US3376009A - Reading stand - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1968 Y J. A. DOMINO 3,376,009

READING STAND Filed June 21, 1966 2 SheetsSheet 1 JOHN A. DOMIAIO INVENTOR m/fm A 77'ORNEVS J. A. DOMINO READING STAND April 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 21, 1966 JOHN A. DOM/N0 INVENTOR fM AWDRNEVS United States Patent 3,376,009 READING STAND John A. Domino, 5283 E. Huntington Blvd., Fresno, Calif. 93702 Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,287 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-456) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stand for supporting reading materials and the like providing a wire base having a substantially rigid wire 'back support pivotally mounted thereon and a brace pivotally mounted on the back support and adjustably engageable with the base to hold the back support in selected angular positions, and a material supporting trough adjustably removably mounted on the base for dependably clamping materials against said back support.

Background 0 the invention There are many situations in which it is inconvenient or difficult to hold reading materials, such as books, magazines, plans, notebooks or the like, in proper position for reading. This is usually the case when a person must perform some other operation while reading, When following directions from a cookbook, constructing something from plans, copying school homework, or typing from a shorthand book or a rough draft it is inconvenient to have to hold a book or read from it as it rests flatly on a counter, desk, or table. Furthermore, reading from materials which are not properly positioned with respect to the reader causes eye strain, often produces headaches and can permanently impair the readers vision.

In the past, various devices have been contrived which, to varying degrees of success, permit reading materials to be held in position without the necessity of having the reader hold the materials. However, these devices have usually been of a rather bulky construction which is relatively difficult to store and which takes up an appreciable amount of space when in use. Furthermore, these devices often are of such a heavy, rough construction that they can easily damage the reading materials or surfaces on which the devices are placed.

Summary of the invention Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reading stand which has a wire base, back support and brace members providing loop portions affording pivotal connections between the members and supports for the base, and a trough for clamping articles against said back support with the trough being completely removable from the stand.

Another object is to provide such a reading stand which is adjustable to support reading materials in the most advantageous position for reading.

Another object is to provide such a reading stand which takes up a minimum amount of space when in use.

Another object is to provide such a reading stand which is collapsible to take up a minimum amount of space in storage.

Another object is to provide such a reading stand which is constructed so that it will not damage surfaces on which it is placed or the reading materials supported thereon.

Another object is to provide such a reading stand which if of lightweight although sturdy construction.

Another object is to provide such a reading stand which is inexpensive to construct.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes set forth, which is fully effective in achieving its intended purposes.

3,376,009 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 These, together with other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description in the specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device of the present invention shown resting on a support surface and showing a book in dashed lines in position for reading.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2 of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective of a book rest incorporated in the device of the present invention,

FIG. 6 is a somewhat enlarged section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a stand embodying the principles of the present invention for supporting reading mate-rials is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The stand provides a rigid, rectangular wire base 11. The Wire has a pair of opposite ends 12 which are held in abutment against each other by a sleeve 13 received over them and aflixed thereto, as by welding. or crimping of the sleeve. The wire base has longitudinal sides 14, as best shown in FIG. 1, and provides a forward or resting portion 15 and a rearward or adjustment portion 16. The sides of the base have opposite, looped mounting portions 21 formed therein adjacent to the resting portion, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. A plurality of adjustment stops 22 are individually mounted in predetermined corresponding spaced relation on the sides of the adjustment portion of the wire base and upwardly extended therefrom. Each of the stops is in opposite corresponding alignment with an adjustment stop on the opposite side.

The stand 10 also provides a back support 23, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. The back support includes a generally U-shaped wire frame 24 having opposite sides 25. The wire frame also provides distal ends 26 which are bent oppositely outwardly substantially normal to the sides and in the plane thereof. The distal ends serve as axles and are rotatably received in the looped mounting portions 21 of the wire base 11. A cross bar 30 is mounted, as by welding, between and normal to the opposite sides of the wire frame thus helping to maintain the opposite sides in predetermined spaced relation. Hence the distal ends are maintained in the mounting portions and consequently theback support is pivotally mounted on the wire base. The opposite sides of the back support have corresponding opposite looped portions 31 as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The stand 10 further provides -a substantially U-shaped rigid Wire adjustment brace 32. The brace provides a pair of opposite slightly converging support arms 33 integral therewith. The arms have distal ends 34 which are bent oppositely outwardly in the plane thereof. These distal ends serve as axles and are rotatably received in the looped portions 31 of the back support 23 thus pivotally mounting the brace rotatably thereon. The brace also has a stop bar portion 35 which interconnects the support arms and of sufiicient length so that it extends over the sides 14, as best shown in FIG. 1.

