PORTABLE CHARTHOLDER AND TABLE

Abstract: A portable chartholder and table adapted for marine navigation. When charts are employed on a vessel which is underway such as in the open cockpit of a sailboat, the seas frequently wet, wash away and/or make it extremely difficult to plot the requisite course on the navigation chart. It has been found that the chart problems are overcome by a portable chartholder and table having two flat transparent members (10, 11) between which a chart is positioned and secured by manually operable securing and release mechanisms (16) with slip resistant and cushioning devices (15) secured on and extending beyond the perimeter of the transparent members (10, 11) and a flexible grab handle (19) connected to at least one of the members (10, 11).

Description: PORTABLE CHARTHOLDER AND TABLE This invention relates to charts and maps- and to a holder for a flexible document such as a chart used in navigation. Various devices have been devised for holding a document which enables visual inspection of the document when the document is secured to the holding device. Spring¬ boards, clipboards and various variations thereof have been known to the prior art for a number of years. To further aid the protection of the document, some use a substantial¬ ly transparent material to overlay the document while the document is secured ,to the springboard or clipboard and others use transparent containers for protecting the docu¬ ment while enabling visual inspection thereof. Representa¬ tive of these devices is. the disclosure of United States Patent No. 4,157,626 wherein the device comprises a first and a second member each having a central region interposed between end regions. Each of the end regions includes a protrusion extending outwardly relative to the central re¬ gion. The central region of the first and second members are transparent for enabling visual inspection of the- flex¬ ible document therethrough. Mounting means are provided for mounting the first member relative to the second mem¬ ber with the protrusions defining end containers for re¬ ceiving rolled portions of the flexible document and with " the central regions protecting the intermediate portions of the flexible document while enabling visual inspection thereof. Unfortunately, such known devices are subject to serious damage, when used in heavy weather in a boat or in an aircraft where ' it will be tossed about if not secured to a structural member of said boat or aircraft. Securing the device to prevent this damage makes it no longer port¬ able thus materially reducing ' its utility to the- sailor or pilot. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a portable charthold and/or table not subject to the disadvantages of known devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The portable chartholder and table is a naviga¬ tional aid or device consisting of two flat, i.e., planar rigid planar members " held together with at least one mem¬ ber transparent for viewing and separable, by means of manually operable securing and release mechanisms. Any nautical, aeronautical, or surface chart, map, diagram or other graphic material, may be inserted between the viewing members, and will be held flat and stationary. Because both planar members can be transparent, both sides of any material held between the viewing members are im¬ mediately viewable by simply turning the invention over and viewing its opposite side. This also allows for the insertion of material between the viewing members on a back to back basis, or folded, and permits maximum expo¬ sure through both viewing members, with each viewing mem¬ ber immediately accessible by simply turning the invention over onto its opposite side. Although it is preferred to have both planar members transparent so the enclosed chart can be read on both sides as noted it is necessary only to have at least one planar member \ transparent for viewing the enclosed chart, map or other flexible document. Courses and distances may be calculated and plot¬ ted on at least one of the viewing surface members with any ordinary "china marker", grease pencil or similar mark¬ ing device. Such markings on the viewing member may be removed and erased with any ordinary paper tissue, paper towel, or piece of cloth. Once such markings are removed, the surface of the viewing member remains clear and trans¬ parent, and new or corrected courses and distances may be calculated and plotted. The chartholder is protected against breakage of its own parts and against damaging or breaking other ob¬ thrown about in heavy seas, air turbulence or the like. This protection is provided by cushioning devices located around and extending out beyond the perimeter of the invention. The chartholder has flexible, removable grab handles which facilitate grabbing, lifting, moving, and carrying the invention about. The invention is therefore embodied in a portable chartholder and table comprising two rigid planar members at least one of which is transparent, secured together by manually operable securing means having a release mech¬ anism, at least one flexible grab handle connected to at least one of said planar members and multiple cushioning- supporting means secured on the perimeter of said planar members, said planar members cooperating in a manner where- by a chart can be positioned contiguous with an inner ' sur¬ face of each of said planar members and readily read by the helmsperson of a moving boat. It is preferred that both rigid planar members are transparent. Further, it is preferred that each of said cushioning-supporting means have a slip-resistant ex¬ terior concave surface with a hollowed out center which fully .envelop and accomodate the portions of said securing means exterior of the surface of said planar member and that said cushioning-supporting means are of a cushioning material and extend out " beyond the perimeter of the secured planar msmbers BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature of the invention, reference should be made to the detailed de¬ scription taken in connection with the accompanying draw¬ ing in which: " Figures 1 and 2 are top and bottom plan views of an assembled portable chartholder and table; Figure 3 is a side view of said chartholder and table; and Figure 4 is an exploded side view of said chart- holder and table. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The portable chartholder and table is a naviga¬ tional aid or device. It consists of two flat, rigid, transparent viewing surfaces, held together, and separable, by means of manually operable securing and release mecha¬ nisms. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the viewing planar members 10 and 11 are. transparent, and fit onto each other by aligning their respective edges 12 and 13, i.e. perimeters with each other. The viewing members 10 and 11 also contain holes ) which pass through . them, and through which pass the manual-; ly operable securing and release mechanisms. Figure 3 and ! Figure 4 show the holes 1 and -the manually operable secur- i ing and release mechanisms 16which pass through them. The holes 14 through each viewing member 10 and 11 align with- each other in order to allow the securing and release mecha nisms to secure the flat, rigid transparent planar members 10 and 11 to each other. They also secure at the perimeter of the viewing members 10 and 11 slip resistent supporting and cushioning devices 15. Each of these devices 15 extends out beyond the perimeter and has a hole throug its center to allow passage of the manually operable secur- ing and release mechanisms 16 whichare shown here as threaded thumbscrewsl7 and nuts 18. The mechanisms 16 then not only secure the viewing surfaces together, but secure the slip resistent supporting and cushioning devices 15 to the viewing surfaces. Figure 4 shows an exploded side view of the chartholder and table and the relationship of the aforementioned parts to each other. Figure -3 shows a side view of the assembled chartholder and table showing the relationship of the aforementioned parts to each other when the chartholder and table is in its secured position. The slip resistent supporting and cushioning devices 15 also have hollowed out centers which fully envelop and accomodate the portions of the manually operable securing and release mechanisms 16 which extend above and out from each viewing surface. This may be seen in Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 3. This prevents the securing and release mechanisms from scratching or marring any surface on which the chartholder and table may be placed, or with which it might otherwise come into contact. This arrangement eliminates the potential hazard of scratching, marring, or otherwise damaging any other such surfaces by the securing and release mechanisms. The slip resistent supporting and cushioning de¬ vices, when secured to the viewing surfaces by the secur¬ ing and release mechanisms, themselves extend out beyond the perimeter of the viewing surfaces. This may be seen in ■ Figure 1 and Figure 2. This, extension of the slip resistent supporting and cushioning devices 15 provides a perimeter cushioning and shock absorbing mechanism. In this fashion, ■ the supporting and cushioning devices 15 * prevent the flat rigid transparent surfaces from causing damage, and from being damaged themselves, if the chartholder and table is dropped, or tossed or thrown about by the operation of wind, water or other forces in rough going on any vessel, vehicle, aircraft or other conveyance where the portable chartholder and table may be in use. This is particularly significant in the case of use on fiberglass boats, where the fiberglass structural material in the cabin or cock¬ pit would be subject to being scratched, chipped, or crack¬ ed by contact from any chartholder or table not so cushion¬ ed or protected. The portable chartholder and table is also fitted with flexible grab handles 19 and 20 on two of its sides. This is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. These flexible grab handles 19 and 20 are secured by having the manually operable securing and release mechanisms 15 pass through loops 21.and 22 at the outermost end of each such flexible grab handle. The loops 21 and 22 on the ends of the flex¬ ible grab handles 19 and 20 fit onto the viewing.members over the holes in the planar members through which pass the securing and release mechanisms 15. The slip resistent supporting and cushioning devices 16 fit over the afore¬ mentioned end loops 21 and 22 on the grab handles 19 and 20 and the securing and release mechanisms15 pass through these loops 21 and 22 after passing through the holes in the centers of the supporting and cushioning devices 16 and through the holes 14 in the planar members. Figure 4 illustrates the relationship between the component parts herein mentioned and shows the flexible grab handles 19 and 20 as described. " These grab handles 19 and 20 facili¬ tate grabbing, lifting, moving and carrying the invention about. They also allow for decorative storage of the portable chartholder and table by allowing it to be hung in picture fashion horizontally on any bulkhead, wall, or other horizontal surface. The distinguishing features of the portable chart holder and table herein described include, but are not limited to the following features and characteristics: I. RIGID, PLANAR MEMBERS The rigid, planar members,at least one of which is transparent (preferably both are transparent),allow charts and other graphic material to be held flat and