Abstract:
A convertible book holder for holding and positioning books and documents. The book holder includes a document support surface with a removable support and engagement clip interengaged with a portion of said document support surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to book and copy holders used for holding and positioning material so they can be readily viewed by the user while performing other tasks. A book holder will typically support a book on a surface inclined from true vertical in an open configuration with book engagement means. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Book and copy holders of this type have relied on a variety of useful constructions for supporting a book or papers in an upstanding position so that it can be easily read without holding same. Typically, a user would use both hands to support a book in an angled upright open position. This precludes or makes difficult for the user the use of their hands for writing or other like tasks. Alternately, books if hardback for example, can be propped up by leaning on some article and other non-rigid publication require more support such as workbooks used by teachers and students that are difficult to hold open and upright required for use. A number of different book and page holders have accordingly been developed to solve this problem. 
     Prior art holders of this type have a support frame or surface with attachment straps, hooks or clamps to hold the book on the stand and open or a single page to be copies, for instance. Examples of 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, and 5,052,650. 
     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. 2,156,225 is directed to a reading stand having a wire support construction, a book engagement plate and multiple pivoted spring clips to hold the book open positioned within. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,932 shows an easel type support having a pair of criss-cross collapsible X-shaped support frame elements pivotally secured together with a resistance chain therebetween on an easel support. Page clips are removably secured to a central cross frame member. 
     Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,414, a book holder can be seen having a support sheet with a pivot stand leg. A pair of clothespins are resiliently secured to the support sheet engageable on a book position thereon. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,760 discloses a backrest with a page retainer having a tapered base with an insertable upstanding wall extending therefrom. Page retaining clips are adjustably positioned from the back for engagement thereover. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,650 illustrates a copy holder having an upright flat surface supported by an adjustable stand with a line guide extending inwardly across the engagement surface from one side. 
     In applicant&#39;s own U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,329 a book holder is disclosed including a document support and display surface with oppositely disposed engagement clips extending from the support surface. An adjustable line guide is shown so as to be removably positioned from the support surface and can be advanced over the text of the book when in position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A convertible book holder for supporting and displaying books, magazines and papers in an upright angled attitude. The holder includes a mounting angular support base with an upstanding document support surface extending at right angles therefrom. A central support leg assembly is removably positioned on the document support surface having a top page return clip extending therefrom. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the book holder with the central support leg assembly shown in removable position in broken lines; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the book holder as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom elevational view of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the book holder as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial side view of the engagement portion of the support leg assembly with portions broken away for illustration purposes; and 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged front elevational view on lines  6 — 6  of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3  of the drawings, a book holder  10  of the invention can be seen having an elongated inclined base  11  with an upstanding support surface member  12  extending therefrom. The base  11  has a front surface  13  from which are formed a pair of oppositely disposed legs  14  and  15 . An inclined upper surface  16  of the base  11  extends from the front surface  13  with integral sidewalls  17  and  18  respectively. The support surface member  12  extends from the upper surface  16  in spaced relation to the front surface  13  of the base  11 . The support surface member  12  is at right angles to the inclined upper surface  16  and therefore is inclined from a true vertical. The support surface  12  is generally flat having a top edge  19  and respective side edges  20  and  21 . Respective side edges  20  and  21  each have a tapered flange  20 A and  21 A extending therefrom adjacent the intersection between the support surface member  12  and the base  11 . The flanges  20 A and  21 A extend and become integral with the hereinbefore-described sidewalls  17  and  18  as best seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The support surface  12  has an engagement notch at  22  inwardly from its top edge  19 . A center support leg assembly  23  is respectively positioned within the notch at  22 . The central support assembly  23  has a leg  24  with a base element  25  extending from its distal end. The base element  25  has a pair of oppositely disposed extensions  26 A and  26 B with an interconnecting surface element  27  therebetween. The leg  24  extends to an angular offset upper portion  28  having a return portion  29 . 
     A rib web  30  extends from the leg  24  and angular offset portion  28  functioning as a leg reinforcement as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. A registration plate  33  is formed on the inner surface  34  of the offset portion  28 . The registration plate  33  has a notched engagement portion  33 A of a transferous dimension to be registerable within the notch  22  and a guide engagement portion  33 B which is registerable between a pair of respective guide tracks  31  and  32  which are positioned on a back surface  12 A of the support member  12  adjacent the notch at  22 . 
     The return portion  29  has a pair of spaced registration lugs  35  on its inner surface  36  inwardly of its distal end as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The registration lugs  35  are aligned for engagement with respective apertures at  37  in the support surface  12  just below the notch at  22 . 
     In use, the center support assembly  23  is slideably engaged over the top edge  19  with the registration plate  33  engaged within the notch at  22  and between the respective guide tracks  31  and  32  as hereinbefore described. As the support assembly  23  is advanced, the return portion  29  is flexed outwardly from the support surface  12  by the lugs  35  engagement thereagainst until locking alignment is achieved within the respective apertures at  37  as seen in solid lines in FIGS. 1,  2  and  4  of the drawings. A page-retaining clip  38  extends from the clip portion  30  of the central support assembly  23 . The retaining clip  38  has an elongated cross-sectionally rectangular main body member  39  with an end return portion  40  and a paper engagement surface lug  41  in vertical spaced relation therebelow. 
     In use, the book holder  10  can receive and hold an open book (not shown) on its angled support surface  12  resting on the base  11 . The center support assembly  23  can be removed from the engagement with the support surface  12  by deflecting the return portion  29  so as to disengage the respective locking lugs  35 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  of the drawings, a pair of auxiliary mounting guide tracks  42  can be seen extending from the bottom surface  43  of the base  11 . The respective tracks are tapered on their inner facing end surfaces  42 A. A pair of spaced engagement tabs  44  extend from the back surface  12 A of the support surface  12  coplanar with the bottom  43  surface of the base  11 . The auxiliary mounting guide tracks  42  and engagement tabs  44  are provided for mounting the disassembled support surface  12  and base  11  onto a companion book holder (not shown). 
     It will be evident from the above referred to description that the book holder of the invention can be used as a stand alone unit as set forth in the specification or alternately disassembled with the surface support surface  12  and attached base  11  being engageable on a companion unit (not shown). 
     Additionally, it will be evident that by disassembling of the book holder  10  of the invention, the unit can be stacked upon itself for reduced shipping base as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. 
     It will therefore be seen that a new and useful convertible book holder has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.