Folding wire easel

A collapsible easel comprising:

• (A) a set of three legs, each of the three legs having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the three legs being attached with one another at an apex means, whereby the three legs are moveable with respect to one another about the apex means such that the three legs are moveable between a collapsed position and an opened position;
• wherein
• each of the three legs are disposed substantially adjacent one another in the collapsed position,
• the second end of each of the three legs is spaced a distance away from each other in the opened position whereby the three legs form an upright pyramidal configuration when the three legs are in the opened position with the second end of each of the three legs engaging a substrate;
• (B) a reinforcing member comprising (i) a first reinforcing arm, (ii) a reinforcing second arm, and (iii) a pivoting means that pivotably joins the first reinforcing arm and the second reinforcing arm to each other, wherein
• the first reinforcing arm is fixedly attached to a first attachment point of a first leg in the set of three legs by a first attachment means, wherein the first reinforcing arm is configured to pivot about the first attachment point of the first leg;
• the second reinforcing arm is fixedly attached to a first attachment point of a second leg in the set of three legs by a second attachment means, wherein the second reinforcing arm is configured to pivot about the first attachment point of the second leg;
• whereby the reinforcing member is pivotable, about said pivoting mechanism, between a first reinforcing member position and a second reinforcing member position;
• and
• (C) a bracing assembly comprising:
• (i) an alpha support member comprising (a) a first alpha arm, (b) a second alpha arm, and (c) an interlocking means that pivotably joins the first alpha arm and the second alpha arm to each other,
• the first alpha arm is fixedly attached to a second attachment point of the first leg by a third attachment means, wherein the first alpha arm is configured to pivot about the second attachment point of the first leg;
• the second alpha arm is fixedly attached to a second attachment point of the second leg by a fourth attachment means, wherein the second alpha arm is configured to pivot about the second attachment point of the second leg,
• whereby the alpha support member is pivotable about said interlocking means between a first alpha support member position and a second alpha support member position,
• (ii) a beta support member comprising a first end and a second end, wherein
• the first end of the beta support member is fixedly attached to the second attachment point of the first leg by a fifth attachment means, wherein the first end of the beta support member is configured to pivot about the second attachment point of the first leg,
• the second end of the beta support member is slidably attached to a third leg in the set of three legs by a sixth attachment means,
• whereby the beta support member is pivotable about the first end of the beta support member between a first beta support member position and a second beta support member position, and
• (iii) a gamma support member comprising a first end and a second end, wherein
• the first end of the gamma support member is slidably attached to the third leg by a seventh attachment means,
• the second end of the gamma support member is fixedly attached to the second attachment point of the second leg by an eight attachment means, wherein the second end of the gamma support member is configured to pivot about the second attachment point of the second leg,
• whereby the third gamma member is pivotable about the second end of the gamma support member between a first gamma support member position and a second gamma support member position, wherein
• the second end of the beta support member and the first end of the gamma support member are attached to each other by a ninth attachment means, and
• wherein the set of three legs, the reinforcing member, and the bracing assembly are configured so that
• when the three legs are in the collapsed position,
• the reinforcing member is in the first reinforcing member position,
• the alpha support member is in the first alpha support member position,
• the beta support member is in the first beta support member position, and
• the gamma support member is in the first gamma support member position, and
• when the three legs are in the opened position,
• the reinforcing member is in the second reinforcing member position,
• the alpha support member is in the second alpha support member position,
• the beta support member is in the second beta support member position, and
• the third gamma member is in the second gamma support member position.