US512747A - Peter joseph platt - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

P. J. P LATT.

BOOK MARK. No. 512.747. Patented Jan. 16', 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

PETER JOSEPH PLATT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB LORSCH, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOK-MARK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,747, dated January 16, 1894,

Application filed April 1, 1893. Serial No. 468,710- (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

13 1t known that I, PETERJosEPH PLATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and HSBIlll Improvements in Book-Marks, of which the following is a specification.

This lnvention has for its object to provide a new and improved book-mark, wherein a clasp for grasping the edge of a book-cover or back 1s provided with an attached elastic tape or band adapted to lie upon a leaf or page and be raised by the latter when it is turned and then spring or fall back upon a succeed- 1ng page, whereby handling of the tape or band 1s avoided, and such tape or band constltutes a self-acting indicator or mark for showing, approximately, the point where a reader ceases to read and lays aside or closes the book for future use.

To accomplish this object my invention consists 1 n the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of parts herenafter described and claimed, reference belng made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a perspective view of an open book provided with my improved book-mark, one of the leaves and the tape orband being lndlcatedby dotted lines in the position when the page 1s being turned by the reader, and Fig. 2, 1s a detail perspective view of the book-mark on a scale larger than that exhiblted by Fig. 1.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will now descr be the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein- Tne numeral 1 indicates a clasp which, as here shown, is composed of asheet metal plate of substantially U-shaped form, with longitud nal parallel slits 2, to provide elastic or sprlng fingers 3 and 4, the finger 4 lying between the fingers 3 and in a plane lower than the latter so as to adapt the fingers 3 to lie against the inner surface and the finger 4 against the outer surface of abook-cover or back 5, as will be clearly understood by referenceto Fig. 1. The clasp can be economically manufactured by stamping or striking it up from a plate of thin sheet metal whereby the fingers are formed integral with the body of the clasp. I do not, however, confine myself to this particular construction for obviously the clasp may be otherwise constructed to enable it to grasp the edge of a bookcover or back.

To the end of the clasp opposite the free extremities of the spring fingers, is attached one extremity of an elastic tape or band 6, which is preferably tapered with its greatest Width at the end which is attached to the body of the clasp. The extremity of the tape or band is held in position through the medium of a lug 7 formed with the clasp and a rivet or pin 8, which passes through the lug, the tape or band and the body of the clasp. When the spring fingers of the clasp are caused to grasp the top edge of the rear bookcover or back 5, the elastic tape or band will lie upon a leaf or page as indicated by full lines Fig. 1. When the leaf or pageis turned, as usual whena person has finished reading the'front side of such page, the top edge of the leaf or page will lift or raise the tape or band, and as soon as the leaf is turned sufficiently to free the tape or band, the latter will by its inherent elasticity and weight spring back or fall upon the succeeding page, so that the tape or band indicates or marks the point, approximately, where the reader ceases to read, and closes or lays aside the book for future use. By this means it is possible to entirely avoid using the fingers to manipulate or handle the tape or band and the latter constitutes a self-acting indicator or mark which will spring or fall upon successive leaves or pages.

The characteristic feature of my invention which distinguishes it from prior book-marks, resides in the elastic tape or band attached to a clasp and adapted to fall by its inherent elasticity or weight upon successive leaves or pages. A mere string or cord which is inelastic, or does not possess in a sufficient degree 5 the necessary body, would not fulfill the conditions required, in that when raised when turning the leaf it would be carried to and fall outside the edge of the book. This is avoided by making the tape or band elastic IOO and to accomplish the best results, it is preferable to construct the tape or bandof a flat strip of india rubber which tapers or decreases in dimensions from its point of at- 5 tachment to the clasp and its free extremity. The particular construction of clasp described and shown, is very desirable in that it can be economically manufactured, and the elastic fingers render it susceptible of engagro ing the edges of book-covers or backs of varying thickness.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. A book mark, consistingof a metallic 15 plate formed at one end with spring fingers 3 and 4 to grasp the edge of a book cover or back, and provided at the opposite end with a flexible and elastic tape or band arranged to lie upon a leaf or page and susceptible of 20 being raised by the leaf or page when it is turned and then spring or fall back upon a succeeding page, substantially as described.

2. A book mark, consisting of a metallic plate formed at one end with spring fingers to grasp the edge of a book cover or back, and z 5 provided at the opposite end with a lug, and a flexible and elastic tape or band clamped at one end by the lug, arranged to lie upon a leaf or page and susceptible of being raised by the leaf or page when it is turned and go then spring or fall back upon a succeeding page, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER JOSEPH PLATT.

\Vitnesses:

'DANL. P. HAYS, L. N. HERSHFIELD.

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