US3682433A

US3682433A - Adjustable easel

Info

Publication number: US3682433A
Application number: US53939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl L Petersen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-10
Filing date: 1970-07-10
Publication date: 1972-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-08

Abstract

An easel for supporting a loose-leaf binder, a book, or other written matter on two clips on the easel face which is angularly adjustable through a wide range of angles with great ease. The easel is formed of a series of sections joined together with hinges and arranged for either upright operating position or collapsed folded position.

Description

United States Patent Petersen [451 Aug. 8, 1972 [54] ADJUSTABLE EASEL 3,305,206 2/ 1967 Nichols ..248/459 [72] lnventor: Earl L. Petersen 203 East Hawthorne Boulevartl, Wheaton, lll. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 60187 255,150 5/1912 Germany ..248/454 [22] Filed: y 10, 1970 10,799 1897 Great Britain ..248/455 [21] Appl. No.: 53,939 Primary Examiner-Chancellor E. Harris Attorney-Snow and Benno [52] U.S.Cl ..248/459 248/453 51 Int. Cl. A 171; 97/08 [571 ABSTRACT 0f An easel for supporting a loose leaf binder a book or 248/1743 40/1521; 108/9 other written matter on two clips on the easel face which is angularly adjustable through a wide range of [56] References C'ted angles with great ease. The easel is formed of a series UNITED STATES PATENTS of sections joined together with hinges and arranged f either u t ratin 'tion 0 11 d 3,029,548 4/1962 Braha ..248/455 gf ef 8 or o apse 2,503,015 4/1950 Weisheit ..248/453 7 3,410,516 11/1968 Criswell ..248/459 8 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures mfmimus 8 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 'EMF 1 ADJUSTABLE rzxsrzr.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention The invention is directed to an easel for holding a binder, book or other printed matter or indicia in an upright position for a person viewing, making frequent reference to, reading, studying, or copying the material thereon.

2. Description of the Prior Art Easels have been made in all sizes and shapes for many years. Most easels are of a fixed inclination but yet many have been made with angularly adjustable capabilities. Most, if not all, such easels, had only a ledge or raised strip along the lower edge to prevent material resting thereon from sliding off. Other easels have been made with great sophistication to either facilitate reading or typing. Some are arranged to expose a single line of printed matter at a time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a simple' easel for supporting a book, other printed matter, or other illustrated material in any desired angle of inclination.

One principal object of this invention is to provide an easel which has quick adjustability and can be folded to a collapsed compact package for ease of shipment and storage.

Another principal object of this invention is the two clip holding means which permits easy page tuming from their lower edges as well as their upper edges without disturbing or moving the binder or book,the cover of which is resting and semi-anchored in the two clips on the face of the easel.

An important object of this invention is to provide an easel made of a series of sections arranged in end-toend relationship and the sections joined by intermediate hinges.

Another important object of this invention is that the two clip holding means so amply grips binder or book covers that the easel will support in position a wide range of binder sizes, including many which may extend several inches beyond the'left and right edges or several inches above the upper edge of the easel.

Another important object of this invention is the maximum stability maintained for all binder sizes and throughout all of the possibleface angle positions by the four legs or the four point resting contact edges.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a novel easel having a triangular shape in cross section with a front, a back, and a base.

An object as set forth in the preceding paragraph in which the triangular back is formed of two overlapping sections and means joining the sections in any desired degree of overlap to affect the inclination of the front of the easel.

Another important object as set forth in either of the two preceding paragraphs in which the base is formed of two sections which can be used either in overlapped or extended relationship to affect the inclination of the front of the easel.

Other and further important objects and advantages will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

m THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the easel of this invention shown in flat, extended position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the easel in operating position and showing various adjustments in dash lines.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the easel of FIGS. 1 and 3 in 0 which it is compactly folded for shipping or storage in a desk or compartment when not in use.

