US289384A

US289384A - Book-rest

Info

Publication number: US289384A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1900-12-04

Description

(No Model.)

A. R. BYRKIT.

Y BOOK REST. N0. 289,384. Patented Deo. 4, 1883.

A means of the shape of the shoulder.

To all whom, t may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT, OF FAIRFIELD, IOVA.

BooK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 289,384, dated December 4,r 1883. Application filed April 2, 1883. (No model.)

`Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT, of Fairfield, inthe county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Rests; and I do -hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in book-rests, the object of the same being to provide a device of this character capable of being attached to any chair, which shall be neat in appearance, and at the same time simple in construction and efficient in use; and with these ends in View my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view in perspective of a chair with my im proved device attached. Fig. 2 is a detached View of the frame.

A represents a bearing screwed or other# wise firmly secured to the under side of the chair-bottom. The outer end of this bearing is provided with a square shoulder, and is internally screw-threaded. l On the square sh oulder formed on this `bearing is fastened a toothed segment, b, bywmmeans of a screw, g, the segment being prevented from turning by On the tubular bearing A is mounted the upright hollow shaft B, provided witli the horizontal bearing a. Immediately above thehorizontal bearing c the hollow shaft B is provided with a spring-actuated pawl, C, adapted to @ngage with the toothed segment Vhen th`e` handle of this pawl is pulled backward, which may be done without arising from the chair, it raises the lower arm, which is then disengaged from the toothed segment, thus allowing the shaft B to be moved backward or forward, at the same time moving the rest Dnearer to or farther away from the reader, as the case may be.

Vhen the handle is released, the spring d inimediately operates to depress the lower arm of the pawl in engagement with the toothed segment b. The shaft B, near its upper end, is provided with a horizontal arm, e, which is divided into two sections by a slit, c, extend-Y `zontal portion of the catch about midwa its length. The arm e is provided with a hole or perforation extending through both sections, the section nearest the chair being provided with a female screwthread. A thumb-screw,.f, passing through theperforation, is adapted to enga-ge in the fem ale screwithread, and, when turned, to con pressthe two sections of the arm e, thus closing from the upper end of said shaft to a point ing the slit c, and decreasing the diameter of the hollow shaft B.

`E is a rod or shaft adapted to fit in the hollow shaft B. It will be readily seen that this rod may be moved either up or down within the hollow shaft B by simply loosening the thumb-screw f, which tightens the shaft B around it. It may also be turned in either direction, to the right or left. The thumb-screw fis within easy reach of the person in the chair, thus allowing him to adjust the rod E without the necessity of gettin g out ofthe chair. By this arrangement it will be observed that the rest D, attached to the rod E, as hereinafter eX plained, may be either raised or lowered, and pushed either away from or brought toward the reader, according to his fancy. The upper end, F, of this shaft is bent at right angles, and slightly reduced in diameter, thus forming a shoulder. This portion F is mounted in bearings f t', firmly secured to the rest D.

To the extreme end of the bent portion F is firmly secured a quadrant, G, provided with a series of perforations, k. By means of the bearings t' t' the rest D may be placed at an angle with regard to the rod E. By means of the quadrant G, together with the aforesaid shoulder on the bent portion F, the rod E is kept in position in the bearing t' To the rest D is secured a spring-actuated catch, H, which is manipulated by a thumbnut, I, which projects a little beyond the inner edge of the rest D and within easy reach of the reader. This catch is adapted to 'enter the perforations k, and thussecure the rest D in any desired adjustment, this operation being performed by simply turning the thumbnut I to the right, which withdraws the horifrom the perforation in the plate G. The small block fi is secured to the bottom of the rest, and forms the support for the catch. One end of the spiral IOO spring 132 presses against the bottom of the rest, and the other against the upright portion of the catch. The rest I) may be made of any desired material and construction.

It will be readily observed that my improved' device may also be used as a writing-desk, and is well adapted for invalids; that it is simple in construction, is of f'ew parts, and can be applied to any chair at a small initial cost.

I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the specific construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as may be considered to fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.V

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' I. The combination, with a bearing,` constructed as described, whereby it may be secured to a chair, of a hollow slitted uprightv shaft having an eye adapted to lit over the bearing, a toothed segment secured rigidly to the bearing, a spring-actuated pawl pivoted to the hollow shaft and adapted to engage the segment, a rod niovably secured within the shaft, having,` a book-rest secured thereto, and provided with a spring-catch and a perforated quadrant, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination. in a book-rest, of an upright hollow slitted shaft provided with means for attaching it to the chair, with the rod adapted to fit within said shaft and to be adj usted up and down, provided with a horizontal extension having bearings and a perforated quadrant-plate, and the spring-actuated catch fltted in a bearing secured to the rest, and provided with aknob and an actuating-spring, the catch being adapted to rotate in the bearing, and to be adjusted from one perforation to the other, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT.

Titnesses C. C. COTTLE, GEO. M. Ri'rCHii.