Portable easel device
OwnerWilliam F. Fuhriinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device which serves alternatively as an easel and as a drawing board and which provides a carrying case for art supplies and the components of the easel and support legs. The easel can be set up in the lower section of the case and is supported by a rigid triangular framework formed by the upper and lower sections of the case and a folding easel arm. The drawing board is located on the upper section. A reversible hinge arrangement permits the hinge connection between the upper and lower sections to be reversed for drawing. Strategically located compartments within the upper and lower sections make the painting supplies conveniently accessible for painting and the drawing supplies conveniently accessible for drawing. The legs can be broken down for storage in the case and have a male-female joint for increased strength and stability.
Claims16
A portable easel arrangement comprising:
- a carrying case having a lower section presenting a plurality of compartments for holding art supplies;
- an upper section of the carrying case coupled with said lower section for hinged movement between an open position wherein said compartments are accessible and a closed position wherein the upper section covers the lower section;
- a canvas rest mounted in said lower section for pivotal movement between a folded storage position wherein the canvas rest is contained in the lower section of the case and an extended position wherein the canvas rest presents a surface thereon for receiving the lower edge of a painting canvas;
- an easel arm adapted for detachable connection to said canvas rest in generally upward extension therefrom to receive the back of a painting canvas resting on the canvas rest, said arm fitting in said carrying case for storage when detached from the canvas rest;
- and
- means for detachably fastening a selected portion of said easel arm to said upper section in the open position of the latter to maintain said arm in a generally vertical orientation for receiving the back of a canvas resting on said canvas rest, said detachable fastening means holding said upper section and said canvas rest and easel arm rigidly in place in a configuration wherein said upper and lower sections and said easel arm cooperate to form a rigid triangular structure for supporting the painting canvas.
A combined drawing board and easel arrangement comprising:
- a carrying case having upper and lower sections, said lower section being adapted to hold art supplies and having front and back ends;
- a drawing board on said upper section;
- first hinge means for detachably connecting said upper section to the back end of said lower section in a manner permitting hinged movement of the upper section about a first hinge axis between an open position wherein the interior of said lower section is exposed and a closed position wherein the upper section covers the lower section;
- an easel adapted to be set up in said lower section when said upper section is in the open position, said easel being adapted to support a painting canvas to permit painting on the canvas from the front end of said lower section;
- and
- second hinge means for detachably connecting said upper section to said front end of the lower section in a manner permitting hinged movement of the lower section about a second hinge axis offset from and generally parallel to said first hinge axis, said upper section being movable about said second hinge axis to a position to orient said drawing board in an inclined position, thereby permitting drawing on the drawing board from said front end of the lower section.
In a portable easel arrangement of the type having a carrying case for art supplies, an easel adapted to be set up in the carrying case to hold a painting canvas, and a plurality of legs for supporting the case at an elevated position, an improved construction for each leg comprising:
- an upper leg section adapted to be detachably connected to the carrying case and short enough to fit therein for storage, said upper leg section having a tongue portion projecting downwardly therefrom;
- an intermediate leg section presenting a groove therein sized to closely receive said tongue portion of the upper leg section, said intermediate leg section being short enough to fit in the carrying case for storage;
- means for detachably securing said upper and intermediate leg sections together end to end with said tongue portion of the upper section disposed in said groove to strengthen the connection between the upper and intermediate leg sections;
- a lower leg section sized to fit closely in said groove and short enough to be contained substantially completely in the groove for storage, said lower leg section being extensible and retractable in said groove to vary the length of the leg;
- and
- releasable means for securing said lower leg section to said intermediate leg section with the lower section projecting out of the groove below the intermediate section, said releasable means being selectively releasable to permit adjustment of the length of the leg and retraction of the lower leg section into said groove for storage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.