[ 1 June 13, 1972 United States Patent Alford ARTIST'S CARRYING CASE AND FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS EASEL [72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-Victor C. Muller [22] Filed:

ABSTRACT [21] App]. No.:

Wm e. an e n mmc C a C c r. t a a I ke f g wv I mdm o t o e vim r Pd w to the top compartment. A second partition forms a lower compartment which is accessible through a slot, closed the easel. Foldable legs with nesting angle braces are disposed adjacent the second partition when the case is bein potted.

we r. umm 0 m 6m w d mwm k ta b w u hea 0 n m m y W 6 38M r. Ch y X U 3 elm a .w w e M M lb 8 2 8 5BN4B /74/ 22 2 bwl 7l 2 7M l h 7 A8 4 4 M/ U2 no M4 0 4 ".15 2 4 6 m u m k s W/ 94 N no u 14 W h MJM C n w 8 u ""4 C H n e mm r m U" k n H e m mm R m Tm H r m mm L M '0 m wm 18 U .mfi I I] 2 8 6 5 55 5 I. [I I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,714 2/1931 Shields.................................190/11 X 10 CIaims,7DrawingFigures PATENTEDJUM 1 3 I972 INVENTOR GLEN M. ALFORD VICTOR C MULLER ATTORNEY ARTISTS CARRYING CASE AND EASEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been conventional practice for artists to carry their various supplies in boxes, usually compartmented, which contain paints, brushes, canvas sheets, etc. An essential part of the equipment is an easel which is usually bulky due to the long legs required to support a canvas at a desired elevation and is often carried as a separate item. The patent to Gee US. Pat. No. 3,083,567 is exemplary of such cases and also discloses a removable easel which may be carried within the case which must be disposed on a suitable support when removed. It will be apparent that the least number of parts for such equipment is desirable in the interests of utilization of space, reduction of weight, and economy of manufacture. As will subsequently appear, the present invention attains such ends by providing multiple functions for certain parts. For example, and again referring to the Gee patent, a separate easel is not required, a lid on the case serving such purpose when the case ism use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Artist's carrying case and easel characterized by four frame members forming a rectangular box and a pair of partitions disposed therein forming top and bottom compartments. A pivoted lid closes the top compartment and forms an easel when moved to desired angular open position at which position supplies in the top compartment are accessible. Access to the lower compartment, which contains flat articles such as canvas sheets, is through a slot in the front frame member, the slot being closed by a removable bar which is secured to the easel and forms a lock for the upper edge of a canvas. The lower edge of the canvas rests on a pivoted flap adjacent the lower edge of the ease]. Four pivoted supporting legs fold diagonally beneath the bottom compartment, each of which is provided with a brace which folds thereinto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the invention with the parts disposed in a position forming an easel;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22, FIG. 1 with the easel in closed position, portions being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view illustrating the folded position of the supporting legs;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, FIG. 3, illustrating the upper end of a leg in its supporting position;

FIG. 6 is a like section illustrating a brace for the leg of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a detail of a lock for the lid or easel when folded to its closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, case 10 comprises front wall 12, rear wall 14 and end walls 16, 18, secured together at their ends to form a rectangular box or frame of the same general shape of a conventional artists carrying case. A pair of spaced rectangular partitions 20, 22 are secured at their edges to the frame and form a top compartment 24, a bottom compartment 26 and a lower open space 28. Top compartment 24 is divided by partitions 30 into a plurality of small compartments which contain various painting equipment, such as brushes, paint tubes, solvents and the like, pallet knives, etc., commonly employed by artists. As will be apparent, the specific arrangement of partitions 30 is a matter of choice and may be varied as desired. The specific manner of securing together the parts so far described may also be as desired. If constructed of wood, dowels or other fastenings may be employed at the comers of the frame members which may also be provided with suitable cleats, such as spacer cleat 31, to which the partitions are secured. Wood screws, nails, staples, angle corner fastenings, etc., all of which are conventional, may also be employed.

Top compartment 24 is provided with a panel 32 which forms a lid for same when the case is being transported, and forms as easel when raised to inclined position, as shown in FIG. 1. A brace 34, pivoted at its lower end to wall 16 and at its upper end to rib 36 on panel 32, permits the panel to be moved from the closed position to FIG. 2 to the elevated or open position of FIG. 1. An identical brace (not shown) is employed adjacent opposite end wall 18. A pair of pins or dowels 38 are secured to ribs 36, the ends of which selectively engage angular holes 40 in the upper edges of end walls 16, 18 which lock easel 32 at a desired angle. When folded to flat or closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, dowels 36 engage in holes 42 in front wall 12 and the rear or top edge 44 (FIG. I) of easel 32 nests ahead of a ledge 46 on rear wall 14. Rear edge 44 may be locked against upward pivotal movement in any suitable manner, such as by a spring type cabinet door latch 48, the two parts of which are secured, respectively, to panel 32 and rear wall 14, shown in FIG. 7.

