CA1057713A

CA1057713A - Carrying easel for paintings

Info

Publication number: CA1057713A
Application number: CA248,402A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Cornelis Huibrechtse
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-03-18
Filing date: 1976-03-18
Publication date: 1979-07-03

Abstract

Carrying Easel For Paintings Abstract of the Disclosure A carrying easel for artists' paintings comprises a rigid base having one or more channel openings thereinto locate and support the bottom edge of one or more paintings. A rigid inverted U shaped handle is upstanding from the base to bridge the channel opening or openings. A bracket member is slidable upon one or both of the leg portions of the handle and adjustable to clamp the top edge of said painting to retain it in the easel.

Description

This invention concerns ~ carryinF easel for the trans~ort of artists' paintin~ or the like.
It is upon occasion desired to transrort artists' paintin~s.
Such occasion may arise, for examrle, on returnin~ to one's domicile from a paintin~ class or from paintin~ or. location. In such cases the surface of the paintin~ will ~enerally be wet ~nd hi~hly susceptible to dam2~e. The ~reatest proba~ lit~ of contact therewith is usually found to be with the clothin& of the person carryin~ the paintin~, and this ~ay also be spoiled.
It is an object of ~,y invention to provide a si~rle carryin~
frame or easel which may be adjusted to secure therein an artis~
paintin~ or the like for transportation.
It is a further ob,ject of my invention to provide a carryin easel which ~ay be folded when not in use.
It is still a further ob~ect of my ir.vention to provide a carryin~ easel wherin a plurality of paintin~s may be trar,srorted.
These and other objects of my inver.tion will becc~e clear from the followin~ description thereof.
The carryin~ easel of ~y invention co~prises a ri~id base havin~
shoulders upstandin~ therefrom to locate the botto~ ede of a paintin~ to be transported. Tvpically the shoulders are formed by the upstandin~ walls of a channel openin~ form!ed in the b-se, The 0 easel further co~prises a ri~id handle upstandin~ from the b~se, ~ q~

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the handle bein~ provided with a bracket member slidable thereon and adjustable to contact a second edge of the painting opposed to the first edge. Desirably the handle is in the form of an inverted U, which is attached to the base so as to bridge the channel. Preferably the U shaped handle is pivotally connected to the base so as to fold down into the plane of the base when not in use~one or more detents may be provided so as to retain the handle in the folded down position.
Where the handle is pivotally connected means may be provided to retain it in the upright position. This is not ~enerally necessary, however. The paintings to be carried are themselves rigid structures~where the painting is on canvas or similar material, the material is carried on a stretcher frame. Many paintings are now done on hard self-supporting materials such as pressed fiber board. When a rigid painting structure is placed in the carrying easel and the bracket is adjusted to clamp onto *he- top edg¢ thereof the handle is effectively locked in the upright carrying position.
My invention will be further described in relation to the following preferred embodiment thereof. In the figure, which shows a carrying easel in perspective view, the easel is repre-sented generally by the numeral 1. Easel 1 comprises a ri~id base 2 which may be formed from metal, wood or plastic, for example. ~ase 2 has opposed shoulders 3-~nd 4 upstanding therefrom, to form the walls of an axial channel opening 8 in the base. The lateral separation of shoulders 3 and 4 is arranged to be marginally greater than the thickness of a canvas stretcher frame ~uch as is commonly employed for supporting canvas or other cloth materials. Typically the separation is about 2,~ to 3cm.
The bottom edge of a painting to be carried in easel 1 is placed in channel opening 8 wherein it locates between shoulders 3 and 4.

