US2600145A - Drawing easel - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1952 L. WESTCAMP DRAWING EASEL Filed May 9, 1949 INVENTOR LesZz'eLlZ/eslcamp BY ul /QM ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE DRAWING EASEL Leslie L. Westcamp, Fair Oaks, Calif.

Application May 9, 1949, Serial No. 92,218 6 Claims. (01. 45-129) This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel drawing easel; the latter being especially designed-but not limitedfor home or school use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drawing easel of simplified, but durable and reliable construction, the design permitting of ease. and economy of manufacture on a production basis.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drawing easel which is firm and steady when in use, yet includes a rear supporting leg which is foldable against the back of the easel for ready transport, or compact storage thereof.

Additionally, it is an object to provide the easel with a novel rack for the reception and support of containers for drawing materials, brushes, etc.; the rack being transversely elongated and mounted in position below and slightly ahead of the easel panel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a drawing easel, as above, wherein said rack is detachably mounted in connection with the easel without the use of securing elements such as screws or the like; the form of the rack, and the mount therefor, being novel structural features of the invention.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a rack and mount, as in the preceding paragraph, which is formed in its entirety from metal rod, being thus strong, stable, and not subject to ready damage.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a desirable and practical drawing easel, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the easel, as in use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the improved drawing easel comprises a pair of upstanding, transversely spaced, front legs I. which legs are connected, at substantiallythe upper half portion thereof, by an upstanding, forwardly facing panel 2. The panel 2 is of hard-surfaced, rigid sheet material, such as Masonite/f and is rectangular in elevation, as shown.

The upper edge of the panel 2 is flush with the upper ends of the legs I, and at its lower edge said panel 2 is fitted with a horizontal, forwardly projecting supporting ledge 3 adapted to receive drawing paraphernalia, and additionally the ledge 3 may support work sheets etc. in front of the panel 2.

The assembly of the front legs and panel 2 is supported, when in use, at an upward and slightly rearward incline by a centrally disposed rear leg 4, which inclines forwardly and upwardly from the floor to hinged connection, as at 5, with the panel 2 at its upper edge portion.

In order to prevent undue separation of the legs I and 4, a light-weight chain 6 is anchored centrally of its ends, as at l, to the front of the leg 4 some distance below the hinge 5; the opposite reaches of such chain thence extending forwardly in diverging relation to anchor points 8 on the back of the panel 2 adjacent the bottom corners.

With the above arrangement it will be seen that the leg 4 can be conveniently folded against the back of the easel for ease in manually carrying the same from point to point, or for compact storage. Yet, when the easel is in use with the rear leg 4 swung rearwardly to the limit of its movement, such easel is steady and cannot be easily tipped.

Below, and in front of, the panel 2, the drawing easel includes a horizontal, transversely elongated, container-holding rack, indicated generally at 9; such rack being adapted to receive and support containers Ill for paint, brushes, etc.

The rack 9 andits-mount are of the following novel construction:

The rack 9 includes a pair of horizontal, transversely elongated topbars H which are spaced from front to rear a distance to permit of the passage of the containers therebetween. Below the top bars II the rack 9 includes another pair of horizontal, transversely elongated bottom bars [2 spaced apart from front to rear a much shorter distance whereby to form a base or seat for the containers I!) which are passed downwardly between the bars II; the bottom bars l2 being disposed symmetrically with respect to the top bars II.

The pair of top bars II are closed at opposite ends, as at I3, while the pair of bottom bars l2 are closed at the ends, as at [4, so as to prevent lateral escape of the containers I 0, and additionally to provide for the attachment of the top bars II and bottom bars [2 to dependent end rods IS in rigid relation.

At their upper ends the dependent end rods l5 include rearward projections l6, which extend beneath the supporting ledge 3, the lower edge of the panel 2, and a cross cleat l'l secured on the back side of the panel 2 at the bottom thereof.

At their rear ends the projections l6 merge with corresponding inverted U-shaped hangers [8. Each such hanger i8 is vertically elongated, and includes a front leg l9 and a rear leg 20, with said legs connected together at their upper ends, as at 2|. The lower end of the front leg l9 of each hanger I8 terminates some distance above the lower end of the rear leg 20, and the lower ends of said front legs l9 are connected together by a cross rod 22.

