US2073172A - Holder - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1937. Q N 2,073,172

HOLDER Filed Nov. 16, 1935 INVENTOR WWW/e- Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a holder for pens, pencils, cards, paper, letters and the like,-being particularly of the type adapted for placement upon or attachment to a table or desk, within convenient reach.

Cognizance is taken of the large number of devices of this class, but it is within the contemplation of my invention to improve upon existing designs by increasing the ratio of utility to cost,an object which I attain by presenting an exceedingly simple, compact, easily fabricated and inexpensive device adapted to detachably retain therein a considerable variety and quantity of desk paraphernalia, including writing imple- 5 ments, papers and related articles.

It is another object of my invention to enable a holder of this type to be manufactured from a single sheet of material, for economical production,and of a configuration presentable in a-ppearance.

And still another object of this invention is to render a device of the character described both handy and convenient as a desk or table appurtenance,-one that can be readily positioned in place, and that is economical of space without sacrifice of utility.

' Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawing and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an end view of one form of my invention, showing the device clamped to the edge of a desk and having contained therein writing implements and other paraphernalia,-the clamp being shown in three different positions for different desk top thicknesses.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of another form of this invention adapted for placement upon a desk,

and

Figure 4 is an end view of still another form of this invention.

As will be seen from the drawing, the dominant characteristic of my invention resides in a spiral-shaped structure so formed and curled as to provide retaining loops for writing implements, adjacent and preferably resilient walls as yieldable and frictional clamps for sheets of paper,

and space for cards, rolls of paper or other articles. In a practical embodiment of the invention, there are two spiral formations, one having as a continuous part thereof table-engaging means such as a clamp or base,the entire device being preferably formed from one continuous strip of resilient sheet metal, or other suitable material.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown an S-shaped structure coextensive with three spiral-shaped portions 4, 5 and 6, the latter having as a coexten- 5 sive appendage the resilient clamping member I for attachment to the edge of a table. The upper portion of the strip is rolled upon itself in such manner as to provide aspace 8, preferably of gradually decreasing proportions, between the 10 curved wall ll thereof and the adjacent portion ill of the intermediate upright I3,-preferably until contact is made at some area 9, the upper terminal of the strip being coiled to provide the loop l2, shown ofi-center with respect to the up- 15 per spiral portion. The said upright l3 joins the upper spiral 4 withlower spiral 6 which terminates at the return bend I4 to form the loop IS. The member 1 is angularly disposed with respect to thevertical wall 16 and extends in a 20 substantially horizontal direction, the end of the member being coiled to form the loop H.

In the application of this device, the member 1, serving as a lower jaw, coacts with the bottom ofspiral 6 as the upper jaw to form a clamp 25 for detachable engagement with the edge l8 of a desk, table or other suitable support. It is apparent that if the material has resilient properties, the clamp could be adapted for use with edges of various thicknesses. 30

Pens or pencils can readily be inserted into the loops l2, l5 and I1, and either held there loosely, or frictionally retained in place. By suitable dimensional design or by manual manipulation the loops can be made of the proper 5 size to conveniently accommodate writing implements of various thicknesses. Sheets of paper can be inserted into thespaces 8 and 9 to be irictionally held in place by the walls bounding these spaces. These gradually decreasing 40spaces 8 and I9 and the resiliency of the said walls are effective in providing not only a firm frictional grip upon the paper, but also expansible recesses for accommodating either one or many sheets of paper, inasmuch as the pressure ap- 45 plied upon the walls by the paper will cause them to yieldably spread apart. If the walls actually come into abutment, as at the area 9, a definite stopping point will be provided beyond which the paper cannot be inserted. Thespaces 20 and 50 2| can accommodate rolls of paper or other articles, and thespace 22 can hold a stack of cards, either resting diagonally, as indicated, or if sufficiently narrow, horizontally upon the memher I. 55

It is thus apparent that this form of my invention presents an exceedingly simple device that can be made of a single sheet of material without the use of any other parts whatsoever, that can be adapted for ready attachment to practically any desk or table, and which can conveniently hold three writing implements, a variety of sheets and rolls of paper, cards, and other related paraphernalia. It is a device which can be employed on any executives or clerks desk, or in conjunction with a card or bridge table.

In the modified form of this invention shown in Figure 3, the holder is adapted for placement directly upon the fiat surface of a support, without the use of any clamping means. In this form, the structure is S-shaped, having two spiral-like portions 23 and 24, the terminals of the strip being coiled to formloops 25 and 26,shown in the drawing as being off-center with respect to the spirals. The bottom spiral contains the flat portion 2'! which serves as a base. As in the first form described, writing implements can be inserted inloops 25 and 26, sheets of paper between thewalls 28 and 29, and 30 and 3!, and rolls of paper, cards or other articles in thecentral openings 32 and 33.

In this modified design, the intermediate wall or upright 34 can be made to slope back diagonally a sufficient amount for balance; and if desired, thebase 21 can be of heavier stock, for the same purpose. The inclined upright 34 will also serve as a rest for papers inserted inspace 35. The position of theloops 25 and 26, as well as the loops of the holder first above described, can be varied in accordance with design requirements or preferences; but note should be taken that a preferred position of certain of these loops, as l2 and 25, is as remote as possible from thespaces 8 and 35 respectively, to prevent interference with the papers contained therein.

Another modification of this invention is illustrated in Figure 4, in which the intermediate portion or upright 36 is coextensive at one end with thefiat base portion 31, and at the other end with the spiral-like structure 38 terminating in the loop 39. In this simplified form of my invention, the device can be set upon a suitable supporting surface, and is adapted to accommodate a writing implement in the loop 39, sheets or rolls of papers in thespaces 40 and 4|, and cards on the upper surface ofbase 31.

It will also be seen that although the three forms herein illustrated and described possess highly valuable utilitarian qualities, the designs themselves, due to the spiral configuration, are decidedly presentable in appearance.

It is of course understood that the various embodiments above described and shown in the drawing are illustrative of my invention and not employed by way of limitation, inasmuch as numerous changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A holder of the character described comprising a continuous strip of resilient sheet material formed into an S-shaped structure with two spiral-like formations terminating into coiled loops one of said formations having a central opening therein, another spiral-like formation extending outwardly and downwardly from the terminal of one of said loops, and a table-clamping member joining said latter formation.

2. A holder of the character described comprising a continuous strip of sheet material shaped into two spiral-like formations joined by an intermediate upright, each of said formations terminating in a coiled loop and one of said formations having a central opening therein, another spiral-like formation extending outwardly and downwardly from the terminal of the lower of said loops, a substantially horizontal resilient clamping member extending inwardly from said later formation, the terminal of said member underlying the lower of the two firstmentioned spiral-like formations to coact therewith for clamping engagement with the edge of a table.

3. A holder of the character described comprising a continuous strip of sheet material shaped into two spiral-like formations joined by an intermediate upright, each of said formations terminating in an off-center coiled loop and one of said formations having a central opening therein, another spiral-like formation extending outwardly and downwardly from the terminal of the lower of said loops, a substantially horizontal resilient clamping member extending inwardly from said latter formation, the terminal of said member being coiled to form a loop underlying the lower of the two first-mentioned spiral-like formations to coact therewith for clamping engagement with the edge of a table, said upright being adjacent portions of the uppermost and the last-mentioned spiral-like formations to form spaces therebetween for accommodating sheets of paper.

EMANUEL R. POSNACK.

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