Improvements in Book-racks, Applicable also as Paper Clips.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 27th Apr., 1889
Improvements in Book-racks, Applicable also as Paper Clips.
I, ERNEST AUGUSTUS BARBER BEAUMONT, of 32 Egremont Place, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a certain improved form of book-rack adaptable also as a
paper clip, and it is designed to render same portable and effective, and at the same
time cheap of construction.
My invention consists, in the first place, of a pair of flattened tubes or flat tubes or
portion of tubes, segments of circles or of tubes of any shape so, lightness and
strength, combined with simplicity and portability may be combined, one sliding over
the other, sleeve fashion, and normally kept closed by means of a suitable internal
spring. The wings are fixed at the outer end of each tube, and are provided with a
spring or springs which tends to keep them closed upon the frames, and thus enable
them to be used as paper clips when my device is not in use as a book rack. By
preference the main springs I employ are of india rubber to close the wings together,
and slip over hooks at each end of the tubes, which are accessible by means of suitable
slots, but I do not limit myself to this particular class of spring, although for
convenience of renewal it is preferable.
It will be understood from the action of the springs that the book rack will, within
the limits of the length of the flattened tubes or equivalent frames, accomodate any
number of books and hold them tightly in place, so that when employing, for instance,
books of reference, one may be taken out or another inserted and the rack will always
remain tightly packed.
Where a large number of books are likely to be used it may be convenient to
duplicate my device, side by side, in which case I unite the duplicate flattened tubes
or equivalent frames by means of a crossed pair or pairs of pivotted levers, known as
azy tongs, and these are fitted to each end of the flattened tubes and slots are formed
to enable them to have proper play.

page_text: Or I may equivalently carry the internal spring or springs through the main frame
or flattened tube and attach its ends to each of the end wings respectively, at a point
a short distance above their hinges, thus utilizing a single, spring to produce the
double action of causing the wings to close towards one another and also to fold over
on the frames.
•
I may also equivalently affix the wings one to each end of two internal tubes or
frames sliding within an outer frame, and connected by a spring or springs as
aforesaid.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, ERNEST AUGUSTUS BARBER BEAUMONT, of 32 Egremont Place, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a certain improved form of book rack adaptable also as a
paper clip, and it is designed to render the same portable and effective and at the
same time cheap of construction.
My invention consists in the first place of a pair of flattened tubes, or flat tubes, or
portion of tubes, segments of circles, or of tubes of any shape which may combine
lightness and strength with simplicity and durability, one sliding over the other,
sleeve fashion, and normally kept closed by means of a suitable internal spring or
springs. Wings are fixed on the outer end of each tube and are provided with a
spring, or springs, which tend to keep them closed upon the frames and thus enable
them to act as paper clips when my device is not in use as a book rack.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to describe
the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed reference being had to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my device with one wing elevated and the other
wing closed down.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of my device.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
Figure 4 is a section of the wing.
A and B are the external and internal tubes respectively of any convenient shape,
which are drawn one into the other, sleeve fashion, by the internal spring (, which
may be of spiral metallic wire as shown attached to the studs or hoods D D in each
tube respectively, or may equivalently be of india rubber or other suitable material.
The drawing shows my device partially drawn out and with one wing elevated.
E E are the wings hinged upon pivots F F one at the end of each tube. Encircling
the pivot F is a spiral spring G tending to close the said wings down upon the body
of the rack as shown to the right hand of the figure. When books or papers are
inserted in the rack, the wings will be prevented from falling and will press upon the
contents of the rack with the elastic pressure of the axial springs G.
I prefer to make the outline of the said wings as a segment of a circle as seen in
figure 4 which confers great stiffness to the said wings with lightness of construction.
Each wing E is provided with a heel H which, when the wing stands vertically,
presses home upon the end of the tube thus forming an excellent stop of considerable
strength to prevent the wings from being pressed too far over or from damaging the
flattened tubes by undue pressure.

page_text: Shoulders are provided at h h¹ on each tube respectively, in order to prevent the
rack being extended too far so that the tubes become disengaged from one another.
It will be readily understood from the action of the spring C that the book rack
will within the limits of the length of the flattened tubes or equivalent frames
accomodate any number of books and hold them tightly in place, so that when
employing for instance books of reference one may be taken out or another inserted
and the rack will always remain tightly packed.
Where a large number of books are likely to be used, it may be convenient to
duplicate my device as illustrated side by side, in which case I may unite duplicate
flattened tubes or equivalent frames by means of a cross pair or pairs of pivotted
levers known as lazy tongs these being fitted to each end of the flattened tubes and
slots provided to enable them to have proper play.
I may carry the internal spring or springs through the main frame or flattened
tube and attach its ends, to each of the end wings respectively at a point at a short
distance above their hinges thus utilising a single spring to produce a double action
of causing the wings to close towards one another and also to fold over on the
frames.
I may also equivalently affix the wings one to each end of two tubes or a frame
sliding within an outer frame and connected by a spring or springs as aforesaid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
An improved book rack or paper clip of which the body consists of tubes, flattened
or of other convenient section, sliding one within the other against the elastic recoil
of an internal spring and provided with hinged spring pressed wings normally folded
down on the body of the rack which may be raised to clip papers or books between
them with elastic pressure throughout the minimum to maximum dimensions of the
sliding rack.