IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTISTS' EASELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Gent, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTISTS' EASELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Gent at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th October 1876.
GEORGE GENT, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex.
ARTISTS' EASELS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention consists in certain arrangements and adaptations of parts whereby
the picture in course of being painted or exhibited may be placed and supported on
the easel in any desired position, either leaning forwards or backwards, or upright,
with greater facility than can be obtained in easels as heretofore arranged. For
this purpose
I combine with an ordinary easel or other supporting frame of any
suitable shape and arrangement a supplementary frame for supporting the picture;
the said supplementary frame is jointed to the supporting frame in such way that it
may be inclined forward or backward to any desired angle and maintained in that
position or vertically by any suitable fastening.
The supplementary frame may be arranged so as to be adjusted to any required
height whilst in either of the aforesaid positions by a screw or otherwise.
The supporting frame or easel with its supplementary frame may be carried upon
a base frame adapted to run on castors or to stand on legs, or on both, and the
whole apparatus may be folded up and thus rendered portable, and may be provided
with a box to contain implements in the usual way.

page_text: My Invention consists in certain arrangements and adaptations of parts whereby
the picture in course of being painted or exhibited may be placed and supported on
the casel in any desired position, either leaning forwards or backwards, or upright,
with greater facility than can be obtained in easels as heretofore arranged. For
this purpose I combine with an ordinary easel or other supporting frame of any
suitable shape and arrangement a supplementary frame for supporting the picture;
the said supplementary frame is jointed to the supporting frame in such way that
it may be inclined forward or backward to any desired angle and may be main-
tained in that position or vertically by any suitable fastening.
The supplementary frame may be arranged so as to be adjusted to any required
height whilst in either of the aforesaid positions by a screw or otherwise.
The supporting frame or easel with its supplementary frame may be carried upon
a base frame adapted to run on castors or to stand on legs, or on both, and the
whole apparatus may be folded up and thus rendered portable, and may be provided
with a box to contain implements in the usual way.
In tho Drawing Figure 1 represents a side elevation; Figure 2, a section on line
Z, Z, of Figure 4; Figure 3, a front elevation; and Figure 4, a back elevation of an
easel constructed with my improvements applied thereto.
Like letters refer to like parts in each of the Figures.
A is a base or frame by preference mounted on castors so as as to enable the casel
to be moved about with facility; B is a frame hinged at bottom to the base A, and
at the top to a second frame C, the lower ends of which take into notches D in the
base A. The frames A, B, and C, form an ordinary easel. Near the lower end of
the frame C is hinged another or supplementary frame E. Near the upper end of
the frame E are hinged link pieces F, F, which are also hinged at their lower ends
to a cross rail G, which is caused to slide between guides H on the frame B, by
means of the adjusting screw J passing through a nut K fixed to the said sliding
rail G and turning in bearings in the frame B.
It will now be understood that on turning the screw J the nut K and rail G will
be raised or lowered and the link pieces F, F, will push outwards or draw inwards,
as the case may be, the upper end of the supplementary frame E, as illustrated for
example by dotted lines in Figure 1, which shews the supplementary frame thrown
forward.
In the supplementary frame E is adapted to slide another frame L, to which the
picture is to be attached. This frame L can be raised or lowered in the frame E by
means of the adjusting scrow M, and if desired may be adapted to carry a drawing
board N hinged to another frame O which takes on to the outer V edges of the frame
E, and may be adjusted to any desired angle by means of a hinged support P
taking into notches on the frame O, or by a screw adjustment similar to that shewn
at F, G, H, J, and K.
In order to adapt the easel to receive large paintings an extending frame R may
be adapted to the sliding frame L, so as to be adjustable at any required height
therein by the thumbscrews S. A suitable tool box Q may be fixed to the frame
L, or to any other convenient part of the easel.
Instead of the handles being made to act directly upon the screws, as shewn,
they may be connected therewith by level or other suitable gearing and arranged
in any convenient position.
The picture may be held firmly in place and prevented from falling when the
frame È is thrown forward by means of the holder T, which is adjustable on the
bar U by means of a thumbscrew, the picture being retained in place by the clip
piece V and tightening screw W.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in which
the same is to or may be performed, I would have it understood that what I claim
as my Invention is, the use of a supplementary frame or of supplementary frames
so jointed or otherwise adapted to an easel or other supporting fraine, that such
supplementary frame or frames may be inclined forward or backward, and adjusted

page_text: and maintained in position, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
in the Drawing and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Gent, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred ond Seventy-seven.
GEORGE GENT.
(L.S.)