US3414343A - Artist's painting kit - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1968 c. E. THOMAS 3,4l4343 ARTIST'S PAINTING KIT Filed Jan. 16, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet l /NVE/VTOR CARROLL E. THOMAS 5y gramm ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1968 c. E. THOMAS 3,414,343

ARTIST' S PAINTING KIT Filed Jan. 1e, 1967 3 sheets-sheet 2 N. N l S c '1 \l k H ,n

A d Q /NVE/VTOR CARROLL E. THOMAS A TTOR/VEY DeC- 3, 1968 c. E. THOMAS 3,414,343

ARTIST'S PAINTING KT Filed Jan. 16, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 /NVE/VTOI? GRROLL E. THOMAS ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,414,343 ARTISTS PAINTING KIT Carroll E. Thomas, 157 Marina Blvd., San Rafael, Calif. 94901 Filed Jan. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,536 Claims. (Cl. 312-231) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The combined portable case and artists equipment of the present invention comprises a case compartment provided with a hingedly connected lid for, on the one hand, compactly housing all of such equipment and, on the other hand, for functionally coacting in combination with a hingedly connected base plate and an :adjustable easel for setting up and maintaining the easel in optimum position for an artists use and for rmly supporting a paint containing box having a lid detachably secured thereof and serving as a palette when removed and secured on said base plate in an inverted position. The paint containing box detachably supports suitable water containers, and the base plate pivotally supports an auxiliary palette. The easel is provided with extension members enabling the placement and maintenance thereon of any selected one of a plurality of artists sheets of different sizes, and also is provided with means for holding the easel with or without adjusted extension members in a predetermined angular relationship with the base plate, preferably at approximately thirty-five degree angle with respect to the horizontal.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application entitled Artists Water Color Kit, Ser. No. 574,830, tiled Aug. 24, 1966.

This invention relates to artists painting equipment and more particularly to a painters kit compactly packaged for convenience in carrying and embodying an easily set up easel having a base plate to securely support a partitioned box containing various colored paints, a convertible top for the box to provide a palette for mixing the paints, an adjustable plate pivotally conl nected to the base plate to provide an auxiliary palette for mixing various kinds of paints and a combined water container and indicator to guide an artist in holding the easel in a suitable inclined position while applying watercolor paint to a paper sheet supported on the easel.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an artists klit of the kind characterized, including, in combination, a supporting base plate, an easel plate and an auxiliary palette plate which are adapted to be folded compactly for convenience in carrying but which may be easily set up to provide a sheet supporting easel adapted to be conveniently held by a hand of the artist while his other hand is employed in painting on the sheet, the auxiliary palette plate being adjustable to an exposed position for the mixing of paints, the combination also including means to guide an artist in holding the easel in a predetermined inclined position with respect to the base plate while painting, and the base plate being adapted to support a paint box, a paint mixing palette which .is [adapted to provide a lid for the paint box, and a combined water container and level indicator to supply water for paint mixing purposes while at the same time indicating the approximate degree of inclination of the easel so the artist may be guided in maintaining the sheet in a suitable position while applying paint thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide an artists kit including a combination easel, base plate and palette plate adjustably connected one to another and arranged for folding into a compact package for convenience in carrying and adapted to be easily set up to provide a sheet supporting easel, a base to support painting paraphernalia and an auxiliary palette for the mixing of paints, the easel having extensible members to facilitate the supporting of sheets of various sizes on the easel.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a utility case for holding various elements of the kit, the case, in combination with its hinged lid, being convertible into means adapted to support and hold the easel in a suitable inclined operative position While the base and palette plates rest on a table or other support.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of an artists painting kit representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for illustration purposes only, and that therefore it is not to ybe regarded as exhaustive of the variation of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View showing the artists kit embodying my invention set up and in an operative position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carrying case used to hold the various elements of the kit, showing the hinged top swung to an open position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the case, such case being adapted to receive and hold the folded elements of the kit;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the base plate, the palette plate, the easel and the easel extensions in extended positions;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the container and its hinged top positioned to support the easel, its extensions and the sheet in operative positions with the base and palette plates supported on a horizontal support;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the paint box with the lid in place;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken, on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing paint in the compartments;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the paint box with the lid removed, showing the water container mounted on an end of such box;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of FIG. 8, showing the compartments empty;

FIG. 10 is a side view, partly in section, of an oil and turpentine container which is adapted to be supported on the base plate;

FIG. 11 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the base plate and easel, showing the means for maintaining these elements in operative set up positions; and

FIG. l2 is a detailed view showing means for holding a wiping cloth.