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Upstanding from base 2 is an inverted generally U shaped handle 20 attached to base 2 by screws 18 or other means so as to brid~e channel 8. Handle 20 comprises leg portions 22, 2~ interconnected by a bight portion 26. A bracket member 28 is captive upon leg 22 and is slidably adjustable thereon. Bracket member 28 has an inwardly pointing finger 30 which is downwardly turned at 32 for the purpose of hooking over the upper ed~e of a paintin~ carried in easel 1. A thumb screw 29 is provided on bracket 28 whereby the bracket maybe locked in position on leg 22.
Whilst handle 20 maybe rigidly attached to base 2 it is preferred that the handle be pivoted to rotate about screws 18 so as to fold down to lay in the plane of base 2. Handle 20 is provided with a detent 14 which is received in recess 19 formed in base 2 for the purpose of retaining the handle in its folded down position. Whilst means may be provided to retain the handle 20 in the upright position, this is not necessary as the structure is rigidified when a paintin~ is clamped in position in easel 1.
Many paintings are made upon self supporting pressed fibrous boards such as hard board. The thickness of such board is generally only about 4 to 7 mm. The carrying capacity of the easel 1 with respect to these boards is increased by forming grooves 11 and 12 having upstanding shoulders 14 and 16 in the bottom surface of channel 8. Typically each groove 11 and 12 has a width of about 8mm wherein one such board may be received.
Finger 30 of clamp 28 is formed centrally with a downward facing ridge to provide a separating shoulder for the upper ed~es of a pair of boards carried in the easel. Such a pair of boards will, of course, have at least one major dimension identical.
The general dimensions of easel 1 may be chosen as desired;
it i8 preferred for the purpose of providing a readily portable structure that the base 2 be formed from a li~ht material ~nd that its ~lidth be small. The centre of gravity of easel 1 when one or more paintinj~s are placed therein will be quite hi~h. In order to 1057~713 increase its stability when stood upon a ground surface the legs 22 and 24 of handle 20 areinwardly inclined at a small angle towards bight 26. Upstanding shoulders 3 and 16 of base 2 are also inclined at this small angle. Stability is further increased by providing lateral feet 21, 23 on the underside of base 2.
Whilst chann~el ô could be formed centrally in base 2 it is preferred to form the channel adjacent one side of the base, as illustrated, and to form a second channel opening 9 adjacent the opposite side and a second bracket member 39 slidable on le~ 24 of handle 20 so as to provide a generally symmetrical structure, as illustrated. In use a paintin~ carried in easel 1 is partially protected by circumscribing handle 20. One advantage of providing additional channel 9 is that a painting carried in channel 8, for example, may be further protected by locating a cardboard or hardboard sheet of approximately equal size in channel 9 to be in facing relation therewith.
Whilst my invention has been particularly described with reference to a preferred enbodiment thereof, the invention is not to be taken;as being limited thereto. The scope of my invention is to be found in the appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments of my invention in which I claim an exclusive property or privelege are as follows:

1) A carrying easel for paintings or the like comprising;
a rigid base member having a plurality of spaced, parallel shoulder portions upstanding therefrom adapted to locate laterally the bottom edge of a painting received in said easel;
a rigid inverted U-shaped handle pivotally connected to said base to bridge said upstanding shoulders, said handle being moveable between a first position generally in the plane of said base and a second position in a plane perpendicular to said base, a bracket member slidable upon said handle, said bracket member having a finger portion adapted to receive and locate laterally the top edge of said painting.

2) A carrying easel as defined in claim 1 wherein said upstanding shoulders are formed by the walls of a channel opening in said base.

3) A carrying easel as defined in claim 2 wherein said channel opening has a pair of spaced , parallel grooves formed in the bottom thereof.

4) A carrying easel as defined in claim 3 wherein detent means are provided to retain said handle in a stored position generally in the plane of said base.

5) A carrying easel as defined in claim 4 wherein said finger portion has a downwardly directed central folded portion to provide separating shoulders for a painting carried in each said groove.

6) A carrying easel as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said bracket member is captive upon said handle.

7) A carrying easel as defined in claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein one said channel opening is formed adjacent each lateral side of said base, and wherein a bracket member is provided on each leg of said handle.

8) A carrying easel as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said handle is retained in said perpendicular position solely by engagement of said bracket member on the top edge of said painting.