Improvements in Book Stands or Cases.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
Improvements in Book Stands or Cases.
I, JAMES STIMSON of 3, Union Street, Watsonville, in the County of Santa
Cruz, and State of California, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide a book case or stand adapted to rest
upon any flat surface such as a bureau, mantel, desk, or table, or to stand upon
brackets, the said case being adapted to contain a set of books, volumes, for
example, in frequent use, such as works of reference, etc., the number of volumes
being regulated by the length of the stand.
The stand or case comprises but three pieces, viz. a base and a pair of clamping
arms, all preferably of metal and as light as possible consistent with strength. At
each end of the base in the top thereof and parallel with its end portions, there is
a transverse slot and adjacent to this slot between the slot and the end of the base
there is a depression or recess parallel with the slot and parallel with the ends, but
the slot and the recess are parallel only with the ends when the base is of
rectangular form while the recesses and the slots are always parallel with each
other. The clamping arms are angular in cross-section or essentially L-shaped,
their vertical members being ordinarily wider than their horizontal members.
What is termed the horizontal member is the lower one, and the upper one is
denominated as the vertical member. The upper or vertical members of the arms
are preferably made of a width practically equal to the width of the base while
the lower or horizontal members are of a width enabling them to snugly enter the
slots, and upon the under surface of each of the lower members of the clamping
arms there is a depression, producing thereby a step, the step and the depression
being parallel with the outer end of the member in which they are made.
The horizontal or lower members of the arms enter the slots in the base, and
when the stand is not in use the arms are folded down upon the base and upon each
other, lying one upon the other. When the stand is to be used, the outer or upper
members of the arms are brought to a vertical position which will carry the inner
members to a horizontal position in engagement with the under face or top of the
base, and the depression in each of the horizontal members will register and rest
upon the depressed or recessed surfaces in the top of the base, the stepped portions
being located within the slots.
Dated this 29th day of August 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Book Stands or Cases.
I, JAMES STIMSON of 3, Union Street, Watsonville, in the County of Santa
Gruz, and State of California, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, 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 improvements in book cases, and has for its object to
provide a book case or stand adapted to rest upon any flat surface, such as a bureau,

page_text: mantel, desk, or table, or to stand upon brackets, the said case being adapted to
contain a set of books, volumes, for example, in frequent use, such as works of
reference, etc., the number of volumes being regulated by the length of the stand.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the stand folded for storage or transportation.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the stand in its folded state, the
section being taken practically on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 2, the stand however being
in position for use; and
Figure 4 is a transverse section which is taken practically on the line 4-4 of
Figure 3.
At
The stand or case comprises but three pieces, a base A, and clamping arms B,
the clamping arms being two in number. All of the parts. are preferably made of
metal, and as light as possible consistent with strength. The base A, may be given
any desired shape; in the drawings it is shown as rectangular and is hollow.
each end of the base, in the top thereof and parallel with its end portions, there is
a transverse slot 10, and adjacent to this slot, between the slot and the end of the
base, a depression or recess 11, parallel with the slot and parallel with the ends,
but the slot and the recess are parallel only with the ends when the base is of
rectangular form, while the recesses and the slots are always parallel with each
other.
The clamping arms are angular in cross section, or essentially L-shaped, their
vertical members being ordinarily wider than their horizontal members. What is
termed the horizontal member is the lower one, and the upper one is denominated
as the vertical member. The upper or vertical members of the arms are preferably
made of a width practically equal to the width of the base, while the lower or
horizontal members are of a width enabling them to snugly enter the slots 10; and
upon the under surface of each of the lower members of the clamping arms a
depression 12, is made, producing thereby a step 13, the step and the depression
being parallel with the outer end of the member in which they are made.
In the operation of the device, the horizontal or lower members of the arms are
made to enter the slots 10 in the base, and when the stand is not in use the arms
are folded down upon the base and upon each other, lying one upon the other, as
shown in Figures 1 and 2.
When the stand is to be used the outer or upper members of the arms are brought
to a vertical position, which will carry the inner members to a horizontal position
in engagement with the under face or top of the base, as shown in Figures 3
and 4; and the depression 12 in each of the horizontal members will register and
rest upon the depressed or recessed surfaces II in the top of the base, the stepped
portions 13, being located within the slots 10.
It will be understood that any number of books may be placed between the
clamping arms that the space intervening them will accommodate, and that the
device may be made sufficiently large to accommodate a set comprising any number
of volumes. The stand is especially adapted for use upon desks or other places, to
hold reference books, or volumes in frequent use, and the stand when not employed
may be compactly folded and stored away.
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 book case or stand, comprising a base having its top supported some
distance above the object upon which the base rests, and provided with a transverse
slot at each end, and L-shaped clamping arms having their lower members of
equal width throughout and projecting through the slots of the base, the said lower
members being provided with off-sets or stops, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. A book case, the saine consisting of a base having slots near its ends and
recesses adjacent to the slots, and angular arms pivotally located in the slots, the
inner members of the arms being formed near their juncture with the outer
members with depressions adapted to enter the depressed surfaces in the base, as
and for the purpose specified.
3. In a book case or stand, the combination, with a base provided with slots
near its ends and recesses adjacent to the slots, of arms angular in cross section,
one member being longer than the other, the shorter member of each arm being
introduced into the slots in the base, the inner members of the said arms being also.
provided with a depression and a step near the depression, the depressed surfaces
of the arms being adapted to engage with the depressed surfaces of the base,.
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 28th day of Mo 1904
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
J. STIMSON,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.