Referring to the dnawings, the numeral 10 designates a flat base plate of substantially rectangular shape made from sheet steel and preferably having a coating of porcelain or other suitable material on its upper face. Pivotally connected las at 11 to the base plate is an auxiliary palette plate 12 of substantially the same shape as the base plate and also having a coating of porcelain or other suitable material on its upper face. The coatings on the plates 10 and 12 provide suitable surfaces for the mixing of paints. The palette plate 12 is mounted for pivotal adjustment to a compact folded position underlying the base plate and to an extended position wherein it may be used las an auxiliary palette for the mixing of paints. Secured to one end of the base plate 10 is a hinged plate 13 formed with spaced eyes 14 to receive a hinge pin 15. Also connected to the hinge pin is a second hinge plate 16 having eyes 17 to receive the hinge pin. Suitably secured to the hinge plate 16 is a flat plate provid-ing an easel 18 which has substantially the same shape as the base plate 10 and is arranged for swinging movement to a folded position overlying the base plate and from such folded position to a set up position wherein it is disposed at approximately thirty-live degrees with respect to the base plate. Two or more of the eyes 14 of the hinge plate 13 are provided with suitably arranged protuberances 19 which are adapted to engage with the lower edge of the easel 18 to provide stop means to limit the rearward swinging movement of the easel beyond its aforesaid set up position. The easel 18 is sufficiently narrow in width to permit an artist to grasp and hold the same in one hand while painting with his other hand. The easel may, if so desired, be provided with suitable means for adjustably supporting a wiping cloth 20, such means preferably including an opening 21 in the easel and a projecting tongue 22, as shown in FIG. 12. The wiping cloth extends beneath the tongue 22 and when required a clean portion of the cloth may be exposed by pulling the cloth either to the right or left to suitably shift the position thereof to thereby provide the artist with clean portions for wiping a paint brush thereon.

To increase the supporting area of the easel so larger sheets A of paper, canvas or other material may be suitably supported thereon, I have pivotally attached an extensible rectangular auxiliary easel plate 23 to such easel as at 24. The easel 18 and the auxiliary plate 23 are of substantially the same over-all size, and the pivot member 24, which may be in the form of a rivet, is so arranged and positioned that the said plate may be swung from a folded position coinciding with the easel to one of several positions as shown in FIG. 4. To facilitate the adjustment of the auxiliary easel plate, as well as other extension members, a teon washer (not shown) is preferably positioned between the relatively adjustable members. Pivotally attached to the easel 18 adjacent the lateral edges thereof as by rivets 25 and 26 are adjustable extension strips 27 and 28, respectively, and pivotally connected to such extension strips 27 and 28 as by rivets 29 and 30, respectively, are auxiliary extension strips 31 and 32. The extension strips, as well as the auxiliary extension strips, are adapted to swing outwardly to positions extending beyond the easel as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, thereby considerably enlarging the supporting area of the easel so a sheet A of considerable width may be mounted thereon and held against displacement by suitable spring clips 33 or other adequate means. Pivotally attached to the auxiliary easel plate 23 at opposite corners thereof as by rivets 34 and 35 are extension strips 36 and 37, respectively. Pivotally connected to the outer ends of the extension strips 36 and 37 as by rivets 38 and 39, respectively, are auxiliary extension strips 40 and 41. The extension strips 36 and 37 and the auxiliary extension strips 40 and 41 are adapted to be swung outwardly to various relative positions to further enlarge the sheet supporting area of the easel. Also pivotally connected to the auxiliary easel plate 23 as at 42 is an extension strip 43 having an opening 43a therein which is adapted to receive a projecting member on the hinged lid of a case, as will be later described. Connected to an end of the extension strip 43 as at 44 is an auxiliary extension strip 44a which is also used to enlarge the sheet supporting area of the easel.

The base plate, the easel, the auxiliary easel plate and the auxiliary palette preferably have substantially the same rectangular shape and dimensions so they may be folded into a compact assembly with these elements overlying one another, and while the precise dimensions may vary, I have found that for convenience in carrying and in manually holding the set up assembly while painting, it is desirable that the dimensions of these elements be approximately four by three and three-quarter inches.

