Drawing table construction

A drawing table construction includes a frame, a drawing board which is hingeably attached to the frame, a drawing board support assembly, an instrument tray and a pair of mounting arms which are attached to the frame for mounting the instrument tray in forwardly spaced relation to both the frame and the drawing board. The drawing board is securable in various different inclined positions relative to the frame with the support assembly; but since the instrument tray is attached to the frame rather than to the drawing board, it remains stationary when the drawing board is repositioned relative to the frame. The drawing board is also positionable in a collapsed position wherein it overlies the frame; and since the instrument tray is spaced forwardly from both the drawing board and the frame, it can be effectively utilized as a carrying handle for the drawing table when the drawing board is in the collapsed position.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The instant invention relates to drafting equipment and more particularly 
to a drawing table construction which is adapted to be readily and easily 
transported. 
A variety of different types of drafting and/or drawing table constructions 
have been heretofore available. In this regard the U.S. Pat. Nos. to 
CLOSTERMAN, 200,173; McANELLY, 783,973; ALFORD, 3,699,227; CRAWFORD, 
3,954,314; RILEY et al, D-246,215; HOLDAM, JR., D-246,407; and ARNONE, 
D-256,869 disclose drawing tables and similar apparatus which are 
generally exemplary of the state of the art and which represent the 
closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is 
aware. More specifically, the above patents generally teach drafting 
and/or drawing tables and similar apparatus which are adapted to be 
adjustably secured in various different inclined positions, as well as 
drafting and/or drawing apparatus which are adapted to be easily 
transported. They also teach portable drafting, and/or drawing boards 
which include compartments for containing instruments and/or supplies 
utilized by draftsmen or artists. However, they fail to suggest a simple 
drawing table construction which is adapted to be readily and easily 
transported in the manner of the drawing table of the instant invention 
and, which includes an instrument tray that is operative in the manner of 
the instrument tray of the drawing table of the instant invention, as will 
hereinafter be made apparent. Hence for these reasons as well as other 
reasons which will hereinafter be set forth, the above patents are 
believed to be of only general interest with respect to the drawing table 
construction of the instant invention. 
The drawing table construction of the instant invention comprises a frame 
and a drawing board having front and rear edges which is hingeably 
attached to the frame so that it is hingeable between a collapsed position 
wherein the drawing board overlies the frame in substantially parallel 
relation and an inclined position wherein it extends upwardly and 
rearwardly from the frame. The drawing table construction further 
comprises means for releasably maintaining the drawing board in an 
inclined position, an instrument tray for receiving drafting instruments, 
and means securing the instrument tray to the frame in forwardly spaced 
relation to both the front edge of the drawing board and the front edge of 
the frame. The frame preferably comprises spaced front and rear frame 
members, a pair of spaced side frame members which extend between the 
front and rear frame members, and a bottom wall which extends between the 
front and rear frame members and the side frame members and cooperates 
therewith to define a compartment for receiving articles therein. In the 
preferred embodiment, the front edge portion of the drawing board is 
hingeably attached to the frame and it is constructed so that when the 
drawing board is in the collapsed position, it defines a cover for the 
compartment in the frame. Further, the tray and the front edge of the 
drawing board are preferably both substantially straight, and the tray is 
preferably mounted in substantially parallel spaced relation to the front 
edge of the drawing board. The means for releasably maintaining the 
drawing board in an inclined position is preferably hingeably attached to 
the drawing board so that it is engageable with the side frame members for 
releasably maintaining the drawing board in an inclined position, and it 
is preferably adjustable so that the drawing board can be secured in a 
plurality of different inclined positions wherein it extends upwardly and 
rearwardly from the frame. Still further, the drawing table is preferably 
constructed so that when the drawing board is in the collapsed position, 
the means for releasably maintaining the drawing board in an inclined 
position is interfitted in substantially aligned relation with the means 
for securing the instrument tray to the frame along the opposite side 
edges of the frame to provide substantially even side edges on the drawing 
table. 
For use and operation of the drawing table construction of the instant 
invention, the frame is positioned on a supporting surface, and the 
drawing board is repositioned on the frame to a convenient upwardly and 
rearwardly inclined position. When the drawing board is in this position, 
the instrument tray is spaced forwardly from the forward edge of the 
drawing board and also forwardly from the frame; and since the instrument 
tray is attached to the frame rather than to the drawing board, it remains 
in an upwardly facing position so that instruments do not tend to fall out 
of the instrument tray when the drawing board is repositioned. The 
instrument tray also functions as a stop for preventing articles from 
falling off of the drawing board when the drawing board is in its upwardly 
inclined position. The compartment which is formed in the frame provides 
an effective area for storing and transporting drafting instruments and 
supplies; and when the drawing board is positioned in its collapsed 
position, the instrument tray, which is spaced forwardly from both the 
drawing board and the frame, provides an effective and convenient handle 
for carrying the drawing table. 
