US2468513A - Library book truck - Google Patents

Description

April 26, 1949. F. RIDER LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1945 IVENTOR April 26, 1949. v F RlDER I 2,468,513

LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1945 INVENTOR f O/VT RIDER April 1949- F. RIDER LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK Filed. April 26, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY IIIIIIIWIII:

F. RIDER LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK illll" 7 III {I April 26, 1949.

Filed April 26,. 1945 RIDER lNVENTOR MONT one place to another.

Patented Apr. 26, 1949 LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK Fremont Rider, Middletown, Conn., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 26, 1945, Serial No. 590,477

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a book truck, and it has particular reference to the provision of a portable book carrier whose shelves are readily accessible in narrow runways, such as the aisles of library stack rooms.

The invention contemplates a novel and improved book truck having a substantial shelf capacity for the books to be transported between the stacks and reading rooms of libraries; which is sturdy and rugged in construction to withstand the loads and strains placed upon it; wherein the shelves are so arranged as to make tially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a number of the pieces entering into the construction, so arranged as to illustrate the manner of assembly; and,

Figs. 4, and 6 are sections taken respectively on the lines 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring first to Figs. 1, generally comprises a base structure ll provided with casters l2, shelf sections l3 opening toward the ends of the truck, and side sections [4 which support and brace the shelf sections, and moreover may provide grips for moving the truck from It will be noted that the shelves face toward the open ends of the truck, thus making the books readily available even though the sides of the truck may closely approach the outer faces of opposed book stacks.

The base section II comprises a deck panel formed of side rails I5 and end pieces l6 which enclose a central platform 11 whose ends may be spaced from the end pieces, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The side rails l5 are duplicate pieces, each being formed with a groove l8 adapted to receive tongues l9 formed on the end pieces l5 and platform l1. These parts may be readily cut on conventional woodworking machinery to close tolerances, and may be assembled by gluing the joints to provide a unitary structure. Each corner of the deck is provided with an anchor block 2| having an inclined upper surface. Each anchor block 2| is secured to the end portions [5 by screws 22 entering from the under side of the deck, and therefore blind to the observer. The casters l2 are mounted under the deck by any suitable means, such as the headed screws 23, and as these casters may be of any desired construction, they need not be further described.

2 and 3, the truck The shelf sections I3 comprise opposed pairs of duplicate right and left-hand upright members 25 and 26, each of which is provided with a plurality of stepped dado cuts 21 and adjoining grooves 28. It will be seen that while the cuts and grooves are at right angles to each other, they are inclined to the sides and ends of the uprights 25. The lower ends of the uprights are cut at an angle to the side edges, so that, when the parts are positioned on the deck, they face inwardly toward each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. With this construction, the shelves are inclined with respect to the vertical transverse center plane of the truck as a whole, thereby rendering the books readily accessible. It will also be observed that the tapering upper faces of the anchor blocks 2| are at such an angle as to coincide with the bottom edge of the lowermost dado cut 21 on each side panel 25 and 26.

In assembly, pairs of uprights 25 and 26 are positioned on opposite sides of the deck, adja-' cent the blocks 2!, and the aligned grooves 28 then receive back boards 29, while the dados 21 are fitted with shelves 3|. These parts may be secured by glue and finishing nails 32 which are entered from the outer faces of the uprights. If desired, of course, the parts just described may be assembled as a unit, and later mounted upon the base H in an obvious manner. The backs of the shelves 3! may moreover be formed with scallops 33 so as to preclude the collection of dust and dirt in the angle between the shelves and backboards. The space between the lowermost shelves and the deck may also be faced with a molding strip 35, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The upright members 25 and 23 are next provided with exterior facing panels 35, of less height but slightly greater Width than the uprights, whose lower ends abut the base II and whose upper ends may terminate adjacent the uppermost shelf 3i. These panels are also so made that they may be positioned on either side of the truck, in the same manner as the uprights 25 and 26. A cross plate 36 is then positioned above the panels 35 and between the uprights, and is advantageously provided with extending portions 31 formed with scrolls 3B which may be gripped by the hand to move-the truck around the library. These pieces are secured by screws 39, entered from the inner or blind side of the uprights 25 and 26, so that the exterior of the truck may be finished as desired to present an attractive appearance. Cross member 36 is secured to both uprights 25 and 26 and cooperates with them, panels 35 and platform I! in forming a substantially rigid and strong truck construction.

