US3210094A - Combined book and easel structures - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 5, 1965 J. SLOVES 3,210,094

COMBINED BOOK AND EASEL STRUCTURES Filed March 12, 1962 INVENTOR.

A i I E Jtqcgg SLOVES A TTOQNEY United States Patent 3,210,094 COMBINED BOOK AND EASEL STRUCTURES Jacob Sloves, Forest Hills, N.Y., assignor to Sloves Mechanical Binding Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 179,098 1 Claim. '(Cl. 28133) The present invention relates generally to display books, catalogues and the like for the effective presentation of a text to an audience, and more particularly to a book incorporating a retractable easel which automatically erects itself when the book is inclined for viewing.

In modern sales techniques, use is often made of books or catalogues containing illustrations of models and parts, data sheets and other promotional literature. These books are carried by the sales representative, and in the course of a sales presentation, the pages are turned to display pertinent material to the prospect. To facilitate such presentations it is usually necessary to incline the book toward the viewer, otherwise if the book lies flat on the table the text is diflicult to see.

While book stands or easels would be useful for this purpose, they cannot conveniently be carried by sales personnel already burdened with samples and other paraphernalia. On the other hand should a salesman at a conference seek to improvise an easel by borrowing ofiice items in an attempt to prop up his book, this may have a disturbing effect on the presentation.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a display book or other multiple-page devices which incorporates a self-erecting easel, such that when the book is raised to a viewing position, the easel automatically falls into place to maintain the desired position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined book and easel structure of the above-described type which requires no skill whatever either to erect or retract the easel, the structure having the appearance of an ordinary book. An important advantage of the invention is that the user need carry no auxiliary equipment and the book maybe opened and raised by two simple motions to render the easel operative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and well constructed book having a self-erecting easel of the above-described type, which book may be fabricate-Al and sold at relatively low cost.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished by a book having a cover assembly in the form of a folder providing an outer cover and an identical inner or false cover to which the pages are bound. Lying between the outer and inner covers and hingedly attached to the latter are flaps which are so arranged that when the inner cover is lifted, while the outer cover lies on the table, the flaps are erected by resilient tapes and effectively act as struts to maintain the inner cover and the pages thereon at an inclined viewing position. To retract the flaps, they are simply pushed in, the flaps thereby being sandwiched between the inner and outer cover.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like components in the several views are identified by the reference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a loose-leaf display book and easel structure in accordance with the invention, the book being shown in its closed condition.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the closed book.

FIG. 3 shows the book opened, but with the easel retracted.

FIG. 4 shows the opened book with the easel erected, as seen from the front.

3,210,094 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 FIG. 5 shows the opened book with the easel erected, as seen from the rear; and

FIG. 6 is an end view of the opened book with the easel erected.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the book is illustrated in its closed condition, and it will be seen that it has the appearance of a conventional ring binder. When the book is opened, as indicated in FIG. 3, the appearance is still conventional, the book comprising a cover assembly, generally designated by numeral 10, a three ring holder strip 11 and a plurality of loose-leaf pages 12 bound by the rings.

It is to be understood that while a ring binder is disclosed, the invention is in no way limited thereto and the principles of the invention are applicable to spiral, bound books and to other forms suitable for display purposes. The book pages for example may be constituted by transparent jackets for receiving and protecting data sheets. i

The cover assembly 10, as best seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is in the form of a folder having an outer cover component constituted by a spine 13 having front and back cover panels 14 and 15, hingedly connected thereto, and a similarly constructed inner or false cover component composed of a spine 16 and front and back cover panels 17 and 18. The fold line 19 between the two cover components lies at the bottom of the book. In practice the cover assembly 10 may be fabricated of pressboard plates covered by fabric, plastic or simulated leather sheeting.

The ring strip 11 is attached only to the spine 16 of the false inner cover, so that the inner cover may be lifted to occupy an inclined position relative to the outer cover when the outer cover lies on a table or other book support.

Interposed between the inner and outer cover components are a pair of self-erecting rectangular flaps 20 and 21 of rigid material, provided respectively with leg strips 20a and 21a hingedly connected thereto. The leg strip 20a is attached by rivets 22 to the inner cover panel 17, the strip lying parallel to the upper edge of the panel, Leg strip 21a is similarly attached to inner cover panel 18.

As best seen in FIG. 6, the opposing ends of flap 20 and strip 20a are interconnected by an elastic band 23 under tension, whereas the same end of flap 20 is linked by a stop cord 24- to an intermediate point on inner cover panel 17. The length of cord 24 is such that it permits the elastic band 23 to raise flap 20 to a position normal to outer cover panel 14. Panel 12 is similarly provided with an elastic band 25, and a stop cord (not shown).

The elastic strength of the bands 23 and 25 is insufficient to overcome the pressure exerted on the flaps by the weight of the inner cover and the pages when the flaps lie sandwiched between the inner and outer covers. However when the book is opened and the inner cover is raised sufficiently to release the flaps, the flaps are snapped into position by their elastic bands, and when the inner cover is then lowered, the erected flaps act as struts to maintain the desired book inclination.

To retract the flaps, one has merely to push the flaps inwardly against the tension of the elastic bands to return the flaps to their sandwich position between the covers, the weight of the false cover holding the flaps in place.

While there has been shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of the invention, as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A book and easel structure comprising a cover assembly constituted by a folder having inner and outer cover components each having a spine and front and back panels hingedly connected thereto, a plurality of pages bound to the spine of the inner cover to provide a book, the fold line of said folder being at the lower edge of said book, and two flaps sandwiched between said components and hingedly connected to the front and back panels of said inner component adjacent the upper edge of said book, an elastic band connected between the free end of each flap and a point adjacent the upper edge of the associated panel to erect said flap automatically when 10 said inner component is lifted relative to said outer component as said outer component rests on a horizontal surface, and a stop cord linking said free end of said flap to an intermediate point on said associated panel to limit the movement of said flap to a position normal to the outer cover component.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. G. S. BREHM, LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. A BOOK AND ESEL STRUCTURE COMPRISING A COVER ASSEMBLY CONSTITUTED BY A FOLDER HAVING INNER AND OUTER COVER COMPONENTS EACH HAVING A SPIND AND FRONT AND BACK PANELS HINGEDLY CONNECTED THERETO, A PLURALITY OF PAGES BOUND TO THE SPIND OF THE INNER COVER TO PROVIDE A BOOK, THE FOLD LINE FO SAID FOLDER BEING AT THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID BOOK, AND TWO FLAPS SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID COMPONENTS AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE FRONT AND BACK PANELS OF SAID INNER COMPONENT ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID BOOK, AN ELASTIC BAND CONNECTED BETWEEN THE FREE END OF EACH FLAP AND A POINT ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE ASSOCIATED PANEL TO ERECT SAID FLAP AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SAID INNER COMPONENT IS LIFTED RELATIVE TO SAID OUTER COMPONENT AS SAID OUTER COMPONENT RESTS ON A HORIZONTAL SURFACE, AND A STOP CORD LINKING SAID FREE END OF SAID FLAP TO AN INTERMEDIATE POINT ON SAID ASSOCIATED PANEL TO LIMIT THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FLAP TO A POSITION NORMAL TO THE OUTER COVER COMPONENT.

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