Bookend with slider/joiner

Abstract

A bookend system that has first and second relatively moveable members. Each moveable member has a substantially planar vertical surface for engaging objects to be held therebetween and a horizontal leg. The horizontal leg of the first member has a central open are with opposed parallel interior edges which receives the horizontal leg of the second member, which has interfitting opposed parallel edges. The adjacent edges of the first member and the second member are connected by at least one joiner that slidably captures the parallel edges. The joiner may take the configuration of an I-beam, having upper and lower flanges joined together by a central web. In such an embodiment, the opposed parallel edges of the first and second members are captured in a slot formed between the flanges of the joiner.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A bookend having first and second relatively moveable members, each moveable member having a substantially planar vertical surface for engaging objects to be held therebetween, and a horizontal leg, the horizontal leg of the first member having a central open area with opposed parallel interior edges and the horizontal leg of the second member having opposed parallel edges and sized to fit within the open area in the leg of the first member, and at least one joiner for slidably capturing the parallel edges of the horizontal legs of the first and second members.  
     
     
         2 . The bookend of  claim 1  wherein the vertical leg of the first member has an open central area and the vertical leg of the second member has a shape complimentary to that of the open area in the vertical leg of the first member so that the first and second members may nest with their vertical legs being substantially co-planar.  
     
     
         3 . The bookend of  claim 1  wherein the joiner has upper and lower flanges joined together by a web, the opposed parallel edges of the first and second members being captured in a slot defined by the flanges of the joiner.  
     
     
         4 . The bookend of  claim 3  wherein the spacing between the flanges causes the flanges to grip the horizontal legs of the first and second members so as to provide resistance to the movement of the first member with respect to the second member.  
     
     
         5 . The bookend of  claim 4  wherein the slot defined by the upper and lower flanges is narrower at an entrance to the slot than at the web.  
     
     
         6 . The bookend of  claim 4  wherein the joiners have a low profile.  
     
     
         7 . The bookend system of  claim 1  wherein one joiner slidably captures each of the opposed parallel edges of the horizontal leg of the first and second members.