Improvements in Portable Reading Stands.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Reading Stands.
I, GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Bishop's Hill, Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to make a simple portable reading stand which
can be used in the house, in the garden, in a carriage and at the sea sido; and at
the same time be a support for the hands.
With the above object, I dispense with the ordinary tripod, and use only one or
at most two points of support.
In one form of the instrument 1 fix to the top of a stick such as a walking stick
an inverted T shaped piece, it has a ledge for supporting the book fixed upon its
lower limb. The stem of the T piece is inclined to the stick at the angle at which
the book should lie for convenient use.
Near to the outer end of the stem of the T piece a string may be attached and
this can be used to secure the book in place. The string for this purpose is
brought down over the book and is made fast by twisting upon a cleat on the under
side of the cross piece.
In anothor form of the instrument I fix to the top of the stick a cross piece to
which is pivotted another piece which can be turned at right angles to the first in
the plane in which the book is to lie. This piece at its lowor end has a ledge to
support the book. When the parts are folded together they form a crutch handle
to the stick which can then be used conveniently as a walking stick.
In a similar manner I sometimes provide two turn pieces one pivotted near either
end of the cross head of the stick.
Sometimes so arrange that the book support shall be adjustable in its inclination
to the stick. I provide a T piece as before but with a doublo stem having two
parallel limbs; the head of the stick enters between the stems and a clamping
screw receiving a thumb nut passes through the double stem and the stick head aud
binds the whole together. The stick may have a crooked or other handle suitable
for a walking stick for which purpose it may be used when the T form book rest
has been removed.
Sometimes in place of a stick I employ a metallic telescopic support.consisting of
a tube receiving a rod within it and capable of being set to any length and clamped
by a binding screw. In the same way I can make a wooden stick to receive a
lengthening rod.
The book rest may also be made in the form of a horse shoe and pirotted to the
two ends of the cross piece or crutch of the stick. I also make the stands with
two points of support. I provide a frame with a horizontal bar and two legs
hinged or otherwise connected and a hole in the middle of the horizontal bar. Into
this hole I fit a short stick to the top of which can be fixed any of the above
described book rests. This form of reading stand can be used when reclining; the
legs being then folded together.
Dated this 27th day of January 1898.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Reading Stands.
1, GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Bishop's Hill, Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to make a simple portable reading stand which
can be used in the house, in the garden, in a carriage and at the sea side; and at
the same time be a support for the hands.
With the above object, I dispeuse with the ordinary tripod, and use only one or
at most two points of support.
In one form of the instrument I fix to the top of a stick such as a walking stick
an inverted T shaped piece, it has a ledge for supporting the book fixed upon its
lower limb. The stom of the T piece is inclined to the stick at the angle at which
the book should lie for convenient use.
Near to the outor end of the stem of the T piece a string may be attached and
this can be used to secure the book in place. The string for this purpose is
brought down over the book and is made fast by twisting upon a cleat on the under
side of the cross piece.
•
In another form of the instrument I fix to the top of the stick a cross piece to
which is pivotted another piece which can be turned at right angles to the first in
the plane in which the book is to lio. This piece at its lower end has a ledge to
support the book. When the parts are folded together they form a orutoh handle
to the stick which can then be used conveniently as a walking stick.
In a similar manner 1 sometimes provide two turn pieces one pivotted near either
end of the crosshead of tbo stick.
Sometimes I so arrange that the book support shall be adjustable in its inclination
to the stick. I provide a T piece as before but with a double stem having two
parallel limbs; the head of the stick enters between the stems and a clamping
screw receiving a thumb nut passes through the double stem and the stick head
and binds the whole together. The stick may have a crooked or other handle
suitable for a walking stick for which purpose it may be used when the T form
book rest has been removed.
Sometimes in place of a stick I employ a metallic telescopic support consisting
of a tube receiving a rod within it and capable of being set to any length and
clamped by a binding screw. In the same way I can make a wooden stick to
receive a lengthening rod.
The book rest may also be made in the form of a horse ahoe and pivotted to the
two ends of the cross piece or crutch of the stick. I also make the stands with
two points of support, I provide a frame with a horizontal bar and two legs
hinged or otherwise connected and a hole in the middle of the horizontal bar. Into
this hole I fit a short stick to the top of which can bo fixed any of the above
described book rests. This form of reading stand can be used when reclining;
the logs being then folded together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a front view of a reading stand
made in accordance with this invention. a is a stick to the top of which is fixed an

page_text: Figure 4 is a similar view of the same with the piece ƒ turned up ready
for use.
The piece fhaving a ledge g to support the book is pivotted to the cross piece /
which is fixed to the stick.
Figures 5 and 6 are similar views to Figures 3 and 4 showing another form. In
this case there are two pieces ff having ledges 9 g' pivotted to the crosspiece A
which is fixed to the stick i.
Figure 7 is a side elevation and Figure 8 is a front view of a book support &
which is adjustable in its inclination to the stick l.
The book support & has two parallel limbs mm', the head of the stick / enters
between the limbs in m' and the clamping screw n receiving a thumb nut o binds
the whole together. A clent p may be fixed to the book support & to receive a
string as is shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 show two other varieties of reading stands similar to
the foregoing but in which the height of the book rest can be adjusted.
Figure 9 is a side elevation and Figure 10 is a front view of a reading stand,
provided with a tube y which receives the stick within it. The stick r can be set
to any length and clamped by the binding sorew a
Figures 11 and 12 are similar views of a reading stand, but in this case a rod t
fixed to the book support slidos in a hollow stick u and is clamped by the binding
SCIOW v.
In these figures the book support only differs slightly in shape from that shown
in Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 13 is a side elevation and Figure 14 is a front view of a book support w
made in the form of a horse shoe and pivotted to the two ends za¹ of the crutch
of the stick.
Figure 16 is a side elevation and Figure 16 is a plan of a frame with a horizontal
bar y and two legs 22. In the horizontal bar y is a hole y' to receive any of the
above described book resta.
The legs are screwed into the cross bar but may be hinged, and the stand can
then be used when reclining, the legs 2 2¹ being removed or folded together.
Figures 17 to 25 show different forms of reading stands in which the book
support can be folded up and put into the stick which is made hollow for the
ригрове.
In these figures the book support is of two kinds in Figures 17 to 21 it consists
of a cross ledge A to which are pivotted two bars B B' so that the support cau be
folded up and be inserted into the hollow stick C-in Figures 22 to 25 the support
consists of two bars D D' turned up at the bottom ends EE and pivotted at their
centres F so that they can be folded up and inserted into the hollow stick C.
Figure 17 is a side elevation and Figure 18 a front view of a hollow stick C
with a removeablo handle G. The handle G has fixed to it a bar H which forms
two clips 1 I' to receive the bars B B' of the book support.
Figure 19 is a front view of a hollow stick C with the book support removed;
and Figure 20 is a side elevation and Figure 21 a front view with the book support
in place.
The book support is fixed to the handle G of the hollow stick C by means of
two screws KK, which, when the book support is not being used, are inserted at
the two ends of the handle G as is shown in Figure 19.
Figure 22.is a side elevation and Figure 23 a front view of the hollow stick C
to the handle G of which the book support is fixed by the screw L and nut M.
Figures 24 and 25 are similar views in the case in which the top of the hollow
stick C is fitted with a cap N. The book support is fixed to the cap N by
means of a screw O. Figure 26 is the handle of the stick which is put on when
the stick is used for walking.
The dotted lines at to in these several figures indicate the cavity in the stiok into
which the reading stand is received when out of use.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
The portable reading stands substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings.