US1601832A - Bookmark - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 5 1926.

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' metal of ,I more, they are i, each other, so that a leaf latented Oct. 5, 1926.

*Unirse STATES GLENN L. JACKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOOKMARK.

Application Vfiled. September My invention relates to book-marks and more particularly to a device of this type which is simple, effective, easily used, and cheap to manufacture. f

Heretofore, devices of the prior art have been of complicated design. vThese devices are made bulky and awkward, and are expensive.y Itis commonfor them to have unsightly and undesirable,projections extend` ing beyond the margin wherebythese .pro-l jections are liablet'o be knocked in the handling of the book which usually results in the losing ofthe book marksorY their places in the book or injury to the book. Further?.V

usually of paper, or thickmaterial, which makes them less practical and useful. ,Y

An object of my invention is to provide a book-mark of improved design, which overcomes the above objections,v and is practical and capable of extensive use.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with theV accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l illustrates a pluralityV of bookmarks in use along the margin of the leaves of a book;

Fig. 2 illustrates, on a larger scale, one of the book-marks as applied to the margin of a leaf' 3 is a plan view of the device before finally formed;

Fig. l is a top view of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the same. y

Referring now to the drawings, a bookmark embodying my invention comprises a strip 1 of relatively thin flexible tenuous sheet material, such as metal, or other suit-- able material, bent across in a straight line near the middle, or between its ends, so as to provide iiatly opposed legs 2 and 3 preferably of different lengths. Legs 2 and Smay be resiliently, but lightly, pressed against Amay'be'easily inserted, yet gripped by sufficient pressure to prevent the book-mark from accidentally slipping on". I find that, if I employ sheet considerable thinness, it is possible to stamp out the strip l shown in Fig. 3 and quickly bend it to the form shown in Fig. 5. In this latter figure it is apparent that both legs may be brought so closely together that practically no space is left at the point designated 5 but in view of the other Y 8, 1924. vSerial No. 736,407.

fact that the4 material is thin and flexible, the legs 2 and `3 quickly spread when a leaf of the book is inserted. Y

j However, it will be noticed that the minimum separation Vof the legs is adjacent to the edge 6, so that the leaf will be gripped the greatest when the book-mark is moved inward the full length, that is, the maximum gripping effect of the legs 2' and 3 upon the leaf inserted rtherebetween will be at the edge 6, or in'close proximity thereto, thereby requiring the book mark to bemounted the maximum length which allows only thev edgeV 6 to protrude. The margin of the leafY will contact with the edge 6 and be strength-l 70 ened thereby at this place.; This tends to prevent the leaf `from being torirwlien thel book is opened to locate the place marked by the device, the leaf sometimes being. A gripped at the spot to turn the remaining leaves forwardly or backwardly as the case may be; Y i

Leg 2 may be the upper leg. If so desired it may be formed to serve as a pointer, the purpose ofwhich, allows the book mark to be placed anywhere along the margin of the leaf to designate the place last read by the person. It is at this point in the description that I desire to emphasize the versatile use of my device. Its simple construction per-v mitsits mounting anywhere along the margin of the leaf to indicate that part of the page, as well as the Vpage itself, last read. I find that merely marking the page is insufficient in itself, as it generally requires considerable re-reading, or loss of time to find particular data which has been noted for future use. n

In use, the device is slipped upon the leaf, this being facilitated bythe lower leg 3 vbe- 9.3 ing the longer leg, and also by a notch 4 provided therein. The device is'of a thin stripof light metal and bent near the middle so that nothing but the edge 6 lies outside the book, but this edge is'thin and lies le@ closely against the .margin of the leaf, i'n a straight line and in contacting relation (as illustrated in Fig. 2), which is just sutlicient to indicate the location of the device when'in position on'a leaf of a book when closed. Hence, the device fully andeffectively serves itspurpose, without being too complicated, bulky, unsightly, or'so heavy-as to tear the leaf of a book.

In Fig. 2, I have shown my device enlarged ,110

1f the-same as shown in Fig. 5.

and placed upon a leaf of a book primarily to illustrate the relative thickness of the legs f the book-mark With respect to the thickness of the page, and also the manner in Which these legs lie flatly against the opposite sides of the leaf.

While not illustrated, the device may be furnished With the legs 2 and 3 pinched` tightly against eachother. In vievv of the resiliency of the sheet material employed, the legs may be readily separated, When the device is used, merely by placing the longer leg on one sideof the .leaf and pressing it thereagainst, whereupon both legsspread, In either event, the book-mark lies closelya'gainstthe leaf on opposite sides, as shovvn in Fig.' 2, and eliminates any bulging of the book when closed. Y v. ,A .Y

Byiny invention l .avoid all undesirable projections frem the marginof thev leaf and provide the thin vedge @only lying Without the leaf, vvhichedge provides a neat appearance, and hldsthe device on the leaf,.and

at the Esaine time serves to indicate the location of the book-mark. y.

ltfWill be observed that my book-mark in its preferred form, as disclosed in the specification, is made. from one piece and kindbf metal or other resilient material Without the use of glue or adhesive substance Whatever. The cost of manufacture is thereby reduced to a minimum and the possibility of different members becoming detached from each other is obviated. The device can be attached to a page and removed innumerable times Without damage to it or to the page. It does not project from the edge of thefbook page more than the thickness 'of the material, which is about the thickness .of a sheet of aper. It can, therefore, be used on books t at are carried in briefcases or yin the pocket and Will not be subject to Vmcidental removal or displacement, lnor be vthe cause of damageto the book, It is designed and adapted to be removably attached to the book-leaf in a manner and at a place that will indicate to the reader lthe ekactline tostart reading. Being made of one integral piece bent inter.- mediate of its ends to form tvvo opposed holding or gripping members, the gripping or .holding leffect of the device. on. the` leaf of a book arises from ka balancedand 4equal pressure Yupon directly opposite 'sides of the leaf and, accordingly, there is no tendency `of the device either to tear or shear vthe boekleaf at the edges of the tongues or members, or -to bendl or crushA the leaf around' kthe tongues. Moreover, the .holding .power of these vtongues comesfrm the bend in the metal and -the ,ffull Width. ,of the Amet-al is utilized in this bend, so that the ,nietal b e`v practically as .thin yas Ythe..beek-leat-'f and the device ivill yet hold securely; Thus Without projecting beyond the edge of the leaf more than the thickness of the metal a substantial and' secure gripping device is'secured. By making the device in this Way, thin material may be used While at the same time securing strength and a nrrn grip on the book-leaf.

Again, my device depends for its support upon the leaf only to which it is applied and is not required to be attached to the cover of the book which would be objectionable for various reasons, such as the difhculty of making it applicablev alike to thick and thin books and ythe Aliability to displacement uhen the boks are` pushed into or removed from a closely packed line of books on. alibrarys'lielf. lt is intended to mark the `place last read or tvher'e Vnext to begin reading` after the boek has been laiclaway or placed on the. shelf .as in libraries. VIn the lattermcase, the presence of the device in the bookis not noticeable; it is ,not liable to displacement in the handling 'of the book in returningit to the shelves orgetting'it again for' the reader, and the book is not injured by tearing, shearing or creasing of the leaves.

I claim: y

l. A book mark adapted to be slipped ver the edge of a leafof a book consisting of a narrow strip of light flexible tenuous sheet material sharply bent across ina straight line to form flatly opposed legs, said legs being spaced apart al distance lessV than the thickness of the leaf at a point in close proximity to the bend whereby t-he device lightly and flexibly grips the edge of the leaf, thereby affording minimum separation of the leaves of the book When closed, and also 'requiring the device to be slipped the maximum distance inwardly on the leaf, said bend lying in Va close straight lineycontact against the yedge of lthe leaf so as to afford a protrusion from the leaf no greater than the thickness ofthematerial.v

2. A book mark adapted to be slipped over the edge of a leaf of a` book consisting of a narrowstri of light, flexible, tenuous sheetmaterial,v bent across in a straight lineto form lflatly opposed legs to embrace the leaf, the sharp bending causing the legs lightly and Heiribly to the eXtreme edge ofthe leaf and affording .minimum separaof the leaves of the book .When closed, .and the'straieht bend enabling the device .to bey placed at any pointA Valong the edge of theleaf Without objectionably protruding. 3. A book mark adapted Yto be slipped over the .edge of a leaf offa `boekje.onsistir'ig of a narrow stripv f light flexible tenuous sheet mate'rialV bent acioss in a straight line form'ilatly oppesed legs, one-of which shorter than the other `and 'one ,o'f `which lis. .`sofforme'd "as to serve as a pointer, 'said legs' lightly and 'fleiibly the lek;-

treme edge of the leaf and-affording minimum separation of the leaves of the book when closed, the straight bend adapted to lie at any point along the edge of the leaf in close contactual relation so as to aord a protrusion from the leaf no greater than the thickness of the material.

4. A book mark comprising a strip of relatively thin flexible material with a thickness substantially no greater than the thickness of a leaf of a book, said strip being bent to embrace the margin of the leaf and be adjustable there along, said bent portion lying without the leaf and in close contact- 15 ing relation with its edge whereby this bent portion'protrudes a distance no greater than the thickness of the material.

5. A book mark comprising a strip of I relatively thin flexible material bent upon itself between its ends, said strip embracing the margin of a leaf of a book and adjustable there along to indicate any place on the page last read, the bent portionof said strip contacting with the edge of the leaf whereby the protrusion thereof from the leaf is substantially equal to the thickness of the material.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GLENN L. JACKSON.

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