Supports for Books, Pamphlets, and the like
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Supports for Books, Pamphlets, and the like
WILLIAM EVARTS RICHARDS, 203 Broadway, City, County, and State of
New York, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to supports for books, pamphlets, and other like articles,
and its object is to construct a support that will hold such articles in an upright
position upon the shelves of a bookcase, or upon a table, desk, mantel, or other
surface or place; that shall be strong and durable, simple in construction, and
inexpensive to manufacture. Such supports are particularly designed for use in
libraries or offices, where it frequently happens that some of the book-case shelves
are but partly filled with books, or where it is desired to arrange the books upon
tables, desks or similar surfaces that are not provided with permanent side supports
for retaining the books in an upright position. In such cases as these, the books
or pamphlets, if left unsupported, will either fall down, or will incline toward the
unsupported side, frequently bending and permanently injuring the leaves, or
straining or breaking the binding.
Referring now to the drawings which illustrate the invention, and which form a
part of this Specification :
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my supports viewed from the rear.
Figure 2, is a plan view.
Figure 3, is a front view.
Figure 4-is a view showing a metal blank from which the support shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 3, is made.
Figure 5, is a view showing a modified form of support.
Figure 6 illustrates another modified form of support.
Figure 7, shows a metal blank from which the support shown in Figure 6,
is made.
'
Figure 8 shows a shelf partly filled with books which are supported upon one
side by one of my improved supports.
I prefer to construct my support from thin but strong sheet metal.
It may,
however, be made of any other suitable material such as wood, hard rubber or
celluloid, and when formed of the latter substances, it may be worked, cast or
moulded into form. When made from sheet metal, its construction is very simple,
it being cut out of a sheet or strip of metal by suitable dies, or in any other
preferred way, and then bent up into shape.
My support consists, as will be seen in the drawings, of a base-plate or
foot-piece A, an upright B, projecting at right angles, or nearly so, from one
end or side of the base-plate A, and the brace or braces C, for supporting the
upright B.
I have shown my preferred form of support in Figures 1, 2 and 3. In forming
this support, the metal is first cut as shown in full lines in Figure 4, the lines 1, 2; 3,
showing the cut for forming the braces C. The metal is then bent on the line 5,
so that the part A, which forms the foot-piece or base-plate is at right angles, or
nearly so, to the part B, which forms the upright, and the parts C, C, which form
the braces for the upright B, are bent outward on the line 4, at right angles, or
nearly so, to the upright B. The support thus formed, may then be japanned or
varnished, and is ready for use. It should be noted that in this form of support,
that the central portion of the upright B, is utilized to form the braces C, C,
sufficient metal being left to form the sides b, b, of said upright, which will be
sufficiently strong, when thus braced, to support any usual: weight that may be
brought to bear upon them.

page_text: In forming the bend between the base-plate A, and the upright B, due allowance
should be made for the thickness of the metal, so that the lower edges of the
braces C, C, will be in the same plane as the bottom surface of the base-plate A,
when the support is finished, so that both the bottom of the base-plate A, and the
lower edges of the braces C, C, will bear or rest evenly upon the shelf or other
surface upon which the support is to be used.
In Figure 5, I have shown a modified form of support, in which a single
brace C, is employed. In this support the brace C, is formed by cutting a tongue
from the central portion of the metal forming the upright B, and the base-plate A
said tongue remaining attached to the upper part of the upright, and being bent
outwardly from said upright, as shown in said Figure 5, to form a brace therefor.
In this construction also, the tongue should be cut of a sufficient length so that
when it is bent back in the desired position to serve as a brace, its lower edge will
be on the same plane as the bottom of the base-plate A.
In Figure 6, I have shown another modification, the blank for forming this
support, being shown in Figure 7. In this construction the braces C, C, are
formed by cutting the metal blank on the lines 6, 7, (Figure 7) and bending back
the edges or sides of the upright B, on the lines 8, 8, to form the braces. The
base-plate A, is then formed by bending the metal on the line 9. In making
this bend, due allowance should be made for the thickness of the metal, to the
end that the bottom edges of the braces C, C, shall be on the same plane as
the bottom of the base-plate A, so that both the braces and the base-plate
shall rest firmly and evenly upon the shelf or other surface upon which the
support is to be used.
I have also shown in these figures a construction adapted to limit the move-
ment of the support upon the shelf. By bending the outer edge of the base-
plate A, upon the line 10, a depending flange or portion, a is formed, which is
adapted to engage with the outer edge of the shelf and prevent the support from
sliding, or being moved to the back part of the shelf, and becoming lost among the
books. The braces C, C, .of my supports, also serve another useful purpose; in
that they act as a stop, preventing the sharp edges of the upright from cutting
or otherwise injuring the leaves of a book, in case the latter should be thrust
carelessly against said upright.
In Figure 8, I have shown the manner in which my support may be used upon
the shelves of a book-case. In this view, the letter E, indicates the permanent
side wall of the book-case, and F, a shelf of the same, G, G, being several books
placed upon the shelf F, but not sufficient in number to completely fill the same
so that they will be supported upon both sides, by the side walls of the book-case.
If these books are left unsupported upon one or both sides, they will either fall
down or incline from the perpendicular, straining or breaking the binding or
bending up the leaves, in either case, tending to injure or destroy the value of the
books. Supposing the books to be supported upon the one side by the side wall-E,
of the book-case, my support is placed at the other side, the base-plate A, being
passed underneath the books next to the upright B, and between the bottom of the
books and the top of the shelf F, said upright is then pressed up snugly against
the side of the last book of the row. The weight of the books resting upon the
base-plate A, will hold the support down upon the shelf, while the upright B, will
hold the books in an upright position, the braces C, C, strengthening and supporting
said upright, and preventing the upright from being bent over or crushed by reason
of the weight of the books.
r
Where it is desired, to support a row of books upon a desk or table, or upon any
other surface which is not provided with permanent side supports, it is only neces-
sary to arrange one of my supports at either side of the books, when they will be
held in an upright position between said supports.
It should be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction
shown in the drawings; various modifications in the manner of forming the braces
for the upright, will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art to which this

page_text: invention relates. Nor do I claim broadly a book support formed of a sheet of
metal or its equivalent, merely bent at right angles to form a base-plate aud an
upright, for such supports have been used before. Such supports as last described,
are however neither strong, serviceable, nor durable, as the upright being without
a brace or support to strengthen it, will quickly become bent, crushed, or broken,
by reason of the weight of the books resting or falling against it when in use, and
the whole support will then be useless.
If desired, the lower edges of the braces C, may be bent or turned up so as to
forin a smooth surface that will not scratch or mar the shelf or other surface upon
which the support is to be used.
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 :
1. A support, for books and other like articles, formed of a single sheet of
metal, consisting of a base-plate adapted to be inserted beneath the books, an
upright extending therefrom, and a brace projecting from the upright in a direction
opposite to that of the base-plate, substantially as described.
2. A support for books and other like articles, consisting of a base-plate adapted
to be inserted beneath the books, an upright extending from the end of the base-
plate, and a brace projecting from the upright in a direction opposite to that of the
base-plate, substantially as described.
3. A support, for books and like articles, consisting of a base-plate, an upright
extending therefrom, a brace projecting from the upright in a direction opposite to
that of the base-plate, and a flange depending from the base-plate to engage the
edge of the supporting surface, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th December 1892.
W. E. KICHARDS.
W. H. Beck, Agent,
Per S. E. Gunyon.