Adjustable reading aid

Claim 1

A reading aid comprising a unit for detachably holding reading material; and an elongated structure supporting said unit and having a mounting portion at a first end thereof; said elongated structure being connected at a second end thereof to said unit, and being adjustable between said ends to different conditions supporting said unit and reading material carried thereby in any of various different reading positions relative to said mounting portion of the elongated structure; said mounting portion of said elongated structure including a downwardly facing clamp adapted to be received over and be clamped to the upper edge of a bed headboard or the like; said elongated structure including a first rigid member projecting upwardly above said clamp, a second rigid member connected pivotally to an upper portion of said first rigid member and projecting outwardly therefrom to a location offset horizontally from the clamp, a third rigid member pivotally connected to an outer end of said second rigid member and projecting downwardly therefrom and adjusting carrying said unit, a swivel connection attaching a lower portion of said first rigid member to said clamp for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis to swing said members and said unit and carried reading material between an active reading position and an inactive retracted position, a fourth member projecting downwardly from said third member, a second swivel connection attaching said fourth member to said third member to turn relative thereto about a generally vertical axis, and a pivotal connection attaching said unit to said fourth member for pivotal adjusting movement about a generally horizontal axis; said unit including a backing structure against which a book is receivable in open condition, an elongated retaining element adapted to extend between successive pages of the book at a location opposite the binding to retain the book against said backing structure, two springs securing opposite ends of said retaining element to the backing structure beyond the binding of the book, and elastic corner retainers carried by said backing structure at locations to extend across different corners of the pages of the book and releasably retain them in open condition.