US795048A - Device for holding books open. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULYOIB, 1905.

W. MAGUIRB.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING BOOKS OPEN.

APPLICATION TILED OCT. 12, 190*.

l nl W/Vad wihimm UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

WILLIS MAGUIRE, OF BISBEE, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING BOOKS OPEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,048, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed October 12, 1904. Serial No. 228,228.

To (1,7,7, whom it may cancer/2 Beit known that I, WVILLIS MAGUIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bisbee, in the county of Cochise and Territory of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Holding Books Open, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides a device of novel construction for holding a book, magazine, or like work open when reading or having reference thereto, the same being of such formation as to admit of freely turning the leaves either forward or backward without necessitating the removal of the holder from the book.

- For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

l/Vhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modificatioli, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a holder embodying the invention, showing its application, the book being indicated by dotted lines. Fig, 2 is a front view of the holder. Fig. 3 is a side view of the holder, showing it applied to a book, the latter being represented by dotted lines.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The holder is constructed of wire, which may be of any gage and material determined upon. As illustrated, the holder comprises two members of similar formation and approximately of U form. The front member consists of a cross-bar 1 and side bar 2, the cross-bar being longitudinally curved both in an outward and downward direction and the side bars being likewise curved throughout their length. The rear member is composed of a cross-bar 3 and side bars 4, the cross-bar 3 having its middle portion deflected outward at 5 to clear the back of a book when the holder is fitted thereto. The members 3 and 4 curve in their length in an opposite direction to the corresponding bars 1 and 2, so as to insure firm contact of the cross-bars with the book, magazine, or the like to hold the same extended for convenience of reference thereto. Spring-coils 6 are located at the juncture of the two members and are formed by convolutions or winds of the wire from which the holder is constructed. The spring-coils 6 serve to properly space the members and are adapted to rest upon the upper end of the book, so as to properly position the holder and limit its downward movement. To further increase the space between the connected ends of the members, the side bars 4 are deflected. a short distance from the spring-coils 6, as shown at 7. A tie 8 connects the upper ends of the side bars of the holder and consists of a wire having its end portions passed through the spring-coils 6 and looped therearound, as indicated. The

tie 8 in addition to preventing the spreading of the side members of the holder forms a handle to admit of conveniently carrying the device when occasion requires.

The component parts of the holder are formed of a single wire bent in the form substantially as shown. The terminals of the wire may be jointed in any manner and at any convenient point. As illustrated, the extremities of the wire are intertwisted, the joint beinglocated at the middle of the rear cross-bar 3, so as to be out of the way. In the application of the invention the holder is fitted to a book, magazine, or like article after the same has been opened by inserting the parts of the book or kindred article between the front and rear members, the holder being arranged to engage equally with both parts of the book. The resiliency of the members of the holder enables them to adapt themselves to the thickness of the book, magazine, or the like gripped between the members. When it is required to turn the leaves, the front member is grasped and drawn away from the book in an upward direction, so as to clear the leaves, thereby ad mitting of the same being freely turned either forward or backward. Upon releasing the front member it is carried backward against the leaves by the spring action of the coils 6, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is A device for holding books open, the same formed of a single wire and comprising front and rear members of approximately U form and having their cross and side bars longitudinally curved, the rear cross-bar being out-

Images