Improvements in Rests or Holders for Books or the like
Year: 1896

page_text: I THOMAS GEORGE HENRY MANN, of 9 Malwood Road, Balham Hill, in the County
of Surrey, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the Specification accompanying my Letters Patent dated the 14th day of
February 1894 and numbered 3230 I have described an invention of Improvements
in Rests or Holders for Books or the like.
My present invention relates to improvements in the subject-matter of that
invention.
In the accompanying drawings like parts.are similarly lettered.
In these drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a part of a book rest or holder
constructed under my present invention and is especially adapted for use on a table.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the wings shewn in section.
Fig. 3 is another plan of the same with the parts shewn in. a different position
from that in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 to 4 of Figs. 2 and 3.
Fig. 5 is a plan of one pair of legs disconnected from the frame.
Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one pair of legs disconnected from the frame.
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the body and legs of the holder having
the legs in the normal position.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 10 is an inverted plan of the same.
Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the body and legs of the Holder with
the legs in the forward position.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 13 is a back elevation of the same.
Fig. 14 is a front elevation of a claw attached to the wing.
Fig. 15 is a cross-section of the same on the line 15 to 15.
Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of one form of the Holder, having
V-shaped bent arms.
Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of another form of the holder having
arc-shaped bent arms.
Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic plan of a form of holder having parallel straight arms
one of which by means of a toothed sector gears with a rack.
Fig. 19 is another plan of the same with the parts shewn in a different position.
Fig. 20 is a cross-section on the line 20 to 20 of Fig. 18.
Fig. 21 is an elevation of a complete form of my invention.
Fig. 22 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of one form of the Holder shewing a
sliding body.
Fig. 23 is a front elevation of a part of one form of the Holder having hinged
leaf-retainers.
Fig. 24 is a plan of the same,

page_text: Fig. 25 is a plan of the same in another position.
Fig. 26 is a plan of one pair of legs disconnected from the Holder.
Fig. 27 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 28 is a front elevation of a part of one form of the Holder having pegs for
retaining the leaves.
Fig. 29 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 30 is a side elevation of a horn disconnected.
Fig. 31 is a front elevation of a form of spring used on the Holder.
In these Figures A A¹ are the two wings. In the case illustrated I shew the arms
as consisting of two parallel arins or levers B B, this being the construction which I
prefer for the purpose of obtaining approximately parallel motion. Rigidly fixed to
the arm B is a horn H (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4). The wings A A are attached to the
arms BB¹ by means of the arm plates C C¹, the pins c c projecting from the arms
into sockets in the arm plates C C³, so as to allow of free turning when the wings
are moved backwards or forwards. Also the arms A A¹ are pivoted by their centres to
the arm plates C C¹ and can be turned (as shewn in Fig. 18 by dotted lines) so as to
keep the book more or less open. Fig. 4 6 61 are pins upon which the arms B B¹
turn and by means of which the latter are directly or indirectly attached to the upper
part of the body D. E¹ (Figs. 5, 6 and 21) is a pin which connects the lower saddle
shaped part of the body to the pair of legs F, passing through a hole in the
saddle-piece of the body D. A pin E connects the opposite pair of legs Ff with the
body D through the hole d (Fig. 4).
By the comparison of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 with Figs. 11, 12 and 13 it will be seen
that when the legs F F are moved towards each other that the body D of the Holder
is inclined forwards. Also that when the legs ff are moved so as to approach each
other the body' D is tilted backwards. Now when the book is placed upon the Holder
in its normal position (Figs. 7 and 8) the centre of gravity is approximately over the
centre of the base and when the book is tilted to, say a vertical position by causing
FF to approach, the centre of gravity is shifted forwards but is still approximately
over the centre of the base, maintaining stable equilibrium. The same of course
applies when the book is tilted backwards though the operations are reversed. In
Figs. 9, 10 and 21 is shewn the two pairs of legs geared together so as to work
simultaneously by means of two arc-shaped racks R R gearing into one another and
rigidly fixed to the legs.
GG (Fig. 1) are springs. H (Fig. 1) is the horn. K is a rack-piece
(see Figs. 2 and 4) and L. a strip for retaining the leaves in position. The strip L
can be placed in any of the slots in the rack-piece K. The said strip L. may be
conveniently used as a paper knife when removed from its position in the rack-piece,
The rack-piece K is rigidly attached to the body D, in this case by the two pins 6 b¹,
Fig. 4 which serve as pivots for the arms B B'. The strip L is placed
in the most suitable slot of the rack-piece K (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) so as to retain the
book in an open position. Fig. 16 illustrates diagrammatically one form of my
invention in which the bent arms B, B¹ are in this case V-shaped. It will be seen by
the dotted lines that when the arms B, B' are moved so as to take a book opened at
the beginning (when the weight is nearly all upon the arm-plate C) that the
arm-plate C is moved towards the centre line x, y, while the arm-plate C is moved
away from it, thereby distributing the weight more equally over the legs.
