US394196A

US394196A - Bere may

Info

Publication number: US394196A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1905-12-11

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

T. H. D. MAY.

BOOK BEST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

Wllines sea 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. H. D. MAY.

BOOK REST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

Im/enhr" (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

T. H. D. MAY.

BOOK REST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

No. 394,196. Patented Dec. 11. 1888.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFEIcE.

THOMAS HU lrHES DELABERE MAY, OF BATH, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, ENGLAND.

BOOK-=REST FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,196, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed May 16, 1888. Serial No. 274,057. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HUGHES DELA- BlGRE MAY, gentleman, at present residing at Montpelier House, Bath, in the county of Somerset, England, have invented a new and useful Book-Best for the Use of lnvalids, of which the followin a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to appliances for supporting and holding open a book in position for reading by a person lying face upward or reclining in any other position.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the apparatus as in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a perspective, of the bookholder, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. l shows a modification.

The same letters of reference indicate cor responding parts in all the figures.

The book-holder proper consists of a jointed frame adapted to clasp the book covers and leaves and to hold the book wide open in position for reading, and of which the several parts are adjustable to suit the desired position and size of the book. This frame c011- sists of a backclamp, A, and of a pair of arms, B, terminating in adjustable clips C, adapted to embrace the edges of the side covers and the leaves of the book. The backclamp consists of a bar, A, passing along the back of the book, and of a cord or wire, a,which is made permanently fast at one end to the bar A, and which, after being inserted between the leaves of the book at about the middle thereof, is made fast at the other end also by means of a loose collar, a, or by other means. The arms B are pivoted upon apivot, D, common to both, and to a rod, E, to the lower forked end of which the bar A of the back-clamp is pin-jointed, the arms B and rod E having a series of holes to receive the pivot D, to enable their length or relative position to be varied as may be required. The arms B and the rod E may, however, be made telescopic, so as to enable their length to be varied, and they would in this case be pivoted to a block, E, as seen in Fig. 4. The

shanks (I of the clips slide through sockets in the ends of the arms B, and the prongs c, forming the clips proper, are fixed in the ends of the shanks C.

The book-holder above described (when in us by a person reclining face upward) suspended from a rod, 'F, to which it is connected by a joint-pin in the lower forked end, f, of said rod engaging in a notch of a rack, f, formed in the bar A, which is embraced by the forked end of the rod 1*, and is adjustable longitudinally therein, so as to enable the inclination of the book to be varied as required by shifting the point of suspension. The rod F is adjustable as to height by means of a rack, g, formed in it engaging with a crosspin, g, in a slotted piece, G, through which the bar F can slide. This piece G is itself supported by being threaded on a cord or wire, H, stretched at a sufficient elevation over the bed from head to foot and kept taut either by being attached thereto a-tboth ends by any suitable meanssuch, for example, as a hook at one end and a cleat, such as shown in Fig. 1, for taking up the slack, and making fast the-free end of the cord; or, instead of a cleat, a pendent weight maybe attached to the free end. The guide-piece G may be ad justed by being slid along the cord or wire H, as will be readily understood.

This improved book-h0lder may also be applied to a reclining chair or couch by substituting for the cord or wire H a suitable overhead support for the guide-piece G.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is V 1. The combination of the bar A, cord or wire a, and the pair of arms B, terminating in clips 0 and pivoted on a common center, with a thrust-rod, E, carried by the bar A, to which thrust-rod the arms B are pivoted, the several parts being adapted to hold a book in the manner described.

2. The combination of the bar A, cord or wire a, the pair of arms B, terminating in clips 0, and the thrust-rod E, the said arms being pivotally connected with the thrustrod, the arms and clips being made extensiand With a guide having'a cross-pin engaging in the said rack, substantially as described.

5. The conibination'of the book-holderwith a suspension-rod having a rack, a guide having a pin for engaging the suspension-rod, and with a cord or Wire for supporting said guide, as and for the purpose herein described.

The foregoing specification of my bookrest and bed-clothes supporter for the use of invaiids signed by me this 1st day of May, 1888.

. THOMAS HUGHES DELABERE MAY.

\Vitnesses:

\V. J. SKERTEN,

17 Gmcechm'ch St, London, E. C. G. F. WARREN,

Notary Public, London.