Front wall 12 is provided with a longitudinal slot 50 of dovetail shape which slideably receives a bar 52 having a like cross section. When bar 52 is disposed in the slot it forms a closure for bottom compartment 26, this compartment containing flat articles, such as sheets of canvas, sketch paper, academy board, etc. When bar 52 is removed from the slot it is disposed on easel 32, as shown in FIG. 11, and may be locked at a desired position by end tabs 54, best shown in FIG. 4, each of which is secured to the bar by a screw 56 which is affixed to the tab and threadedly engages the bar. Upon rotation of the tabs they move toward each other and clampingly engage the opposite side edges of the easel. Also, when the bar is disposed in slot 50 they may be rotated to lie adjacent end walls 16, 18 and prevent unauthorized removal of the bar from the slot. As will be apparent, when not in locked position on the ease], the bar may be employed in conventional manner to draw guide lines on a canvas or the like, disposed on the easel. As also best shown in FIG. 4, the dovetail shaped bar 52 forms an undercut ledge 58 beneath which the upper edge of a canvas sheet 59 or the like is disposed to secure it to and maintain it in facial engagement with the easel. The lower edge of the canvas rests on a flap 60 which may be pivoted between the position shown in FIGS. 1 and a folded position, as indicated by the dotted arrow in FIG. 4, in which it lies in the plane of the easel. The pivotal connection of flap 60 to easel 32 may be as desired such as pivot pins, hinges or the like which allow limited pivotal movement of the flap to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Preferably, this position is less than a perpendicular position with respect to the plane of the easel so that it, like the bar, forms a like ledge undercut 58a for securing the lower edge of the canvas to the easel. As illustrated, a dowel pin 61 is secured to the flap and its ends pivotally engage in blocks 62, one of which is shown, each block being affixed to the easel and provided with an aperture for pin 61. The blocks are so shaped to provide abutments 65 for limiting pivotal movement of the flap as previously described. Space 28 is open at the bottom of same and provides a volume into which four supporting legs 63 may be folded, as best shown in FIG. 3. Each leg is disposed in a diagonal position in rectangular space 28, its upper end being pivotally connected to the frame members by a pivot pin 64. Each leg is provided with a slot 66 into which a pivoted brace 68 may fold or nest.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the upper end of each brace 68 is provided with a spring urged circular plunger 69 which slides in a screw eye 70 and which may be actuated by a pin or nail 71 which also prevents removal of the plunger. Its upper end is frusto-conically tapered and engages in an aperture 72 in partition 22, there being four such apertures, one for each plunger. When the legs are moved to open position an abutment 74 (FIG. 5) on each leg engages a lower comer portion of the adjacent frame members and limits outward pivotal movement. A brace 68 is then pivoted relative to a leg, as shown in FIG. 6, and pin 71 is moved to compress the plunger spring. Upon release of same the plunger enters aperture 72 and locks pivotal movement of a leg in a direction toward folded position.

As best shown in FIG. 1, each leg has a width W at its upper end and, particularly at its midpoint, it narrows in width to one-half W. Thus, when diagonally opposite legs 63a, 63b of FIG. 1 are first folded to the position of FIG, 3, their central portions provide a space of one-half W into which the other legs 63c, 6311 may be folded and the combined widths of the two pairs of legs at the central point of crossing is equal to W. This not only provides for a compact folding of the legs but also provides surfaces on all four legs which lie in a single plane and permits the case to be disposed on a flat surface when the legs are in folded position. To prevent outward movement of the legs when in folded position, a removable pin 82, such as a nail, may extend through aligned apertures in the outermost pair of legs, preventing their pivotal movement and also locking the pair of underlying legs against pivotal movement.

Each leg is provided with a leveling ball 76 having a stem or shank 78 which threadedly engages the lower end of same. A carrying handle 80 is secured to front wall 12 to facilitate transporting the case.

What is claimed is:

1. An artists carrying case comprising;

a. parallel front and rear walls and parallel side walls forming a rectangular box adapted to be positioned, when in use, in a generally horizontal table-like position,

b. a first horizontal fixed partition disposed between said walls and below the top edges thereof to form an immovable top open compartment for containing artists supplies,

c. a second like horizontal fixed partition disposed beneath the first partition forming a second immovable compartment between it and the first partition for containing flat articles, such as canvas,

d. a slot extending horizontally across one of said walls providing access to the second compartment and through which the flat articles may be inserted into or removed through the slot,

e. closure means for the slot for preventing unauthorized removal of the flat articles therethrough but permitting access to the second compartment for removing same therefrom, and a flat lid for the top compartment connected to the box in a manner such that it is disposed parallel to said partitions when in closed position and is disposed at an obtuse angle relative thereto when in open position with its lower edge disposed between front and rear walls, at which position it forms an easel for supporting a canvas or the like and permits access to the top compartment at both the front and rear sides of the easel.

2. A case in accordance with claim 1 including means for detachably securing the lower edge of the easel to the box at various positions between its front and rear walls, and at least one angular brace pivotally secured at its ends, respectively, to the easel and the box, the construction being such that the case] may be disposed at various obtuse angles, depending upon the selected position of its lower edge between the front and rear walls.

3. A case in accordance with claim 2 wherein the upper end of the brace is pivotally secured to the ease] substantially midway between its upper and lower edges to thereby permit the easel to fold to a closed position with the brace lying in substantially the same plane as the easel.

4. A casein accordance with claim 2 wherein the means for detachably securing the lower edge of the easel to the box comprises a row of aligned spaced apertures disposed between said front and rear walls for removably receiving abutment means projecting from the lower edge of the easel.

5. A case in accordance with claim 4 wherein said abutment means is adapted to enter an aperture in the front wall of the box when the easel is moved to closed position to thereby lock the lower edge against pivotal movement.

6. A case in accordance with claim 5 including two laterally spaced rows of aligned apertures, a pair of like abutment means, one for each row, and a pair of apertures in the front wall of the box for receiving the pair of abutment means.

7. A case in accordance with claim 3 including a pair of like braces, each being disposed adjacent an opposite side edge of the case].

8. A case in accordance with claim 1 including a flap pivotally connected to the ease] adjacent its lower edge, forming a support for the lower edge of the canvas.

9. A case in accordance with claim 8 including means for limiting pivotal movement of the flap to an angle relative to the lid to prevent outward movement of the lower edge of the canvas in a direction away from the easel.

10. A case in accordance with claim 8 wherein the flap is adapted to fold into a slot in the lid disposed inwardly of its lower edge.