Improvements in Easels.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Easels.
JOSEPH DINES London Road Maldon Essex Schoolmaster, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A school easel 6 ft. 9 in. high, and 2 ft. 5 in. wide, made with parallel sides
with a view of securing a firmer background for the blackboard, than in those
tapering towards the top.
It has, in addition to the top and bottom rails, seven in. round bars placed
inches apart down the front, on which the blackboard is to hang, and thus pegs
are got rid of and a surface secured free from obstruction.
Two thin metal bars moving on screws in the back, and having slits in the other
ends drop upon screws in the front, and so prevent the easel from opening further,
or closing while a light table, 25 in. by 19 in. accompanies the easel, and is to
hang on the bars just below the blackboard to hold models, specimens &c. during
a lesson.
The angle at which the easel stands open, being a fixed one, the brackets of the
table are so adjusted as to secure a horizontal surface.
The hooks to screw on the blackboard are of two kinds, fixed and reversible;
the object of the latter being to allow either side of the blackboard to be used.
Dated this 11th day of October 1890.
JOSEPH DINES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Easels.
I JOSEPH DINES "School House" London Road Maldon Essex Schoolmaster,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention is a combination of an improved easel, which has a pair of hooks
Fig. 1. E for attaching to one edge of a blackboard, so that it can be hung on one
of the bars A in the upper part of the easel, and a small hanging table, which is
attached to the easel by means of two hooks, and supported when in use by two iron
stays. It is intended more especially for schools, colleges, lecture halls &c.,
and when in full use the blackboard is meant to be hung on one of the upper
bars A, for writing or drawing &c., while the table is meant to be adjusted on the
lower part of the easel below the blackboard, to hold small models, specimens &c.
during a lesson or lecture.
The improved casel has a front and a back hinged at the top with 14 in. wrought
The front
iron "back-flaps," so that it can be opened or closed like the old ones.
is made of two wooden sides 6 ft. 6 in. long and 1 in. square, and nine in. round
wooden bars Fig. 1. A, let into the sides, which sides are parallel, and 2 ft. 10 in.
apart inside. The first bar is 4 in. from the top, and the others are 6 in. apart.
The bars are let into the sides in. with the exception of the top, fifth and bottom
ones, which run through the sides to make the front firm. These bars are to hang
the table and a blackboard on. The use of bars in the casel to hang a blackboard
ond the table on is new.
Starting midway between the 2nd and 3rd bars from the top, round headed

page_text: screws B, are driven in the inner edge of each side at intervals of 7 in., and stand
out in. for the table stays D to rest on.
The back of the casel is made of the same kind of material and the same size as
the front, but only three bars are used, which all run through the sides. The first
bar is 4 in. from the top, and between the 1st and 2nd, and 2nd and 3rd, are spaces
of 2 ft. 3 in., and all bars in back and front are glued.
On the middle of each outer edge of back, and 3 ft. from the top, an inch
wrought iron stay C, 1 ft. 9 in. long by in. is screwed, and works freely on the
screw. inch from the other end of each stay, and on the under side is a slot,
which, when the easel is in use fits on a screw in outer edge of front, 3 ft. from the
top. The use of these stays to keep the front and back fixed in one position with
regard to each other, when the easel is in use, is an improvement on the cords or
chains now used, which only prevent the easel opening too far, but do not prevent it
accidentally shutting up, as these stays do.
The table is 25 in. by 18 in. by in., strengthened underneath by two ledges
18 in. by 2 in. by in placed 2 in. from ends of table. To attach the table to
any bar in the front of the casel, two 1½ in. wrought iron hooks are used. These
are made from plates 4 in. long, and 1 in. thick, being bent at one end into
a hook to fit the bars of easel, and are screwed to the ledges at the back of the
table, so the hooks stand out 1 in. beyond the table.
To support the table in a horizontal position when in use, two wrought iron
stays D, 14 in. by in. by are used. These are screwed on the outer edges of
the ledges, 7 in. from the front of table, and have slots in the other ends to fit on
screws B. To let the table down, the stays are removed from the screws B, when
the hooks turn upon the bars, and table and stays fall flat on front of casel. This
addition of a table to an easel is new.
Each of the two hooks E, by means of which a blackboard can be hung on the
front of the easel, is made of two wrought iron plates F and H (Fig. 2). The plate F
is in. wide, thick, and in the flat, 6 in. long. One end is turned over so as to
press slightly on either end of H, when brought under it, and so keep it in position.
His of in. wrought iron, and in the flat is like the letter T, the cross piece
being 4 in. by in. and the upright 24 in. by 1 in. This latter piece is bent to
form the hook that clasps the bar of the casel. The two plates are rivetted
together so works freely on F. They are made to work thus, so that either side
of the blackboard can be used. They should be screwed to a long edge of a
blackboard with the bent ends of F towards the middle, and 7 in. from the middle
of this long edge. Using these hooks to hang the blackboard on the easel is an
improvement on using pegs in the easel to stand the blackboard on, as by the use
of hooks the board steadier, it is not likely to be pushed off the easel, and there
are no pegs to be in the way of the person using the blackboard.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
(1) That the combination consisting of an improved easel with two hooks by
means of which a blackboard can be hung on a bar in the upper part of the front of
the casel, and a small hanging table is new.
(2) That the placing of bars in the front of the easel for the table hooks and
blackboard looks to rest upon is new.
(3) That the use of iron stays to keep the front and back of easel fixed in one
position with regard to each other when the easel is in use, is an improvement on
the use of cords or chains now employed, as these only keep the easel from
opening too far; while the stays do this, and in addition prevent it closing if
pushed against.
(4) That using hooks for hanging the blackboard on the easel is an improvement
on the plan of using pegs in the casel to stand it on, because in the first case the

page_text: blackboard is firm to work on, it is not easily dislodged by accident, and no pegs are
in the way; while in the second case the blackboard is unsteady when pressed
upon, is very liable to fall if accidentally pushed against from the back or either
side, and the pegs are often in the way.
Dated this 8th day of July 1891.