US2586097A - Water-color sketching easel - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 19, 1952 sc u 2,586,097

WATER COLOR SKETCHING EASEL Filed March 1, 1946 INVENTOR. LEONARD SCH EU ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl-(ZE WATER-001.03 SKETGHIN'GEASEL LeonardSclieii', Laguiia new, Calif.

Application March -1, 1946y Serial Not-651.321 3 Claims. (01. 248-197) This inventionrelat'es to awatercolor sketching easel. and has for one-oi its objects tlieprovisiori ofan easelthat is adapted to support a sketchboard horizontal and at any desired angle relative to horizontal.

Another object of i the invention is a watercolorsketching. easel that is light, rugged, stable, and that is adapted v to be collapsed to compact form disposed substantially one plane. A--stillfurther object of the invention is a watercolor sketching easelth at prov-ides a-horizontal plane to'work upon, irrespective of the fact that the ground supporting it may be inclined, and which easel includes a sketchboard support that is adapted'to be quickly swung to different-,positionszforchanging the angle of the sketchboard.

, An additional object of the invention is the provision of a watercolor sketching easel that is compact, light, strong, adjustable to carry different sized sketching. boards, and that provides for instantswinging of the'sketching board-to any desired .angle about a horizontal axis and for holding such board in the desired angle.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and drawings.

Ordinarily watercolor sketching and painting involves the layingiof w'a'shes in which horizontal and tilted positions of the sketchboard is essential. At times the sketchboard must be tilted to a greater degree than at other times and usually the tilting must-became instantly and the board must remain inthe -desired tilted'position. The board must be stable in itstilted or horizontal positions and free: from wobble. The easel of this invention is adapted to hold the sketchboard stable in horizontal :or various tilted positions; and at the same time the operator may instantly change the tilt of the board. Also thefeasel of this invention is light in weight, cheap-to make. extremely rugged; and compact, all. of 'which are essential to a 'sketchingl easel, inasmuch as the artist manytim'es must carry the easel and-his other materials over rough terrain.

In the drawings, I

Fig.1 is 'afi'ontsideview"otah easel illustrative of the invention, which easel is shown in collapsed position, the sketch board being indicated in dot-dash line.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the easel of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig.5"is a greatly reduced 'view' showing" the easel-set up and showing. in dash lines various positions of the support for the sketchboard'rela tive to horizontal. I I

In. detail, the easel illustrated comprises a pair of' generally U-shaped legsgenerally designated 1* and 2: These legs are preferably of thsame shape each includinga closed end portion 3 and sidesfll. The ends of the closed'end'por'tions 3 may beslightly projected outwardly, as at 5, relative to the sides 4f adjacent thereto for a purpose later described.

The free ends of legs I, 2" are pivotall-ys- 'cured together by bolts 6 (Figs- 2, 3') and the leg l is slightly smaller than leg {so that'it may beswung to a nested position within the U of leg 2 and; coplanar with the latter leg as seen iii Between the free ends ofthe legs'is an an} nular member 1. The bolts 6- extend through said member at diametrically opposite pointson the latter thereby pivotally supportingaid'meinbers between said free ends for swinging aboiit the-axis of said bolts. Thus member 1 maybe swung to coplanar relationship-with the" legs when theeasel :is collapsed. I

An 'elorrgated board ll is secured tothe annular members I in a position extendingtransversely of-the-axis oi bolts-6 and across: one s-ideo f said member in a plane substantially parallel withthe planein whicnsaid memberis'disposed J Theboardis slotted longitudinally at;9 H1 at opposite ends for-bolts l I, [2 that extend through said slots--respectively;- Clampingelements l3 it are respectively secured'tobolts H, l2, which elements== are in the formof strips extending transversely across the boardi on the side of the latter that faces outwardly of member]. These strips are preferably rabbeted' at '15 (Fig. 2) along their adjacent edges for receivingoppO- site edges of -a sketching-board l6- (dot-dash line Figs.- 1, 2). The shoulder l] definingpne side of therabbeted' edge holds the sketchboard to the board 8-rand thumbnutslfi on bolts II, I? may be tightened when; the sketchboard is clamped between'elements I3, l4 for holding mea er in clamping. postion. i

As seen in Fig. 2, the legs I, 2 may be swung apart for supporting the board 8 between the upper ends thereof. The projections 5 engage the ground at spaced points to prevent any tendency of the legs to rock on the ground should the latter be uneven. The board 8 and member I may be swung as a unit oppositely between the free upper ends of the legs to various inclined positions relative to horizontal as indicated in dash lines 20, 2|. Any desired degree of incline of board 8 (and consequently the sketchboard thereon) is possible between and beyond the positions indicated in dash lines. The legs I, 2 alone limit the degree of inclination, but the sketchboard is practically never swung to these maximum limits.

