GB2439218A

GB2439218A - Work piece support means for artists easel

Info

Publication number: GB2439218A
Application number: GB0711551A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Kershaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-02-25
Filing date: 2005-02-25
Publication date: 2007-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2025-02-25
Also published as: GB2423469A; GB2423469B; GB2439218B; GB0711551D0; GB0503963D0

Abstract

A work piece support means comprises a clamp member 24 which engages an edge of the workpiece (19) to hold it in the upright working position, and a pair of arms 21 are pivotally connected to the clamp 24 and are freely moveable the effect of gravity to urge the clamp member 24 against the work piece. The arms 21 fold to a stowed position within the profile of the support means 13. An easel including the work piece support means can comprises support means 13 for supporting the workpiece (19) and legs 1 and 2 deployable to hold the support means 13 in an elevated working position. A strut member 15 is provided for holding the support means 13 in the working position and is pivoted about a rear lateral axis (9). A platform 18 is provided at the distal end of the strut member 15 to project forwards of the support means 13 and support the lower edge of a workpiece.

Description

1 2439218 This invention relates to workpiece support means,

especially, an artist's easel.

According to the invention, workpiece support means comprises a clamp member adapted to engage an edge of an upright workpiece to hold it in a working position, and a link pivotally connected to the clamp and mounted so as to be freely moveable under the effect of its weights to urge the clamp member against the workpiece. Preferably, the support means comprises a pair of links pivotally connected to the clamp member and arranged symmetrically with respect to the clamp member so that both are moveable to urge the clamp member against the top edge of the workpiece. The links also serve to support the rear surface of the workpiece. Preferably, the links are pivotally mounted on a support frame, and in their working position, extend upwardly and laterally beyond the outer profile of the support frame so as to support a larger workpiece. Furthermore, the links preferably fold with the clamp member to a folded position substantially within the profile of the support frame so that the easel can still assume a compact folded state for transport.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artists' easel according to the invention in an erected Figure 2 is a front elevation of the erected easel of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side elevation of the easel of Figures 1 and 2 in a folded state, Figure 4 is a front elevation of the folded easel of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a perspective side view of the easel of Figures 1 to 4 in a semi-folded state, Figure 6 is a perspective side view of the easel in the folded state of Figures 3 and 4, Figure 7 is a side elevation of a carry case for an artist's easel when in the folded position, Figure 8 is a front elevation of the carry case of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a detailed side elevation of the carry case of Figures 7 and 8 in use with the seat raised to a sitting position, and Figure 10 is a front elevation of the carry case when in use as shown in Figure 9.

The easel as illustrated comprises a folding framework with generally similar members either side connected by lateral cross-pieces. The lower part of the framework comprises a pair of crossed legs 1, 2 either side, which are pivotally connected in their mid-region and pivot about a common lateral axle 3. The lower ends of the legs are also connected by lateral cross-pieces 4, 5 and are provided with D-shaped pivotal feet 6 at the front ends and wheels 7 at the rear ends. This arrangement facilitates erection and folding of the easel by the rear legs moving on the wheels across the ground.

The upper ends of the crossed legs each side are pivotally connected to a tie member 8 which is adapted to hold the legs in the erected working position. The rear end of each tie member is pivotally connected at 9 to the top of the rearwardly projecting leg 1, and the forward end of the tie member 8 is adjustably engageable with the upper end of the forwardly projecting leg 2. The adjustable engagement is provided by a longitudinal slot 11 in the forward end of the tie member formed with a number of notches 12 engageable by a stop member 10 on the leg. The stop member 10 consists of a lateral cross-piece joining the upper ends of the two forwardly extending legs 2. It will be appreciated that the height of the easel is adjustable by engaging the cross-piece 10 in different notches 12 in the tie member 8.