AS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS The reference numeral 10 indicates generally the easel of this-invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the easel includes a plurality of end-to-end arranged

sections

11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. The sections are preferably all made of a plastic-material which has substantial joined by intermediate hinge members which permit the folding of the easel in many relationships. For ease of folding and to effect unimpaired standing of the easel the

sections

12 and 15 are provided with

transverse notches

20 and 21 at the position of the hinges l7 and 18 respectively. The centrally located notch 20 defines

short leg members

22 and 23 at the outer edges of the section 12. Similarly the centrally located notch 21 defines

short leg members

24 and 25 at the outer edges of the section 15.

- The

extreme end sections

11 and 15 constitute the back of the easel 10. The first back section ll depends generally downwardly and rearwardly while the second back section 15 projects upwardly and somewhat forwardly. The

sections

11 and 15 overlap and it is at these overlapping portions that the sections are adjustably held together in any desired relationship. When the ease] is folded up for use as in FIG. 3 the

legs

24 and 25 of the end section 15 constitute the rear support for the easel.

Section 12 adjacent the end section 11 constitutes the front or face of the book supporting easel of this invention. When the easel is folded up for use as in FIG. 3 the spaced apart

short legs

22 and 23 of the front section 12 constitute the front support for the easel. Spaced apart supporting brackets or

clips

26 and 27 form a part of the front face 12 of the easel. These may be formed integrally with the face or may be separately formed and cemented, welded or otherwise fastened at 28 and 29 to and adjacent the lower edge of the front face of the easel. When formed integrally with the face there may beholes approximately the same width and height as supporting

clips

26 and 27 in the front face 12 directly behind or under those clips. The brackets are designed to support a book or reference binder by its cover in an open position or to support sheets for viewing, copying, or studying, or the like. The book cover supporting crotches 26a and 27a of the spaced brackets are in generally horizontal alignment and at a position spaced above the base of the easel. This permits a user to turn the pages of a book carried in the easel from the bottom.

The other intermediate

contiguous sections

13 and 14 constitute the base of the easel. Together with the front and back members, the base forms a triangle in cross section or in end elevation as viewed in FIG. 3. The full line showing of the device of FIG. 3 has the second base section 14 folded back about its hinge 18 so that it overlies the first base section 13. In this position the back sections 11 and are generally vertically disposed so that the easel triangle is generally a right triangle and the easel face is in its most upright position. When the second base section 14 is extended in end-to-end relationship as shown in dash lines A in FIG. 3 the front face is automatically inclined a substantial degree without changing the relationship of the

back sections

11 and 15.

As shown in FIG. 1 the first back section 11 is provided with an elongated slot 30. The slot is substantially centrally disposed in a vertical path when the section -l1 depends from the top of the easel as shown in FIG.

3. A bolt 31 is adapted to have its threaded shank 31a pass through the elongated slot 30 in the first back section 11. An enlarged head 32 prevents the entire bolt from coming through the plastic section 1 1. A cooperative nut-knob 33 threadedly engages the bolt 31. A hole I 34 in the second back section 15 is adapted to receive passage of the threaded shank 31a. By drawing up tightly on the knob 33 the first and second back sections may be adjustably held in any desired relation of overlap. This adjustment, illustrated by dash lines B in FIG. 3, causes a change in the angle of inclination of the front face 12 of the easel 10. It should also be understood that the

back sections

11 and 15 may be adjusted when the base members are either in an overlapping relationship or an extended relationship. This provides for an infinite number of adjustable positions of the front face of the easel. A big shift in easel inclination is accomplished when the base members are overlapped or extended as previously described.

A hole 35, elongated in a generally vertical direction, is provided at the upper center of the front face section 12. The hole is positioned so that when the easel is folded or collapsed for shipping or storage the nutknob 33 passes loosely therethrough. The width of the elongated hole 35 is slightly greater than the diameter of the knob 33. This provision for passage of the knob permits greater compact folding and thus easier shipment or storage.

In the operation of the easel of this invention the hinge connected series of sections is folded as in FIG. 3 and the angle of inclination of the front face 12 adjusted as desired. When the easel is to be stored or shipped the easel is collapsed or folded in to a position with the sections in overlying relationship as shown in FIG. 4.