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a 
light-weight and collapsible drawing table which is readily transportable. 
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a colapsible drawing 
table having an instrument tray which can be utilized as a stop for 
retaining instruments or books on the table and which can also be utilized 
as a carrying handle. 
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide a drawing 
table comprising a drawing board which is positionable in an inclined 
position and an instrument tray which remains stationary when the drawing 
board is moved to the inclined position thereof. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become 
apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection 
with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, a first embodiment of the drawing table of 
the instant invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4-6 and generally 
indicated at 10; and a second embodiment of the drawing table is 
illustrated in FIG. 3 and generally indicated at 12. The drawing tables 10 
and 12 are adapted to be supported on substantially horizontal supporting 
surfaces so that they can be effectively utilized for performing various 
drafting operations. They are, however, also adapted to be positioned in 
collapsed positions wherein they can be effectively and easily 
transported. 
The drawing table 10 comprises a frame generally indicated at 14, a drawing 
board 16, a drawing board support assembly generally indicated at 18, an 
instrument tray 20, and a pair of instrument tray mounting members 22. 
As will be seen most clearly from FIG. 2, the frame 14 comprises spaced 
substantially parallel elongated front and rear frame members 24 and 26, 
respectively, and a pair of spaced side frame members 28 which extend 
between the front and rear frame members 24 and 26, respectively. The 
frame 14 further comprises a bottom wall member 30 which extends between 
the front and rear frame members 24 and 26, respectively, and the side 
frame members 28 and which cooperates with the frame members 24, 26 and 28 
for defining a shallow substantially rectangular open box-like compartment 
in the table 10. Formed along the upper rear portions of each of the side 
frame members 28 are aligned spaced recesses or holes 32 which are 
positioned in corresponding spaced positions in the two side frame members 
28. 
The drawing board 16 preferably comprises a conventional substantially 
rectangular drawing board and it has substantially straight front and rear 
edges 34 and 36, respectively. The underside portion of the drawing board 
16 which is adjacent to the front edge 34 is hingeably attached to the 
side frame members 28 adjacent the forward extremities thereof with hinges 
38. Accordingly, the drawing board 16 is hingeably attached to the frame 
14 so that it is positionable in a collapsed position wherein it overlies 
the front, rear, and side frame members 24, 26 and 28, respectively, in 
substantially parallel relation therewith. The drawing board 16 is, 
however, alternatively positionable in a plurality of different inclined 
positions wherein it is hinged upwardly so that it extends upwardly and 
rearwardly from the front frame member 24 to the rear edge 36. 
The drawing board support assembly 18 comprises a pair of spaced 
substantially parallel support arms 40 and a cross member 42 which extends 
between the support arms 40. The support arms 40 are hingeably attached to 
the back side of the drawing board 16 at intermediate points in the 
rearward extent thereof adjacent opposite side extremities of the drawing 
board 16 with hinges 44. The cross member 42 is attached to the support 
arms 40 adjacent the unattached ends thereof, and pins 46 (illustrated in 
FIG. 4) are provided on the underside of the cross member 42 and 
positioned thereon so that they are receivable in the recesses 32. 
Accordingly, the support assembly 18 is hingeably attached to the drawing 
board 16, and the pins 46 are receivable in the recesses 32 for releasably 
maintaining the drawing board 16 in various different inclined positions 
with respect to the frame 14. 
The instrument tray 20 comprises an elongated member which is preferably 
constructed from a suitable rigid material, such as wood or plastic, and 
it has a pair of substantially parallel rounded upwardly facing channels 
48 formed therein for receiving drafting instruments and the like. The 
mounting arms 22 which are utilized for securing the instrument tray 20 to 
the forward portion of the frame 14 comprise rigid elongated members and 
they are attached to the outer side of the side frame members 28 so that 
they extend forwardly therefrom. The tray 20 is secured to the mounting 
members 22 so that it is positioned in substantially parallel forwardly 
spaced relation to the front edge 34 of the drawing board 16 and 
preferably also so that it is in substantially parallel forwardly spaced 
relation to the frame 14. Accordingly, an open area 50 is defined adjacent 
to and rearwardly of the tray 20 which enables a user of the drawing table 
10 to effectively grasp the instrument tray 20 so that it can be utilized 
as a carrying handle. The instrument tray 20 is, however, preferably 
positioned close enough to the front edge 34 of the drawing board 16 so 
that it functions as a stop for retaining articles such as books, pads or 
the like on the drawing board 16 when the drawing board 16 is in an 
inclined position. The mounting members 22 are preferably further 
dimensioned and configured so that when the drawing board 16 is positioned 
in the collapsed position thereof, the support arms 40 are located in 
rearwardly aligned interfitting relation with the mounting members 22, 
whereby they cooperate with the support arms 40 to form substantially even 
side edges on the drawing table 10. 
