A NEW OR IMPROVED PORTABLE EASLE AND SEAT FOR ARTISTS
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Whyte at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
December 1875.
I, ALEXANDER WHYTE, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "A NEW OR IMPROVED PORTABLE EASLE AND SEAT FOR ARTISTS," to be
as follows:-
:-
This said Invention consists of a new or improved construction of
light wood or other framework, which when folded or closed up forms a
thin rectangular hollow case, carried at one edge by a handle and capable
of holding some of the artist's materials, such as his colour box, sketch
book, or small prepared canvas frames for paintings, and when folded
out forms a portable casle and seat for artists.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in constructing
the edges of this frame or case double, with a cross rail to the inner and

page_text: outer edges at one side or end, with either a cross rail laid flatwise or a
light iron rod at the other or open end of each frame. These inner and
outer frames swivel on a stud or screw passed through them near the
middle of their two sides, to open as an ordinary camp stool with a
width of canvas or straps of girth, web, or other bands to form the top
secured to and between their cross ends, when the free or open ends
form the feet of the stool seat. The folded up stool (or frame) has a
light flat frame of the same size on each side covered over with canvas,
leather, or other equivalent to form the sides of the closed case. One of
these sides is so hinged to one of the upper cross ends as to fold up at
an angle and form a back to the seat, and make it a kind of camp chair
rather than a stool; a diagonal strap secured to each side of the frame
and to the opposite cross limbs of the stool hold the back of the seat
firmly. The other side frame is so hinged or otherwise linked to the top
cross rail as to be removable and form the back or frame of a portable
easle, with the other cross end of the case (which closes in the feet of
the stool) hinged to it, so as to turn out at its lower edge as a rest for
the picture, or with holes in the side rails for pins for carrying the
pictures as in ordinary easles; the two supporting front feet of the easle
being formed by light wood or other bars, hinged or jointed to the
lower back rail of this frame, so as to swivel down and be fixed in this
wide position as feet by two small pins passed through them and the
frame, and also into the end in its folded position to carry the picture
when desired. The long central foot is formed by two such bars
swivelling on a screw or pin in their middle, locked by a small pin, and
having the upper end jointed by a hinge to the centre of the top rail of
the frame of the easle, so as to be set out as usual at any angle to suit
that of the easle desired. The two lower feet might be made with hinges
to fold at right angles to their swivelling joints, so as to form feet for
the easle frame to make it answer as a table when laid horizontally, the
angled leg being made of equal length by only using its upper length
or limb and swivelling up the other, and have thumbscrews or other
equivalent used to fix these legs from turning and make them rigid, or
instead of forming the easle feet with double joints to form the feet of
the table separate feet could be hinged at the corners to be used when
the easle frame is to be used as a table. A clasp and strap or buckle
might be attached to the inside of the frame forming the back of the
seat to strap the handle of an umbrella to, so as to screen the artist or

page_text: sitter in hot or wet weather, and when the whole is folded up into the
portable case form, the two flat sides are closely secured either by a lock,
or hook and hasp, cye, or other equivalent catch at the hinged end, which
forms a lid to the case, and also the bottom picture rest for the easle.