This cross rod 22 removably seats in a longitudinal notch 23 formed in the upper forward corner of the cross cleat [1 whereby the front legs [9 of the hangers l8 lie flush against the back of the panel 2; the line of abutment being indicated at 24. With the front legs l9 in this position, the-rear legs depend in flush engagement with the rear surface of the cross cleat H; the line of abutment being indicated at 25.

The rear legs 20 of the hangers it are of such dependent length that they extend below the bottom of the cross cleat H, whereby the projections It are unobstructed.

With the above described mount the rack 9 is effectively supported in its position of use, yet

can be readily detached from the easel by upward sliding movement of the hangers I8, which withdraws the cross rod 22 from the notch 23. Thereafter, the hangers may be shifted rearwardly to complete the detachment of the mount and the rack from the easel.

The drawing easel, together with the rack 9 and its mount, is a very practical and convenient device for home or school use by children, al though-as previously indicatedthe arrangement is adaptable to many other types of easel use.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding, forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transversely elongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of said panel, and means mounting the rack in connection with the panel; said means including end elements on the rack extending rearwardly beneath the panel, upstanding hangers on the rear ends of the elements, said hangers having a cross rod extending therebetween, and a cross cleat on the back of the panel, the cross rod being normally supported by said cross cleat but disengageable therefrom upon relatively slight upward movements of the hangers.

2. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding, forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transversely elongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of said panel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardly beneath the panel, inverted U-shaped laterally opening hangers upstanding from the rear ends of the projections, the rear leg of each hanger connecting to the corresponding projection, the front leg of each hanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end of the rear leg, and a cross cleat on the back of the panel, the top of the cross cleat being recessed to normally but removably receive the lower ends of the front legs.

3. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding, forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transversely elongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of said panel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardly beneath the panel, inverted U-shaped laterally opening hangers upstanding from the rear ends of the projections, the rear leg of each hanger connecting to the corresponding projection, the front leg of each hanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end of the rear leg, and a cross cleat on the back of the panel, the top of the cross cleat being recessed to normally but removably receive the lower ends of the front legs; the rear legs normally abutting the back of the cross cleat, and the front legs normally abutting the back of the panel.

4. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding, forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transversely elongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of said panel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardly beneath the panel, inverted U-shaped laterally opening hangers upstanding from the rear ends of the projections, the rear leg of each hanger connecting to the corresponding projection, thefront leg of each hanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end of" the rear leg, a cross cleat on the panel at the back, said cross cleat having an upwardly opening longitudinal notch therein, and a cross rod connecting the lower ends of the front legs and normally but removably seating in said notch.

5. In combination with a drawing easel which includes an upstanding, forwardly facing panel some distance above the floor; a transversely elongated rack disposed horizontally adjacent the lower edge of said panel, transversely spaced projections on the rack extending rearwardly beneath the panel, inverted U-shaped' laterally opening hangers upstanding from the rear ends'of the projections, the rear leg of each hanger connecting to the corresponding projection, the front leg of each hanger terminating at its lower end some distance above the lower end of the rear leg, a cross cleat on the panel at the back, said cross cleat having an upwardly opening longitudinal notch therein, and a cross rod connecting the lower ends of the front legs and normally but removably seating in said notch; the rear legs normally abutting the back of the cross cleat, and the front legs normally abutting the back of the panel.

6. In a drawing easel having a front panel and a bottom cleat along the back thereof; a rack in front of the panel adjacent and along the bot tom thereof, and means, mounting the rack in connection with the panel and including spaced hangers projecting rearwardly from the rack beneath the panel and overhanging and removably suspending the rack from the cross cleat; the hangers having vertical areas of engagement with the panel and cross cleat disposed to prevent horizontal movement of the rack both toward and from the panel.

LESLIE L. WES-TCAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Meier et a1 Nov. 21, 1905 Number 6 Name Date Mathias Aug. 7, 1928 Bickford June 28, 1932 Gentz Mar. 23, 1937 Goulooze Oct. 12, 1937 Jarrett Jan. 3, 1939 Hart June 20, 1939 Gaufi Aug. 15, 1950

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