US266316A - Hand-rest for penmen - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. RIDGE.

HAND BEST FOR PENMEN.

N0. 266,316. Patented 0013. 24, 1882.

I UNrTan STaTes JOSEPH amen, or

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HAND-REST FOR PENMEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,316, dated October 24, 1882.

Application filed April 25, 1881. Renewed March 2, 1882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH RIDGE, of Ohicago, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Rests for Penmen; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an appliance whereby students of penmanship and others may acquire a proper position of the hand in writing, and whereby, also, the movements of the hand are facilitated and its tendency to cramp, itany exist, is relieved.

Tothisendsaidinvention consistsin the combinations and features of construction hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure lshowsahand with a hand-rest which contains all the features of my improvements applied thereto as in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rest detached from the hand, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same.

In the drawings an appliance is shown completeforthe several purposes ofmy inventionnamely, supporting the wrist, holding the hand from turning over outward, and confining the two outer fingers beneath the hand. Said appliance is also illustrated as being made ofa single piece of light spring brass wire, with the addition ofa metal plate clamped upon the wire beneath the wrist and covering the springsupport at this point. The direction in which the wire is bent to form the several parts of the device is so plain from the drawings as to require little further description. At one extremity said wire forms the rings 11 and b. The other end will be seen clamped about the close spiral a. Tracing the course of the wire from this end, it leads hack and forms the loops d and cl and the vertical open spiral A. The upper coil of this spiral is elongated to form two lateral loops, which, with loops d and d, are embraced within the clamps a of the plate a, for the purpose of holding these parts firmly together. The wire leads from the bottom coil of spring A off to the right (No model.)

and a little forward, where it forms the close horizontal spiral a, and thence leads forward slightly and upward, terminating in the rings 1) and b.

, The loops (1 and d are intended to flexibly clasp the wrist, as seen in Fig.1, and to thereby hold the appliance upon the hand. The rings 1) and b encircle the third and fourth fingers, respectively, as also shown,and by the slight force of the elastic arm on which they are formed retain them in proper position beneath the palm, with their tips touching the paper. The wire of which the rest is made being light and flexible, as described, the entire hand is allowed all proper and necessary freedom of movement in the act of writing.

The arm ca projects, as stated, to the right of the hand and operates to prevent the latter from turning over too far in that direction. Said arm, in the use of the appliance, rests its. entire length on the paper or table. The wrist being elevated by the spring A, the arm of the writer bears mainly on the muscles near the elbow, and the hand has therefore perfect freedom in its lateral movements. The support A, while educating and accustoming the V band to the desired elevated position, being a spring, also allows such slight variations in the elevation of the wrist as naturally attend the movements of the muscles in writing, and is not therefore seriously missed when at last laid aside. The platen not only serves to confine the wires upon which it is clamped, butit also furnishes a smooth surface, upon which the wrist comfortably rests.

It is of course obvious that the clasps and arms of the appliance may be constructed of light steel strips or other suitable material, and that the spring or flexible support A may be in other form than that of a spiral here shown, wherefore I do not restrict myself to the formation of the rest of wire.

I claim as my invention 1. The elastic wrist-support A, combined with a fastening for holding the same to the hand, and with the lateral arm a, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. Combined with the wrist-support A and clasp d d, the rings 1) and b and an elastic connection joining them to the clasp, substanmy invention I affix my signature in presence tially as described. oftwo witnesses.

3. The combination of the elastic wrist-sup- 7 port A, clasp d d, lateral arm a a, and rings JOSEPH RIDGE 5 b and b, substantially as and for the purposes Witnesses:

set forth. M. E. DAYTON, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 1 JESSE COX, Jr.

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