US3755925A - Specimen book - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for at least one specimen composed of a front cover, back cover and spine corresponding in appearance to a conventional hard-covered book and including secured between the covers an open top container and an overflap corresponding in size to the size of the open top in the container for positioning over the open top. The flap is provided with at least one aperture for viewing specimens in the container. Attached to the inside of the front cover are a plurality of pages bearing indicia relative to the specimen.

Description

Unite n51 States Patent 1 l 11 3,755,925

Qourt Sept. 4, W73

[54] SPECIMEN BOOK 3,191,319 6/1965 Waisgerberm. r 35/49 368517 1972 F' 'h 3 i [76] lnventor: Arthur E. Court, 10 Hotaling Pl., 0 8/ alrlelg l San Franmsco Cahf' 9411 1 Primary ExaminerHarland S Skogquist [22] Filed: May 15, 1972 Attorney-Stephen S. Townsend. Thomas F. Smegal. 21 Appl. No.: 253,075 et [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 35/49, 281/29, 229/8 A holder for at least one Specimen composed Ofa from [51] Int. Cl 865d 5/00 cover, back cover and spine Corresponding in appear [58] Field of Search 35/35 E, 49, 53; ance to a conventional hard covered book and includ 229/8; 281/29 ing secured between the covers an open top container and an overflap corresponding in size to the size of the [56] References C'ted open top in the container for positioning over the open UNITED STATES PAT top. The flap is provided with at least one aperture for 1,032,156 7 1912 Pearson 35 53 viewing specimens in the container. Attached to the inl,l43,729 6/1915 Schmidt 229/8 X side of the front cover are a plurality of pages bearing 1,709,685 4/1929 Rothrock 229/8 X indicia relative to the specimen, 2,538,085 l/l95l Cotton 35/35 H X 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SPECIMEN BOOK This invention relates to a holder for specimens such as fossils. More particularly, the invention is directed to a container closely resembling a book in which one or more fossils and indicia-bearing pages are disposed.

The prior art contains articles of manufacture wherein specimens are embodied along with pages bearing indicia in looseleaf or permanently bound books; see for example, U. S. Pat. No. 3,191,319. The present invention is directed to a further improvement upon such existing structures.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a specimen-displaying container.

A further object is to provide a container which is readily fabricated, yet attractive in appearance.

It is another object of this invention to provide a specimen holder conforming closely in outer appearance to a conventional hard-bound book.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anopen book constructed in accordance with applicants invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the book of FIG. I in a fully closed position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, book includes a front or top cover 12, a rear or bottom cover M, and a spine or back 16, as in conventional hardcover books. However, and as most clearly illustrated in FIG. 1, the space normally occupied by indicia-carrying pages attached to spine 16 have been replaced with a rectangular shaped tray 18 having a cover (overflap) 20 adapted to span the rectangular area circumscribed by sides 22, 22, 22" and 22". Overflap 20 is provided with at least one aperture 24 through which specimen 26 can be observed when overflap 20 is positioned covering the area defined within tray 18.

Attached to the inside of cover 12 are a plurality of indicia-bearing sheets (pages) 28 describing the particular specimen or specimens 26 being displayed. Sheets 28 are attached to the inside of cover 12 in a conventional manner, including gluing, or as illustrated in FIG. 3, by insertion in a preformed pocket in the inside of cover 12. Spine 16 can either be unattached to side 22 (as shown in FIG. l) or adhered along its length to side 22.

Fossil 26 is either directly mounted to the bottom of tray 18 or attached to a separate mounting member (not shown) in a conventional manner and the mounting member inserted into the opening defined by the sides that form tray 18. Sides 22, 22' and 22" are preferably formed to have an external appearance corresponding to the pages of a conventional hard-bound book, either by a plurality of inked lines representing the edges of individual pages or in some other manner duplicating the appearance thereof.

In the modification depicted in FIG. 3, overflap 20, having two apertures 24 for viewing two specimens 26, is provided with its own separate spine or back 30 of such a width that it corresponds to the height of the sides forming tray 18 and enables overflap 20 to lie contiguous with the upper edges of the aforementioned sides. Illustrated inside cover 12 in FIG. 3 is the outline of a pocket 32 for insertion of the back cover of a plurality of pages of indicia. Providing overflap 20 with a separate spine 30 enables the cover 12, spine 16, back 14, spine 30 and overflap 20 to be fabricated from a single continuous piece of material, to which the lower edges of sides 22, 22', 22" and 22" are conventionally secured.

In operation, specimen 26 is inserted into tray 18 in such a manner that when first overflap 20 is positioned over tray 18, specimens such as fossils 26 will be visible through opening (aperture) 24. Cover 12 is then closed over overlay 20 so as to provide a unit having an outward appearance similar to that of a conventional book, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The resulting compact unit can be stored on a book shelf.

Although two embodiments of this invention have been described in some detail, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the above-identified invention is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A holder for at least one sample, comprising a rectangular shaped, open top container having a depth in excess of the height of said at least one sample, said container having a bottom and at least a pair of generally parallel opposed sides attached to said bottom; a first overflap having an edge attached along one of said opposed sides, said first overflap generally corresponding in size to the size of said open top of said container, said overflap being provided with a separate sample viewing opening for each of said at least one sample; and a second overflap having an edge attached along the other of said opposed sides, said second overflap being larger than the open top on said container and corresponding in size to the bottom of said container, said second overflap adapted to overlie said first flap.

2. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein said first overflap is attached through a spine to said bottom.

3. A holder in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second overflap is attached through a spine to said bottom.

41. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein the dimension of said bottom and second overflap are greater than said container and said first overflap.

5. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein said at least one sample is a fossil.

6. A holder in accordance with claim I wherein said container is further characterized by two pairs of generally parallel opposed sides.

7. A holder in accordance with claim 1 and further characterized by a plurality of indicia supporting leaves attached to said second overflap so as to be positioned between said first and second overflaps when said second overflap overlies said first overflap.

8. A holder in accordance with claim 7 wherein one of said leaves is retained in a pocket in said second overflap.

Claims (8)

1. A holder for at least one sample, comprising a rectangular shaped, open top container having a depth in excess of the height of said at least one sample, said container having a bottom and at least a pair of generally parallel opposed sides attached to said bottom; a first overflap having an edge attached along one of said opposed sides, said first overflap generally corresponding in size to the size of said open top of said container, said overflap being provided with a separate sample viewing opening for each of said at least one sample; and a second overflap having an edge attached along the other of said opposed sides, said second overflap being larger than the open top on said container and corresponding in size to the bottom of said container, said second overflap adapted to overlie said first flap.

2. A holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first overflap is attached through a spine to said bottom.

3. A holder in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second overflap is attached through a spine to said bottom.

4. A holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the dimension of said bottom and second overflap are greater than said container and said first overflap.

5. A holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one sample is a fossil.

6. A holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein said container is further characterized by two pairs of generally parallel opposed sides.

7. A holder in accordance with claim 1 and further characterized by a plurality of indicia supporting leaves attached to said second overflap so as to be positioned between said first and second overflaps when said second overflap overlies said first overflap.

8. A holder in accordance with claim 7 wherein one of said leaves is retained in a pocket in said second overflap.

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