immovable. This allows a true distortion free view of the material secured between the viewing surfaces. When both viewing surfaces are transparent, maximum ex¬ posure of the charts or other materials is possible. More over, since most charts are printed on both sides, the preferr OTbodiinent allows the user to view both sides of a single chart without having to remove the chart and turn it over. All the user need do is turn the entire invention over to expose to view the opposite side of the material secure between the two transparent planar members. The nature of the viewing membersalso allow the plotting and charting of courses and distances right on the viewing surfaces, making unnecessary repeated marking and erasing of the charts themselves. The planar members may be marked with a standard"china marker" or grease pencil, which markings are removable from the viewing surfaces by means of normal paper towel or tissue or any ordinary piece of cloth. secured between them from damage or distortion which might be caused by wind, water, or other elements.. II. CUSHIONING AND SUPPORTING DEVICES A unique feature of the invention is that it has on its " perimeter and exten ing out therefrαn cushioning and support¬ ing devices 15 which protect against breakage of the invention's own component parts, as well as protect other objects and sur¬ faces from being marred, scratched, cracked or broken by the chartholder. Therefore, if the chartholder of the in¬ vention is tossed about in heavy weather in a boat or in an aircraft, or is dropped by the user, the chartholder itself is protected against damage, and the parts of the boat or aircraft with which the invention comes into con¬ tact will not be marred or damaged by it. The cushioning and supporting devices also prevent the component parts of the chartholder from marring any other horizontal planar • surface, such as a table top or a staionary chart table on which the chartholder of the invention might be positioned for use. The cushioning and supporting devices 15 also provide substantial slip resistence, so that the invention will not easily slip from any stationary chart table, cock¬ pit seat, or any horizontal plane on which it is placed for use. III. SECURING AND RELEASE MECHANISMS The securing and release mechanisms 16 are manual¬ ly operable. This allows the user to quickly separate the viewing surfaces to adjust or change any chart or other material being used in conjunction with the invention. The securing and release mechanisms 16 have adjustable tension which allows -the user to tightly secure all com¬ ponent parts to each other by manually tightening the se¬ curing and release mechanisms 16. The securing and release- mechanisms 16 may also be operated with the use of common hand tools such as pliers and/or screwdrivers if the user desires to do so. IV. FLEXIBLE GRAB HANDLES The flexible grab handles 19 and 20 extending out from and along the outer edges of the chartholder facilitate grabbing, moving, carrying, and lifting of the invention. The flexible grab handles also permit the chartholder to be stored horizontally by hanging it, picture fashion, on a bulkhead, wall or any other horizontal surface. This also permits the chartholder to be used as a decorative item by hanging it, as one might hang a picture, on a wall at home, or elsewhere. Since the chartholder of the invention is complete¬ ly portable, it may be used at any angle or used flat, either as a lap table, or propped up against, or laid flat upon any other surface in a cockpit or cabin of a boat, an aircraft, or any other type of vehicle. This invention in its broader aspect is not limited to the specific details shown and described and departures may be made from such details without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its ■ chief advantages.

Claims: CIAIKS 1. A portable chartholder and table comprising two rigid, planar members with at least one of said mem¬ bers being transparent, secured together by manually oper¬ able securing means having a release mechanism, at least one flexible grab handle connected to at least one of said planar members and multiple cushioning-supporting means secured on and extending out beyond the perimeter of said planar members, said planar members cooperating in a manner * whereby a chart can be positioned contiguous with an inner surface of each of said planar members and readily read by the helmsperson of a moving boat. 2. A portable chartholder ' and table according to claim 1 wherein both of said members are transparent. 3. A portable chartholder and table according to claim 1 wherein each of said cushioning-supporting means have a slip-resistent exterior concave surface with a hollowed out center which * fully envelops and accomodates the portions of said securing means exterior of the surface of said planar member and are of a cushioning material . 4. A portable chartholder and table according to claim 2 wherein said securing means pass through holes in said planar members and said grab handles ' have a loop at the outermost ends of each of said handles positioned over one of said holes whereby each of said handles is secured by said securing means passing through said loops. ' 5. A portable chartholder and table according to claim 4 wherein said grab handles are removable, and extend out from and along the outer edges of said table. 6. A portable chartholder and table according to claim 1 wherein there are at least two of said flexible grab handles extending from at least two edges of said chartholder and table. 7. A portable chartholder and table according to claim 1 wherein said securing means have adjustable tension.

Inventors: RAPPA LEONARD F
Applicants: RAPPA LEONARD F
Application year: 1981
Main classification: G09F3
IPC codes: G09F1