Folding bookcase

Abstract

A foldable bookcase made up of two units comprising: (a) first and second units, each unit having a set of uniform sized shelves rigidly secured in spaced-apart parallel relation to and between a pair of opposed parallel, uniform-sized sideboards; (b) means for pivotally securing said first unit to said second unit to permit said first unit to be supported on said second unit with the side boards thereof aligned and also permits the back of said first unit to be folded against the back of said second unit with the side boards thereof aligned; and (c) wherein the relation of said first and second sets of shelves is such as to cause the positions of individual ones of said second set of shelves to be offset from the positions of individual ones of said first set of shelves when said first and second units are in a folded position.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A bookcase adapted for folding for easy transport and storage, comprising: 
 a) a first integral unit comprising: 
 i) a first pair of opposed planar side members of predetermined length, width, and thickness, and of uniform size and shape, each of said members being bounded by front, back, top, bottom, and side surfaces;  
 ii) a first plurality of substantially level and parallel planar shelves of predetermined uniform length, predetermined width and thickness, each of said shelves being bounded by front, back, end, top, and bottom surfaces, said planar shelves being vertically spaced in respect to said planar side members, and  
 iii) means for rigidly securing end surfaces of said planar shelves to inner side surfaces of said planar side members;  
   b) a second integral unit comprising: 
 i) a second pair of opposed planar side members of predetermined length, width, and thickness, and of uniform size and shape, each of said second pair of side members being bounded by front, back, top, bottom, and side surfaces;  
 ii) a second plurality of substantially level and parallel planar shelves of predetermined uniform length, predetermined width and thickness, each of said second plurality of shelves being bounded by front, back, end, top, and bottom surfaces, said second plurality of planar shelves being vertically spaced in respect to said second pair of planar side members; and  
 iii) means for rigidly securing end surfaces of said second plurality of planar shelves to inner side surfaces of said second pair of planar side members; and  
   c) means for pivotally securing upper back surfaces of said first pair of planar side members of said first integral unit to the lower back surfaces of said second pair of planar side members of said second integral unit, thereby enabling said units when folded to rest one against the other and when unfolded enabling said second unit to form an extension of said first unit.    
     
     
         2 . The bookcase of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second pairs of planar side members are tapered in width from bottom to top such that said second pair of planar side members are gradually of less width than the upper end of said first pair of planar side members creating an even taper from the top surfaces of said second pair of planar side member to the bottom surfaces of said first pair of planar side members.  
     
     
         3 . The bookcase of  claim 2 , wherein said front and back surfaces of said first and second plurality of planar shelves are flush with both said front and back surfaces of said first and second pair of planar side members.  
     
     
         4 . The bookcase of  claim 2 , wherein said front surfaces of said first and second plurality of planar shelves are flush with said front surfaces of said first and second pair of planar side members, but said back surfaces of said first and second plurality of planar shelves are not flush but instead progressively extend further beyond the back surface of said first and second plurality of planar side members increasing in extension from the uppermost shelf of said second unit to the bottommost shelf of said first unit.  
     
     
         5 . The bookcase of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second pairs of planar side members are of even, consistent width.  
     
     
         6 . The bookcase of  claim 5 , wherein said front surfaces of said first and second plurality of planar shelves are flush with said front surfaces of said first and second pair of planar side members, said back surfaces of said first and second plurality of planar shelves are not flush with said back surfaces of said first and second pair of planar side members but instead progressively extend outwardly from the back surfaces of said first and second plurality of planar side members and increase in the amount of extension from the uppermost shelf of said second unit to the bottommost shelf of said first unit.  
     
     
         7 . The bookcase of  claim 1 , wherein said means for pivotally securing the upper back surfaces of said first pair of planar side members of said first integral unit to the lower back surface of said second pair of planar side members of said second integral unit include hinges.  
     
     
         8 . The bookcase of  claim 6 , wherein when said first and second units are folded together, said plurality of planar shelves of said first and second units are vertically spaced apart such that said shelves of said first unit do not touch or interfere with said shelves of said second unit.  
     
     
         9 . The bookcase of  claim 1  wherein the uppermost shelf of said second unit of said bookcase is fixedly secured to a wall.  
     
     
         10 . A bookcase made up of two units adapted to be folded together for ease of transport and storage, comprising: 
 a) a first integral bookcase unit having a first set of uniform sized shelf boards rigidly secured in spaced-apart parallel relation to and between inner side surfaces of a first pair of opposed parallel, uniform-sized sideboards;    b) a second integral bookcase unit having a second set of uniform sized shelf boards rigidly secured in spaced-apart, parallel relation to and between inner side surfaces of a second pair of opposed parallel, uniform-sized sideboards;    c) means for pivotally securing said first unit to said second unit in a manner that permits said second unit in a first position to be supported on said first unit with the side boards thereof aligned and in a second position, which permits the back of said second unit to be folded against the back of said first unit with the side boards thereof aligned; and    d) wherein said spaced-apart, parallel relation of said first and second sets of shelf boards is such as to cause the positions of individual ones of said second set of shelf boards to be offset from the positions of individual ones of said first set of shelf boards when said first and second units are in said second folded position.    
     
     
         11 . A bookcase as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said first and second unit side boards are shaped such that when in said first position they present a tapered appearance when viewed from the side.  
     
     
         12 . A bookcase as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said first and second sets of shelf boards are secured to the respective first and second set of sideboards in a manner that allows front surfaces of said shelf boards to reside flush with front surfaces of said sideboards.  
     
     
         13 . A bookcase as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the respective ones of said shelf boards differ in width such that said shelf boards gradually diminish in width in an upward direction when said units are in said first position.  
     
     
         14 . A bookcase as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said sideboards are of uniform width.  
     
     
         15 . A bookcase as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said means for pivotally securing said first unit to said second unit comprise hinges.  
     
     
         16 . A bookcase as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the uppermost shelf of said bookcase is fixedly secured to a wall.