Book prop

[57] ABSTRACT

A book prop is provided for holding open a book in an inclined position for reading without obscuring any of the printed subject matter and providing a steady support regardless of the distribution of the pages of the book. The book prop can be made as two separate identical elements or as an integral piece.

Claims, 8 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED JAN 151974

3,785,605

SHEET 1 OF 2

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PATENTE0JMi5im 3,785,605

SHEET 2 Of 2

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3,785,605

BOOK PROP

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Ser. No. 36,228 filed May 11, 1970, now abandoned, the contents of which are 5 hereby made a part hereof.

In the aforesaid co-pending application a book prop has been described which while generally satisfactory has been improved in accordance with the present invention so as to support both covers of the book either 10 in the form of two separate and unconnected props or as a single integral prop having an extension for supporting the Cover to which the prop is not physically attached. The present invention therefore provides ah improved form of book prop which holds books in a 15 steadier and firmer manner and which is particularly useful for comparatively large and heavy books, although it is applicable to hard cover or paperback books of all sizes. In the present invention also the manner of applying the book prop to the book cover is 20 modified so as to avoid the necessity of performing a closed loop.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of an open book to 25 which the present invention has been applied;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the left hand cover and book prop of FIG. 1, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary section of ³⁰the upper portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a form of fastening member of the buckle-type used with a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of such modified form of ³⁵the invention wherein the book prop need only be physically applied to the back cover of a book;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 6—6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional elevational view taken ⁴⁰along line 7—7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view partly in section showing the modified book prop of FIG. 5 in use.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a flexible pliable strip 10 of a vinyl plastic ⁴⁵or other synthetic plastic (preferably transparent) material or paper or cloth is passed around one cover 11 of book 12 and the ends 13,14 of such strip are overlapped and sealed as by means of sealing material or adehsive 15. The strip 10 is sufficiently long to accommodate books of a great variety Of sizes and according to the size of the book the strip ends 13,14 overlap to a greater or lesser extent. It will be seen that the manner of applying the strip to the book cover does not in- ₅₅terfere in any way visually or otherwise with the use of the book and does not cover up any of the printed subject matter. The outer side of strip 10 is provided with a support member 16 which is held by or between the transverse members 17 which may be of adhesive material or are adhesively or Otherwise secured to the surface of strip 10 for holding support member 16 in position while still allowing it to swing forward and away from the book cover 11. The support member 16 is secured adhesively or by heat adjacent its lower inner end ₆₅to a connecting piece 18 having a fold line or groove 19 and an inner portion 20 of which is secured by heat or adhesive to the strip 10 at a suitable location so that when outstretched the support member 16 makes an angle of about 85° with the book cover 11. The support member 16, thus, can be used to support a book in inclined open condition as will be observed from FIG. 1 and in addition the strip 10 even after its ends are secured together can be rotated (slid around) upwardly or downwardly around the book cover 11 so that the book can be supported at any of a wide range of angles β (about 20° to almost 90° to the flat surface on which the book is resting) to suit the reader and his reading position.

As will be observed from FIG. 1, there are two such units, one of which is disposed over each of the book covers as described, thereby providing a firm and steady holding of the book in desired position without the use of the hands. The individual props are very inexpensive and provide a simple means for assisting students and others in their reading while leaving both hands free for making notes or turning pages. The props may be colored or provided with surface designs, emblems, advertising, etc.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, a two-part vinyl covered support member 16α is provided having an integral lateral foldable extension 16ft hinged along the line H, FIG. 5, thus enabling the lateral extension 16 b to be folded over to 16α when the book is not being used. The support member 16α is suitably secured as by adhesive or heat to a plastic strip 10α as at 17α in the general manner of FIG. 2, but the lateral extension 16b requires no strip or other means of attachment to a book cover since, as will be seen for example from FIG. 5, when the closed book 12α is opened, the other cover 11α will rest against and be supported by lateral extension 16b, the outermost end of which is provided with narrow plastic strips 10' of the same material as strip 10 or 10α, but as will be observed from FIG. 5, the narrow strips 10' are disposed generally in the shape of a triangle during use with their ends passing through the fastening member 21 of buckle-like nature with slits 21', thereby permitting the strips 10' to be loosened or tightened (lengthened or shortened) as required and by turning the buckle-like securing member 21 into the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the extending ends 10' can be positioned to rest against the inside of the front cover of the open book thereby providing additional stability to the book prop. In this way the strips 10' now serve the same function with reference to the extension flap 16b as the connecting piece 18 does with reference to the flap 16α,that is to restrict any motion of the lateral extension flap 16b away from under the front cover 11α, in a similar way as the connecting piece 18 restricts the swing of the flap 16α away from the book cover 11. The book is, thus, now in the opened and locked position, ready to be used. When the book is closed and the flap extension 16b is folded back upon the flap 16α, the pieces 10 can be reversed back over strip 10' and up over a page of the book and can thus also serve as a book mark.

It will be seen therefore that when either modification of the invention is utilized, a firm and steady support is provided even for relatively large and heavy books and both book covers are supported rather than only one as in my aforesaid co-pending application. The invention is intended particularly for use by students, and, in general, by avid readers of books, but is

3,785,605 equally useful for librarians and others dealing regularly or extensively with books and their handling.