rearward tilting. The front and rear edges of the back rest converge upwardly and in the rear edge is provided a transverse slot [4 which is disposed substantially at right angles to the inclined front edge of the rest.

The member 20 is shown as having an upstanding toe 2! back rest 22 and heel 23. The member 20 is provided with a slot 2i which, in this instance, is located in the front inclined edge of the rest instead of its rear edge as in the member Ill.

The two slots I4 and 24 permit the two members to be interlocked at substantially right angles to each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

By this interlocking engagement the straight edges of the back rest are brought into substantially the same plane and the bottom edges of the members In and 20 are disposed in parallel relation with each other and at a substantial distance apart. They thus define the base area of the device which, it will be seen, is considerable in extent. The upstanding toe of each member is spaced from the front edge of the back rest so as to provide a square sided notch adapted to receive the lower edges of an open book, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, while the covers of the book rest against the intersecting inclined edges of the back rests.

It will be apparent that the holder in knocked down condition occupies very little space and is of little weight. It may be readily assembled by interlocking each back rest section with the notch of the other member and in assembled condition it presents a wide, firm base with the center of gravity of the supported book falling well within its area and the buttresses formed by the heels l3 and 23 supporting the holder and book securely against rearward tippin If desired the members In and 20 of the holder may be constructed of plastic sheet material, and this may be either molded or cut to shape.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A knock-down book holder comprising a pair of flat stiff members each having a body portion with a long straight bottom edge, merging into an upstanding toe at its forward end and into an upstanding back rest at its rear end, the toe being spaced from the back rest to provide a square sided notch to receive the bottom of an open book and the back rest having a straight rearwardly inclined edge for engaging the covers of the book, and the back rests of both members being slotted and interlocked at substantially right angles to each other and both extending upwardly in divergent relation above their point of interlocking.

2. A knock-down book holder comprising a pair of flat stiff members of similar contour detachably interlocked at substantially right angles to each other and both having long straight bottom edges which support the assembled members, each member having its forward portion shaped as an upstanding toe and its rear portion as an upstanding back rest with a straight inclined edge, and having a rearwardly extending heel portion serving as a buttress against overturning pressure, the back rests extending upwardly in divergent relation above the point of interlocking.

3. A knock-down book holder comprising a pair of thin flat members each having an upstanding back rest portion with upwardly converging edges which are oppositely slotted and provide for interlocking engagement of the two members, each member having also a body portion with a long straight bottom edge and an upstanding toe 10 4 upwardly in divergent relation above the point of interlocking.

MELVIN J. DEVEAU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 625,013 Berbecker May 16, 1899 1,399,507, Mills Dec. 6, 1921 1,925,649 Anderson Sept. 5, 1933 2,335,020 Nehrich Nov. 23, 1943 2,441,932 Curry May 18, 1948

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