Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF T~E INVENTION
There are existing devices that are mounted ollto telephone
structures for providing quick di~/ectory information. These devices are
often used to provide directory infformation in hotels, motels and the like.
Such known units comprise a slidle mechanism that fits under the telephone
and is pulied forward from underneath the telephone ~or use.
With the advent of new dialing in~ormation, it is desirable that a
telephone directory in~ormation support rack be so positioned that it is
always within the telephone user's sight. Then the telephone user will be
more aware that such directory information exists, and will be more ap~
to use the in~ormation.
The foregoing particularly applies to direct dialing im~rmation.
This information particularly benefits the telephone company, as it
reduces the amount of personnel time required to handle direct dialed
and credit card dialed telephone calls.
's ,. ..
. .
~ .
~ ' ' - '
~ -: :~ . . . - :
:: . : . . ~ - ~
~ -. . : . ~ ~ . , .- -
~Z~2~
The problems with the existing under the telephone mounted
devices are that these devices are not effectively within the user's vie~w.
To use such devices, the user must fLrst recognize or notice the existence
of the under the telephone positioned directory, and then must slide out
the directory to view the information. This unfortunately seldom occurs.
~lso, the space underneath the telephone for mounting such a slidable
device, of necessity causes the device when being moved to directly
contact the particular surface, such as a wood cabinet or the like, on
which the telephone is positioned. This mars the surace. Further, the
space only allows a limited amount of information to be placed into the
directory.
So, it is advantageous to have a new and improved telephone
supported directory information support rack that is positioned to the
side of the telephone, is rigidly but removably secured thereto, that does
not move in and out from the telephone thus marring the surface under-
neath the telephonej and that provides a ready, quick and easily seèn
place for positioning important dlaling instructions and other such
information for telephone users.
SUMMARY OF T~IE INVENTION
In a preferree embodiment of this mv~tion, a first flat or planar
member is connected at one of its sides to a second planar member. The
~second planar member projects downwardly at a normal angle terminating
in a bottom side edge that has an acute angle with the line of the inter-
section of the side edges of the first and second planar members. The
lower edge of the second planar member has securing means, generally
comprising hook members that hook under the side of the telephone housing,
2g
supporting the first planar member in an upright, upwardly inclined
direction forming a surface for supporting telephone directory irlformation.
The securing means or members hold the structure in a secured and
solid position. Thus the flat surface of the first planar member angles
so that it presents a full view to all users of the telephone. A retainer
means is positioned on the flrst planar member to secure in position the
directory information. The the directory information is clearly presented
to the telephone user's eye each time the telephone user wses the phone.
So the dialing information and other information useful to the user of the
phone, that also reduces the services of the telephone company, are
always in the user's view. Yet the support rack structure is quickly
installed or removed from the existing telephone without having to
manipulate or remove portions of the telephone structure.
Further the directory information, so positioned on the first planar
member, can be quickly flipped to use second and succeeding pages that
may be indexed as desired. The solid rack structure is relatively light
weight, and yet is made of plastic or other suitable materials that provide
a rigid structure. An adapter U-shaped member is also usable with the
rack structure to allow the support rack to be supported on other style
telephone housings.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new ~d
improved telephone supported directory information support rack.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a new and 3mproved
telephone supported directory information support rack that is easy to
construct~ easy to install,pro~des a full display of inIormation to all
~''
. .
~Z~9
users of the telephone at all times, and that does not mar the
surface on which the telephone is positioned.
According to a broad aspect of the invention there is
provided a telephone supported directory information support
rack comprising: a first planar member for supporting telephone
directory information, a second planar member joined at one of
its side edges to one of the side edcfes of the first planar
member, the opposite side edge of said second planar member
having an acute angle with the line of intersection of the
intersecting side edges of said first and second planar members,
said opposite side edge being below said first planar member,
said second planar member being at a normal angle with said
first planar member, said opposite side edge of said second
planar member having securing means for securing the said planar
members to the side of the telephone with said opposite edye
being substantially horizontal and said first planar member
presenting a flat upwardly inclined surface for presenting
directory information to the telephone users, retainer means
positioned at the upper inclined end portion of said first
planar member for retaining said telephone directory information
in visible position on said first planar member, said securing
means comprising at least one upwardly directed leg member that
is secured to said opposite side edge and spaced from said
second planar member, the upper end of said leg member having an
enlarged end portion inwardly directed towards the second planar
member.
Other objects and many advantages of this invention
will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detail-
ed description and an examination of the drawing, wherein like
reference numerals designate like parts throughout and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
--4--
~ . ~
,
~zg~
Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment illustrated
in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of
Figure 2, which view also illustrates the mounting of the
information support rack onto the side of a normal telephone
housing.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of the e~odiment,
illustrati.ng an additional retainer member that is used to
secure the information support rack on telephones having a
different housing structure.
Referring now to Figure 1, the telephone supported
directory information support rac]c 10 has a first planar member
12 fox supporting telephone directory information on its upper
surface. A second planar member 14 is secured at one of its
side edges to the side edge of the first planar member 12
along the line 16. The opposite side edge 15 of the second
planar member 14 has a lower surface that generally lies at an
acute angle with the edge line 16 of the first and second planar
members.
Securing means such as the upwardly projecting arms
22 project upwardly and fit between the bottom plate 42 and the
side wall 40 of a
-4a-
~, . . .
~ 2~3Z~9
known telephone housing 11. This suppor$s the firsk and second planar
members with the first planar member being positioned at a slight
upward angle corresponding to the lower edge surface 15 of the second
planar member. The upper portion of arm 22 has an inwardly projecting
portion or enlarged head portion 24 that friction grips the side 40 of the
telephone housing 11, as illustrated in F'igwre 4, rigidly and solidly
holding the rack 10 in position.
A securing plate 20, is secured to the upper end of the first
planar member 12 in any suitable manner, swch as by pins 3~
projecting through openings in the upper end 18 of the planar member 12,
Thus leaf or page type directory information is held at its upper edges
between end 18 and the member 20, in correct orientation for reading.
Planar member 12 also has notches 28 and 30 to facilitate quick
access to layers of telephone directory information that are held by the
retainer means 18 and 20.
; Installations on telephones, such as telephone 13J that have a
different lower structure ~6 and spacing between the bottom portion 46
and the side housing 44 is accomplished by a second U-shaped member 23.
This U-shaped member 23 has one leg that fits down into the space between
arm 22 and second planar member 14 with the other leg of the U-shaped
:. .
member having an enlarged head portion for fitting into the available
;~ space.
While the racks may be made of any suitable material, it is
preferably made with an integral construction of suitable plastic or like
materials. In a normal installation, the lower edge of supprt surfaces 26
;
--5--
~.~
~(~9Z~2~
do not touch the surface on which the telephone is mounted. However,
should such surEaces contact the surIace on which the telephone is
mounted, these surfaces provide the desired bearing and spaced leveling
support necessary to maintain the upward angle of the first planar
5 member 12 at the desired orientation.
In operation, the directory information is placed between end
18 and retainer plate 20 and is held in the posi~ion to be observed. The
rack 10 is then positioned onto the telephone housing by pulling the side
portion 40 and 44 outward slightly to allow the legs 22 to be moved into
10 the space between the wall portion 40 and the bottom portion 42 or the
wall portion 44 and the bottom member 46 to provide a rigid and secure
holding of the support rack in the desired and usable position.
Having described my invention9 I now claim:
: . ~
~ .
