US2607646A - Combined table and drawing easel - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1952 WESTCAMP ,5

CQMBINED TABLE AND DRAWING EASEL Filed Jan. 29, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l .Zleslz'el. wesicamp BY MW ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Aug. 19, 1952 w s 2,607,646

COMBINED TABLE AND DRAWING EASEL.

Filed Jan. 29, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR Leslie L. wesicamp ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 19, 1952 OOMBlNED 'rAisnn AlVD DRAWING EAsEL p 1 Leslie 1.. Westeamp, Fair Oaks, Calif..

' ;Application- January 29, 1949; Serial No. 73,596

This invention'is diI8GtBd'1tO, audit is anz-object to 'provide, a novel piece of. childrens-"iurniture in' thesform-of acombined table" and drawing easel. v

Another object of-the a combined tableiand'drawing,easelwhich includes an upstandingi supportingi frame .and'va flat, panel: adjustable betweena horizontal position on the support foruse-asza table, and an. inclined position for use as a-drawing:easel-.-*

A further object-ofgthe invention is to: provide a combined tableanddrawing easel; as above, which 'includes a novel mount adapted to-secure the flat panel to the support forselective-adjustment between saidpositions; Additionally, this mount permitsof-easy removal of the panel from-the support if desired.

-.An additional object of -thednvention is to provide a combined. table and drawing" easel which is especiallydesigned and-adapted- -for use in the homeand schools bychildren the structure being'simple ,butrugged, andthus-not-subjectto ready damage. a r v a A still further object of the invention is to provide a. combined table and drawing easel which is steady in either-position of use.

: vStilllanotherobject of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable combined table and drawing .easel, and onewhich is exceedingly effectiveforthe pur'poseffor whichit-is designed.

These objects are. accomplished :by means of such structure'and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings: V r

Fig. l'is an end elevation, partly broken away, of the combined tabland drawing easel-badjusted for use as a table. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view butshowsthe device adjusted for use as adrawing easel.

Fig; 3 is a bottom plan view ofthe paneLdetached. f V I Fig. 4 is an end elevation similartto, Fig. 1,.but illustrates a modified adjustable .mount for the panell I Referring.now..mre particularly to the characters of reference on. the drawings, andparticularly at-presentto'Figs. 1j-3, inclusive,v the combined table anddrawing. easel forchildren comprises an upstanding support," indicated generally at I, which is of tubular metal construction.

The upstanding support I comprises four corner legs 2, with said legs at corresponding ends of the support connected by an integral floor bar 3.

invention: is: to --provide ,iclaims. (oLeu-ss) Y Transverse top bars 4 and 5 connect corresponding legs 2 at the'front and ream respectively, of the support I at the upper ends of said legs.- A stay'bar Sextends-betwee'n the top' bars 4 andi intermediate their ends; said stay bar 6 being ofiset downwardly-with respect to the bars 4 and 5 by'reason of upturned end portions-1 on said stay bar.

A rigid, rectangular panel 8', preferably of Masonite or the like, isdisposed above the support I,. being adjustably mounted in connection therewith for use in a horizontalpositionas a table (see Fig. 1), or for use in an ihclinedposition as a drawing easel (see Fig. 2). The adjustable mount for the panel 8 comprises the follow mg:

On the under side thereof the panel B is fitted with aupair of cross cleats 9 and "I0 disposed-in parallel relation and spaced apart a-predetermined distance; s'uch 'cross, cleats being symmetrical on said panel.

The'cross cleat 9 is formed alongthe outer side thereof with a longitudinal, outwardly opening cradle or groove H; such groove receiving the transverse top bar 6 when the panel 8 is disposed on the support I withthe cross cleats 9 and 1G engaging the top bars 4 and 5 from the-inner side thereof.

7 The outer and lower longitudinal edges of the 'cross cleats-9- and l!) are beveled, as at I2 and turned toa transverseposition 'withrespect to i the corresponding crosscleats' 9 and I0, serve to lock the latter against escape from the top bars 4-and 5. In this manner the'p'a'nel 8 is effectively maintained on the support I in a horizontal position, and'for use as a table. v U

To adjust the panel 8 to an inclined position, asin Fig. 2; for use'as a drawingeasel, the turncatch l5is released. and the panel 8 then swung upwardly about the transverse top bar 4 as an axis; the, cross cleat 9 and turn-catch M then serving in the nature of a hinge assembly. The panel 8 is ,maintained in its inclined position, for use as adrawing'easel, by means of a supporting leg 16 which extends from the thengelevated, cross cleat It downwardly to detachable connect-ion with'the transverse top bar 5.

;The supporting leg 15' is Y-shaped, with its open end straddling and pivoted to the \endsof the cross cleat 10, as at IT. At itsiopposit'e end the "supporting leg is formed with a springghook IE-which frictionally but releasably engages over 3 the transverse top bar 5, as clearly shown in Fig; 2.

