Improvements in Book or like Rests, applicable for Invalids and others.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Book or like Rests, applicable for Invalids and
others.
I, ERNEST HORATIO BURGESS HUGHES, of Rowlands Hey, Seabank Road, Egre-
mont, in the County of Chester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
This invention has for its object a book or like rest for the use of invalids
and others, the invention being designed to enable a person while lying in bed
or when sitting up, to get his book into the most convenient position for reading.
The invention comprises a backing of wood or other material, and a shelf or
ledge provided with an arm or stay which is pivotted to the backing, on which
the book or other article rests. The backing is supported at back by a prop
having a lead weight at end, this prop being pivotted to the backing at back.
Any other suitable support may however be used, so that it will stand on a bed
or table or be supported from the floor. The backing is also provided with
auxiliary legs pivotted thereto in such a manner that by adjusting these legs,
the backing together with its shelf or ledge can be tilted endways to any angle
required, without altering its plane of inclination, and thus enabling me to
place the book at the angle corresponding to that at which the head of the invalid
lies on the pillow. All the pivots are provided with winged nuts which can be
operated by hand so that any part can be instantly adjusted in order that the
print of the book may be in a line with the eyes, and thus the device may be
used when the reader is sitting up or lying down. A cord may be provided
running from the shelf or ledge on to a cleat at top of the pivotted arm that
supports the ledge. This cord is put between the pages of the book, and so holds
the book on the rest, preventing it falling off even if the ledge be turned vertical.
The ledge is provided with music frame clips to keep the leaves of the book from
turning.
Dated this 14th day of January 1899.
Improvements in Book or like Rests, applicable for Invalids and
others.
I, ERNEST HORATIO BURGESS HUGHES, of Rowlands Hey, Seabank Road, Egre-
mont, in the County of Chester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention has for its object a book or like rest for the use of invalids

page_text: and others, the invention being designed to enable a person lying in bed
or when sitting up, to get his book into the most convenient position for reading.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my book rest;
Figure 2, a back elevation;
Figure 3, a front elevation of the rest with the legs folded behind;
Figure 4, a front elevation of the rest tilted for use of a person lying down;
Figure 5, a back view of the rest.
Referring to Figures 1-5 inclusive, A is a backing of wood or other material
and B a shelf or ledge provided with an arm or stay C which is pivoted to the
backing at D. The backing A. is supported at back by a prop E, having a lead
weight F at end, this prop being hinged at e, and pivoted to the backing at e¹.
Any other suitable support may, however, be used so that the backing will
stand on a bed or table or be supported from the floor. The backing A is also
provided with auxiliary legs pivoted thereto at g in such a manner that by
adjusting these legs G the backing A together with its shelf or ledge B can be
tilted endways to any angle required without altering the plane of inclination
of the backing and thus enabling one to place the book at the angle correspond-
ing to that in which the head of the invalid lies on the pillow as shown in
Figure 4. All the pivots are provided with wing nuts which can be operated
by hand so that any part may be instantly adjusted in order that the print of
the book may be in line with the eyes, and thus the device may be used when
the reader is sitting up or lying down. A double cord II is provided, one end
running from the shelf or ledge B to the fixed point c¹ and the other secured to
a cleat cat top of the pivoted arm C that supports the ledge B. This cord is
put between the pages of the book and so holds the book on the rest, preventing
it falling off even if the ledge be turned vertical. The ledge is provided with
music frame clips I to keep the leaves of the book from turning.
The position of the rest when in use by a person sitting up is shown in
Figures 1 and 2, the legs and prop in that case holding the backing horizontal
and the ledge being also clamped horizontal thereon. When required for use
by a person lying in bed or on a couch, one of the legs G is turned up behind
the other leg and the prop being left projecting, the top end of the leg abutting
against stop G¹ as shown in Figure 5. The backing is thus supported at an
angle by means of one leg G, prop E and one corner a of the backing itself,
the pivot el permitting the prop to be turned into the position shown. The
ledge with the book is also turned on its pivot D into the most convenient
position for reading, as shown in Figure 4, and the wing nuts are screwed up
so as to clamp all parts rigid. When the rest is not in use, both legs G can be
turned up behind and the prop folded against the backing. L is a cord for
limiting the movement of the prop G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A book rest comprising a backing A, a shelf or ledge pivoted to the front
face thereof so that it can be adjusted to any required angle relatively to the
backing, a hinged prop, and legs both pivoted to the back of the backing and
supporting the same, said legs being so arranged that by adjustment they will
support the backing either horizontal or inclined, substantially as described.
2. In a book rest, the combination with the backing of a shelf or rest for
supporting the book, and so pivoted to the backing that it can be fixed horizontal
or adjusted to any angle required so as to enable a person lving down to get the
book into line with the eyes.
3. In a book rest, the combination with the backing of a hinged prop and of
legs pivoted to the backing, the latter so arranged that either leg can be

page_text: collapsed so as to permit of the backing resting and being supported at an angle,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a book rest, the combination with the shelf for supporting the book,
of a cleat arranged above the book, and a cord so fastened to the shelf and secured
to the cleat at the other end that if put between the pages of the book, it will
hold it on the rest preventing it falling off, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of October 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.