US2615279A - Movable book support - Google Patents

Description

O 1952 w. B. HALEY, JR

MOVABLE BQOK SUPPORT Filed NOV. 25, 1949 w. m W y -T o A 8 u H m H a M w m w aw vv w J mm Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE MDVABLE 1300K SUPPQRT William B. Haley, J12, Albany, Ga.

Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 128,935

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to certain new and use ful improvements in rollable book supports for use by bookkeepers and persons whose work requirements involve the employment and handling of rather large often unwieldly double entry and analogous books for posting, copying or reading.

An object of this invention is to support a book on a book support which includes a pair of plates inclined toward each other so as to form a dihedral angle, said plates being spaced from each other an amount sufiicient to form a bookbinding recess, whereby the book is held in the convenient position of having both of its covers angled slightly toward each other and whereby the book is held firmly due to the accommodation of the bookbinding in said space or recess.

Another object of this invention is to render it possible to swing the entire book through a larger or smaller are so that the book may be pulled toward the individual rather than the individual walking to the book, the adjustment of the arc of travel being provided specifically to take care of the requirements of various individuals desiring a larger or smaller arc, the choice being made from volition or due to space limitations.

Ancillary objects anad features such as the accommodation of the book supported in such a manner as to allow for additional working space in front of the book and below the book, will become apparent to those skilled in the art, in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top View of the device;

Figure 2 is a bottom View of the device;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line l-Q of Figure 3 and in the direction of the arrows.

By way of introduction to the detailed description and briefly summarized, the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is adapted for use on a stationary desk or work table with a smooth, flat, horizontal work surface, is characterized by a portable roving-type support for holding and shifting unwieldy double entry and similar books while posting, copying or reading comprising a mobile carriage, optionally movable in arcuate paths across said surfaces and a base, a single pair of elongate tapered carriage supporting and shifting rollers attached for free rotation to the underside of said base with their smaller distal ends converging toward each other, said rollers, thus attached serving to cause said base to incline downwardly toward said surface in a direction away from the user, and an oppositely inclined book support unit tilted in a direction toward the user and embodying two dihedral rectangular plates mounted intermediate their transverse ends on said base with distal end portions overlying a portion of the base and proximal end portions overhanging and projecting beyond the proximal edge portions of said base.

Persons working with books, as accountants, bookkeepers and other men and Women engaged in various professions, find it necessary to pull heavy books on the top of a desk toward them or alternatively, walk to and from the book in which they desire to work. Various devices have been made to minimize this labor and to otherwise cope with the problems presented. It is one of the intentions therefore of the invention to improve both in a structural and functional manner on prior art constructions in this specific field of endeavor.

A mobile carriage is an essential unit and this embodies a base It provided with a pair of rear hangers l2 and It (Fig. 2) which are pivoted adjacent the rear of the base plate it. These hangers are swivelly or pivotally connected with the undersurface of the base plate it and have roller shafts l3 and 28 disposed therein. These roller shafts accommodate rollers 22 and M which are in the shape of frustrurns of cones. The smaller truncated ends of the rollers are near to the hangers or bearings 52 and i l, while the larger ends have their shafts 28 and 28 respectively projecting therefrom. These shafts are disposed in hangers or brackets 38 and 32 having apertures therein. The apertures accommodate screws releasably disposed in selected threaded openings 3- 5, which are formed in the base plate 56. Hence, when it is desired to adjust the ends of the rollers toward and away from each other, it is necessary only to make the necessary movement of the brackets 32! and 32. The resulting operation is selectivity in the arc of travel of the base It when the device is moved laterally on a flat surfaced table top or other relatively stationary surface.

The rollers 22 and i l are of such size and mounting as will allow them to roll (Figures 2 and 4). The center of taper of the rollers lies at the center or" the rotatable axes of the two tapered rollers. In this adjusted position there uprights36 and 38 respectively are fixed to the top of the base plate 16 supporting the book.

rest or support unit generally indicated at 40. The substantially triangular uprights are fixed to any convenient part of the top surface of the base plate 16 and are held in place by any conventional means, as screws, spot welding, rivets or the like.

The support unit 40 embodies a pair of duplicate spaced parallel plates 42 and 44 which are inclined toward each other thereby forming a dihedral angle therebetween. The plates are supported by the uprights 36 and 38 and are spaced from each other in order. to form a bookbinder accommodating recess 46-. Longitudinal strips 48' and 50 are fixed to the plates adjacent their inner longitudinal edges. and form side walls'for the bookbinder accommodating recess 46.- The bottom of this recess is closed in by a panel. 54 attachedt'o the bottomsurfaces of: the members 48 and.50- and which panel is disposed in. the. notch 56 formed in the front or proximal edge of the base plate I6- (Figure 4) The uprights 36 and 38 dispose and maintain the book support unit at an angle with respect to the horizontal as well as said base unit so that the book (not shown) supported thereon isg-in, a convenient inclined planefor both readi giand; Writing. Due to theangle of inclination, stops; or ledge. forming member 58 and 60 respectively are, provided. The stop 58 is secured to the front end ofthe plate 42,.whi1e the other one. 60 is secured to the front end:of the plate.- 44. The lower edge of the book is adapted to rest against these stops enabling the latter to. serve as ledges.

Due to the angularity ofthe support 40-, a counter-weight 62 is mounted on the outer endof the base plate 16 so that when the weight of a persons hand rests on the book, it will not. besufficient to cause the. device to pivot about the front edges of the rollers and topple over.

By having the front endof the support unit elevated as disclosed in Figure 3 and projecting forwardly of the base unit, a space therebeneath is. provided for accommodation of papers and. the like thereby providing. additional use for working surface for the individual employingthe invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed asncw. is;

1. For use on a stationary desk or a work table having a smooth fiat horizontal work surface; a portable roving-type support for holding and shifting unwieldy double entry and similar books while posting, copying or reading comprising a mobile carriage optionally movable in arcuate paths across said surface and embodying a base, a single pair of elongate tapered carriage supporting. and shifting rollers attached for free rotation to the underside-of. said .base with their smaller distal ends converging toward each other, said rollers, thus attached, serving to cause said base to incline downwardly toward said surface ina direction away from the user, and an oppositely inclined book support unit tilted in a direction toward the user and embodying two dihedralrectangular plates mounted intermediate their transverse ends on said base with distal end portions overlying a portion of the base and proximal end portions overhanging and projecting beyond the proximal portions of said base.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein. the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of,.said' plates are disposedv in spaced parallelism...

3. The structure defined incl'aim2', and. coun-v terweight means carried by the distal end por-. tion of said base, and: book retaining ledge members carried by theproximal end portions oflsaid plates.

4.-The structure definedin claim@2,, wherein said base is providedin its proximal edge portionwith notchmeans and wherein; a panel-is. seated in said-notch.means, is: attached to-the: undersides of said plates, is disposed; in. a plane.

7 below the plane of-said-plates,spans-the space between said spaced longitudinal. edge. portions.

and defines an open ended channel, the, latter adapted, to accommodate the usual bound. portion of. the stated book.

WLLIAM -B. JRL,

REFERENCES CITEDv The; following, references are Of-ITGCOIfdx in; the; filel of. this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

451,632. Burdick .May 5, 1891 660,143 Davis et al. 1 Oct. 23,1900 676,749 Hazlewood June 18, 1901 753,484 Goodman Mar. 1, 1904:

1,117,386 Hughes Nov.'1 7, 1914 1,258,230- Lewis et a1. Man-5, 1918' 1,278,584 Buchheit Sept. 10,;1918 1,666,803 Walker Apr. 17,1928 1,827,166 Pharr Oct. 13,1931

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