US831193A - Book-support. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED'SEPT. 18, 1906.

W. T. SHEA.

BOOK SUPPORT.

APPLICATION, IILED FEB. 26. 1900.

WILLIAM THOMAS SHEA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BOOK-SUPPORT.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed February 26, 1906. Serial No. 302884.

To It whom it nmy concern:

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM THOMAS SHEA, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Book Supports, of

. which the following is a complete and com prehensive exposition and specification, being such as will enable others familiar with the art to which it appertains to make and use the same with absolute exactitude.

My present invention relates to book-sup- I ports in which my object, broadly speaking,

is to provide a construction of the class stated which will be neat and attractive in appearance, strong and durable in construction, s mple in operation, and. which may be manufactured and sold at a very low price.

More particularly, my object is to provide a construction for holding books or the like in a readily-accessible position" whereby the leaves ofthe book may be turned without appreciable effort and at the'same time being so positioned as to bring the matter thereon into the most natural and. easy positions of the observer and all without the necessity of moving or lifting the book.

From the above it will be readily apparent that my invention is intended more especially for large volumessuch, for instance, as books for displaying samples attached to its leaves, for atlases, and the like-which are not easily handled, and especially where it is desired that the book remain open and in a position to readily display the matter thereon contained, and it may also be used for :holding smaller books with great success, and

especially books of reference.

Other objects and particular advantages of my invention will present themselves in the course of the ensuing specification.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown most clearly in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention as supporting a book in the desired position, the device being shown as resting on a level surfaceas, for instance, a table or the like. Fig. 2 shows a slightly-modified construction, whereby the invention is particularly adapted for hanging upon a wall or the like. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the invention as suspended upon a wall or the like. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the inven- ,tion. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail plan of the upper face of the central aperture in the shelf, and Fig 6 is a detail view showing a vertical section taken through said central aperture.

1 Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In order that my invention and its applica ,tion may be fully understood and its several "advantages be fully appreciated, I will now take up a detail description thereof and will describe the several parts and the operation thereof as briefly and as compactly as I may.

For the purpose of making clear the a plication of my invention-I have shown a ook in connection therewith, of which the letter A denotes the leaves, B and B the two sides, and O the back of the book.

i In the invention proper the numeral 1 de notes a shelf of rectangular shape and adapt ed in each instance to be retained practically level or slanting slightly forward, as desired. Formed through the center, longitudinally of the shelf 1 and slightly forward of one edge thereof, is the deltoid or triangular aperture 2. (Shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 6.) The angular sides of said aperture 2 diverge from the top downward, as is indicated, thereby forming a tapering aperture, substantially as shown. The numeral 3 denotes the standard, it being triangular in cross-section, and its lower end portion is formed flaring, pro ducing the head portion 3 integral therewith. From the above it will be apparent thatthe upper end of the standard may be inserted from below the shelf through said aperture 2, passing the standard upward therethrough until the flaring portion of the standard engages with the diverging sides of the aperture 2, whereby the standard will be prevented from passing farther, and by reason of the peculiar inclination given to the sides of said aperture 2 it will be seen that the standard is thereby caused to incline rearward, whereby the back of the upper end of the standard is caused to be on a line vertically with the rear edge of the shelf, as is indicated in Fig. 3. In the upper central portion of the standard 3 is formed an aperture 3", whereby the device may be suspended from a nail or the like, which is denoted by the letter D in Figs. 2 and 3.

As shown in Fig. 1, the head 3 below the shelf 1 is dispensed with, whereby the bottom of the shelf may rest fiat on a table or the like, as represented by the line E, in which position the upper rear edge of the standard will be directly above the rear edge of the shelf, which of course gives a rearwardly inclination to the standard, which is essential to practical success of this invention.

It will now be understood that the book above referred to may be placed on the standard by allowing the standard to be inserted upward between the body of the book and the back 0, as shown in Fig. .3, and allowing the lower edges of the sides B and B to rest on the shelf 1. The book will then besupported as shown in Fig. 1, inclining rearward, as shown in Fig. 3, and where it will be perfectly f balanced, allowing the leaves to be turned without interfering with the shell and by reason of the inclination retaining the book open at the pages left, It will also be noticed that not only being adaptedto rest on a table or the like the device containing the bookmay be lifted and suspended from a nail or the like on the wall H, passing the nail-head a through the aperture 3 and allowing the rear edge of the shelf to contact with the wall, as shown in 'Fig. 3.

Where it is intended that the device be suspended from the wall only, I have found it desirable to allow the .standard 3 to project through below the lower face of the shelf, forming the flaring head .3, having an aper i ture therethr-ough, in which may be placed a 4 or the like to extend .out to form a convenient place from which to suspend some accessory articl eas, for instance, a tablet or a pencil. It will be noticed also that, if desired, the pin 4 may extend back into the wall H, as 1 shown in Fig. 3, which will prevent the dea vice from swinging side-Wise. Under certain conditions I have also found it advantageous to employ the two arms 5 and 6 for the sides B and B, respectively, to rest against, as in dicated Fig. 2. Said arms are simply strips having each an aperture in their upper J ends to engage over the nail D or the like, i crossing each other in the rear of the upper 1 end of the standard 3 and their lower portions resting loosely in the open slots, which slots extend inward from the ends and are l=o- \cated near the rear edge of the shelf 1, as, shown in Fig. 4. Said arms 5 and 6 should extend below the shel'lxl and may have the pins 7 and 8, respectively, extending out 3 therefrom for 'the same purposes as the said pm 4.

From the above description and showing it is most notably apparent that 'I have accomplished the objects of my invention, and the device may be employed in a number of ways, as a particular instance of which I might mention that the book may contain samples of cloth secured on its pages, as usually employed by merchant-tailors. Heretofore it has been customary for such books to lay flat .and closed when not in use, thereby occupying an unnecessary amount of space and be ing difiicult to handle .anddisplay; but by the employment of my invention it is appanent that the book will occupy a of space either on .a table or when suspended on a wall, and in either instance it may be left open for displaying the samples to the best advantage, and one has only to turn the leaves without otherwise handling the book.

What I claim, anddesire to secure Letters Patent lot the United' States, is

A book-support comprising'ashelt having a central aperture and a standard adapted I to pass between the body-andback of a hook,

the standard being remoyably secured in inclined position in theapertnre in the shell, its upper end being the vertical plane of the rear edge of the shell and having a porteration, as and for purposes settorth.

2. A. book-snpport comprising a shelf haw ring a central aperture and slotted at eachend, :a standard adapted topass between thebody and back of a book, the standard being re movably secured in an inclined position in the aperture in the shelf, itsupper end being in the vertical plane oil. the rear edge or" the shelf and having a perforation, and arms engagement near their lower ends with the slots the shell and peritoratcd and crossed at their upper ends, the pertonations in the arms hegistering with the perforation in the standard, snhstantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed specification the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. Hosrnn, LILLIE B, NORMAN,

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