US2828561A - Message holder and the like - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1958 w. o. ZlNN 2,828,551

MESSAGE HOLDER AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1953 IZYVEZYfT Wilbur 0 Zz n/z United States Patent f MESSAGE HOLDER AND THE LIKE Wilbur 0. Zinn, Lombard, Ill.

Application December 9, 1953, Serial No. 397,087

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-10) The present invention relates to a desk message holder or the like and more particularly concerns a new and improved apparatus for releasably supporting message slips and papers, and the like.

Although spiked spindles and like devices have been used for many years as places for the safe disposition of important messages and reminder notes and the like, they have not been as popular as might be expected since they are not only unsightly but further have certain problems in their use which inherently make them undesirable. One such difficulty is that when two or more messages are placed on a spindle or the like, the bottom one must be either torn to remove it from the spindle or the upper one must be removed in order to remove the lower one and then it is necessary to repuncture the upper ones in placing them back on the spindle.

Because of these and other problems the use of spindles has generally been avoided in offices and the like. With no convenient message holding means available to replace the spindles, important messages such as telephone messages and the like are often found on an ofiice desk covered ,by other papers or placed on a pen handle of a desk set pen or the like, etc. The undesirability of such message placement is obvious. It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to obviate these (ilifiClllliCS and provide a new and improved desk message holder and the like.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved device operable as a message holder and affording a new and improved advertisement carrier.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved device of the class described operable to resiliently hold message slips and sheets and the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a message holding device wherein a removable and replaceable plate, which may have imprinting or engraving thereon, is resiliently engaged by a resilient member to resiliently hold message slips and the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved resilient message holder device having a figurine standard holding a replaceable plate on one of its arms and a resilient sword-like member to resiliently engage the plate and resiliently hold message slips and the like against the plate.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the principles of the present invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying figures of drawings in which each and every detail shown is fully and completely disclosed, in which like reference numerals are for the like parts, and in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a device embody-- ing the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental side elevational view of the device of Figure 1;

2,828,561 Patented Apr. 1, 195s ICC Figure 3 is a fragmental front elevational view of :the device of Figure 1 but with the message slip backing plate removed therefrom to more clearly illustrate certain features of the device;

Figure 4 is a fragmental side elevational view of the device as illustrated in Figure 3; and I Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional .view of the device as shown in Figure 1, taken substantially along the line VV of Figure l.

The device illustrated inthe drawing as an embodiment of the principles of the present invention is shown as comprising a standard, which for ornamental purposes is in the form of a figurine 10, operable to hold message slips and the like resiliently against a tablet-like backing plate 11 which is supported by the figurine 10. In the instant embodiment of the present invention, the figurine 10 is patterned after some of the features of the mythical mes senger of light (Mercury) and may be formed of any desired material such as plastic or wood or metal, but is preferably formed of cast metal, surface finished or coated or polished, and secured to or'formed integrally with a base 12. The latter is preferably suificiently heavy or weighted to resist upsetting the device from an upstande ing position.

The figurine 10 standard carries the message supporting or backing plate 11 in a substantially vertical forwardly facing position but preferably tilted slightly rearwardly of the device, towardits upper end so as to face'in a con-1 venient direction to be generally normal to the line 'of vision of the observer or user of the device. The plate 11 is preferably removably held by the standard or figurine 1G in grooves therein properly disposed to receive the side edges of the plate by sliding it downwardly into position. One such groove 13 (Figure 5) is provided by means'such as an inwardly grooved right hand 14 on a transversely outstretched right arm 15 of the figure to engage a convergent side edge 16 of the generally wedge or keystone shaped plate 11. For stability, the sameedge 16 of the siliently engages that face of the plate.

plate 11 is received in a second groove 17, aligned with the groove 13 and provided in the tip of a sash or banner or the like arranged as though Wrapped around the midportion of body of the figurine as at 18, draped over the wrist portion of the outstretched arm 15 as at 19 and having a portion 20 disposed as hanging downwardly therefrom to accommodate the groove recess 17. The sash or banner is preferably formed integrally with the Figure 10 as a part thereof when the figure is cast or molded or carved or the like, as desired, and provides a brace or support for the arm.

An opposite convergent side edge 21 of the message backing plate 11 is slidably removably engaged and seated in wedging relation in a generally vertical groove recess 22 in the body of the figurine adjacent to the shoulder 23 thereof and more specifically in the upper region of the right breast portion of the figurine. The groove 22 is properly disposed on an oblique axis correlated to the convergently related oblique aXis of the opposite grooves 13 and 17 and 22, to enable ready sliding insertion or removal of the plate 11 into and out of the supporting and retaining seats provided by the grooves.

