A reading rable utilizes a pair of curved leg members to which is affixed a pair of upstanding posts. The posts are provided with an elongated notch having a plurality of circularly shaped openings therein. A flat sheet is utilized having a pair of outwardly extending shafts disposed residing in selected openings in the upright post. A locking nut-like apparatus is threadingly engaged with outwardly extending shafts so as to position the sheet at preferential angular locations relative to the longitudinal axis of the upstanding posts. The sheet is provided with a pair of adjustable arm mechanisms which are selectively positioned at locations along an upper marginal edge of the sheet and locked thereto by a telescopingly locking device utilizing a locking screw therefor. The adjustable arm mechanisms are provided with a pair of racks threadingly engaged with adjusting gears which dispose the racks along lines perpendicular to the plane of the sheet. Each rack is provided with a book holding arm extending perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis of the rack. In use, a book is rested upon the sheet and an upstanding bar affixed to the sheet having the pages thereof secured by the arm clampingly engaging the opened pages of the book.
A collapsible flow control art easel comprises a base plate which is mounted on the under-side of an art board and which includes spaced apart apertures. A retaining plate mounted on a tripod such as the type commonly used by photographers has two spaced apart guide members with lips that interlock with rims of the base plate adjacent the apertures. The retaining plate also carries a pivotal lever arm having a flange movable into and over a rim of a third aperture of the base plate, in order to releasably lock the base plate to the retaining plate. The guide members have exterior, laterally converging guide surfaces which engage converging lateral rims of the base plate for aligning the latter to the retaining plate. A multi-pivotal support assembly, including the tripod, enables movement of the base plate and the art board carried thereon in a path defined by a reference line extending transversely through the base plate and sweeping an imaginery, inverted cone.
A platform assembly is provided with a raised edge at the bottom against which a bottom edge of the open book rests. A securing device is provided with a bar with a hook at each end of the bar, first and second prongs extending downwardly from the lower side of the bar, first and second shafts mounted to the front side of the bar, and first and second restraining wheels secured to a corresponding one of the shafts by opposing springs mounted to each of the shafts. The securing device is installed on the platform by sliding the hooks over the upper side edges of the platform. The prongs of the securing device are positioned over inner sides of the front and back covers of an open book to secure the book to the platform assembly. The open book is positioned such that rounded tabs of the platform assembly and the restraining wheels of the securing device maintain the pages of the book in an open orientation. A selected page of the open book is turned by applying manual pressure with one or more fingers in a direction of the turn such that the selected page slides free from a first restraining wheel and a first rounded tab. The selected page is then positioned behind the second restraining wheel and the second rounded tab.
A portable bookstand is formed from a sheet of rigid card with transverse hinge lines dividing the card into a number of panels to form a base panel, an upstanding front panel, a rearwardly inclined edge receiving panel, an upwardly inclined book face receiving panel and a rearward support structure. Hook and loop fasteners are provided toconnect the junction line between the inclined panels to the base panel and to adjustably position the support panel structure to provide different inclinations of the book receiving panel. The device can be folded flat by lifting the inclined panels away from the base panel to allow the support panel to fold in between. Separate arms are pivotally and swivally mounted on the front inclined surface so that they can project upwardly and rearwardly from outer edges thereof to outer edges of the book receiving panel to engage the outer edges of the book.
A work holder designed for use by the blind and other handicapped persons includes an elongated top plate for mounting on a table top with the ends thereof extending outwardly beyond the edge of the top; a pair of small bottom plates slidably connected to the ends of the top plate by guide bars and screws, the bottom plates being mounted beneath the table top, the top and bottom plates clamping the work holder to the table top; and a pair of posts on the top plate for supporting a work holding frame such as a weaving or quilting frame. Large knobs are provided on the screws for facilitating gripping of the screws.
A device for holding reading or writing material or a laptop in a laying or seated position includes two board-like, trapezoidal side panels [112, 114] made of wood product, a cross-beam [16, 115] made of wood product holding the side panels together and preventing one panel moving with respect to the other, a support plate [20, 120] made of plywood, the position of which can be adjusted in relation to the side panels, and a device [22, 24; 122, 124] for setting the different positions of the support plate in relation to the side panels one of which contains a row of holes [24, 124] into which a pin [22, 122] can be inserted to hold the support plate in the desired position whereby insertion of the pin (122) in a hole [124a] and the stopper [127] allow for the support plate to be horizontally positioned.
