Supports – Easel; book – copy or music score holder – Including transparent viewing portion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-26
2001-02-13
Davis, Cassandra H. (Department: 3628)
Supports
Easel; book, copy or music score holder
Including transparent viewing portion
C040S792000, C040S794000, C040S726000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186465
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying an open book and in particular to an apparatus which will display a book within a decorative picture frame.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is sometimes desirable to display an opened book to display artistic or photographic images or text within the book. For example, a book may contain reproductions of artwork which the owner may wish to display by mounting the book to a frame and hanging the frame on a wall, in the same manner paintings or posters may be framed and hung.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,438,181 issued to Klopf, there is disclosed a book container which is designed to display an open book in a horizontal position. It is specifically designed to be a cookbook holder and includes a cover to prevent spattering of foodstuffs on the book. The book is held open to the proper page by wire clips visible from the front. This book container is also intended to store cakes and breads after the cooking process. Therefore the container is of a size which is not suitable for displaying the book.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,799 issued to Spertus, there is disclosed a picture-frame album intended to allow display of photographs mounted in album. This frame however could not display open books unless the spine of the book was destroyed. It is only suitable for the display of single flat pages such as a photograph or a photo album which could be folded flat.
Although the history of printed and bond books dates back to the 15
th
century, there has been no known method of conveniently and attractively displaying an open book, particularly with a protective cover and in a vertical orientation.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a convenient method and apparatus of displaying an open book in a vertical orientation which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, the invention comprises a book display apparatus which allows an open book to be displayed vertically as an artistic work within a decorative frame. The apparatus may be hung from a wall and allows for the fact that an open book has two halves, one of which may be significantly thicker than the other. For example, if a book is opened to a page near the beginning, the right hand half of the open book will be significantly thicker than the left hand half. The apparatus comprises two book tensioners which are separately adjustable and which bias the book flat against the front of the apparatus
Therefore, the book display apparatus comprises:
a) a backplate including means for hanging the backplate from a wall;
b) a clear cover panel adapted to engage the backplate so as to enclose an open book there between; and
c) first and second book tensioners associated with the backplate for pressing each half of the open book up against the inside of the clear cover panel.
Optionally, a decorative frame which borders the cover panel may be provided.
In the preferred embodiment, the book tensioning means are two separate steel bands or clips which have a fixed end and a sliding end. By moving the sliding end towards the fixed end, the clips may be made to bulge, thereby biasing the book against the cover panel. One skilled in the art will be able to conceive of many specific book tensioners which are not specifically disclosed herein but are encompassed by the claims below. For instance, two separate inflatable bladders may be provided on each side in order to bias the two halves of the book against the cover. The specific mechanism by which the book tensioners is not essential to the invention, what is essential is that the left and right book tensioners be separately and adjustably expandable in order to accomplish this function.
A ledge may be provided to rest the book on, which ledge may be adjustable vertically in order to center the book within the apparatus.
REFERENCES:
patent: 231473 (1880-08-01), Brower
patent: 605959 (1898-06-01), Henderson
patent: 1388010 (1921-08-01), Watson
patent: 1438181 (1922-12-01), Klopf
patent: 1882157 (1932-10-01), Minton
patent: 2649799 (1953-09-01), Spertus
patent: 2689060 (1954-09-01), Katzman
patent: 3286382 (1966-11-01), Newman
patent: 3350150 (1967-10-01), Schwarm
patent: 3589049 (1971-06-01), Cornelius
patent: 3807071 (1974-04-01), Candor
patent: 5421111 (1995-06-01), Primm
Bennett Jones LLP
Davis Cassandra H.
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