US399411A - Leaf-holder for books - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. HYLAND.

LEAF HOLDER FOR BOOKS.

No. 399,411. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

llniTnn @TATES PATENT OTTTQE.

JOSEPH IIYLANI), OF IH FFALO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE'IIALF TO E. I. SULLIVAN, Oh EAGLE VILLAGE, NINV YORK.

LEAF-HOLDER FOR BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,411, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed December 8, 1888. Serial No. 292,997. (No model.) I

To all whom 2'25 72011.7 cancer/1.:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH IIYLAND, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and 5 useful Il'lllliOVCEll'lOlltS on. Leaf-Holders for Books; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact speci- 1o fication, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has general reference to clamps for holding the leaves of music and I 5 similar books in proper position; and it 0011- sists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter firstfully set forth and de scribed, and then pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings already mentioned, which serve to illustrate my said. invention more fully, Figure l is a perspective view of a book having'my improved leaf-holder affixed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the leaf-holder proper.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the same as affixed toa book. Fig. -i is a similar view of the holder detached. Fig. 5 is a sh e elevation of the same.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

The object of my present invention is the production of a cheap and simple device for holding the leaves of a book, especially a music-book, in an open position to enable the player of an instrument to readily see the music or notes to be played. Books in gen cral, especially when new, have a tendeney to close or the leaves to turn when not desired, a matter causing considerable annoyance to players of pianos, organs, and other instruments, and frequently absolute embarrassment, owing to the fact that the player must stop to return the leaves tothcir proper position.

To avoid these serious oliijections I construct a holder, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, where the holder proper, 15, consists of a curved back-pieceJ, having upwardly-projecting members Z) b, which are forwardly 5o bent at (Q C, and then downwardly bent at I) D, and finally curved at c c, as clearly illustrated in the figures. This holder is constructed, preferably, of spring-wire of proper thickness and temper, so that when it is applied to a book, A, as shown in Fig. 1, it will push the back of the book forward to assume the shape substantially as shown in Fig. 3, thereby drawing the leaves of the book back and holding them perfectly flat, at the same time preventing them from being accidentally 6o turned over by air-currents or otherwise. Centrally upon the curved back-piece F, I provide a bearing-piece, E, representing, preferably, a lyre or other musical symbol. The object of this piece is to distribute the pressure of the back-piece 1 upon a larger surface of the back. of the book than would be exerted without the same, in which case the back might soon show the effects of the holder. Though a desirable adjunct I do not consider this pressure-piece a necessary element in my device, and I do not, therefore, wish to confine myself to the same.

In operation the book, which my device is desired to hold in a flat condition, is opened at the particular place, and my holder pushed from the top over the same, so that the downwardly-p0inting tangs l) I) are upon the face of the lcaves,and the curved back-piece bearing upon the back of the book, the tendency 0f the latter to close being counteracted by the tension of the curved back-piece to such an extent as to cause itto assume a more or less straight line, as shown in Fig. 2). .This device, however, does not interfere with the leaves of the book being turned from underneath oneoi' the tang as in reading music while playing an instrument, because the curved ends of the tangs do not press upon the leaves with sufficient force to hold them down very tightly.

For books of different thickness within the limit of the instrument I construct a'leafholder in which the back-piece F or the members C C, or both, are of different length in a 5 manner readily comprehended.

It is perfectly obvious that sheet-music can be held in an open and flat condition just as well and as readily as music or other books, and. that the application of my holder to such Ioo purposes is but another of the various legitimate uses to which the same may be applied. Another use may be the holding open and in a fiat condition Written or other documents, instruments, and deeds, &c., for the purpose of copying Without change or modification.

In cases Where a heavy or thick book is to be held open I prefer to provide the bearingpiece E with a doWnWardly-projecting lug, e, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and attach thereto an elastic ribbon or tape, H, to the lower end of Which I fasten a hook, G, which tape is passed down the back of the book, so that the hook G may engage the lower edge of the said back, thereby retaing the holder in its proper position. This elastic strap enables the attachment of the holder to books of various heights; but other adjustable devices may he substituted Without changing the nature of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 claim as neu and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States 1, A leaf-holder for books, substantially as described, consisting, essentially, of a single piece of spring-Wire having the curved backpiece E, upwardly-bent members I) b, cross pieces 0 O, and doWnWardly-projectin g tangs D D, the latter having the curved ends 0 c, as described, for the object stated.

2. As a new and improved article of man ufacture, a leaf-holder for books, consisting, essentially, of a holder having a curved backpiece, F, provided with the bearing-piece E, upwardly-pointing members I) b, cross-pieces O G, and downwardly-projecting tangs D D, as and for the purpose stated.

3. In book-holders, the combination, With the back-piece 13, having the bearing-piece E, provided With the lug e, of the elastic strap H and the hook G, as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH HYLAND- Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK, E. P. SULLIVAN.

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