US1506204A - Library book support and index - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26 1924. I

H. c. SNODDY LIBRARY BOOK SUPPORT AND INDEX Filed Avril 30. 1923 Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES HAYDEN c. SNODDY, or HOUSTON,

LIBRARY BOOK SUPPORT AND. INDEX.

Application filed. April 30, 19.23. Serial No. 635,512.

To. all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, HAYDEN O. SNoDDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Harris County, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Library Book Supports and Indexesmf which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertain-s to make and use the same.

My invent-ion relates to a supporting device for library books, said support having means thereon adapted to indicate the book which belongs adjacent the support.

It is common in libraries, both public and private, to arrange the books by subject mat ter on the shelves and to label each book in its order with an identifying mark. The identifying marks are in sequence and yet admitting of inserting intermediate numbers or characters when new books are obtained. The shelves are not usually full, thus allowing the inserting of the new books. As a result, it is necessary to support the books, usually at the right end of the shelf, by means of a brick or a metal book support. l/Vhen books are taken out, the adjacent books either fall into the vacant space or the books may be shoved together to fill the space ori inally occupied by the book which was removed. In either case, it is not easy to tell whether a book has been removed or ifso, what book it was. F urthermore, when it is desired to return the book to its place it is necessary to closely note the labels on the books to be certain the book is replaced in its proper position. It is not infrequently the case that books are put back in the wrong place and cannot therefore be easily found when looked for there after.

It is an object of my invention to provide a supporting device for each book having thereon a mark identical with that of the book which it supports.

It is also an object to make such supports easily detachable and removable as desired, and also capable of adjustment laterally along'the shelf to allow the insertion of new books and supports.

Another object is to provide a stop to be used on the support to limit the distance the book may be moved inwardly on the shelf whereby the books may be retained easily in alignment.

These and other objects and advantages to the clamping rod; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in different position; Flgs, sand 5 are views of the clamping means illustrating the parts in loosened and clamping positions respectively; Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the stop used on the support, and Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the label plate, approximately on the line 88 of Fig. 3.

In the use of my device I employ an ordinary book shelf 1 having upright supports 2 and 3 at the ends thereof. Between the two upright supports and adjacent the rear upper end of the same, I employ a bar 4 which may be made of angle iron, the object being to provide an angular support which may be rotated to clamp the book support thereto. This bar is shown as made up of an angle iron, attached at each end to an operating lever, 5. This lever, at its rearward end, is pivoted at 6, to the side support and extends forwardly to the front I of the supporting member, where it is bent laterally to form a handle 7 on the forward side of the supports 2 and 3 are latches, 8, over which the levers may be caught and supported in clamping posit-ion.

On the clamping bar 4 thus provided I attach at spaced intervals supporting rods 9. These rods may be made 'of a strip of flattened metal perforated atlOa-t the upper end, to engage within a loop 11 in a clamping member. The lower endof the rod 9 is twisted to a. position at right angles to that of the body of the bar, and hooked around the lower end of the book shelf at-12. The flat portion 13 immediately above the hook 12 furnishes an attachment for a small plate 14', which is bent around the rod and clamped thereto at 15, as shown in Fig. 8. The plate 14 thus provided furnishes attachment for a label, as will be later described.

The clamp at the upper end of the rod 9 is formed of a length of spring wire formed into a central loop passing through the openi g 10 and p jecting re ard y, and th nbent downwardly at 16 and re-curved upwardly at 17 to a point even with the loop 11, and then forwardly at 18, and downwardly again at 19, so as to; provide a space at 20 to it over the angle iron 4:. The angle iron is set ordinarily with the angle thereon approximately forward and the two sides presented rearwardly. The rod 9 will then rest upon the upper side of the angle iron and the clamp will fit loosely over the same. If then the levers 5 are rotated upwardly so as to turn the angle iron into the position shown in Fig. 5, the outer edge at 21 will engage the angle 18 of the clamping wire, and the angle of the iron will press against the arm of the rod 9, and thus tend to press the portion 18 of the wire resiliently toward the rear, and thus clamp the rod 9 firmly in position,and in doing so will tend to draw the supporting rod tothe rear and engage the hook firmly against the forward side of the shelf. This will support the rod rigidly in place at whatever position along the shelf the rod happens to be,thus forming a firm lateral support for any book adjacent the said rod.

Upon the-rod 9 and slidable thereon is a stop member for the book. This stop is formed of a piece of spring wire bent so as to provide a lateral arm 22 against which the book may contact. The wire is then bent upwardly at 23 and rearwardly at 24, and then is bent down and re-curved at 25 to form a loop, the. end of the wire being extended upwardly'to one side of the portion 24. A U-shaped band of metal adapted to fit closely around the rod 9 is perforated on the two opposite sides, as shown at 26, to allow the wire to pass therethrough. This loop or yoke 27 through which the spring passes is drawn tightly against the rod and clamped in position by forcing the upper end at 24 downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 7. In that position the forward and rearward sides of the stop member will rest against the side of the rod and-the upwardly-extending portion 28, which passes thru the yoke, will be sprung against the upper end 24: and thus tend to holdthe yoke firmly in position. It will be obvious that this stop may be loosened on the rod 9 by forcing it upwardly into position shown in Fig. 6,and may be then adjusted along the rod to the desired point, and then locked into position by forcing it downwardly in the position shown in Fig. 7.

