US510250A

US510250A - Easel

Info

Publication number: US510250A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1910-12-05

Description

(No Model.)

o. E. FOUNTAIN,

I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Deo. 5, 1893.

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(No Model.)

` A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'. C. E. FOUNTAIN.

BASEL..

Patented Dec.V 5, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. FOUNTAIN, OF PORT. TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON.

EASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,250, dated December 5, 1893.

Application filed January 3l, 1893. Serial No. 460,286.v (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: Y

Be itknown that I, CHARLES EDWARD FOUN- TAIN, of Port Townsend, in the county of Jefferson and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Easel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in easels, such as are used by artists in drawing and painting; and the object of my'invention is to produce an extremely light, strong and simpleeasel in which the drawingboard may be easily and quickly placed and held at any desired angle, which is also adapted to have the drawing-board reversed when necessary, which is provided with means for quickly adjusting the drawing-board so as to bring it at any necessary height, which is provided with swinging tables adapted to hold water, paint, brushes, dac., these being arranged on opposite ends of the easel so as to be conveniently used by either a right-handed or a left-handed person, which is provided with means for fastening the tables beneath the drawing board when the easelis to be packed away, which may be packed in a very small space, and which in general is peculiarly adapted to all the needs of an artist when at work.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts iu all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the easel embodying my invention, showing one of the swinging tables in position for use. Fig. 2 is an end view of the easel with the position of one of the swinging tables indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the easel showing both swinging tables in position for use. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the mechanism for adjusting the easel both vertically and as to its inclination. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1, showing in detail one of the clasps for fastening the tables beneath the drawing-board.

The easel is provided with end standards 'fastened to the outer ends of the hubs.

10, which at the bottom are provided with suitable feet 11 and the standards are braced by braces 12 extending from the feet to the standards. The standards are connected by a cross piece 13 which is preferably secured to the standards by means of mortise and tenon joints, and the cross piece and standards are connected and strengthened by braces 14, shown clearly in Fig. yl. Above the cross piece 13 is the drawing-board 15 which is made up of narrow pieces glued-together so as to make it light and prevent it from warping, and the board is bound by the side and end strips 16 which form the edges of lthe board and are Initered together at the corners. The board has on its opposite longer edges flanges 16a, which are produced on opposite sides of the board so that the board may be tipped over and either side used, the iiange of the side in use being placed so as to support the work. On the ends of the drawing-board are plates 17 in which are secured outwardly projecting studs or axles 18, these being arranged centrally on the board so that the latter may turn on them, and the axles project into hubs 19, which hubs are held in a horizontal position and provided with vertical holes 20 through which the metallic posts 2l extend, these posts being held in ring sockets 21 on the tops of the standards 10 and having on their outer edges notches 22 which receive the lower ends of the detents 23 and which support the drawing-board. The spring detents 23 extend diagonally upward through the hubs 19. and their upper ends 24 projectupward so as to serve as handles. The spring detents 23 are held in engagement with the notches ofthe posts by springs 25 which are The fastening screws 26 extend also through the detents 23, as shown in Fig. 4, and the detents are slottedso as to move up and down on the screws.

It will be seen that by pulling upward on the detents they will be detached from the notches ofthe posts and the hubs 19, and the drawing-board will move downward but the spring detents will immediately liy back into the nearest notches, and in this way the height of the board may be regulated. If the board is to be raised it and the detents are IOO simply lifted and the spring detents will engage the notches opposite which they happen to be.

0n each end of the drawing-board is an outwardly curved spring 27, the ends of which are slotted, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to slide on screws 28 by which the spring is held to the board, or rather to the plate 17 on the board. On the center of the spring is a circular rack 29 having teeth 29a on its outer end, and these teeth are adapted to engage the squared ends of a pin 30 which projects through the hub 19, and as the spring 27 presses the rack into constant engagement with the pin, the drawing-board is prevented from tilting. When the inclination of the board is to be changed, however, the springs 27 are pressed inward, thus releasing the racks 29, and when the board is brought to the desired inclination, the springs are released and the racks immediately iiy into engagement with the springs 30 and fasten the board. This operation can be done practically at one movement, as when the springs are compressed the operator may at the same time tilt the board.

In connection with the easel, small swinging tables 31 are used, these being adapted to be arranged at each end of the easel and one or both of them may be used as desired. Each table is provided with a hole 32 in which a tumbler of water may be placed, in case the artist is using Water-colors, and the board is also provided with grad uated holes 33 in which the handles of his brushes may be inserted. Each table is provided with an arm 34; which, at one end, terminates in a crank 35 having a reduced end 36 adapted to enter a hole inthe hub 19, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. It will be noticed that when the table is supported on the hub, it will swing horizontally and may be brought readily into the most convenient position for use.

On the under side of the cross piece 13 are screw eyes 37, and when the tables 3l are not in use the cranks of the arms 34 may be inserted in the eyes, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the tables will thus hang edgewise beneath the drawing-board. To prevent their displacement swinging clasps 3S are used, one of which is shown in detailin Fig. 6, and these clasps or hasps are pivoted in the standards 10 and may be swung so as to bind the tables to the standards or so as to release the tables.

Then the easel is used one or both of the swinging tables is adjusted in one or both of the hubs 19, the board is brought to the desired inclination, and it may then be used in the ordinary way. 1f desired the canvas or paper on which the artist is working may be fastened to the board and the board turned over and the other side used.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the easel is very convenient, that it may be readily adjusted, and that when not in use it may be packed away in a compara tively small space.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. An easel, comprising opposite standards having notched posts at their upper ends, a drawing-board held to swing between the posts, fastening devices to support the board in the notches of the posts, and means for fix'- ing the inclination ot the board, substantially as described.

2. An easel, comprising opposite, connected standards having notched posts at their upper ends, hubs held to slide vertically on the standards, a drawing-board pivoted in the hubs and held to swing between the posts, fastening devices to fix the position of the hubs on the posts, and a second set of fastening devices to secure the drawing-board at various angles, substantially as described.

3. An easel, comprising a supporting stand having oppositely arranged posts thereon, and a swinging and vertically adjustable drawing-board supported on the posts and having longitudinal flanges at its edges, the iianges projecting from opposite sides of the board, substantially as described.

f1. An easel, comprising opposite, connected standards, posts secured in the upper ends of the standards, hubs supported on the posts and provided with projecting pins, a drawing-board pivoted in the hubs, and springpressed racks secured to the drawing-board and adapted to engage the hub pins, substantially as described.

5. An easel, comprising opposite, connected standards, notched posts secured in the upper ends of the standards, hubs held to slide vertically on the posts, spring catches secured to the hubs and adapted to engage the post notches, transverse pins secured in the hubs, a drawingboard pivoted in the hubs, and spring-pressed racks supported on thepivots of the drawing-board and adapted to engage the hub pins, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the drawing-board, its supporting standards, and the perforated hubs in which the board is pivoted, of the swinging table having a crank arm to enter the perfor-ations of the hubs, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the supporting stand, comprising opposite standards connected by a cross bar and posts secured in the standards, of the swinging detachable table adapted to be secured at one end of the drawing-board, and fastening devices to secure the table beneath the cross bar of the standard, substantially as described.

CHARLES E. FOUNTAIN.

Witnesses:

J. C. CHRISTIAN, W. F. RUPERT.

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