To hold messages on slips of paper or the like against a forward face 24 of the backing plate 11, resiliently yieldable spring retainer means are provided working toward such face. hand 25 of a crooked left arm 26 of the figurine 10 carrying a resilient elongated sword-like spring strip 27 pointing obliquely toward a central portion of the face 24 of the plate 11 in such a manner that a tip 28 thereon re- The resilient, sword-like, holding spring member 27 may be formed of plastic or metal strip having adequate resilient flexibility, and is fixedly anchored in the hand 25 to be biased under Herein the retainer means comprise a left resilient tension at its tip 28 against the backing plate (Figures 1 and 2). By virtue of the biasing angle of the spring member 27, when the plate 11 is removed (Figures 3 and 4) the tip portion 28 will spring rearwardly into overlying relation to 'the forearm portion of the right arm 15 of the figure. Thus, when the plate 11 is in position thetip 28 of the resilient spring member 27 will reasonably firmly resiliently engage the face 24 of the plate bythe forward tensioned deflection of the spring strip, so that message slips or envelopes or the like, either single or plural in number, inserted between the tip 28 and the face 24 will be securely held in place in a conspicious manner to attract attention thereto.

By the sharply oblique convergence of the spring member 27 and the plate surface 24, generally upwardly and sidewardly, sliding of papers to be held into the convergence is greatly facilitated as is also sliding removal of the papers in the same direction. Yet the generally upwardly directed point or tip 28 resists downward slipping of the papers. Larger papers or envelopes may receive supplemental support from the crooked arm 26.

By virtue of its weightand ornamental nature, the device described also makes a convenient and attractive paper Weight to hold in place other papers on the users desk or table or the like.

. The present device also has valuable utility as a nameplate or thelike or as an advertising media since the faces of the plate 11 may be imprinted upon or engraved or the like to carry such wording, indicia or design as may be desired. Also a face 29 is provided on the face of the base 12 and this face may also be imprinted upon or engraved or the like, as desired. In addition, of course, imprinted matter may be attached to the plate 11 in any desired manner, and face plates may be secured to the face 29 on the front of the base 12.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a desk-type message holding device, an upright standard structure of substantial height having on the upper portion thereof a laterally projecting supporting arm with a free end portion spaced a substantial distance from the standard structure and provided with means defining an elongated groove extending in a generally up and down direction and opening toward the standard structure, the standard structure having means thereon providing a complementary up and down groove opening toward and in the sanie plane as the groove on the free end portion of said arm, said grooves converging slightly downwardly toward a common point, a message supporting plate having side edges generally convergently related complementary to said grooves and respectively engageable slidably with a downward motion wedgingly in said grooves to be thereby supported by the standard structure and said arm in a suspended clearance position Well above a surface on which the device is supported, and a second arm on the standard structure and extending forwardly therefrom in a position spaced in substantial clearance relation laterally from the standard-engaging edge of said plate and projecting forwardly from said plane and with a free end portion spaced substantially forwardly from the standard in an elevated position generally aligned with the lowermost portion of said plate and carrying an elongated stifily resilient member extending convergently generally upwardly and laterally toward a central area of said plate and having a retaining tip point normally engageable against the forward face of the plate under resilient biasing tension of the member and operable to press message slips of paper and the like against the plate with substantial resistance against downward s'lippage of the slips, such slips being adapted to be forcibly slid by a generally upward and lateral movement generally in the direction in which the resilient member points into position between said point and the plate or the resilient member being adapted to be flexed away from the plate and the slips inserted and the resilient member then released to press the point resistively against the slips, the clearances below said plate and between the plate and said second arm enabling retention of large slips of paper with portions depending freely below the plate and the second arm providing a supplemental support for oversize papers projecting beyond the plate to lean against the second arm.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the plane of said grooves and said message supporting plate engaged within said grooves is tilted slightly rearwa'rdly toward its upper end. v

3. A device as defined in claim 1, including a brace extending from a portion of the standard structure below the first mentioned laterally projecting supporting arm to such arm adjacent to its outer end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,841 Croak et al. Apr. 4, 1882 394,856 Hendrick Dec. 18, 1888 556,650 Smith et al Mar. 17, 1896 2,538,318 Mitchell Jan. 16, 1951

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