When the panel I is in use in its horizontal position as a table, the supporting leg I6 is folded up against the under side of said panel in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4. the general assembly remains the same, and includes an upstanding support, indicated generally at [9, and a panel 20 adapted for horizontal use as a table, or inclined as a drawing easel.

Here, however, the mount comprises cross cleats 2| and 22, both of which are longitudinally grooved, as at 23 and 24, on corresponding sides; i. e. with the grooves facing in the same direction. The longitudinally grooved cross cleat 2| engages one top bar 25 from the inner side, being normally secured to said bar by a, turncatch 26. The longitudinally grooved cross cleat 22 engages and receives the other top bar 21 from the outer side. In this manner the panel 20 is held in its horizontal position for use as a table.

To adjust the panel 20' to its inclined position for use as a drawing easel, the turn-catch 26 is rotated to its unlatching position, releasing cleats 2| and 22 from positive engagement with the top bars 25 and 21. The edge of the panel 20 adjacent cleat 22 is then raised until cleat 22 is disengaged from the top bar 21. The cross cleat 2| is then engaged with the top bar 25 and secured by turn-catch 26, and the panel 20 is swung to said inclined position, being then maintained in such position by a supporting leg 28 which corresponds to the leg 16 in the embodiment'of Fig. 1.

The described combined table and drawing easel, in either of its embodiments, provides a very practical and convenient piece of furniture for use by children; the adjustment of the panel between its respective positions of use being accomplished readily and easily.

The device is relatively light-weight and thus capable of easy manual transport from place to place, and the construction is such as to minimize wear or tearor damage. I

While designed primarily for home or school use, the device may obviously be put to many other uses.

In either embodiment of the device the top panel can be easily removed from the support for the purpose of manual transport, or compact storage; regardless of the panel being accomplished merely by rotating the turn-catches to free positions and then lifting upwardly on the panel.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding support having spaced, parallel top bars, aflat, rigid panel above the support, cross cleats secured on the under side of, the panel in position to engage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, and turncatches on the cross cleats in position to intersect the corresponding top bars in holding relation thereto; one cross cleat and the corresponding turn-catch providing a hinge assembly for swinging of the panel, about one top bar, to an inclined position from a horizontal position upon release of the turn-catch on the other cross cleat from the other top bar, and a pivoted leg secured to the under side of the panel in position to then extend to and releasably connect with said other top bar.

2. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding support having spaced, parallel top bars, a flat, rigid panel above the support, cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position to engage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, one cross cleat having a longitudinal groove in the outer side and the adjacent top bar engaging in said groove, a turn-catch mounted on said one cross cleat in position to releasably intersect said adjacent top bar and to retain the same in the groove, another turn-catch mounted on the other cross cleat in position to releasably intersect the other top bar in holding relation, and a supporting leg pivoted on the under side of the panel, in position to extend from the panel to connection with said other top bar when said other turncatch is released and the panel swung upward to an inclined position.

3. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding support having spaced, parallel top bars, a fiat, rigid panel above the support, cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position to engage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, one cross cleat having a longitudinal groove in the outer side and the adjacent top bar engaging in said groove, a turn-catch mounted on said one cross cleat in position to releasably intersect said adjacent top bar and to retain the same in the groove, an-

other turn-catch mounted on the other cross cleat in position to releasably intersect the other top bar in holding relation, and a supporting leg pivoted on the under side of the panel in position to extend from the panel to connection'with said other top bar when said other turn-catch is released and the panel swung upward to an inclined position; the cross cleats engaging the inner sides of the top bars, and said cross cleats being beveled along their lower outer edges, the turn-catches being secured to said beveled portions.

hA combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding. support having spaced, parallel top bars, a fiat, rigid panel above the support, cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position to engage lengthwise along the inner side of corresponding top bars, a longitudinal groove in the outer side of one cross cleat, the corresponding top bar seating in the groove, the lower outer corners of the cross cleats being beveled, and turn-catches on said beveled portions of the cross cleats releasably intersecting the corresponding top bars in holding relation; there being a supporting leg pivoted on the under sideof the panel in position to extend to connection with the cross bar corresponding to the other cross cleat when the latter is released and the easel is swung upward to an inclined position.

LESLIE L. WESTCAll/IP,

Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 1,287,894 Cox Dec. 17, 1918 The following references are of record in the 1,333,974 KusFerle 125, 1932 fil f this t t; 1,894,334 Xavler Jan. 17, 1933 5 2,016,850 Bittermann Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,260,732 Anderson Oct. 28, 1941 Number Name Date 2,420,041 Jensen May 6, 1947 231,252 Atkinson Aug. 17, 188 2,500,542 Greene Mar. 14, 1950 284,251 Smillie Sept. 4, 18.83 352,716 Slack Nov. 16, 1886 10 OTHER REFERENCES 439,186 Beams Oct. 28, 1899 Joy in Bed and. Elsewhere, May 0, 1937. 948,905 Snyder Feb. 8, 1910 (Franklin Table C'o., Louisville, Ky.)

1,057,958 Hallock Apr. 1, 1913

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