US2439950A - Bookholder - Google Patents

Description

April 4 G. "r. ROGERS 2,439,950

' BOOKHOLDER Filed Oct. 27, 1944' 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 George T figen's' 'April 20, 1948. e. T. ROGERS I 2,439,950

BOOKHOLDIER File d Oct. 27, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 1ft? Z jwegzw 6607:9'6 T Buyer's e. T. ROGERS BOOKHOLDER Filed Oct. '27, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to book-holders of the class broadly described and claimed in the Bartlett Patent No. 1,657,343 of January 24, 1928, and more particularly to a holder for a large and heavy book, adapted to support the book both when opened and when closed and to permit easy opening and closing of the book even though it be of the abnormally large size in which unabridged dictionaries are commonly published, all while securely retaining the book in the holder in either opened or closed condition, so that the book is not liable to be accidentally displaced.

In one aspect, the present invention contemplates an improvement on that of the Bartlett patent especially in providing means for minimizing the effort of handling the book and particularly in opening movements for causing the book to lie fiat so as to render the inner ma'rgins of the pages clearly visible.

In another aspect, the present invention contemplates an improvement on the Bartlett patent in providing a separable frame for the book and stand therefor, so that the advantages of the invention may be realized whether the frame be supported by the stand or removed from thestand and supported upon an ordinary desk or table as may be at times more convenient for reference to the book.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent by reference to the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings, of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, and in which drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a structure embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the same, showing, in broken lines, an alternative position of the parts;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 but showing in full lines the parts in the alternative position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, and in broken lines in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 4 but showing a still further altered position of the parts; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the frame removed from the stand.

Referring in detail to the illustrative construc- I mation having the legs I l which may bear upon is of somewhat bracket formation and comprises a pair of cantilever support arms I2 which adjacent their outer ends are socketed as at 1%. Transverse bars I4 and I5 serve to stiffen the structure just describedat its front and rear respectively. I

The upper bracket part of the stand it] just referred to is adapted to tiltably hold the book frame is, as by the latter having trunnions H which are received in the sockets I3 of the stand arms If, these sockets being open upwardly so that the trunnions may be lowered thereinto or raised therefrom by simple vertical movements. To retain the frame in a predetermined position with respect to the stand, releasable interengaging catch means is provided which is here represented by a prop in the form of a wire bail l8 which hangs from the rear end-of the frame and which has a lower rung l9 and an upper rung 26. Upstanding from the transverse reinforcement bar [5 is a spring clip 2| grooved as at 22 to receive either of the rungs 19 or 20 selectively therein.

When, as shown-in Fig. 1, the lower rung I9 is caught by the clip, the book frame It is maintained in a predetermined position tilted downwardly toward the reader so that easy reference may be made to a book carried by the frame as later more particularly described. If it is desired to have the frame and book lie flat, the finger piece 23 of the spring clip 2| may be pressed rearwardly or the bail l8 pulled slightly forwardly to release the clip and bail and the upper rung 2a of the bail may be then engaged with the spring groove 22, the resiliency of the parts retaining this engagement until it be again desired to release the catch for other adjustment. To accommodate such tilting adjustments the trunnions I1 will rotate readily in the sockets l3 of the stand. The spring clip 2| may be secured as by screws 2| a to the reinforcement bar i5 of the stand.

Turning now to the construction and operation of the frame parts and reverting for the moment to those parts of the device which are constructed somewhat in accordance with the broad disclosure of the said Bartlett patent, upon the base 24 of the frame t6 are upstanding a plurality of bearing posts 25 and 25, two posts 25 constituting one pair and two posts 26 another pair, the pairs on the axis of the pivotpins 29)., and extending.

outwardly and ang ularly of the hortdeverfiZL- a longer lever 30 which in this instance is platelike and is adapted to lap say the cover of a book received in the stand. The lever 30 has a part 30a. which is integral with the lever 21 and apart I 30b welded thereto for convenienceof construction. The bearing posts 25 at the other side ofthe stand similarly constitutea 1pairi'ofajfulcrum bearings, fixed with respect to each other.

and to the bearing posts 25, to pivotallycarry another of the compound lifter arm devices 21'28-3B in opposite ia'ce -to face and -comple-" mentary arrangement.