In the use of my device the books will be arranged upon the shelf in the desired order, each book having a label 29 thereon, in the usual manner. A supporting. rod 9 will be adjusted in position with the upper clamping end engaging over the angle iron 4, said angle iron being in loosened position, as

' shown 111 Fig. 3. The plate 14; on the lower end of the rod Will be then provided with a label exactly similar to the label on the ad jacent book. There will be between each of the adjacent books one of the supporting rods, as shown, these rods being adjusted along the angle iron and shelf to fit tightly against the book; and the stop member 22 will be adjusted to fit the width of the book and locked into position. Vhen all of the books have been properly placed uponthe shelf and the labels arranged on the supporting rods 9 as desired, the levers 5 maybe moved upwardly. and caught above the latch member 8. In thus'moving'the lever, the angle ironwill be forced into the position shown in Fig. 5, thus clamping the rods 9 rigidly into position and supporting the books. When a book is removed from its position thus formed, the label identifying the book will remain in position so that when the book is returned it will find an empty place into which the book will fit exactly and have a label like that of the book.

It will be noted that any number of books may be removed without in any way affecting the support of the other books in their proper positions, and that when a book is to be replaced it will be very easy to ascertain exactly where the book belongs and to'place it easily in position, because of the spaced opening remaining forthe books. Also, when it is necessary to add a new book upon the shelf, the rods 9 may beloosened by the working of the lever 5 and.

new rods placed into position, and others moved laterally along the clamping bar.v

My device is therefore very flexible, easily adapted to all conditions, and enables the I,

one tending to the books .tokeep them in order.- It enables the reader to ascertain whether the book is out, and if a reader wishesto replace a book which he has taken, from the shelves, he can not easily'make a mistake and get the book in the wrong position. Books, together with their supports, may be taken from one shelf and placed on another if the librarian desires, without difficulty. The further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art, without further description.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described,

a book shelf having an upright support at each end, an angle iron extending from one end to the other of said shelf adjacent the rearward upper "side thereof, a lever on each support secured to said angle iron, a pivot pin on each lever adjacent said angle iron, flattened rods extending from said angle iron diagonally downward to the forward side of said shelf, means on the forward end of each rod to engage theshelf and means on the rearward end to engage said angle iron, and to be clamped thereto when the latter is rotated by means of said levers.

2. In a device of the character described, a book-shelf having upright supports at each end, an angle iron connected pivotally to said supports adjacent the rearward upper sides thereof, means to rotate said angle iron, a series of flattened rods along said shelf, said rods having the forward ends hooked around the edge of said shelf, and a clamping means on the rearward ends of said rods fitting over said angle iron and adapted to be clamped tightly thereto when said angle iron is rotated in one direction.

8. In a device of the character lescribed, a bookshelf having upright supports at each end, an angular bar connected pivotally to said supports adjacent the rearward upper sides of said supports, means to rotate said bar, a series of flattened rods along said shelf, said rods having the forward ends hooked around said shelf, a label support on said hooked end, means at the rearward ends of said rods engaging said bar and adapted to be clamped tightly thereto by the rotation of said bar.

4. In a device of the character described, a book-shelf having lateral supports at each end, an angular bar connecting said supports, means to rotate said bar on its longitudinal axis, book-supporting rods having a forward end hooked to engage the front edge of said shelf, means on said hooked end to support an identifying label, and a clamp at the rearward end of said rod to engage said bar.

5. In a device of the character described, a book-shelf having end supports, an angular bar between said supports adjacent the rear side thereof, means to rotate said bar, a book-supporting rod having its forward end hooked over the front edge of said shelf, a clamping means on its rearward end adapted to fit loosely over said bar and to be clamped thereto when said bar is rotated.

6. In a device of the character described,

a book shelf, book-supporting rods hooked over the front of said shelf and adjustable along the same, rotatable means spaced above said shelf to support the rear ends of said rods, and means operated by the rotation of said rotatablemeans to secure said rods rigidly thereto.

7. In a device of the character described, a book shelf, book-supporting rods hooked over the front of said shelf and adjustable along the same, supporting means spaced above said shelf to engage the rear ends of said rods, means actuated by the rotation of said supporting means to secure said rods rigidly thereto and stop members adjustable along said rods for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afliX my signature, this 2% day of April, A. D. 1923.

HAYDEN C. SNODDY.

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