It will be seen that the forms of holder illustrated by Figs. 16, 17 and 18
automatically preserve their stability when a book is placed on them as before.
explained. For clearness the rack-piece is shewn broken in Figs. 18, 19 and 20. In
Fig. 17 the arms B B' slide in the rollers P so that if a book opened at the
commencement were placed upon the wings A A', they would assume the position
shewn by the dotted lines a a¹. In Figs. 18, 19 and 20 N is a toothed sector affixed
to the arm B. N gears with the rack O which is rigidly attached to the body D by
its ends. The arms B B' are pivoted by the pins b&to the rack-piece K (Fig. 20)
which slides over the body D, being kept in position by the guides (Fig. 20)
QQ firmly attached to its ends. It will be seen that when the weight of a book

page_text: causes the arms B B to tilt so that the rack-piece K and the parts attached to it
will slide to one side of the dotted line 20, 20, in Figs. 18 and 19. I may in some
cases attach the rack-piece K to the body 1) by means of the slides QQ' Fig. 22
(or an equivalent device) only, dispensing with the toothed sector N and the rack 0,
in this case of course the adjustment would not be automatic. The body D is shewn
by dotted lines in Fig. 22 moved to one side.
In Figs. 14 and 15 A is a portion of the wing A and M is a claw or strip of metal,
curved at its upper end, and sliding in a slot cut through 'A vertically. The claw M
can be raised so as to engage the top edge of the book-boards.
Let us now assume that the body of the holder is in its normal position, shewn in
Fig. 7 and that the wings A A' are also in their normal positions (Figs. 1 and 2) and
that a book is now placed upon the wings and opened at the first page. It will be
seen that the chief part of the weight of the book is now sustained by the wing A
the spring G' and the right hand side of the horn H. The wing A' will accordingly
be depressed whilst the wing A is raised in position (Fig. 3). But the exposed pages
of the book will be approximately flat and equally distant from the eye of the reader,
who is assumed to be squarely opposite the book rest. As now the reader progresses
and turns over page after page, wing A is more and more depressed and wing A' more
and more elevated (by means of transfer of weight from A¹ to A) until, when the last
page is reached the parts will be in the exactly opposite relative positions to those
shewn in Fig. 3. If the holder is in a vertical position the act of placing the strip L
in position in the rack-piece K is sufficient to operate the arins. When the book is
opened at the middle the two wings can be turned into the same place if wanted by
turning the wings A A¹ (see Fig. 18). The upper surface of the horn H should
preferably be at a greater height from the arm-plates C, C¹ than the distance of
projection of the board from the leaves in the average book. So that the boards
should first rest upon the springs G, G¹ (Fig. 1) and if the book is of sufficient weight
to strain the binding when supported by the board-edges in a vertical position, the
springs will be depressed until the leaves rest upon the horn H which shares the
weight of the book with the springs G G¹ relieving the book of strain.
If desired the horn H may be omitted but now the weight of the book (if vertical)
is upon the boards.
Figs. 23, 24 and 25 illustrate one form of my invention in which the horn is
dispensed with together with the rack-piece, strip and springs. The projections g g¹
(Figs. 24 and 25) take the place of the springs QQ and the hinged supports h¹
take the place of the horn H but have to be adjusted by hand. In Fig. 25 the
support his shewn placed so as to take the greater part of the weight of a book
opened at the beginning. At the free ends of the supports will be seen two
L-shaped leaf-retainers which are so attached as to be capable of being turned
either up, as is so as to engage the leaves, or down as is so as to permit of the
leaves being turned over. Figs. 26 and 27 shew one pair of legs without an
arc-shaped rack affixed.
Figs. 28 and 29 illustrate a part of one form of my invention in which the horn H
takes the place of the arm. B, it is pivoted at its middle to the body D and at its
ends to the arm-plates C C. A series of holes k is shewn in the horn H in any of
which can be placed either one or both eccentric pegs T T as leaf-retainers. It will
be seen (T Fig. 29) that by rotating the peg T, a fine adjustment backwards or
forwards is given to it. The pegs T T can be placed in the holes tt' in the body D
when not in the horn H. I may attach chains to the pegs T T' to prevent loss
(see Figs. 28 and 29).

