US2696992A - Sketching and writing aid - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 14, 1954 M. PUF

SKETCHING AND WRITING AID Filed Dec. 3, 1949 WM m r ,m ,r W AA W U. B

United States Patent SKETCHENG AND WRITINGAID John C. M. Duff, Springfield Gardens, N. Y.

Application December 3, 1'949,'Serial No. 130,889

2 Claims. (Cl. 28115) The present invention relates generally to books and more particularly to improvements in accessories for facilitating sketching or writing in books or pads.

It is frequently necessary to write or to make notes or sketches in a book or upon a pad when one is either seated or standing while away from a desk or table. It has heretofore been .proposedto provide support portions extensible from books and the like and writing boards have also been suggested which were provided with body fitting portions andupon which papers or pads could be supported. The present invention relates to an improved hinged writing or sketching board which may form either a loose-leaf or a cover of a book or pad with its hinged portion formedto'fit against the body and folda-ble to a position contiguous with or wholly Within the outline of the book or pad when not in use.

It is a major object of this invention to provide an improved accessory for improving the use of books or pads. A further object resides in providing means for improving the utility of books or pads when used away from desks or tables. A further object lies in providing a book or pad accessory which serves as a writing surface as well as a support for the book or pad from the body of the user. A still further object resides in providing such an accessory which may readily be attached to the rings of a hinder or pad, or which alternatively may form one of the covers of the book or binder. It is also an object to provide an improved hinge whereby the extended portion forms a rigid plane writing surface flush with the main portion and which permits folding of the extended portion into a position in which it may provide a further cover or is otherwise contiguous with or contained within the outlines of the pad or book.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after reading the present description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which;

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred form of the improved accessory in its opened position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same in its folded position;

Fig. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the hinge elements; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a further modification of the device.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 5 represents a conventional loose-leaf book or hinder of the three-ring type. The book comprises a pair of covers 6 and 7, which may either be flexible or rigid, these covers being interconnected by the back 8 to which the covers are flexibly hinged as at 9. A plurality of separable circular rings 10 are suitably supported from the ring support member 11 within which suitable spring mechanism is housed by which the ring parts may be caused to snap into their open and closed positions. A plurality of loose-leaf pages or sheets 12 suitably perforated or punched as at 13 are engaged with and supported from the rings 10 in a well known manner such that they may be turned over from the position shown wherein it lies upon the cover 6 to the position in which it overlies the cover 7.

The numeral 14 represents a rectangular sheet of preferably thin but rigid or stiff material having a smooth upper surface adapted to provide a smooth support for a sheet such as 12 which may be turned over upon it for writing or sketching. The sheet 14 may be of plastic material having a smooth upper surface and its lower surface may be of cellular or watered construction to 2,696,992 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 Ice provide a high strength-to-weight ratio.v The edge of the main portion 14 is preferably punched-or perforated with a plurality of holes 15 spaced tobeengaged by the rings '10. A pair of additional holes may preferably be provided in order to fit. the spacing of the rings in a two-ring binder. An extended leaf or arm portion 16, of similar thickness and material as the main support portion, is shaped as at 17 to-fit against the bodyof the user to aid in supporting the two accessory portions 14 and 16 as well as the binder or book to-which they are attached. I

The main and extension portions '14 and 16 are pivotal'ly hinged together by the hinge construction 18 which is shown in detail in Fig. 3. The main portion 14 is provided with integral spaced lugs zti apertured as at 21 to receive the dowel or pin 19. The extension portion 16 is also provided with a plurality of "spaced apertured lugs 22 complementarily disposed such as'toqfit between the lugs 20 of the portion 14. Each portion of the device is provided between its lugs 20 and 22 with a concave portion 25 arranged to bear against the lug of the opposite portion. The edge of the main portion 14 terminates in an abutment or shoulder 22 which is adapted to abut against the opposed shoulder 24 on the portion 16 with which it jcoopera'tes in limiting the hinging or pivotal movement of the portions to the degree position shown in Fig. 1. In this figure, with the upper or outer edge of the book held by the left hand'an'd thebo'dy fitting portion 17 supported from the body, any downward force or pressure exerted in the region ofthe joint 22-24 will be opposed by the abutting shoulders of the hinge construction. A relatively rigid writing or sketching support is accordingly provided with adequate area for resting the right fore-arm in both the seated and standing positions of the user. When the Writing aid is not in use the extension 16 may be folded in the retracted position beneath the main portion 14 as shown in Fig. 2 and when the covers 6 and 7 are brought together and the book is closed, the writing aid lies entirely within the confines of the book or hinder.