The pair of lifter arm device-s- 21 28 gwmen here each are given-a further-designating numeral 3 l support "betweenth'em a-- stirrup device 32 which here comprises a floating p1atform-33 sayof any suitable strongmaterial asinthis instance a woodstrip and a-pai-r-ofunderlying floating metal beams 34 *and' 35' wh-ich may 'beriveted to the platform as*-at 36. The'stirrup device 32 is carried by the lifter devices {ii-through the intermediation of ' thesefloatingbeams 34 and 35 and to thisendthe-lifter'devices '3lat' their corners where-the levers 21 a-nd dd-join,

are cut away, in both 'the-leveril'and the lever 39 as at'31 (as best shown' in Fig. 4) to passthe floating beams 34 and 35* respectively therethrough. Thatis, each lifterdevice is cut away as at 37 and 33 to pass the *fioating beam 34 through each of themand at39 to' pass the floating beam 35 througheach of 'them,'tliefioating' connections thus provided being spaced "apart from front to rear" of the frame l 6:

Thus, as best seen-from Figure'2and"noting first the ciull line position of 'the partsgwhen" the lifter devices'3l rotate so that'their"'outer plate-like arms are verticalandparailel; the stirrup device is depressed. In 'thisposi'tioma" closed book may beiinserted between theiplatelike arms 30 and held? somewhatsnuglywhere between with its-back restingpn"andsupported by the platform .33 of'thestirrup'device. When now, as shown inx-broken'linesinFigureZ; the

lifter devices 3| arerevolvedomtheir'pivots29' the stirrup device 32'is elevatedand' the book' ispermitted to open supported directly'bythe" arms 38 ofthelifter'devices 3i and the platform" 33of the stirrup device -32whichare nowniore or less in one plane.

To maintain the stirrup devicecentered between the lifter devices intits'floatingup and down movements, the floating beam 341s. shown having its ends "received" in" apair'of vertical guide posts 48 alsoupstandi'ng' fromthe"frame' base and being ofbox-like formation with open faces 4| which facetoward'eachotherand receive the ends of the floating"beam"34 and permit free up and down movement thereof within limitsof the height of the guide posts while preventing lateral movements wh-i'cli'might displace the stirrup. The guideposts 40" alsoprovide stop supports on which the cover-lapping levers 30 rest: in their opene'd'positioir.

Reverting again to- 'i'eaturesto which thepresent disclosure is directem'lfi have here shown,

platform at spaced apart places thereon to hang "therebelow and be carried thereby in the up and down movements out the stirrup. Carried by these hangers42 is a chine member 44 of somewhat plate=like formation and elongated in the direction'i-ottheplatform 33, this chine member having slots 45 in its lateral margins which pass the hanger elements 42 therethrough. In one position the chine member 44 is free to drop onto the crosstmembers 5460f the hangers. In another.:,positio'n:thefchine member 44 is adapted tome-elevatedon tl'ie hangers, and extending lengthwise. of the: chin'e'member'is a central ridge portiond-l "(the chinemember being conveniently madetof sheet-metal. bent upon itself to produce thisrridge) -Whi'0hinl.th elevated position of the chinerm'ember projects upwardly through a well openings-8 extending leng-thwise of the platform 33': but tenninatingshort 'o'f the floating beams 3l4' and'i35'ratieachfiend; The chine member 4 is therefore".substantially as long as the well opening 48TH! the platform and'underlies the platform between the floating beams 34 and 35. Meansforthus causing relative movement of thechinememberfl with respect to the stirrup device i32.is'.here represented by lifter fingers 49 which arehere shown inte'gra1 and rigid with the lifter levers 21, respectively, there being here four; men ofthe'se lifter fingers, two at each side'ofithe platforin 33f'andchine member 124 and spaced apart adjacent the intermediate longitudinal margins of'th'e platform which the chine member-underlies. Thus as'the book, indicated somewhat diagrammatically at' 50, is opened, the lifterdevicestl' arer'evclved on their fulcrum pivots'ii29, (Fig; 4) and; as-tne stirrup device 32 approaches its upper limit 'of 'rnovement, the lifter'finger's'l's engageunder the chine member 44'andilift this chine member further with respect to the stirrup device, the chine member slidingmp o'nthe hangers 42, namely, from the position'slicwn in broken lines in Figure 4 to that shown in 'f'ull'lines. -To fercilitate this lifting of the chine member with respect to the stirrup platform; the membermay have a pair of antifriction rods'ilrunnin'g along each side thereof rotatably secured as in lugs 52 depending from the margins-of the chine member and against which the lifter fingers 49 impinge. To further reduce frictid'n therebet'ween, the extremities of the liftenfingers may be curved upwardly as at 53."

Thus, as willbest be seen from Figure 4, the peaked ridge portion 41 ofthe chine member 44, in the open position of the book, will project upwardly into the archlike hollow 54 which the back of a large book normally describes when opened and this peakedridge portion 47 of the "chine-hiember will thus'sup'port the center of ence to portions of the pages which lie adjacent the binding of the book. In large books such as unabridged dictionaries, this function is of marked importance and utility. The chine member also prevents unnecessary lateral movements of the book which might cause wear thereon.

