US490379A

US490379A - Book-support

Info

Publication number: US490379A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1910-01-24

Description

(No Model.) Y

' A. H. WARD.

' BOOK SUPPORT.

No. 490,379. Patented Jan, 24, 1893.

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STATES ATENT FFICE.

YARTEMAS H. WARD, or WIOHITA, KANSAS.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,379, dated January 24, 1893.

Application filed February 16, 1892. Serial No. 421,712. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTEMAS I-I. WARD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at WVichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings and the lettersand figures of reference thereon, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, isa front view of a section of a book case or rack, having thereon a number of books, representing one book removed, and my improved support applied as in use. Fig. 2, a top view of the same, showing but two adjacent books. Fig. 3, a perspective view of the book support, and Fig. 4, a side view of the same, showing a blank library card in the card holder thereof.

This invention relates to certain improvements in a device for supporting books on a shelf; to prevent the books inclining or falling against one another where certain adjacent books have been removed from the shelf, and for holding a card for indicating the book removed, the personltaking the book and such other reference, pertaining to the book, which the librarian may desire to note upon the card; the construction and arrangement of which are fully set forth and explained in the following specification and pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is, toprovide a device which may be substituted for books which have been removed from the shelves of a library; which will occupy the space formerly occupied by the removed book or books; and bear against the adjacent books to support them in their proper position, in order that they may not assume improper position and disorder the library, and also to provide means of holding a card adapted to have entered thereon the record of the book the support substitutes.

Referring to the drawings, the support is shown complete in Fig. 3, and consists of a single piece of spring wire, and in forming the support the wire is primarily bent to form a rectangular frame having two sides of greater length than the other two sides, bringing the ends of the wire to meet centrally at one short side, where they are bent at right angle from said side and a portion, adjacent the said side, spirally twisted together, as shown at 4.. At the-terminal of said spiral twist the wire ends are again bent, in reverse directions to extend parallel with the said frame side, as shown at 5 5. At a point equidistant from the junction of the spiral twist each of said wires is given a three fourths coil, in reverse directions, as shown at 6 6.

which brings the terminal portions 7 '7 to a position extending toward the frame and parallel with the twisted portion 4, and further in thus shaping said terminal portions they are brought to bear against the parts 5-5. and against the frame side, as shown at 2 2; which portions of the wire 4. 5 6 and 7 in conjunction with the adjacent frame side, form a card holder, in which the parts 2 2, of the frame, and the parts 4 and 5 of the extension form a backrest or support for a card, and the wire terminals form spring arms for clamping on the face of a card to hold it against its back support.

To form or shape the book supporting portion of the device, the said frame is bent or coiled, at a point about central of each longer side as shown at 3, 3, thus dividing the frame into two parts yieldingly connected, which parts I have numbered 1 and 2, that they may be known, one from the other in this description, and in making the bends or coils 3 3, the frame parts 1 and 2 are brought to extend practically in one direction or may be arranged converging from their bend or coil and are slightly curved, in body, from each other, as shown.

In use the support rests with one of the longer sides of the frame down, and with the shorter sides vertical, and when placed on a shelf to occupy the space formerly occupied by a removed book, the end bearing the bend or coils 3 3, is entered first, the frame being pushed in between the adjacent books in such manner as to bring the frame parts 1 and 2 to bear against opposite books as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when the yielding qualities of the support adapt the said parts 1 and 2 to be contracted or expanded to properly fill the space, and at the same time, by means of the tension of the bends or coils 3 3, exert sufficient force to support the books against which IOC said parts bear. Such position of the frame brings the card holder at or near the front edge of the shelf, or it may extend a little beyond, as shown in Fig. 2, in order that a card in the holder may be plainly seen.

0 represents a form of blank card adapted as a record card to be placed in the holder, as is represented in Fig. 4:. The form of card may be, however, of any suitable character, which may be deemed suitable for either past or present record of the book represented by the card.

In instances where the book removed is larger than the usual Width of frame of support, the support may be adjusted to accommodate itself to fill such space as the removal of such book would make, by simply spreading apart the parts 1 and 2, in so doing slightly bending the bends or coils 3 3. Also Where two or three books are removed at one place, one holder may have placed in it a card for each book removed, or, if so desired several supports may be arranged side by side, having placed between them a temporary partition, such as a paper board or like partition.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows.

1. A book support for libraries, consisting of the two part Wire frame 5 the said parts being yieldingly connected together, and adapted to exert pressure in opposite directions; and of a card holder incorporated in the construction of one frame part, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein described book support comprising the opposite frame parts 1 and 2, connected together by means of bends or coils as set forth; and the card holder fixed to one of said parts and consisting of the parts to form a back support, and the spring arms for clamping the face of a card, substantially as specified and shown.

ARTEMAS H. WARD. Vitnesses:

WM. J. HUTCHINS, V. B. HAGIN.