Improvements in Library Fittings.
Year: 1897

page_text: We, JAMES HARDIE MCLEAN, and GEORGE GARDINER, of the firm of Lucy and
Company, of Eagle Iron Works, in the Town and County of Oxford, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
The object of this invention is to accommodate a larger number of books in a
given space than can otherwise be provided for.
For this purpose we arrange a series of cases close together with the back of the
one adjacent upon the front of the other or preferably each case double faced or
arranged to carry books on both sides. To give access to the books in these cases
we provide for the cases being readily drawn out endwise away from the wall
against which they are ranged. This we do by providing overhead rails and the
cases are suspended from wheels running on these rails. Preferably the axes of
the wheels are provided with ball bearings. Thus any case required can be very
readily drawn out endwise from the wall into the passage way and the books which
it carries on one or both sides may then be freely inspected and when required
removed from the case.
In addition to providing these moveable cases the walls of the room and par-
titions may be furnished with ordinary fixed book cases to which access is obtained
at any part by drawing forward such of the moveable cases as stand in the way.
1007
J. HARDIE MCLEAN,
GEO. GARDINER.
Improvements in Library Fittings.
We, JAMES HARDIE MCLEAN, and GEORGE GARDINER, of the firm of Lucy and
Company, of Eagle Iron Works, in the Town and County of Oxford, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
-
The object of this invention is to accommodate a larger number of books in a
given space than can otherwise be provided for.
For this purpose we arrange a series of cases close together with the back of the
one adjacent upon the front of the other or preferably each case double faced or
arranged to carry books on both sides. To give access to the books in these cases
we provide for the cases being readily drawn out endwise away from the wall
against which they are ranged. This we do by providing overhead rails and the
cases are suspended from wheels running on these rails. Preferably the axes of
the wheels are provided with ball bearings. Thus any case required can be very
readily drawn out endwise from the wall into the passage way and the books
017

page_text: which it carries on one or both sides may then be freely inspected and when
required removed from the case.
par-
In addition to providing these moveable cases the walls of the room and
titions may be furnished with ordinary fixed book cases to which access is obtained
any part by drawing forward such of the moveable cases as stand in the way.
In the annexed drawings:
at
!
Figure 1 is an end view of a book case carried by overhead supports along
which it is moveable endwise, portions of two other book cases likewise appear in
this figure. In order to lessen the height of the figure parts are omitted or broken
away.
Figure 2 is a side or face view of one of the book cases.
Figure 3 is a plan shewing the general arrangement of a library fitted in
accordance with our invention.
a a are supporting rails or girders which are carried in any convenient manner.
bbare wheels capable of traversing on these, rails or girders.
descending from the axles of the wheels and fixed to the book case near the ends
cc are hangers
thereof, d is the end frame of the book case and e e are the shelves of which as
many are provided as the space between the girders a and the floor line f will
admit.
Thus it will be seen that each book case can be made to travel endwise to and
fro along the girders. The wheels being provided with ball bearings and as the
cases are entirely free from the floor they can be moved with great facility.
In the plan Figure-3 g g mark the position of these moveable or rolling cases
and h h are fixed cases whilst k k mark passage way or vacant space.
When it is desired to inspect the contents of either of the moveable cases it is
drawn out into the passage way or space where it may be freely inspected. Also
by drawing out the moveable cases endwise along the girders or supports access
can be obtained to the fixed cases on which the moveable cases abut.
are
By the use in this manner of series of cases moveable endwise and arranged face
to face in combination or otherwise with fixed cases a large number of books may
be accommodated in a limited space and in such a way as to be easily accessible.
We would remark that we do not claim generally book cases which
suspended from and are moveable along overhead supporting rails but our claims
are limited, to cases which are arranged face to face and are moveable endwise so
that a case may be drawn out from between two adjacent cases and access so had
to its contents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner. the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The combination of a series of cases face to face and moveable endwise along
overhead supports so that access may be had to the contents of any case by
drawing out the selected case endwise from between the adjacent cases into a
passage, way or open space.
2. The combination of fixed cases and a series of moveable cases abutting end-
wise upon the faces of the fixed cases and capable of travelling endwise along
overhead supports thereby giving access not only to the contents of the moveable
cases drawn out but also to the contents of the fixed cases which are in this way
exposed.
J. HARDIE MCLEAN,
GEO. GARDINER.