Abstract:
A convertible book holder for holding and positioning books and documents. The book holder includes a freestanding document display and support portion with an integral resilient clip and independent paper engagement clip. An adaptive enlarged L-shaped document support is removably secured over the freestanding support portion to enhance the holding capabilities for larger and oversize text of instructional type books.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   This device relates to book and copy holders that are used to hold and retain different size copy and books for independent hands free use. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Prior art devices of this type have relied on a variety of different constructions for supporting a book or papers in an upstanding readable position without user assistance. Heretofore, it was required that the user uses at least one hand to hold the book open in an upright position for use. Hardback books could be propped up by leaning on some article and non-rigid publications such as workbooks, for example, would require more support. Accordingly, a number of book and page holders have been developed to address this problem. 
   Typically, prior art book holders of this type have a support frame with attachment straps, hooks or clamps to hold the books on the support stand in open position. Such devices can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,899,404, 2,156,225, 2,441,932, 4,416,414, 4,712,760, 5,052,650 and 5,979,858. Applicant&#39;s own U.S. Pat. No. D366,568, D381,212, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,392. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 1,899,404, a book holder and table can be seen having a book support platform pivotally secured to an adjustable frame stand with a center engagement clip and a pair of adjustable leaf retainers. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,858 is directed to a copyholder having an L-shaped free stand copy rest with an upright support panel. A copy engagement clip is positioned over the upper edge of the panel with legs that apply pressure towards one another for engaging the copy against the support panel. 
   Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. Nos. D366,568 and D381,212 disclose designs having freestanding book holder in D366,568 with an engagement slot and a holder adapter in D381,212 that has an enlarged L-shaped support panel to be interengaged with applicant&#39;s book holder of U.S. Pat. No. D366,568. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,329 applicant&#39;s book holder is shown having multiple document engagement clips that are engageable from the main support surface. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A book holder of the present invention for supporting and displaying a variety of different size books and documents in an upright usable position. The holder includes a freestanding leg support adapted to lockingly engage on an elongated angled support surface thereon. The leg support has bi-lateral offset braces to allow for vertical nesting of multiple holders for storage. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the book holder of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the book holder as seen in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the free standing support portion of the book holder with the elongated support surface shown in broken lines as to be engaged thereon; 
       FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the freestanding support with the elongated support surface indicated in broken lines; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the registration between the freestanding support and elongated support surface; 
       FIG. 6  is an elongated partial rear elevational view of the registration as seen in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged partial rear elevational view of interengaging portions of the book holder when in stacked stored position; and 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged partial side elevational view of the free standing portion illustrating deflection of the resilient areas in broken lines. 
     FIG.  9 . is an enlarged partial side elevaional view of the bee standing portion illustrating the resilient clip in solid and broken lines extending tiered from. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a book holder  10  of the invention can be seen having a free standing support portion  11  and a removable enlarged book support portion  12 . The freestanding support portion  11  has a document engagement surface  13  having an integral angular base  14  with a front wall foot  15  extending vertically from the base  14 . A pair of longitudinally spaced registration engagement notches  13 A and  13 B are formed within the engagement surface  13  adjacent the base  14  as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings. A support leg portion  16  extends integrally from the end of the document engagement surface  13  having a return portion  17  in spaced parallel relation thereto. A ground engagement extension  18  extends integrally from the return portion  17  in oppositely disposed angular relation to said engagement surface  13 . A resilient clip  19  extends integrally from the ground engagement extension  18  with an upstanding-inclined surface  20  providing engaging force against the return portion  17 . A two-part page-retaining clip fitting  21  is formed on an angular end surface  22  of the inclined surface  20  as best seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9  of the drawings. 
   The page-retaining clip  21  has an upper portion  23  that extends in spaced parallel relation to the surface  22 . The upper portion  23  is contoured on its inner surface  24 . A paper engagement spacing lug  25  is in vertical spaced relation there below. An upstanding paper engagement ridge  25 A extends transversely on the surface of the lug  25 . 
   A pair of brackets  26  and  27  interconnects the engagement surface  13  and the ground engagement extension  18 . It will be seen that the respective brackets  26  and  27  are staggered vertically to afford stackability of multiple units for storage as will be illustrated in  FIG. 7  of the drawings as is well understood by those skilled in the art. 
   The brackets  26  and  27  along with the respective leg  16  and engagement .surface  13  form a structural triangle of the freestanding support portion  11  as best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4  of the drawings, the enlarged angle book support portion  12  can be seen having an inclined upper surface  28  with a base  29  extending angularly there from. The base  29  has an upper engagement surface  30  with a vertically disposed front  31  portion of which form a pair of oppositely disposed legs  32 . The upper surface  30  of the base  29  and front surface  31  have respective interconnecting sidewall surfaces  33  and  34 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, the book support portion  12  has a top perimeter edge  35  with a notch at  36  extending inwardly therefrom. A pair of guide bars  37  and  38  extend from a backside  39  of the book support portion  12  in spaced parallel relation to said notch  36 . Engagement tabs  40  and  41  extend from portions of said respective guide bars  37  and  38  for registration with the document engagement surface  13  when attached thereto as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. 
   A pair of fastening lugs  42  and  43  extend integrally from the backside  39  of the book support portion  12  as best seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  6  of the drawings. Each of the lugs  42  and  43  have a recessed registration area at  42 A and  43 A extending transversely across their respective upper surfaces. Accordingly, the lugs  42  and  43  are registerable within the respective notches  13 A and  13 B as best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6  of the drawings. 
   It will be noted that the lugs  42  and  43  are frictionally engaged on their recessed areas  42 A and  43 A by the notched surface of the document engagement surface  13  securely holding the book support portion  12  thereto. 
   It will be evident from the above description that the free standing support portion  11  also can be used independently to hold single sheet documents and small books and the like by placement on the L-shaped document engagement surface  13 . Alternately the enlarged support book portion  12  can be attached thereto as hereinbefore described to provide a larger book and document support area while still maintaining a single sheet (P) holding capability afforded by the page retaining clip fitting  21  as seen in  FIG. 8  in broken lines and engagement of book portions (not shown) by the resilient portion  19  as hereinbefore described. 
   Once attached, the enlarged book supporfing portion  12  can easily be removed by applying pressure between the inside of the front surface  31  and front wall foot  15  as indicated by broken line arrow in  FIG. 5  of the drawings. 
   Having thus described my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.