A pair of upright side members 13 are each pivotally connected to the upper end of each forwardly extending leg 2 using the cross-piece 10 as the pivot axle. These side members 13 are also connected at their upper ends by an upper cross-piece 14. A strut member 15 either side of the easel is pivotally connected at its lower end to the upper end of each of the rearwardly extending legs 1, the pivotable connection being provided by the pivot axle 9 of the tie members 8. Each strut member 15 extends forwards and upwards and adjustably engages the upper cross-piece 14 between the two upright side members 13. The adjustable connection is provided by a longitudinal slot 16 at the forward end of each strut member formed with notches 17 that engage the cross-piece. The angle of inclination of the upright side members 13 can be varied by selection of the notch 17 which engages the cross-piece 14.

It will be appreciated that the elongate slots 11, 16 formed in both the tie members 8 and strut members 15 are long enough to allow movement to extreme positions in which the easel framework is either fully folded or fully erected.

The forward ends of the strut members 15 carry a workpiece support platform 18 between them which projects forwards of the upright side members 13 so that a canvas 19 can be seated on it. The forward ends 20 of the strut members 15 are preferably cranked downwards slightly so that the workpiece support platform is more nearly horizontal.

The upper ends of the upright side members 13 are limited in height so as to be accommodated within the profile of a compact folded assembly, and they do not fuiiy support the rear of the workpiece 19, which extends above them. However, a further workpiece support mechanism is provided in the form of a pair of pivoted arms 21, each of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of one of the side support members 13 via a pin and slot arrangement 22, 23, and which are both pivotally connected to a clamp member 24 at their upper ends so that they extend symmetrically downwards from the clamp member 24 and project laterally outwards beyond each upright side member 13. This arrangement is most clearly shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 1, each pivoted arm 21 comprises a pair of parallel strips 47 located opposite sides of a reduced portion 48 at the upper end of each side member 13, through which the pin 22 passes. The two strips 47 are connected by cross-pieces and a foot 25 at their outer ends. These arms 21 are each connected to the clamp member 24 by pivot pins 49. The weight of the clamp member 24 and arms 21 is such as to cause the clamp member 24 to be pulled downwards, thereby firmly engaging the upper edge of a canvas 19 mounted on the workpiece support platform 18. It will be appreciated that this arrangement of the clamp member and arms can be lifted well above the upper ends of the upright side members 13 so as to accommodate a canvas 19 of a substantial height. The rear of the canvas engages against the front faces of the arms 21, and its top edges is engaged by the clamp member 24.

The workpiece support mechanism comprising the clamp member 24 and arms 21 can be readily moved to a folded position, as shown in Figure 4, by moving the clamp member 24 downwards between the upright side members 13 so that the arms 21 move through a fully splayed position and then follow the clamp member to a position in which they also are accommodated substantially fully within the profile of the folded easel as shown in Figure 4.

The outer end of each arm 21 is formed with the foot 25 to engage the ground and support the folded easel in a standing condition, as shown in Figure 3.

An artist's paint box 26 is mounted between the tie members 8 and is provided with a pivoted lid 27 which pivots about the same lateral pivot axis 9 as the tie members 8 and strut members. The lid 27 is moveable to a fully open position in which it is substantially upright so as to give access to artists' materials mounted on the inside of the lid.

The underside of the paint box is provided with guide channels 28 along each side to support an artist's palette or workpiece 29, which is slid into the guide channels 28 from the front of the paint box. In this stored position, the upper surface of the palette or workpiece, which has wet material on it, is protected by the base of the paint box 26 against contact with other material or objects.

Furthermore, a working surface 30 is provided between the tie members 8 forwards of the paint box 26 to serve as a support surface for artists' materiaLs. It will be noted from Figure 1, that the geometry of the legs 1, 2 is such as to tilt the paint box 26 and working surface downwards towards the front of the easel for ease of access by a user. It will be appreciated that the upright side members 13 leave a clear space between them and below the canvas 19 for ease of access to the paint box 26 and working surface 30.

