Book holding device

A plate-like support member of rectangular configuration has a surface, a first pair of parallel edges and a second pair of parallel edges perpendicular to and shorter than the first pair of edges bounding the surface. A mounting device is swivelly affixed to the support member at an upper of the first pair of edges and swivelly affixed to the headboard of a bed for adjustably selectively positioning the support member relative to the headboard. A ledge extends from the surface of the support member along a lower of the first pair of edges and has a first ledge surface parallel to and spaced from the surface of the support member and a second ledge surface perpendicular to the surface of the support member and extending from the surface to the first ledge surface for supporting a book resting on the support member in open position. Cover clamps are mounted on the support member at the second pair of edges thereof for releasably retaining the covers of the book in abutment with the surface of the support member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: 
The present invention relates to a book holding device. More particularly, 
the invention relates to a book holding device for a bed having a 
headboard. 
Objects of the invention are to provide a book holding device of simple 
structure, which is inexpensive in manufacture, used with facility and 
convenience, mounted on the headboard of a bed with facility, convenience 
and without the need for tools, adjustable to any desired position with 
facility and convenience, and functions efficiently, effectively and 
reliably to support a book in open position at any desired page and 
thereby enable a person lying or sitting in bed to read the book without 
difficulty.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The book holding device of the invention is for a bed 1 having a headboard 
2 (FIGS. 1 and 2). 
The book holding device of the invention comprises a substantially 
plate-like support member 3 of substantially rectangular configuration 
having a surface 4 (FIGS. 3 to 5), a first pair of substantially parallel 
edges 5 and 6 (FIGS. 2 and 5) and a second pair of substantially parallel 
edges 7 and 8 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) substantially perpendicular to, and 
shorter than, the first pair of edges, bounding the surface. 
A mounting device is swivelly affixed to the support member 3 at an upper 5 
of the first pair of edges, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, and swivelly 
affixed to the headboard 2 of the bed 1 for adjustably selectively 
positioning the support member relative to the headboard. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting device comprises a pair of spaced 
support rods 9 and 10. The support rods 9 and 10 have universal joints 11 
and 12, and 13 and 14, respectively, at their opposite ends. The universal 
joints 11 and 13 are affixed to a pair of support rods 15 and 16 which are 
affixed, at their opposite ends, to the upper edge 5 of the support member 
3. The universal joints 12 and 14 are affixed to support rods 17 and 18, 
respectively, which are movably mounted in tubular support members 19 and 
20, respectively, for adjustment in upright positions. 
The tubular support members 19 and 20 are affixed to the top edge 21 of the 
headboard 2 in spaced relation with each other via C clamps 22 and 23, 
respectively, affixed thereto. The universal joints 11 to 14 are 
relatively high friction joints so that manual force must be utilized to 
position the support rods and, once such rods are positioned, they are 
retained in position by the high coefficient of friction between the parts 
of the universal joints. 
A ledge 24 extends from the surface 4 of the support member 3 along a lower 
6 of the first pair of edges and has a first ledge surface (FIGS. 2 to 5) 
substantially parallel to, and spaced from, said surface of said support 
member. The ledge 24 has a second ledge surface 26 (FIGS. 2 to 5) 
substantially perpendicular to the surface 4 of the support member 3 and 
extending from said surface of said support member to the first ledge 
surface 25 for supporting a book 27 (FIGS. 1 and 2) resting on the support 
member in open position. 
A pair of cover clamps 28 and 29 (FIGS. 2 and 5) are mounted on the support 
member 3 at the second pair of edges 7 and 8, respectively, thereof for 
releasably retaining the covers of the book 27 in abutment with the 
surface 4 of said support member. 
A lamp 30 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) is mounted on the support member 3 at the 
upper edge 5 thereof for illuminating the book 27. 
A page clamp device is provided for holding the book 27 open at any desired 
page thereof. The page clamp device comprises a plurality of independent 
page clamps 31, 32, 33, and so on (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). Each of the page 
clamps 31, 32, 33, and so on, is of substantially L-shape and is movably 
mounted in the ledge 24 for movement in directions parallel to the first 
pair of edges 5 and 6 and the surface 4 of the support member 3, in 
proximity with said surface. 
Each of the page clamps 31, 32, 33, and so on, has a first arm 34, 35, 36, 
and so on (FIG. 5), extending substantially parallel to the surface 4 of 
the support member 3 from the second ledge surface 26 and a second arm 37, 
38, 39, and so on (FIG. 3) extending substantially perpendicular to the 
surface 4 of the support member 3 from the first ledge surface 25 for 
facilitating manual positioning of the page clamps. 
Spherical type knobs are provided at the free ends of the second arms of 
the page clamps 31, 32, 33, and so on, to facilitate manual gripping 
thereof. 
The ledge 24 may comprise a solid member, in which case an L-shaped channel 
40 is formed therein extending longitudinally thereof and having a top 
slot opening 41 in the ledge surface 26 extending parallel to the ledge 
surface 25 and a side slot opening 42 in the ledge surface 25 extending 
parallel to the ledge surface 26, as shown in FIG. 4. The channel 40 is 
preferably lined with felt material 43 (FIG. 4) to facilitate movement of 
the page clamps therein. 
While the invention has been described by means of a specific example and 
in a specific embodiment, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious 
modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing 
from the spirit and scope of the invention.