page_text: Improvements in Rests or Holders for Books or the like.
I THOMAS GEORGE HENRY MANN, of 9 Malwood Road, Balham Hill, in the County
of Surrey, Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
In the Specification accompanying my Letters Patent dated the 14th day of
February 1894 and numbered 3230 I have described an invention of Improvements
in Rests or Holders for Books or the like.
My present invention relates to improvements in the subject-matter of that
invention. And in order that my invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the drawings filed with my provisional
specification.
In these drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a part of a book rest or holder
constructed according to my present invention and is especially adapted for use on a
table.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the saine with the wings shewn in section.
Fig. 3 is another plan of the same with the parts shewn in a different position from
that in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 to 4 of Figs. 2 and 3.
Fig. 5 is a plan of one pair of legs disconnected from the frame.
Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one pair of legs disconnected from the frame.
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the body and legs of the holder having
the legs in the normal position.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 10 is an inverted plan of the same.
Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the body and legs of the holder with the
legs in the forward position.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 13 is a back elevation of the same.
Fig. 14 is a front elevation of a claw attached to the wing.
Fig. 15 is a cross-section of the same on the line 15 to 15.
Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of one form of the Holder, having V-shaped
bent arms.
Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of another form of the Holder having
arc-shaped bent arms.
Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic plan of a form of holder having parallel straight arms one
of which by means of a toothed sector gears with a rack.
Fig. 19 is another plan of the same with the parts shewn in a different position.
Fig. 20 is a cross-section on the line 20 to 20 of Fig. 18.
Fig. 21 is an elevation of a complete form of my invention.
Fig. 22 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of one form of the Holder shewing a sliding
body.
Fig. 23 is a front elevation of a part of one form of the Holder having hinged
leaf-retainers.
Fig. 24 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 25 is a plan of the same in another position.
Fig. 26 is a plan of one pair of legs disconnected from the Holder.
Fig. 27 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 28 is a front elevation of a part of one form of the Holder having pegs for
retaining the leaves.
Fig. 29 is a plan of the same.

page_text: Fig. 30 is a side elevation of a horn disconnected:
Fig. 31 is a front elevation of a form of spring used on the Holder.
The saine letters denote the same parts in all the Figures.
In these figures A A1 are the two wings. In the case illustrated I shew the arms
as consisting of two parallel arms or levers B B1, this being the construction which I
prefer for the purpose of obtaining approximately parallel motion. Rigidly fixed to
the arm B is an arc-shaped leaf support or horn H (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4). The wings A A1
are attached to the arms B B1 by means of the wrist plates C C1, the pins c cl
projecting from the arms into sockets in the arın plates C C1, so as to allow of free
turning when the wings are moved backwards or forwards. Also the wings A A1 are
pivoted by their centres to the wrist plates C C1 and can be turned (as shewn in
Fig. 18 by dotted lines) so as to keep the book more or less open. Fig. 4, b b1 are
pins upon which the arms B B1 turn and by means of which the latter are directly or
indirectly attached to the upper part of the body D. El (Figs. 5, 6 and 21) is a pin
which connects the lower saddle-shaped part of the body to the pair of legs Fi,
passing through a hole d in the saddle-piece of the body D. A pin E connects the
opposite pair of legs F with the body D through the hole d (Fig. 4).
By a comparison of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 with Figs. 11, 12 and 13 it will be seen that
when the legs F F1 are moved towards each other that the body D of the Holder is
inclined forward. This is due to the inclination of the pivots or pins E El and of the
surfaces of the saddle piece D1 of the body D upon which the legs turn. Also that
when the legs f f1 are moved so as to approach each other the body D is tilted
backwards. Now when a book is placed upon the Holder in its normal position
(Figs. 7 and 8) the centre of gravity is approximately over the centre of the base and
when the book is tilted to, say a vertical position by causing F F to approach, the
centre of gravity is shifted forwards but is still approximately over the centre of the
base, maintaining stable equilibrium. The same of course applies when the book is
tilted backwards though the operations are reversed. In Figs. 9, 10 and 21 the two
pairs of legs are shewn geared together so as to work simultaneously by means
of two arc-shaped racks R R1 gearing into one another and rigidly fixed to the
legs.
G G1 (Fig. 1) are springs. which support the lower edges of the book covers.