A sheet metal book rest or trough 36, having opposite, curved mounting hooks 37 and an upwardly bent lip 38 therebetween, is slidably received on the resting portion 15 of the wire base 11 with the hooks slidably mounted on the sides 14 and the lip upwardly disposed in spaced relation to the back support 23. The book rest is both slidably positionable with respect to the back support and 3 completely removable from the base 11. Every element of the stand is preferably covered with a thin protecitve coating 39 of a non-abrasive substance such as plastic.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. The stand 10 is arranged for use as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. In this arrangement, the stop bar 35 is braced against the appropriate corresponding adjustment stops 22 to maintain the back support 23 at the desired angle with respect to the wire base 11 for most advantageously supporting reading materials to be placed thereon, as designated in dashed lines in FIG. 2 and indicated by the numeral 40. The reading stand is subsequently positioned in the desired location on the surface 41 of a table, counter, desk or the like. When the reading material supported on the stand possesses appropriate rigidity, such as a shorthand notebook, it may be placed directly on the forward or resting portion 15 of the wire base and leaned against the back support. However, when the reading material does not have such rigidity or case of handling, the book rest 36 can be received on the sides 14 of the resting portion, as best shown in FIG. 4. The reading material is placed in position on the book rest leaning on the back support. The book rest prevents opened books, for exam ple, from collapsing between the sides of the wire base and thus closing. The lip 38 keeps the reading material from sliding forwardly off the book rest and is suitable for holding a book open.

The back support 23 can obviously be adjusted to a variety of angles with respect to the base 11 for most advantageously holding the reading material placed there against. The book rest 36 can be slidably adjusted on the sides 14 of the base further to adjust the reading material supported thereon, or the book rest can be completely removed. For storage, the adjustment brace 32 can be pulled away from a braced position against the adjustment stops 22 so that the back support and adjustment brace pivot to a resting position against the wire base. Thus, the stand is arranged in a substantially fiat configuration for storage or convenient carrying.

The device of the present invention provides a small and versatile reading stand which is completely adjustable, sturdy enough to support even heavy reading materials and which at the same time is collapsible to take up only a minimum amount of space for storage or transport. Furthermore, the device is inexpensive to construct therefore making possible a low purchase price. Finally, the device is coated with a non-abrasive substance which prevents its damaging either the reading materials supported thereon or the surfaces on which it is placed during use.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claim so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article holding stand comprising a substantially rectangular base of continuous wire construction adapted to be disposed upon a support surface and having opposite substantially parallel sides and opposite adjustment and article resting ends, the sides providing individual loops in corresponding closely spaced relation to said article resting end and being engageable with the support surface to support said article resting end of the base in elevationally spaced relation to said support surface; a substantially U-shaped back support of continuous wire construction having a closed end and opposite sides, each of the sides of the back support having a distal end, each of the distal ends being laterally extended from its respective side through a respective loop of the base whereby the support is pivotally connected to the base, the sides of the support providing individual loops at corresponding positions intermediate the distal ends thereof and the closed end of the support; a substantially U-shaped brace of continuous wire construction having a central portion and opposite sides providing distal ends, each of said distal ends being laterally extended from its respective side of the brace through a respective loop of the support whereby the brace is pivotally connected to the support; a plurality of adjustment stops on said adjustment end of the base selectively engageable by the central portion of the brace whereby the brace props the support in inclined relation to the base; and an elongated article retaining trough having endwardly disposed arcuately curved hook portions individually slidably receivable on said sides of the base adjustably to mount the trough on said article resting end of the base dependably to clamp articles thereon against said back support with the trough being completely removable from the base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,457,990 6/1923 Morgan 248-456 2,014,176 9/1935 Henderson 248-456 2,691,240 10/1954 Kraus 248460 X 3,208,795 9/1965 Schultz 108-150 X FOREIGN PATENTS 535,329 9/1931 Germany.

CHANCELLOR E, HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

Images