What is claimed is:

1. An easel comprising a face for supporting an object in an inclined position, a first back member hinged to the top edge of the easel face and generally depending downwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge of the face, a first base member hinged to the bottom edge of the easel face and extending generally horizontally rearwardly, a second base member hinged to the rearward edge of the first base member, a second back member hinged to the edge of the second base member opposite the hinge attachment of the second base member to the first base member, said second back member generally projecting upwardly and at least partially overlapping the first back member, means joining said first and second back members in any selected overlapping relationship to change the angular inclination of the easel face, and utilizing the second base member in a position folded back on the first base member to position the easel face in a more upright position or in an extended position with the first base member to position the easel face in a more inclined position.

2. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which said means joining the first and second back members comprises said first back member having a centrally disposed elongated slot in a generally vertical position when the first back member depends from its upper hinge, a headed bolt member centrally disposed in said second back member and adapted to have its threaded shank pass through said slot in the first back member, and a cooperative nut-knob to engage the threaded shank.

3. An easel as set forth in claim 2 in which said easel face has a hole therein arranged for axial alignment with the bolt member when the easel is folded in a compact arrangement, whereby the head of the bolt member passes through the axially aligned hole to facilitate the compact folding of the easel.

4. An easel comprising a face for supporting an object in an inclined position, spaced clip means on the face near the lower edge for gripping an object supported by the face, a first back member hinged to the top edge of the easel face and generally depending downwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge of the face, a first base member hinged to the bottom edge of the easel face and extending generally horizontally rearwardly, a second base member hinged to the rearward edge of the first base member, a second back member hinged to the edge of the second base member opposite the hinge attachment of the second base member to the first base member, said second back member generally projecting upwardly and at least partially overlapping the first back member, means joining said first and second back members in any selected overlapping relationship to shange the angular inclination of the easel face, and utilizing the second base member in a position folded back on the first base member to position the easel face in a more upright position or in an extended position with the first base member to position the ease] face in a more inclined position.

5. An easel as set forth in claim 4 in which the spaced clip means are generally horizontally disposed and having book supporting crotches spaced above the base of the easel whereby book pages may be easily grasped and turned by a user from the bottom of the easel.

6. An easel comprising a series of five sections arranged end-to-end and each of said sections joined to its adjacent section by hinge means, the two extreme end sections together constituting an easel back, one of said intermediate sections immediately adjacent one of said end sections constituting an easel face, the other two of said contiguous intermediate sections disposed between the easel face and the other of said end sections constituting an easel base, and means joining said back sections in selected overlapping relationship.

7. An easel as set forth in claim 6 in which said contiguous intermediate base sections can be arranged so one of said sections overlaps the other of said sections or so that said sections are extended in end-to-end relav tionship.

8. An easel as set forth in claim 7 in which said series of sections can be folded in a collapsed state for ease of 5 shipment of the easel.

Claims

4. An easel comprising a face for supporting an object in an inclined position, spaced clip means on the face near the lower edge for gripping an object supported by the face, a first back member hinged to the top edge of the easel face and generally depending downwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge of the face, a first base member hinged to the bottom edge of the easel face and extending generally horizontally rearwardly, a second base member hinged to the rearward edge of the first base member, a second back member hinged to the edge of the second base member opposite the hinge attachment of the second base member to the first base member, said second back member generally projecting upwardly and at least partially overlapping the first back member, means joining said first and second back members in any selected overlapping relationship to shange the angular inclination of the easel face, and utilizing the second base member in a position folded back on the first base member to position the easel face in a more upright position or in an extended position with the first base member to position the easel face in a more inclined position.

7. An easel as set forth in claim 6 in which said contiguous intermediate base sections can be arranged so one of said sections overlaps the other of said sections or so that said sections are extended in end-to-end relationship.

8. An easel as set forth in claim 7 in which said series of sections can be folded in a collapsed state for ease of shipment of the easel.