H (Fig. 1) is the horn or are-shaped support for the lower edges of the leaves of the
book. K is a rack-piece (see Figs. 2 and 4) and L a strip for retainining the leaves
in position. The strip L can be placed in any of the slots in the rack-piece K. The
said strip I may be conveniently used as a paper knife when removed from its
position in the rack-piece. The rack-piece K is rigidly attached to the body D, in
this case by the two pins b, b1, Fig. 4 which serve as pivots for the arms B BI and
may also secure the horn H in position. The strip L is placed in the most suitable
slot of the rack-piece K (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) so as to retain the book in an open
position. Fig. 16 illustrates diagrammatically one form of my invention in which
the bent arms B, B1 are in this case V-shaped. It will be seen by the dotted lines
that when the arms B, B1 are moved so as to take a book opened at the beginning
(when the weight is nearly all upon the wrist-plate C) that the wrist plate C is
moved towards the centre line x, y, while the wrist-plate C is moved away from it,
thereby distributing the weight more equally over the legs.
It will be seen that the forms of holder illustrated by Figs. 16, 17 and 18
automatically preserve their stability when a book is placed on them as before
explained. For clearness the mck-piece is shewn broken in Figs. 18, 19 and 20.
Fig. 17 the arms B B1 slide in the rollers P so that if a book opened at the
commencement were placed upon the wings A A1, they would assume the position
shewn by the dotted lines a al. In Figs. 18, 19 and 20 N is a toothed sector affixed
to the arm B1, N gears with the rack ( which is rigidly attached to the body D by
its ends. The arms B B1 are pivoted by the pins bb1 to the rack-piece K (Fig. 20)
which slides over the body D, being kept in position by the guides (Fig. 20) Q Qi
firmly attached to its ends. It will be seen that when the weight of a book bears
unevenly on and causes the arins B BI to tilt the rack-piece K and the parts attached

page_text: to it will slide to one side of the dotted line 20, 20 in Figs. 18 and 19. I may in
some cases attach the rack-piece K to the body D by means of the slides Q Q1 Fig. 22
(or an equivalent device) only, dispensing with the toothed sector N and the rack O,
in this case of course the adjustment would not be automatic. The body D is
shewn by dotted lines in. Fig. 22 moved to one side.
In Figs. 14 and 15 A is a portion of the wing A and M is a claw or strip of metal,
curved at its upper end, and sliding in a slot cut through A vertically. The claw M
can be raised so as to engage the top edge of the book-boards or covers.
The operation of my invention is as follows.
Let us now assume that the body of the Holder is in its normal position, shewn in
Fig. 7 and that the wings A Al are also in their normal positions (Figs. 1 and 2) and
that a book is now placed upon the wings and opened at the first page. It will be
seen that the chief part of the weight of the book is now sustained by the wing A¹
the spring G and the right hand side of the horn H. The wing Al will accordingly
be depressed whilst the wing A is raised in position (Fig. 3). But the exposed pages
of the book will be approximately flat and equally distant from the eye of the
reader, who is assumed to be squarely opposite the book rest. As now the reader
progresses and turns over page after page, wing A is more and more depressed and
wing A1 more and more elevated (by means of transfer of weight from A1 to A) until,
when the last page is reached the parts will be in the exactly opposite relative positions
to those shewn in Fig. 3. If the Holder is in a vertical position the act of placing
the strip L in position in the rack-piece K is sufficient to operate the arms.
the book is opened at the middle the two wings can be turned into the same plane if
wanted by turning the wings A A (see Fig. 18). The upper surface of the horn H
should preferably be at a greater height from the wrist-plates C C1 than the distance
of projection of the boards from the leaves in the average book. So that the boards
should first rest upon the springs G, G1 (Fig. 1) and if the book is of sufficient
weight to strain the binding when supported by the board-edges in a vertical position,
the springs will be depressed until the leaves rest upon the horn H which shares the
weight of the book with the springs G G relieving the book of strain.
If desired the horn H may be omitted but in this case the weight of the book (if
vertical) will be supported by the boards or covers only.
Figs. 23, 24 and 25 illustrate one form of my invention in which the horn is
dispensed with together with the rack-piece, strip and springs. The projections gg
(Figs. 24 and 25) take the place of the springs G G1 and the hinged supports h h¹
take the place of the horn H but have to be adjusted by hand. In Figure 25
the support hl is shewn placed so as to take the greater part of the weight of a book
opened at the beginning. At the free ends of the supports h will be seen two
L-shaped leaf-retainers
either up, as is so as to
leaves being turned over.
are-shaped rack affixed.
which are so attached as to be capable of being turned
engage the leaves, or down as is so as to permit of the
Figs. 26 and 27 shew one pair of legs F without an
Figs. 28 and 29 illustrate a part of one form of my invention in which the horn H
takes the place of the arm B, it is pivoted at its middle to the body D and at its ends
to the wrist plates C C1. A series of holes k is shewn in the horn H in any of which
can be placed either one or both eccentric pegs T T as leaf-retainers. It will be
seen (T Fig. 29) that by rotating the peg T, a fine adjustment backwards or forwards
is given to it. The pegs T T can be placed in the holes t t in the body D when not
I may attach Chains to the pegs T T to prevent loss (see Figs. 28
and 29).