In order to accommodate narrow canvases, a pivoted arm 31 is provided on the upper end of each side member 13 to pivot inwardly so as to engage behind the rear surface of a narrow canvas.

Figures 7 to 10 show a case suitable for storage and transport of the artist's easel of Figures 1 to 6 when in the folded state shown in Figures 3 and 4. The case comprises a hard shell 32 which has an opening through which the folded easel can be loaded into the shell. The top of the shell is provided with a carry handle 33. The generally triangular shape of the shell, as seen in side elevation, matches the envelope of the folded easel. The base 36 of the shell is formed with cut-outs 34, 35 to receive the wheels 7 on the ends of the legs of the easel and the feet 25 on the ends of the arms 21 of the easel. The cut-outs 34 for the wheels 7 comprise arcuate cut-outs in the near corners of the shell, and the cut-outs 35 for the feet 15 comprise rectangular cut-outs in the base 36 of the shell towards the front corners. Thus, when the easel is loaded into the shell, the wheels 7 and feet 15 still project from the base of the shell and engage the ground when the case is upright. The wheels 7 can then serve as transport wheels to allow the case to be wheeled across the ground. A back pack harness 37 is provided, which may be connected to the easel or the case.

The wider base 36 of the case compared with its top, serves to give increased stability when the case is stood upright, as shown in Figure 9. Furthermore, the front face 38 of the case is inclined rearward from bottom to top and provides a suitable mounting surface for a seat 39.

The seat is received in a shallow recess 40 in the front wall 38 and is pivotally connected to the shell at the upper end of the recess 40 so that it can pivot outwards and upwards from a stored position within the recess to a generally horizontal sitting position. The pivot axle 41 connecting the seat 39 to the shell extends across the full width of the recess 40 and engages mounting points 42 in the side walls of the recess. The seat 39 is held in the sitting position by a strut 43, which is pivotally connected at one end to the leading edge of the seat 39 and is connected at its other end to a lateral rod 44, the ends of which engage as a sliding fit in a pair of elongate slots 45 at opposite sides of the recess. The slots 45 are shaped as shown in Figure 9 to provide notches 46 in which the ends of the rod 44 can engage in the working position so as to hold the seat horizontal. The strut 43 is preferably substantially the same width as the seat 39 and is pivotally connected to it by a hinged connection 47. In the stored position, the seat 39 and strut 43 both lie flat in the recess 40 and substantially fill it.

It will be. appreciated that the geometry of the case and seat is such as to minimise or remove any overhang of the seat relative to the base of the case so that it is stable in use.

The opening in the rear face of the case may be left open once the easel is loaded into the case or could be provided with a closure in the form of a cover or door.

It will be appreciated that the description of the invention makes reference to the orientation of the various parts when in normal use, using terms such as "upwards" and "downwards" and "forwards" and "rearwards", but such terms when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as restricting protection to an easel or workpiece support means or container for artists' materials or a case in any absolute orientation, given that this apparatus is portable and can assume many different orientations in use.

Claims

CLAIMS

I. Workpiece support means comprising a clamp member adapted to engage an edge of an upright workpiece to hold it in a working position, and an arm pivotally connected to the clamp and mounted so as to be freely moveable under the effect of gravity to urge the clamp member against the workpiece in the working position.

2. Support means as claimed in claim I comprising a pair of arms pivotally connected to the clamp member and arranged symmetrically with respect to the clamp member so that both are moveable to urge the clamp member against the top edge of the workpiece.

3. Support means as claimed in claim I or 2 in which each arm is adapted to pivot and slide longitudinally on a fixed pivot.

4. Support means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which each arm is adapted to support the rear of said workpiece as the clamp member engages the workpiece.

5. Support means as claimed in any one of claims I to 4 in which each arm is pivotally mounted on a support frame and extends beyond the profile of the support frame.

6. A support means as claimed in claim 5 in which the clamp member and each ann is adapted to pivot to a folded position substantially within the profile of the support frame.

7. An artist's easel incorporating workpiece support means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.