Collapsible and concealable reading rack

Jan. 29, 1952 s. j: stayboldt 2,584,101

COLLAPSIBLE AND CONCEALABLE READING RACK

Filed March 9, 1950 2 SHEETS—sheet 1

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Jan. 29, 1952 s. j. stayboldt 2,584,101

COLLAPSIBLE AND CONCEALABLE READING RACK

Filed March 9,

1950

SHEETS—SHEET 2

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txt

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INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 29, 1952

2,584,101

STATES PATENT

OFFICE

UNITED

2,584,101

COLLAPSIBLE AND CONCEALABLE READING RACK

Sven J. Stayboldt, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 9, 1950, Serial No. 148,625 (Cl. 45—82)

Claims.

This invention relates to provements in reading racks and more particularly to collapsible and concealable reading racks and has for an object the provision of a rack that is light in weight, yet strong enough to support a heavy book thereby alleviating the usual fatigue caused by supporting a book with the hands.

Another object is to provide a rack that will support reading matter for reference without impeding a person’s hands for writing or other work.

Another object is to provide a rack of the above type adapted to be collapsed and hidden in the supporting member when said rack is not in use.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages which may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and features and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts, or the equivalents thereof, hereinafter described and claimed; and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a table with a gate opened showing the reading rack in the retracted position.

Figure 2 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 but showing the rack drawn from the table into an upright purposeful position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the table and the rack on line 3—3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on a reduced scale through the table and the rack on line 4—4 of Fig. 1 but with the gate closed.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on a reduced scale on line 5—5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6—6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the tubes illustrating certain grooves and notches formed in the tube.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the outer tubular shell, · and

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9—9 of Fig. 6.

The reading rack may be attached to various articles of furniture such as a desk, etc.

The invention is shown attached to and beneath a table T having legs L and a gate G pivoted# mounted on the legs L by pins P which are concealed by wood filler or the like F.

Embodied in the invention and supporting the I other parts thereof is a tubular outer shell 10 having its ends struck out to form attaching wings 11 provided with holes 12 for the insertion of screws 13 which secure the invention beneath . the table T. 55.

new and useful im2

A slot 14 open at its forward end is provided in one wall of the shell 10.

A screw 15 is inserted through the slot 14 and is threaded into an inner tube 16. The slot 14 5 permits the tube 16 carrying the screw 15 to be moved forwardly through the shell 10 but prevents the rotation of said tube due to the straightness of said slot.

A tube 11 covering the tube 16 is interposed h?. between the shell 10 and the tube 16 and is moved with the tube 16 by the screw 15.

The tube 11 is a covering on# for the slots and the notches in the tube 16 hereinafter described.

The tube 16 is limited in its outward movement when the screw 15 contacts a hanger strap (9 which also serves to support the shell 18 beneath the table T as by the screws 20,

Another tube 21 having a solid core 22, terminating at its outer end in a knob K, is held within the tube 16 by a screw 23.

The rear end of the tube 21 is slotted at 24 to permit it to pass the screw 15.

The outer end of the screw 23 is positioned within a helical slot 25 provided through the wall of the tube 16.

The slot 25 terminates adjacent the forward end of the tube 16 in a plurality of notches 26.

A transverse slot 21 is provided through the core 22 and is aligned with a slot 28 provided through the wall of the tube 21.

Fitted into the slots 27 and 28 and secured therein by screws 29 are the brackets or legs 38 and 3i of an angle bar 32 and a flat plate 33 respectively.

An elongated block 34 is attached to the other leg of the angle bar 32 by screws 35 and the block 34 is likewise attached to the plate 33 by screws 35' thereby securing the bar 32, the plate 33 and the block 34 together as a unit.

A pair of spring wire clips 36 are pivot# mounted at one of their ends in the block 34 and are detained therein by a pivoted or bent over end 37 located in a cavity 38 of said block.

The other ends of the clips 36 are free to be turned to overlie the plate 33 as seen in Fig. 5 or to rest in cavities 39—39 provided in edge of the block 34.

&gt; A pair of slots 48 and 41 are provided at the outer ends of the tubes 16 and 17 respectively and said slots are always kept aligned because the said tubes are moved as a, unit by the screw 15.

When the rack is not in use it may be returned

:.,beneath the table T and hidden from' view by

2,584,101 telescoping the several tubes and closing the gate G as seen in Fig. 4.

The gate G is detained in the closed position by a spring latch 42.

A finger-grip 43 is formed on the outer end of the tube 16.

A block B, inclined at its forward edge to facilitate the entrance of the plate 33 may be suitably attached to the underside of the table T to help support said plate.

It will now be apparent that the plate 33 constitutes a rack for supporting reading matter and that the various tubes constitute sections of a telescopic arm for supporting the plate 33. The tube 21 with its solid core 22 comprises the rotatable section of the telescopic support for the plate 33.

When it is desired to use the rack the gate G is opened after depressing the latch 42, the finger-grip . 43 is grasped and tube 16 is pulled toward the operator.

Because the screw 15 is fixed in the tube 16 and is in contact with the inner end of the core 22, said core and the tube 21 carrying the plate 33 will be pulled forward with the tube 16 until the screw 15 contacts the hanger 19.

The knob K is then grasped and pulled toward the operator causing the screw 23 to climb in the helical slot 25 thereby rotating the tube 21 until the plate 33 is near to one of the positions shown in Fig. 2.

The operator then selects one of the positions for the plate 33 shown in Fig. 2 by engaging one of the notches 26 with the screw 23 as seen in Fig. 7.

The curvature of the helical slot 25 is established so that the plate 33 is always horizontally disposed whenever the inner edge of said plate is adjacent the forward edge of the table thereby assuring an unobstructed exit or entrance of said plate.

The legs 30 and 31 enter the slots 40, 41 and 14 as the rack is returned beneath the table T.

It is understood that the drawings and description herein set forth is not to be considered in a limiting sense but that various modifications and changes may be made in the parts and in the application and embodiments of the invention within the meaning of the terms of the appended claims and coming within the scope thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention.