Easy open portable easel

Abstract

A portable easel is built light enough to be carried yet rugged enough to withstand continued out door use and has no loose parts to have to assemble. It is easily folded into a manageable size package, closed and held closed with gas springs. An elastic strap is employed across the closed legs to prevent the easel from being inadvertently opened. A shoulder strap is provided to carry the easel to remote locations. From a folded position an easy open portable easel can be set up easily and quickly by releasing the elastic strap and gently pulling the front legs outward to allow the gas springs to travel over center and push outward. There are no parts to attach or detach when opening an easy open portable easel After the basic frame is deployed, extend the telescoping legs and adjust the easel orientation and height, swing the upper canvas support bar and bracket out and up and push down to latch. Adjust the upper canvas support bracket and the lower canvas support brackets to suit the artist canvas or similar item size. A utility tray may be cradled in the lower canvas support brackets for convenient accessibility of paints, brushes, pins, pencils, markers, pointers and such.

1 . An easy open portable easel comprising: 
 a foldable tripod frame with the means of holding an artist's canvas or a similar item, a top pivot member, three legs, with telescoping inserts which are attached to the top pivot member, an upper artists canvas or item support bar and bracket that is attached to the top pivot member and to be folded inside the frame for storage, gas springs mounted to three legs for operability and lower canvas or similar item brackets that are made in a manner as to cradle a utility tray.    
   
   
       2 . An easy open portable easel as claim in  claim 1  wherein said top member is prepared so as to have one aforementioned leg attached rigid, have two aforementioned legs attached as to pivot against a stop.  
   
   
       3 . An easy open portable easel as claim in  claim 2  wherein said to have two aforementioned legs attached as to pivot against a stop, has a clamp type bracket on each said leg that is adjustable vertically on said legs for positioning of the bottom portion of the artists canvas or work piece and is secured in place with wing nuts and threaded studs.  
   
   
       4 . An easy open portable easel as claim in  claim 2  wherein said one aforementioned leg attached rigid, and two aforementioned legs attached as to pivot against a stop, have telescoping leg extensions for the purpose of increasing the height of the said portable easel and to adjust the orientation of said easel with respect to uneven surfaces. Said telescoping legs are slotted through which thumb screws are threaded into internal nuts for securing said telescoping leg extensions in a selected position.  
   
   
       5 . An easy open portable easel as claim in  claim 1  wherein said top member is prepared so as to have the aforementioned upper canvas support and bracket attached as to pivot, rotating upward and latching in place.  
   
   
       6 . An easy open portable easel as claim in  claim 4  wherein said to have the upper canvas bracket, said bracket is adjustable vertically on said upper canvas support and secured in place with a thumb screw.  
   
   
       7 . An easy open portable easel as claim in  claim 1  wherein said gas springs are mounted between the aforementioned legs for the purpose of ease of opening and closing said legs and to hold said legs in position.  
   
   
       8 . An easy open portable easel comprising: a wide woven shoulder strap for the purpose of carrying the said easel to areas of choice.  
   
   
       9 . An easy open portable easel comprising: lower canvas holders that are adjustable in height and shaped in such a manner that a utility tray may be cradled in the lower canvas holder at the front of the easel.