Collapsible easel for artists

Claim 1

A collapsible easel for use by an artist comprising in combination; a platform structure having a supportive top surface area, opposite side edges, opposite end edges, receiving means secured to one end portion and one side portion of the back surface area and a co-pivotal receiving means securing one of its ends to the central portion thereof, having its opposite end pivotal 360 degrees therefrom; and a composite outer leg unit including a first pair of parallel main legs having upper ends connecting at right angles to opposite ends of an inwardly disposed rigid horizontal member interconnecting a rotatable outwardly disposed first upper horizontal member, and lower ends connected to a first pair of opposed side coupling means, a first lower horizontal member having opposite ends connected at right angles, by a first pair of opposed side rigid connective means, to lower ends of a first parallel pair of co-extendible auxiliary legs correspondingly housed longitudinally in said first pair of main legs, a pivotal connective means engaged in the horizontal axis of said first lower horizontal member; and a composite inner leg unit appropriately shorter in overall length and width than said composite outer leg unit includes a second pair of parallel main legs having upper ends connecting at right angles to opposite ends of a second upper horizontal member, and lower ends connected to a second pair of opposed side coupling means, a second lower horizontal member having opposite ends connected at right angles, by a second pair of opposed side rigid connective means, to lower ends of a second parallel pair of co-extendible auxiliary legs correspondingly housed longitudinally in said second pair of main legs, a first pivotal guide means pivotally interconnected in the horizontal axis of said second lower horizontal member, by bearing means contained therein, having a first releasable locking means, a second pivotal guide means pivotally interconnected in the horizontal axis of said second upper horizontal member, by bearing means contained therein, having a second releasable locking means; and said composite leg units share a stabilizer bar means having one end secured into said pivotal connective means extending perpendicularly in alignment therefrom slidably engaging through said first pivotal guide means connecting its opposite free end into a cap means, co-axial means interconnected between the upper and lower ends of each said first and second main leg having opposite facing branch members pivotally joined by bearing means contained therein in a common horizontal axis thereof, thereby enabling said composite leg units to be pivoted in opposite directions away from their inoperative co-planar collapsed position to operative extended positions within quadrant arcs thereof pivotally disposing said stabilizer bar means respectively from an inoperative vertical position to an operative horizontal position thereof and locking therein by said first locking means to supportively maintain said extended positions; and leveling legs individually housed longitudinally in each said auxiliary leg having their outer lower ends secured into individual base member; and each said pair of auxiliary legs co-extend slidably downward from their respective housed positions thereby providing said easel with height and leveling adjustment when same is in an operative extended position; and each said leveling leg individually extend slidably downward from their respective housed positions thereby providing said easel with leveling and height adjustment when same is in an operative extended position; and each said side coupling means and each said side rigid connective means include a releasable locking means in their lower portions maintaining respectively said auxiliary legs and said leveling legs in their extended or fully retracted positions and each also include a bushing means secured into lower apertures corresponding to said auxiliary and leveling legs; and said composite inner leg unit also includes a pivotal support means comprised of a slidable hinging connective means, a turn-mount means interconnected at right angles to a parallel pair of opposite side members, having a lever bar means connecting one end into said hinging connective means extending perpendicularly therefrom intersecting slidably through said second pivotal guide means connecting its opposite end into a cap means, thereby providing a pivotally coordinated counter pivotal structure thereof, transferable from an inoperative co-planar position in said composite inner leg unit to operative pivotal and translatable positions within a 360 degree arc from said second upper horizontal member when said composite leg units are pivotally extended in said operative positions.