In some cases I may attach to the bottoms of the wings A L shaped strips of metal T
to support the lower edges of the boards of the book and I interpose coiled or
other springs G between the bottoms of the wings A and the wrist-plates C and C
the weight of the book heing borne by the strips T and springs G" (see
Fig. 31).
In this case the wings are free to rise and fall on vertical spindles or pins a

page_text: secured in the wrist-plates and round which they rotate whilst bearing on the
surface of the strip Gui
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a rest or holder for books and the like the combination of two wings or
supports a rocking arm or arms, means for supporting and carrying the said rocking
arin or arins and springs to support the boards or covers of a book when placed on the
said wings substantially as set forth.
2. In a rest or holder for books or the like the combination of the two wings the
two wrist-plates a rocking arm or arins to which the said wrist-plates are attached
and the retaining device consisting of a strip and a rack-piece for receiving and
holding the said strip in different positions substantially as set forth.
3. In a rest or holder for books or the like and in combination with the body or
main support thereof, the legs turning on inclined pivots or axes whereby the said
rest or holder and the said legs will be simultaneously turned forwards or turned
backwards thereby tending to preserve the balance substantially as set forth.
4. The rest or holder for books or the like supported on suitable legs, the said legs
being adjustable relatively to the said holder, and means for causing the tilting of
the said holder by the adjustament of the said legs substantially as set forth.
5. In combination in a rest or holder for books and the like, the two wings means
for giving reciprocal parallel motion to the said wings, and means for inclining or
angularly adjusting the said wings to each other whereby a book may be supported
in a more or less open position without interfering with the parallel notion of the
covers as the pages are turned over substantially as set forth.
6. In a rest or holder for books or the like the combination of two wrist-plates
as C C and means for giving reciprocal parallel notion to the said wrist-plates, and the
two wings A Al supported by and angularly adjustable upon the said wrist-plates,
substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a rest or holler for hooks or the like provided with two
supporting wings having a substantially parallel relative motion, of means for laterally
shifting the said wings to preserve the balance as the leaves of the book are turned
over substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with a rest or holder for books or the like provided with two
supporting-wings having a substantially parallel relative motion, of ineans co-operating
with and actuated by the said parallel motion to laterally shift the said wings
and preserve the balance as the leaves of the book are turned over substantially as set
forth.
9. In combination in a rest or holder for books or the like, means for supporting
the said books, a suitable base or legs therefor, and means for laterally shifting the
book with its supports upon the said base to preserve the equilibrium as the leaves
are turned over, substantially as set forth.
10. In combination in a rest or holder for books or the like, the wings or other
supports for receiving the covers or boards of the said books, spring rests as G G1 for
the lower edges of the said covers or boards, and the leaf-rest for the lower edges of
the leaves of such books, the said springs yielding in the case of heavy books to
permit the leaves to come in contact with the said leaf-rest substantially as set
forth.
11. In combination in a rest or holder for books or the like, supports for the edges
of the boards or covers of the books (as at G G1) separate support or supports for the
edges of the leaves, the said supports for the edges of the boards of cover and for
the leaves yielding relatively to each other, whereby, in the case of heavy books, they
will both contribute to the support of the book and thereby relieve the strain
substantially as set forth.
12. In combination in a rest or holder for books or the like, the wings or other
supports for receiving the covers or boards of the said books, L-shaped strips attached.

page_text: to the bottoms of the wings, springs interposed between the bottoms of the said wings
and the wrist-plates and vertical spindles or pins (on which the said wings are free to
move vertically) secured in the wrist-plates substantially as set forth.
13. The modified construction of rests or holders for books or the like wherein the
rack-piece and horn are dispensed with and hinged supports carrying L-shaped leaf-
retainers substituted substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs. 23 to 27 of the drawings.
14. The modified construction of rests or holders for books or the like wherein the
horn His substituted for the arm B substantially as herein before specified with
reference to Figs. 28 and 29 of the drawings.