For use and operation of the drawing table 10, the frame 14 is positioned 
on a supporting surface, and thereafter the drawing board 16 is hinged 
upwardly to an inclined position and releasably secured in the desired 
position with the support assembly 14 by positioning the pins 46 in the 
appropriate recesses 32. The drawing board 16 can then be effectively 
utilized for carrying out various drafting operations, and drafting 
instruments can be positioned in the instrument tray 20 as desired. In 
this connection, since the instrument tray 20 is attached to the frame 14 
rather than to the drawing board 16, the instrument tray 20 remains in a 
horizontal position wherein the channels 48 face substantially upwardly 
when the drawing board 16 is hinged upwardly; and accordingly instruments 
can be effectively contained in the instrument tray 20 without falling 
therefrom when the drawing board 16 is repositioned. The compartment which 
is defined by the side frame members 28, the front and rear frame members 
24 and 26, respectively, and the bottom wall 30 can be effectively 
utilized for containing instruments, such as the instrument 52, and 
supplies, such as the supplies 53. Further, when the drawing board 16 is 
returned to the collapsed position thereof as illustrated in FIG. 5, it 
provides an effective cover for the compartment which is formed in the 
frame 14. Still further, as will be seen from FIG. 5, when the drawing 
board 16 is positioned in the collapsed position thereof, the support arms 
40 are disposed in rearwardly aligned relation with the support members 
22, and the cross member 42 is positioned adjacent the rear edge 36 of the 
drawing board 16 to provide a neat and compact construction for the 
drawing table 10. In addition, as will be seen from FIGS. 5 and 6, when 
the drawing board 16 is in the collapsed position, the instrument tray 20 
can be effectively utilized as a carrying handle for transporting the 
drawing table 10. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 6, since the 
instrument tray 20 is spaced forwardly from the forward edge 34 of the 
drawing board 16 and also forwardly from the frame 14, a person can 
effectively grasp the instrument tray 20 with a hand 54 so that the 
fingers on the hand 54 encircle the instrument tray 20. This enables the 
drawing table 10 to be simply and easily transported in a manner similar 
to a conventional suitcase or briefcase as illustrated. 
Once the drawing table 10 has been positioned in the collapsed position 
thereof, it can also be effectively assembled in a protective fabric 
carrying case, such as the carrying case 55 illustrated in FIG. 6, to 
protect the drawing table 10 when it is transported. In this regard, the 
carrying case 55 is preferably constructed so that it is open at the 
bottom end thereof to enable it to be effectively installed over the 
drawing table 10 to the position illustrated in FIG. 6. Further, the 
carrying case 55 is preferably dimensioned and configured so that it fits 
snugly over the drawing table 10 to retain the drawing board 16 in 
covering relation over the compartment which is formed in the frame 14 in 
order that instruments and supplies positioned in the compartment are 
effectively contained therein. The carrying case 55 preferably also 
includes a side storage pocket 55a which is open along an upper edge seam 
55b thereof for providing access to the pocket 55a and which is closed 
along a bottom edge seam 55c thereof located adjacent the open bottom end 
of the carrying case 55. 
The drawing table 12, which is illustrated in FIG. 3, is similar in 
construction to the drawing table 10; and it includes a frame 56, a 
drawing board 16, a drawing board support assembly 58, an instrument tray 
20 and a pair of instrument tray mounting members 22. The frame 56 
comprises a substantially flat rectangular board having a plurality of 
aligned recesses 60 therein, and the drawing board 16 is hingeably 
attached to the frame 56 with hinges 38. The instrument tray support 
members 22 extend forwardly from opposite side edges of the frame 56 for 
mounting the instrument tray 20 in forwardly spaced relation thereto. The 
support assembly 58 is generally similar to the support assembly 18 in the 
drawing table 10, and it includes a pair of side support arms 40, which 
are hingeably attached to the drawing board 16 with hinges 44, and a cross 
member 42. The support assembly 58, however, only includes a single pin 46 
which is positioned so that it is receivable in different recesses 60 for 
maintaining the drawing board 16 in various different inclined positions. 
The drawing table 12 is adapted to be effectively transported in a manner 
similar to the drawing table 10, although the frame 56 does not form a 
compartment for transporting instruments and supplies in the drawing table 
12. 
It is seen therefore that the instant invention provides an effective 
drawing table construction which is readily and easily transportable. The 
drawing tables 10 and 12 can be easily transported when they are in the 
collapsed positions thereof utilizing the instrument trays 20 thereof as 
carrying handles, and both of the tables 10 and 12 are adapted for neat 
and compact constructions. Further, the table 10 includes the frame 14 
which forms a compartment for containing and transporting articles and 
supplies which can be used with the table 10. Accordingly, it is seen that 
the drawing tables 10 and 12 have significant advantages over the 
heretofore available drawing table constructions and that therefore the 
instant invention represents a significant advancement in the art which 
has substantial commercial merit. 
While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure 
embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art 
that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive 
concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein 
shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the 
appended claims.