In order to insure against accidental swinging of the member I and board 8 including the sketch board, the bolts 6 are kept relatively tight, and a spring friction washer 22 (Fig. 3) may be provided on the bolt to maintain the desired frictional resistance to movement of the member 1 relative to the legs, as well as to resist accidental swinging of the legs relatively.

The legs I, 2 are preferably channel strips with the open sides facing outwardly relative to the space between the sides of the legs, and the annular member 1 is also preferably a channel strip with its open side facing radially inwardly. Nuts 23 on bolts 6 lie between the sides of the channel strip forming the annular member I and are held by said sides against turning.

' The means for securing the board 8 to member 1 may comprise segmental clamps 25 on bolts 26 (Figs. 1, 4) that in turn are secured to board 8. These clamps may overlie one of the sides of the channel strip forming said member 8 and thumb nuts 21 on said bolts may hold the clamps in any desired frictional engagement with said sides. Thus the board 8, and consequently the sketchboard, may be revolved about the central axis of the member I and may be securely held to said member at any degree of revolution. Thus a wash may be started from a corner of the sketchboard and run diagonally across the latter,

or the course of the wash may be changed if desired.

The channel structure of the legs and member '1 insure against twisting of said legs and said member while permitting them to be of relatively lightweight material. v

Whenthe easel is collapsed to the position indicated in Fig.1, the one end of board 8 terminates a substantial distance from the closed ends 3 of the legs, thus enabling the closed ends to function as a handle for carryin the easel, and if desired, the sketchboard may even remain secured to the board 8.

In using the term sketchboard, I refer to the sketching paper, whether in the form of illustration board, or a block of watercolor paper, or a mounted sheet of watercolor paper, or any other relatively rigid sheet.

It is to be understood that the detailed description and drawings are not to be considered restrictive of the invention, but merely illustrative of a preferred form.

I claim: I

1. A watercolor sketching easel comprising a pair of U-shaped legs pivotally secured together at their free ends and formed for swinging to coplanar nested relationship with their closed endstogether and with one of the legs within the U of the other, a support for holding a sketchboard carried between said free ends of said legs and pivotally secured thereto for swinging movement about an axis extending through said ends, means for holding said support at different positions in its swinging movement, and means on said support for releasably securing a sketchboard thereto, said support including an annular member secured at diametrically opposite points thereon to said legs and elements secured to said member engageable with opposite edges of such sketchboard and revolvable about the central axis of said member to various positions on said member.

2. A sketching easel comprising a support for holding a sketchboard, an annular member on said support, means carried by said support for releasably securing such sketchboard thereto in a position extending across one side of said support in a plane generally parallel with the plane in which said member is disposed, supporting legs for said member pivotally secured thereto at points at'opposite sides of the latter for supporting said member in a horizontal plane and for swinging in opposite directions about a horizontal axis to different angular positions relative to horizontal, and means releasably securing said support to said member for rotary movement of said support about the central axis of said member at any one of said angular positions.

3. A sketching easelcomprising a support for holding a sketchboard, an annular member on said support, means carried by said-support for releasably securing such'sketchboardthereto in a position extending across one side of said support in a plane generally parallel with the plane in which said member is disposed, supporting legs for said member pivotally secured thereto at points at opposite sides thereof for supporting said member in a horizontal plane and for swinging in opposite directions about a horizontal axis to different angular positions relative to horizontal, said support comprisin an elongated strip spaced between said points carrying said first mentioned means, and means for securing said strip to said member in various positions about the central axis of said member.

LEONARD SCI-IEU.

REFERENCES CIT ED The following references are of record in file of this patent:

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