Comprising parts of the artists k-it is a paint box 45 made preferably from a suitable plastic material and having its interior divided by partitions 46 into a plurality of paint holding compartments 47. Fitting on the box 45 is a lid 48 having therein a sealing gasket 49 0f rubber or other resilient material to engage with the upper edges of the partitions `and provide an air tight seal enclosing the compartments 47. The opposite ends of the paint box 45 are formed with resilient latch members 5t) which are arranged for locking engagement with complementary projecting catch members 51 on the ends of the lid 48. The catch members 51 have inwardly inclined sides which are adapted to engage with outwardly inclined sides on the latch members when the lid is pressed downwardly to a closing position on the box, such action displacing the latch members 50 outwardly to subsequently effect a locking engagement between the latch and catch members, with the gasket 49 under tension engaging the latch and catch members to prevent any inadvertent or accidental unlatching of the lid 48. To remove the lid from the box the lid is pressed downwardly manually to compress the resilient gasket 49 thus permitting the latch members to be displaced outwardly from the catch members. Secured to the upper side of the lid 48 is a magnet 52 and similarly secured to the bottom of the paint box 45 is a magnet 53. The magnets 52 and 53 are adapted to function in cooperative relationship with the steel base plate 10 to normally prevent the displacement of the paint box 45 and the lid 48 when these elements are supported on the base plate with the magnets engaging with the latter. When removed from the box 4S and supported on the base plate in a reversed or upside down position, the lid 48 provides a palette for mixing paints. When an artist is painting and holding the easel in his hand it is preferable to position the heavier paint box near the hinge end of the base plate 10 with the lighter lid 48 positioned adjacent the other end of such base plate as shown in FIG. l. On the other hand, when the base plate is resting on a table or other horizontal support, it is usually preferable to reverse the relative positions of the box and the lid so the heavier paint box will be positioned to counteract the weight of the easel and sheet and normally prevent the tipping of the assembly while the artist applies paint to the sheet. The box is slightly longer than the width of the base so that one or more water containers 54 of the type embodying the present invention may be supported on either or both ends of such box, as will be later described.

S0 as to mount a water container 54 on an end of the paint box 45 I have provided suitable means preferably comprising projecting members 55 on each end of the box and complementary elements 56 on a side of each container, such complementary elements fitting on the projecting members 55 to detachably mount the water container on the box.

Each water container 54 is preferably made from a suitable translucent plastic material which enables the artist to observe the consistent horizontal water level. Extending around the upper edge portion of the water container is an opaque indicator strip or mark 57 which Iis horizontally disposed and so arranged that the upper surface of the body of Water in the container preferably coincides with the lower horizontal edge of such indicator strip. The means attaching the water container 54 to the paint box 45 is so constructed and arranged that when the box is resting on the base plate and the latter is in a horizontal position the lower edge of the indicator strip or mark 57 will coincide with or will be in a parallel relation to the water level. Thus an artist when holding the easel 18 in one hand and painting with the other can readily observe the relative positions of the indicator strip and the water level to determine whether the easel is being held at an angle of about 35 degrees with respect to the horizontal. It has been found that if the sheet A is supported in a position at approximately 35 degrees with respect to the horizontal, water color paints when applied to such sheets will spread downwardly in an even wash, a result desirable in painting.

A carrying case 58 having a hinged lid 59 is adapted to hold the paint box 4S, the compactly folded base plate 10, the auxiliary palette plate 12, the easel 18 with its extension members, the water container 54, two palette cups and the spring clips 33. The case 58, the lid 59 and a flexible connecting member 60 which Provides hinge means for the swinging movement of the lid are formed from a suitable semi-rigid plastic material. A side of the lid 59 is provided with latch members 61 which are adapted to engage with complementary catch members 62 on a side of the case 58 to normally hold the lid in a closed position. To detach the latch members from the catch members when opening case, the side of such case near the catch members is pressed inwardly, thereby disconnecting the latch and catch members.

The side of the lid which carries the latch members is provided with a suitably shaped protuberance or lug 63, which, when such lid is in an open position, is adapted to extend through the opening 43a in the extension strip 43 to hold the easel 18 and the sheet A in suitable inclined positions with the case 58 resting on a horizontal table or other support. The easel 18 is formed with two openings 18a which are adapted to receive the catch members 62 on the side of the case to hold the easel 18 against displacement. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5 the case and lid may be used as suitable supporting means to hold the easel 18 and a large sheet A in inclined positions when the base plate is resting on a horizontal support.