Turning next to Figure of the drawings, this shows, following the present invention a further alternative position of the chine member 44 which it may occupy when for example the book, as shown here diagrammatically at 55 is open, say, near the rear cover of the book, instead of along the middle of the book as shown in Figure 4. In the case, as shown in Figure 5, the back of the book forms a different shaped arch as at 56 and the place in the book where the leaves divide, as at 51, its apex shifts to the right as shown in Figure 5. As here constructed and arranged, the chine piece 44 adapts itself to this shift by reason of the fact that the slots 45 through which the hangers 42 pass are elongated laterally, and the opening of the book at a place other than the center line thereof will, as shown in Figure 5, tend to cam the chine member 44 in this instance toward the right-hand side of the holder to accommodate the shift in this direction of the separation 51 of the leaves of the book and of the high point of the arch 56 formed by the back of the book and one cover thereof. The beveled formation of the ridge portion 41 of the chine member and the action of the anti-friction rods 5! on the lifter fingers 49 facilitates this automatic adjustment of the chine member to the place at which the book is opened during first the rising movement of the stirrup device and chine member together and then later the relative rising movement of the chine piece with respect to the stirrup platform. Thus while the chine member is held by lifter fingers 49 from downward movement until the book is again closed, it is still free to move laterally by reason of the slotted connections 42-45 to adjust itself to the position of the back of the book as the book is opened at different places and the leaves thereby turned, the ridge portion 41 acting somewhat as a newel about which the pages turn and which adjusts itself automatically to the arch of the back, while at the same time tending to maintain or accentuate this arch to cause the pages to lie flatter.

When now the book is closed entirely, the weight of the book being received on the stirrup device 32, the lifter devices 31 are revolved on their pivots 29 by the weight of the book to the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 and in broken lines in Figure 4. As the lifter fingers 49 thereby drop away from contact with the chine member 44, the latter is further depressed, both by the action of gravity and the weight of the book thereon, and drops through the well opening 48 so that its ridge part 4'! is depressed below the upper surface of the stirrup platform 33 and thus out of interference with the position of the book thereon when the book is closed.

As shown in Figure 6, the frame It with the book thereon may be removed entirely from the stand in and may be placed-upon an ordinary desk or table top 58 for example, at which time the prop or bail 18, which is integral with the frame, will maintain the frame and with it the book held therein, in inclined position convenient to the eye of the reader. The frame parts previously described will function as indicated with equal effectiveness whether the frame, 16

be mounted on the stand in as shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive or removed from the stand and placed upon a table top as shown in Figure 6.

The plate-like lever arms 30, which lap the back and front covers of the book respectively, may be angularly extended inwardly toward each other as shown at 59 (Fig. 2) to provide stops against which the lower edges of the book may abut to keep the book from sliding downwardly on the frame.

So constructed and arranged the device of the present invention is a marked improvement over that broadly disclosed in the said Bartlett Patent particularly in aifording greater ease and flexibility of use of the bookholder. It provides enhanced support for the book when open and prevents unnecessary side movement, thus minimizing wear and tear and extending the life of the book.

It is intended to be understood that the invention is not limited to details of construction here shown for the purposes of exemplification, since it is to be understood that such changes may be made as fall Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the invention.

What is here claimed is:

1. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame, pairs of fulcrum members supported by the frame in parallel relation, a pair of levers pivotally connected to each pair of fulcrum members respectively, each of said levers comprising ashort arm and a long arm angular thereto, a stirrup supported by and between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup will be raised and when the levers are in closed position the stirrup will be depressed and will receive the'back of the book and support the entire weight of the book, and means associated with said levers and stirrup and having relative movement with respect to the stirrup for further elevating intermediate portions of the back of the book when the stirrup is raised, said means comprising a pair of hangers depending from said stirrup, a. chine member carried by said hangers for up and down movement thereon, a lifter arm carried by each lever and engageable with said chine member to raise the chine member in the elevated position of the stirrup, said chine member also having lateral movement with respect to said stirrup to accommodate varying positions of the book back.

2. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame, a pair fo fulcrum members supported by the frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to each fulcrum member respectively, each of said levers comprising a, short arm and a long arm angular thereto, a stirrup supported by and between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when thelevers are in book opening position the stirrup will be raised and when the levers are in closed position the stirrup will .be depressed and. will receive the back of the book and support the entire weight of the book, and means associated with said levers and stirrup and having relative movement with respect to the stirrup for further elevating intermediate portions of the back of the book when the stirrup is raised, said means comprising a lifter arm carried by each lever and a chine member engageable by the lifter arms in the elevated position of the stirrup.

3. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame, a pair of fulcrum members supported by the frame, a pair of levers pivota-lly connected to the fulcrum member respectively, each of said angular thereto, a stirrup supported by and between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the short arms of the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup will be raised and when the levers are in closed position the stirrup will be depressed relatively to the levers and will receive the back of the book and support the entire weight of the book, and means associated with said levers and stirrup and having relative movement with respect to the stirrup for further elevating intermediate portions of the back of the book when the stirrup is raised, said last mentioned means comprising a chine member arranged to engage the book back in the raised position of the stirrup and to drop away therefrom in the depressed position.

4. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame-a pair of fulcrum members supported by the frame, a pair of levers pivotally connectecl'to each fulcrum member respectively, said levers being adapted to lap the book covers, a stirrup for the back of the book between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup and book back are raised and when the levers are in the closed position the stirrup and book back are depressed, and a chine member carried by the stirrup effecting an upward arching of the book back when the stirrup has reached the limit of its upward movement, said chine member being arranged to have limited lateral movement with respect to the stirrup to accommodatevarying positions of the book back.

5. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame, a pair of fulcrum members supported by the frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to each fulcrum member respectively; said levers being adapted to lap the book covers, a stirrup for the back of the book between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup and .book back are raised and when the levers are in the closed position the stirrup and book back are depressed, and a chine member elevatable with-respect to the stirrup by opening movement of the levers and arranged to effect an upward arching of the book back when the stirrup'has reached the limit of its upward movement, said chine member being depressible with respect to the stirrup by said book back out of the way of the book back when the levers are moved to close the book.

6. A book-holder for a large book comprising a frame having a book back supporting part and cover supporting parts at each side of the back supporting part, said parts being arranged for relative movement in opening and closing movements of the book, whereby the back supporting part is moved toward the plane of the cover supporting parts when the book is open and is depressed below said plane when the book is closed, and a chine member responsive to opening movements of at least one of said cover supporting parts and efiective after the back supporting part has reached the limit of its movement toward the plane of the cover supporting parts to support the back of the book intermedially to effect an arch formation therefor extending above the plane of the cover supporting parts to facilitate reading of the pages of the book, said chine member being shiftable laterally responsive to varying positions of the book back.

7. A book-holder comprising "in combination .a frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame, a stirrup supported by and between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup is raised and when the levers are in book closed position the stirru is depressed, a pair of hangers depending from said stirrup, a chine member having a central peaked portion and side portions carried by said hangers for up and down movement thereon, the side portions of the chine member being slotted to pass the hangers therethrough respectively, a lifter arm carried by each lever and engageable with said chine member to raise the chine member with respect to the stirrup in the elevated position of the stirrup, the stirrup having a central opening passing the central peaked portion of the chine member therethrough, and anti-friction means between the lifter arms and the chine member.

8. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame, a stirrup supported by and'between said levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup is raised and when the levers are in book closed position the stirrup is depressed, a pair of hangers depending from said stirrup, a chine member carried by said hangers for up and down movement thereon, the chine member being slotted to pass the hangers therethrough, a lifter arm carried by each lever and 'engageable with said chine member to raise the chine member with respect to the stirrup in the elevated position of the stirrup for further elevating intermediate portions of the back of the book when the stirrup is raised, said slots in the chine member being laterally elongated whereby the chine member has lateral movement with respect to said stirrup and lifter arms to accommodate varying positions of the book back, and anti-friction members supporting the chine member on the lifter arms, the extremities of the lifter arms being curved upwardly for further antifriction purposes.

'9. A book-holder comprising in combination .a frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame, a stirrup supported by and between the levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup is raised and when the levers are in the book closed position the stirrup is depressed, a chine member carried by and suspended below the stirrup and arranged for relative vertical movement with respect to the stirrup, a central opening in the stirrup receiving the chine member therein, means carried by at least one of the levers and associated with the chine member to effect upward vertical movement of the chine member with respect to the stirrup, and means for efiecting lateral movement of the chine member with respect to the stirrup.

.10. A book-holder comprising in combination a frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame, a stirrup supported by and between the levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup is raised and when the levers are in the book closed position the stirrup is depressed, a chine member carried b the stirrup and arranged for relative vertical movement with respect to the stirrup, means carried ment of the chine member with respect to the stirrup, and means for efiecting lateral movement of the chine member with respect to the frame.

11. A book-holder comprising, in combination, a frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame, a stirrup supported :by and between the levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup is raised and when the levers are in book closed position the stirrup is depressed, a chine member carried by and suspended below the stirrup and arranged for relative vertical movement with respect to the stirrup, and means carried by the levers and associated with the chine member to effect an upward vertical movement of the chine member with respect to the stirrup, the stirrup having a central opening receiving the chine member therein.

12. A book-holder comprising, in combination, a frame, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame, a stirrup supported by and between the levers, means connecting the stirrup with the levers whereby when the levers are in book opening position the stirrup is raised and when the levers are in bool; closed position the stirrup is 10 depressed, a chine member carried by the stirrup and arranged for relative vertical movement with respect to the stirrup, and means actuated by the levers and associated with the chine member to effect an upward vertical movement of the chine member with respect to the stirrup.

GEORGE T. ROGERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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