Another form of the present improvement is shown in Fig. 4 wherein the numeral 26 indicates a conventional cover for a loose-leaf binder in which the Writing surface portion 27 forms the other cover. The covers are interconnected by the back portion 28 by means of flexible hinges suchas 29. A plurality of rings 30 are supported from a suitable ring mounting mechanism 31 which in turn is secured to the back 28 of the binder. A number of sheets of paper 32 punched as at 33 are engaged with the rings 30 of the binder and may be turned over such that they lie upon the writing or sketching support 27 in the manner in which the device of Fig. 1 is used. A foldable portion 34 having a bodyfitting portion 35 is hinged at 36 to the main portion 27. The hinge construction 36 may also be similar to the hinge 18 of Fig. 1 or such construction that it will oppose a downward force in the region of the joint when its ends are supported by the user. The assembly 2734 of Fig. 4 may otherwise be the same as the assembly 1416 of Fig. 1 except that in forming a cover of the binder it is hinged directly to the back of the binder of which it preferably forms an integral part and is not punched for engagement with the rings as in Fig. 1. When the extension portion 34 is not in use it may be folded under as indicated by the construction lines in Fig. 4 and retained by a suitable clip or other retainer against the main portion 27.

Other forms and modifications of the present device, both with respect to its general arrangement and the details of its several parts, are all intended to come within the scope and spirit of this invention as more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved arm rest and writing surface of the type disclosed for a ring binder type note book comprising a main rigid writing surface element of substantially the size and shape of the sheets of the ring binder type note book, a first edge of said writing surface element having a plurality of apertures arranged for engagement by the rings of the ring binder note book, an

adjacent edge of said writing surface element having apertured lug means forming a hinge portion, a rigid arm a rest element having an apertured lug means forming a hinge portion along a first of its edges arranged for cooperative engagement with the hinge portion of said writing surface element, both said hinge portions having abutting surfaces, and a hinge pin engaging both said hinge portions whereby both said elements are unfoldable about said hinge portions outwardly through substantially 180 degrees to an aligned plane surface in which said elements provide a flush rigid arm rest and writing surface and downward pressure thereon in the region of said hinge portion is opposed by the abutting surfaces of said hinge portions, said arm rest element foldable inwardly and downwardly about said hinge portions and said hinge pin to a retracted position adjacent said writing surface element in which it lies completely Within the outline of the ring binder note book to which the apertures of said writing surface element are adapted to be engaged.

2. An improved arm rest and writing surface of the type disclosed comprising a main rigid writing surface element of substantially the size and shape of the sheets of a ring binder type note book, a first edge of said writing surface element having a plurality of apertures arranged for engagement by the rings of a ring binder note book, an adjacent edge of said writing surface element having apertured lug means forming a hinge portion, a rigid body-fitting arm rest element having an apertured lug means forming a hinge portion along a first of its edges arranged for cooperative engagement with the hinge portion of said writing surface element, both said hinge portions having abutting surfaces, and a hinge pin engaging both said hinge portions whereby both said elements are unfoldable about said hinge portions outwardly through substantially degrees to an aligned plane surface in which said elements provide a flush rigid arm rest and writing surface and downward pressure thereon in the region of said hinge portion is opposed by the abutting surfaces of said hinge portions, said arm rest element foldable inwardly and downwardly about said hinge portions and said hinge pin to a retracted position adjacent said writing surface element in which it lies completely within the outline of a ring binder note book to which the apertures of said writing surface element are adapted to be engaged, said arm rest element having an edge adjacent said first hinge portion edge having a curved cut-away area forming a body-fitting portion arranged to steady both said elements in their unfolded operative position against the body of the user and to clear the rings of the ring binder in its folded retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 643,164 Sehnell Feb. 13, 1900 878,030 Massey Feb. 4, 1908 1,371,459 Amlie Mar. 15, 1921 1,894,559 Fisher Ian. 17, 1933 2,091,667 Barnes Aug. 31, 1937 2,136,186 Frost Nov. 8, 1938 2,194,003 Brooks Mar. 19, 1940 2,516,239 Moss July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,533 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1903

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