US2885088A - Holder for telephone directories and the like - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1959 AIR. MISKIN 2,885,038

' HOLDER FOR TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES AND THE LIKE Filed April 7, 195a flrthur Rjliskin,

ATTORNEY INVENTOR United States Patent HOLDER FOR TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES AND THE LIKE Arthur R. Miskin, Ucon, Idaho Application April 7, 1958, Serial No. 726,746

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-87) This invention relates to racks or holders for books and the like, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, relatively inexpensive device of this character for receiving, holding and protecting frequently used books, such for example as telephone directories, while maintaining them readily available for use when necessary.

For purposes of disclosure two exemplary forms of the device have been illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the basic unit, adapted for use in communities where the directories are supplied in a single volume;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, of the device shown in Fig. l, on approximately the line 2-2 in said figure;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged and elevational view of the unit;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of an adaptation of the device for use where the directories are furnished in two or more volumes, or where it is desired to maintain the directories of two or more communities; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the supplemental units employed in an assembly such as shown in Fig. 4.

As will be readily understood from the said drawing, the unit A illustrated in Figs. l-3 comprises a pair of horizontally spaced vertical members 10, here shown as formed of strap-iron or similar metal, and rigidly connected by the upper and lower horizontal bars or strips 11 and 12 which are welded or otherwise firmly secured to the said upright members. Each upright member is bent to substantially U-shape (when viewed in side elevation) whereby to provide a rearward leg 13 and a forward leg 14 which legs are connected to their lower ends by the cross-bar portion 15. The upper portion of the rearward leg 13 is bent to provide an ofiset 16 whereby, when the device is mounted on a wall, desk panel or other support S, the lower portions of the legs 13 will occupy a forwardly inclining position relative to the support surface, as shown in Fig. 3.

The forward legs 14 of the members are preferably disposed in somewhat upwardly-diverging relation to the rearward legs 13 and the upper end portions of said forward legs are curved to provide an eye 17. A horizontal member 18 of elongated rectangular shape and here shown as formed from a metal rod or wire, has its rearward and forward elements 18a and 18b welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the legs 13 and 14 respectively of the members 10 substantially as shown. The respective end portions of the member 18 extend laterally beyond the uprights 10, and when a directory or other book 19 is disposed in the pocket P provided by the said wire member and the portions 13, 14 and of the upright members (as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3), the said member 18 will prevent lateral displacement of the volume from such pocket.

The divergent relationship of the legs 13 and 14 of the uprights 10 enables the books to be readily deposited in and withdrawn from the holder, while the forward inclination of the legs 13 relative to the support S, provided by the offsets 16, insures spacing of the upper portion of the book from the support so that it may be readily grasped for withdrawal.

Where directories are furnished in two or more volumes, or where the directories of a plurality of communities are in use, supplemental units such as B and C (Fig. 4) may be added to the basic unit above described, for holding such additional books. The construction of these supplemental units is in general similar to that of the units A except that, as will be clear from Fig. 5, the O-shaped member 18' is of strap-iron rather than wire; the transverse member 11 is attached to the legs 13 below instead of above the offsets 16 and is itself provided with a rearward oflfset; and the portions of said legs above said offsets 16 are curled to cylindrical form as indicated at 20. The diameter of these curls is such as to enable them to be slidably received in the eyes 17 of the forward legs 14 of the preceding unit, and when so assembled the offset portion of the member 11' will abut the medial portion of the member 18 and the succeeding unit be thus firmly supported by the preceding unit. Unintentional displacement of the curls 20 from their coacting eyes 17 may be prevented in any appropriate manner, as for example by passing a pin or bolt through registering apertures 21 and 22 provided in the abutting members 11' and 18.

As indicated by the units B and C shown in Fig. 4, the units may be made in various widths to accommodate books of dilferent thicknesses; and if desired a unit B or C may be employed as a basic unit and secured to the support by means of a nail or other fastening passed through the aperture 21 in its member 11. Other variations in the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the invention and it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rack for holding telephone directories and the like, said rack being adapted for mounting on a vertical support and comprising a pair of upright members and means rigidly connecting them in laterally spaced relation, such members being of generally U-shaped conformation providing a rearward leg disposable adjacent the support and a forward leg spaced outwardly therefrom, the upper portions of said forward legs being curled to provide eyes constituting one element of a readily attachable and detachable connection, and the upper portions of said rearward legs also being curled to provide complemental elements of a readily attachable and detachable connection, said rearward legs being further provided with ofisets arranged to dispose the lower portions of such legs in an upwardly diverging relation to the face of the vertical support when the rack is mounted thereon.

2. A rack structure for holding telephone directories and the like, said rack being adapted for mounting on a vertical support and comprising a pair of upright members and means rigidly connecting them in laterally spaced relation, such members being of generally U-shaped conformation providing a rearward leg disposable adjacent the support and a forward leg spaced outwardly therefrom, the upper portions of said rearward legs being provided with offsets disposing the lower portions of such legs in an upwardly diverging relation to the face of the vertical support when the rack is mounted thereon, and the upper portions of each forward leg being provided with an element of a readily attachable and detachable connection; and a second rack of similar construction, the rearward legs of which areprovided with comp1e mental connector elements engaged with the connector A- A ree s o n? w r ie to c im 2 w er i the fir W11; is Pr i d a sver memb sewed to its forward legs and the second rack is provided with .a transverse rnernbpr secured to its rearward legs said trans er e wemb e be ts o dis sed 91. the Sp1Fi 4 p p p racks as to abut one another when racks are connected relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,659 Wilkie Nov. 12, 1940 2,488,326 Pratt Nov. 15, 1949 2,615,576 Dahlgren Oct. 28, 1952 Nelson Aug. 5, 1958

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