It will be seen that by inclining the uprights 25 and 26 toward the vertical center of the truck, there is not only gained the advantage of inclined shelving to facilitate observation identification of and access to any book, but also that the lower shelves are as readily accessible as the uppermost, due to the offsetting arrangement obtained. Inasmuch as the shelves open toward the ends of the truck, they are available as the truck is towed or pushed through narrow passageways ccmlmonly found in the stackrooms of libraries, and the truck may therefore be taken directly to the storage shelf for loading or unloading. The construction specified is adequate to render the truck durable under the loads it is intended to carry, and it will be observed that by providing as far as possible for matched and interchangeable parts, the cost of manufacture may be held to a minimum. As the truck is pushed and pulled through manual force applied to extensions 31' stresses are equalized through the relatively inclined upright members and 26 and panels 35.

By having the uprights 25 and 26 spaced apart in their relative inclined relation, a transversely extending compartment is formed on the book truck between the uprights for receiving books of a size too large to be placed on the shelves. The backs 29 for the central shelves support the books in this compartment from opposite end portions of the truck.

Long articles such as crnaps in rolled form and the like, may be inserted between the upper shelf backs into the compartment in the center of the truck from the top for support on the platform. The cross plates will retain the articles in position on the truck while being transported to their storage place.

The book truck herein disclosed has the advantage of providing a maximum amount of book filing space thereon in which the majority of books are arranged so the titles are readable and the books are removable from the ends of the truck, making the truck conveniently useful in narrow stack aisles.

The invention claimed is:

l. A book truck comprising a rectangular base structure comprising a joined deck panel, anchor blocks secured at the corners of the panel, pairs of uprights connected to said anchor blocks on either side of the base structure and extending upwardly from the deck and inwardly toward the central transverse vertical plane therethrough, shelves extending transversely of the deck, between and secured to opposite uprights, said shelves being inclined toward said vertical plane and being oifset toward said plane from the bottom to the top of the uprights, backboards extending between and secured to opposite uprights along the adjacent inner edges thereof and abutting said shelves at substantially right angles, facing panels secured to the outer faces of the uprights, and longitudinally extending cross plates extending between and connecting the uprights in each pair at the tops thereof and pro- J'ecting beyond the outer edges of said uprights.

2. A book truck comprising a rectangular base structure including a deck having interchangeable sides and end pieces, interchangeable anchor blocks mounted on the corners of the deck, upright members secured to and extending upwardly and inwardly from the anchor blocks, said upright members being formed as right and left-hand members on each side and being interchangeable between the sides, dados cut in said upright memtending above the base structure, each of said upright members extending from the ends of the base structure inwardly toward the vertical transverse plane of the truck, shelves secured to and extending between the upright members transversely of the truck and being inclined inwardly toward said plane, backboards secured to and extending between the upright members alongthe rear edges of the shelves and being positioned substantially at right angles thereto, said shelves being formed with scalloped openings adjacent said rear edges, panels mounted on the outer surfaces of the upright members, and cross plates extending between the upright members above the panels on each side, said cross plates extending beyond the upright members and being formed on their extending portions to provide hand grips for moving the truck, the openings of said shelves facing outwardly toward the ends of the truck whereby books on said shelves are accessible from the ends of the truck when the sides are obstructed.

4. A book truck comprising a long narrow rectangular platform, wheels supporting said platform for free movement, pairs of uprights mounted on opposite sides of said platform at opposite ends, inclining upwardly from the ends of the platform toward the central transverse vertical plane therethrough and having the upper ends terminating in spaced relation, a plurality of shelves extending transversely between and rigidly secured to the uprights at oppositeends and opening at the ends of the truck, and a pair of cross plates extending longitudinally of said truck at opposite sides having inner fiat faces intermediate the extremities engaged with the outer faces of said uprights transversely of the upper portions and rigidly secured thereto, said cross plates extending across the gap between the upper ends of said uprights at each side of said truck and having free ends projecting in longitudinal relation beyond said uprights at the ends of said truck.

FREMONT RIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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