In FIG. 10 I have shown one of two small containers 64 for holding materials such as oil, turpentine or acrylic mediums used in oil and acryl-ic painting. The bottom of each of the containers 64 has secured thereto a magnet 65 to engage with the base plate 10, and with an easily detachable top 66 to confine such materials within the container.

What I claim is:

1. An artists kit comprising, in combination, (A) a base plate to support a paint box having a removable lid serving as a palette when removed and inverted and disposed on said base plate; (B) an auxiliary palette plate pivotally connected to the base plate, the said auxiliary palette plate being adjustable to a position extending outwardly from the base plate and to a folded position underlying the base plate; (C) an easel plate pivotally connected at an end thereof to an end of the base plate, the said easel plate being adjustable to a folded position overlying the base plate and to a set-up inclined position with respect to the base plate to support a painters sheet; (D) extension members pivotally connected to the easel plate, the said extension members being adjustable to folded positions lying alongside the easel plate and to extended positions to support a sheet substantially larger in area than the easel plate; (E) a paint kit containing box adapted to be supported on the base plate when the easel plate and the base plate are in the aforesaid set-up positions, and; (F) a carrying case adapted to house the folded elements comprising the base plate, the paint box including the invertible lid defining a palette, the auxiliary palette plate, the easel plate and the extension members.

2. An artists kit according to claim 1 wherein the base plate is of ferrous metal and the paint box is provided with a magnet to Contact the base plate to provide cooperative magnetic action to normally hold the paint box against displacement.

3. An artists kit according to claim 1 wherein the auxiliary palette plate is porcelain coated to provide a surface to mix paints thereon.

4. An artists kit according to claim 1 wherein the paint box is provided at either or both ends thereof with means to support water containers.

5. An artists kit according to claim 1 wherein the carrying case is provided with a hinged lid adapted to swing to an open position to hold the easel and a painters sheet supported on such easel in inclined positions, the said case and the lid having projecting members thereon to engage, respectively with one of the extension members and the easel plate, to hold the easel against displacement with respect to the case.

6. An artists kit according to claim 1 wherein the base plate is of ferrous metal and the paint box has a magnet on its bottom side to contact the base plate to provide cooperative magnetic action with the base plate to normally hold the paint box against displacement, and the paint box is provided with projecting members at either or both ends thereof to support translucent water containers each having one or more opaque marks thereon to indicate the position of the base plate with respect t0 the water level of the water in the container.

7. An artists kit according to claim 1 wherein the base plate is of ferrous metal and the paint box is provided with a removable lid and the paint box has a magnet on the bottom side thereof to contact the base plate to provide cooperative action with the base plate to normally hold the box against displacement and the lid has a magnet affixed to the upper side thereof to contact the base plate when the normal position of such lid is reversed, whereby the lid is normally held against displacement on the base.

8. An artists painting kit comprising in combination (a) a base plate for supporting an open paint box and an inverted lid dening a palette;

(b) an auxiliary palette pivotally connected to said base plate; said auxiliary palette being adapted to be adjusted to a position extending outwardly from said base plate and to a position underlying said base plate;

(c) an easel plate hingedly connected at one end thereof to an end of said base plate; said easel plate being adapted to be adjusted to a position overlying said base plate and to a set-up position inclined with respect to said base plate to support a painters sheet;

(d) extension members pivotally mounted on said easel plate; said extension members being adapted to be adjusted to folded positions alongside said easel plate and to extended positions to support any selected one of a plurality of painters sheets of different sizes;

(e) means on said base plate engageable with said easel plate to limit the extent of rearward swinging movement of said easel plate beyond a predetermined position;

(f) a paint containing box removably secured on the upper surface of said base plate when said easel plate is in set-up position with respect to said base plate;

(g) a closure lid removably mounted on said paint containing box;

(h) a water container removably mounted on said paint containing box;

(i) a portable case having a relatively large comparb ment for housing the painters equipment including said base plate, said paint containing box with its palette defining closure lid, :said auxiliary palette, said easel plate with its pivotally mounted extension members in folded condition, and said water container;

(j) a Llid hingedly connected to said portable case for closing and opening the same;

(k) a lug projecting from said lid; and

(l) catch members on said portable case; said lug on said lid and said catch members of said case cooperatively supporting said easel plate in a set-up inclined position with respect to said base plate when resting on a horizontal support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Endlich 206-1.7 X Lifton 312-231 X Williams 108-43 X Sims 312-231 X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

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