US2941774A

US2941774A - Toy blackboard easel

Info

Publication number: US2941774A
Application number: US694567A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mctear James Fraser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-03-19
Filing date: 1957-11-05
Publication date: 1960-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1977-06-21

Description

June 21, 1960 J. F. MC1-EAR 2,941,774 Toy BLACKBOARD EASEL Filed Nov. 5, 1957 /ff ff '3y M754/ au Unite states Patent O 2,941,774.l TOY BLACMARD RASEE.

James Fraser McTear, Eastbourne, England (42A Commercial Road, Eastbourne, Sussex, England) File-:i Nov. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 694,567 Claims. (Cl. 24S- 197) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to toy blackboards and easels.

A blackboard and easel in miniature size is a common form of rtoy for children, particularly young ones learning to read and write. With the usual form of easel consisting of two front legs and one rear leg all inclining inwardly and pivoted together at the top, the normal method of supporting the blackboard is to rest it on a pair of pins or a horizontal ledge on the front legs, the blackboard then remaining in position by virtue of leaning back against the easel at a slight angle to the vertical. With such a construction, any slight impact with the blackboard or easel, or even the mere act of writing or drawing on the blackboard, may cause it to rock forwardly and then fall from its support. Where the blackboard is made of slate, this may result in breakage.

it is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide an improved construction of easel with which the blackboard is firmly held in position when the easel is erected.

According to the present invention, an easel particularly suited for use as a toy includes a forward leg structure having a support for a blackboard, a rearward leg structure movable between stowed and splayed positions with respect to the forward leg structure, and locking means for retaining the blackboard on the forward leg structure and arranged to be brought into locking position when the rear leg structure is splayed.

The blackboard may merely rest on the support, such as a projection on the forward leg structure, e.g. a pair of pegs or a simple rail thereon, but preferably is seated in a recessed projection or rail having a lip preventing movement of a lower edge of the blackboard away from the forward leg structure.

In a convenient construction a locking abutment is carried on the rear leg structure in such a position as to be moved towards the supporting projection carrying the blackboard, when the rear leg structure is moved towards the splayed position. By way of example, the rear leg structure may be carried on a transverse pivot pin and have an extension beyond said pin bearing a forwardly directed tenon adapted to bear against the upper edge of the blackboard in locking position.

In order that the nature of the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof is hereinafter particularly described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the blackboard and easel in stowed (unlocked) position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the blackboard and easel in splayed (locked) position.

In these figures, the easel consists of a pair of front legs 1 and 2 inclined towards each other and secured together by a crossbar 3 at an intermediate point and a transverse pivot pin 4 near the top end. Between the legs 1 and 2, a rear leg S is carried on the pivot pin 4 and has a small upward'extension 6. The crossbar 3 is recessed at its rear face, as at 7, to receive in said recess the lower edge of a blackboard 8. At the upper end of the rear leg S, on the extension 6, is mounted a knob 9 which in the stowed or flat position of Fig. 1 is clear of the blackboard, but in the splayed erect position of Fig. 2 has moved forwardly and downwardly to engage against the upper edge of the blackboard and hold the same firmly sealed in the recess and secure against dslodgment.

With such a construction the blackboard is placed upon the supporting projection of the front leg structure with the front and rear leg structures folded ush together in the stowed position, whereafter movement outward of the rear leg structure to the usual splayed erected posimeans to engage with and retain in position and secure against vibration and dislodgment due to accidental knocking.

I claim:

l. An easel including a blackboard, aforward leg structure having a projecting support for a blackboard, said rearward leg structure pivoted to said forward leg structure and movable between stowed and splayed positions with respect to the forward leg structure, and locking means for retaining the blackboard on the forward leg comprising a knob on the upper end of said rearward leg structure and extending forwardly of said blackboard and overlying said blackboard.

2. An easel as claimed in claim 1 in which the support on the forward leg structure includes said projection in the form of a transverse rail upon which a blackboard may rest.

3. An easel as claimed in claim 2 in which 'the transverse rail is recessed to provide a lip upon the upper edge thereof remote from the forward leg structure to restrain the lower edge of a blackboard seated on the rail from movement away from the forward leg structure.

4. An easel as claimed in claim 1 in which the rear leg structure is pivoted to the forward leg structure upon a transverse pivot pin engaged in said forward leg structure inwardly from the uppermost ends of said leg structure.

5. An easel including a blackboard, a forward leg structure, a recessed rail extending transversely of the forward leg structure to provide a support for said blackboard, a rearward leg structure pivotally attached to said forward leg structure and movable between stowed and splayed positions with respect to the forward leg snucture, a tenon carried upon the upper end of the rearward leg structure beyond the pivotal mounting thereof and extending forwardly thereof above said blackboard, said tenon bearing against the upper edge of a blackboard carried vupon said support therefor when the rearward leg structure is splayed to locate the blackboard in position relative to the easel and to limit the degree of splay of the rearward leg structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS