IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOK TRAYS OR HOLDERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph James Lemon, of No. 10, New Compton
Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Fancy Wood and Ivory Turner,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOK TRAYS OR HOLDERS."
Sealed the 12th June 1863, and dated the 16th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph James Lemon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th December 1862.
I, JOSEPH JAMES LEMON, of No. 10, New Compton Street, Soho, in the
County of Middlesex, Fancy Wood and Ivory Turner, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOK TRAYS OR HOLDERS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to book trays or holders for carrying books from place
to place. They are made in parts so that some of their parts which are called
slides shall be capable of being separated to a greater or less extent according
to the quantity of books to be carried, and so that certain other parts called side
supports shall abut against the books held therein, and thereby keep them in
their proper position. In book trays as at present made there has been no means
of extending the side supports to afford space for a greater quantity of books
than the tray would otherwise hold, except by one or other of the following
ways, viz., by either pulling the side supports apart, which is most inconvenient
to do, or by pressing any extra book between those already in the tray, which
must also prove not only inconvenient but detrimental to the books so treated.

page_text: Now my Invention consists in fitting certain levers and other mechanical
contrivances to the underneath side of the tray and in combination with the
slides in such a manner as to ensure their ready extension, which will be readily
understood by referring to the annexed sketch. It is to be understood that
there are two kinds of trays, one called single and the other double, from the 5
first having only one side support capable of being extended, the other being
fixed to the tray.
By referring to Figures 9 and 10 in the annexed Sheet it will be seen
that my Invention applies equally to both description of trays or holders.
My Invention further consists in adapting springs to the levers to obviate
the effects of friction during their operation, and thereby prevent their becoming
fixed while they are extending the side supports or returning to the position
which they were in previous to their being put in operation, as shewn in the
annexed Sheet.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my book trays, shewing the position
of the side supports and the space between them for the reception of the
books; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same with the side supports extended
shewing the extra space afforded by such extension; Figure 3 is a similar
view of the same with the side supports turned down upon the slides, and of
the tray when it is packed up and not intended for use; Figure 4 is a plan
view of the same with the side supports extended and the tray full of
books B, B, B, which are placed therein back upwards; Figure 5 is a per-
spective view of one of my single trays having only one slide; Figure 6 is a
similar view of the same with only one side support extended, the other being
a fixture to C, P., and G, F; Figure 7 is a plan view of the under side of one
of my double stands shewing the position of the levers, and other mechanical
contrivances, as also the springs, and the manner in which they are fixed to
the stand P, S, P, S, and the slides S, S; Figure 8 is a similar view of the
same shewing the position of the whole of the parts described in Figure 7,
when the slides are extended; Figure 9 is a similar view of one of my single
stands shewing only one of each of the parts described in Figure 7, and the
difference of position assumed by those parts when the side support are
extended as compared with that of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a similar view of
the same, shewing the parts referred to at Figure 9, and in the same manner.
as at Figure 7; Figure 11 is a similar view of one of the levers of a proper size
for a stand or tray measuring 15 by 7 inches; Figure 12 is a side view of the
same, with a small knob fixed in one end of it to form a handle, and marked H
in all the Figures except that marked 3, in which it is left out to enable the
opening marked F, O, (in all the Figures) to be seen more clearly, and through

page_text: which opening the levers H, L, pass to the interior of the stand or plinth
part of the tray where they have affixed to their extremities the arms A, A',
the latter of which is curved to allow of the other passing it more freely than
it could do if they were both straight; they are then secured to the head of a
pin or screw D by means of r; 0, 0, 0, is a slit made through the upper surface of
P, S, to allow D to pass through it to the slides to be connected thereto, thereby
forming a complete communication between the slides and the handles of the
levers H, H, and by the means of which the slides are extended as seen at Fig. 8;
and in the same Figure is shewn the position and operation of the springs e, e,
ready to pull the levers back again to the position they left at Fig. 7, on the
withdrawal of the extra books contained in the tray. X is a pin or screw on
which the levers work, and through which it passes, thereby securing them to
the stand; C, P, is a cross piece of wood connecting G, F, G, F, a kind of frame,
and which is secured to P, S, P, S, P, S, by means of the screws S¹, S¹, S¹, Si;
P, P, are pius or screws by which the springs are secured to the stand by one of
their extremities, the other being fixed to the levers as seen in the Figures 7, 8, 9
and 10. To extend the slides in the double trays it is only necessary to
compress the handles H, HI, as seen at Figures 2, 4, and 8, and that of the
single trays as shewn at H, Figure 6 and 9.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph James Lemon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
JAMES LEMON, of No. 10, New Compton Street, Soho, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph James Lemon, Her special licence, that I, the said Joseph
James Lemon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Joseph James Lemon, executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at-
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great-
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOK TRAYS OR HOLDERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Joseph James Lemon, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office. within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph James Lemon, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of book trays or
holders, for the purpose of holding in position a series of books, and for their
conveyance from place to place.
These improvements consist, firstly, in constructing a series of levers, springs,
and guide rods by means of. which. the slide or slides and flaps. of the tray can
be opened for the purpose of inserting or removing books. For operating on
double slides the levers are formed somewhat in the shape of a pair of scissors,
and jointed in a similar way, by a pin passing through the side or edge of the
tray, their handles extending outside the tray. Attached to the inner ends of
these levers are rods working in slots at the under side of the tray, and moving
the slides accordingly. In order to bring the slides back after the removal or
replacement of a book, springs are attached from two corners of the tray to
these levers. These springs may consist of spiral wire, flat curvilinear steel,
or other known form of spring suitable for the purpose, but for a single acting
slide only one lever will be necessary with one spring: attached.
I have already so fully illustrated my said Invention by Drawings and descrip-
tion deposited as my Provisional Specification under this Patent at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, and having no material alteration to make
therein, I find it unnecessary to recapitulate those details and Drawings in this
Specification, but I refer to my said Provisional Specification, and to the
Drawings thereto annexed for the examples of the application of my improve-
ments, as herein referred to.
I. am aware that a Patent was obtained by Messrs. G..G. and J. Betjemann,
for "Improvements in Book Slides," dated 12, Feb. 1859, No. 401, wherein
india-rubber springs were applied to the slides, the springs running parallel to
each other from end to end of the tray; now my, Invention differs entirely
from the foregoing inasmuch as to enable any person to insert or remove a

page_text: book or books from the holder, it is necessary in their said Invention to employ
both hands to the slides, which obviously presents a very imperfect construction
of book tray, no levers or handles being used; whereas by the arrangements
of parts constituting my Invention, one hand only is required to separate both
slides by the compression of the handles or levers in connection with the guide
rods which actuate the slides, the other hand being free to remove or replace
the books.
I would have it understood that I do not at all times use springs beneath
the tray for the above stated purpose, but I place one powerful spring between
the handles of said levers outside the tray, the result being precisely the
same.
And, moreover, according to the nature of the books to be held in the tray,
in many cases I dispense entirely with springs of any kind, merely using my
levers and guide rods, when by pressing the slides against the books, they will
maintain their position against them.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of "Improvements
in Book Slides," and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
would remark in conclusion that what I claim is the combination of levers and
springs in connection with guide rods which actuate the slides of book trays,
or holders, in the manner fully described and shewn by the aforesaid Sheet of
Drawings and details.
!
I also claim the mode of operating single or double slides by means of the
levers and connecting rods without the use of springs as described; and also the
application of the spring between the handles exteriorly to the tray or holder as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph James Lemon, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOSEPH JAMES LEMON. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.