Utility bench

• US 4,715,296 A
• Filed: 04/03/1986
• Issued: 12/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William T. Wilkinson
• Original Assignee: William T. Wilkinson
• Inventors: Wilkinson, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US06/847,672
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 108/132, 108/106, 108/116, 108/107, 108/96, 248/188.6, 248/188.2, 248/188.1
• US Class Current: 108/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/087 with struts supporting the legs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 12/02 requiring conversion between the step and seat functions

Abstract

An adjustable utility bench includes an elongated planar support platform. A mounting unit is secured to each end of the platform and includes a pair of legs hingedly mounted to the platform. The legs are interconnected by a brace so as to be jointly movable from its perpendicular position during use to its folded parallel position during storage. An extension is adjustably secured to each leg to vary the height of the platform.

Claims

1. An adjustable utility bench for being disposed a vertical distance above a support surface comprising an elongated planar one-piece support platform having an underside and a pair of side edges and a pair of spaced ends, a mounting unit secured to each of said ends, each mounting unit comprising a pair of legs hingedly mounted to said platform by a hinging mechanism secured to the lower end of each of said legs and secured to said underside of said support platform at a location inwardly of said side edges for being folded against said underside of said platform during periods of storage, a brace interconnecting said legs whereby said legs are jointly movable between its use and storage conditions, said brace of each mounting unit being connected to its respective pair of legs at an angle thereto by said brace being connected at one end to the lower portion of one of said pair of legs and at its opposite end to the upper portion of the other of said pair of legs, said braces of both mounting units being at opposite angles to each other, an extension secured to each of said legs, adjustable securing means mounting each of said extensions to a respective leg whereby the vertical distance said extensions project away from said platform may be varied to control the height of said platform at one of at least three different fixed heights, and a support member spanning and extending laterally beyond and detachably connected to a respective pair of said extensions of each mounting unit to provide stability to said bench.

2. The bench of claim 1 wherein each of said extensions is an angle member having a pair of perpendicular walls, each of said legs having an opening extending completely therethrough, said adjustable securing means comprising a series of aligned holes in one wall of each of said extensions for selective registry with said opening of its respective leg, and a fastener extending through said opening and one of said aligned holes.

3. The bench of claim 2 wherein said support member includes a bar having a pair of notches in one surface thereof at opposite ends of said bar, a respective extension being snugly received in each of said notches, an opening extending through said bar at each of said notches in registry with an opening extending through its respective extension, and a fastener extending through each set of openings in said bar and extensions.

4. The bench of claim 3 wherein said bench is in its folded position during periods of storage, said support members extending beyond the periphery of said platform, and said support members being the only components of said bench which are beyond the periphery of said platform.

5. The bench of claim 4 wherein each of said legs is hingedly mounted to said platform by a pair of hinge units, one of said hinge units comprising a hinge secured to said underside of said platform and secured to its respective leg at the junction of said leg and said platform, the other of said hinge units comprising a pair of arms, one of said arms being pivotally secured to said underside of said platform remote from said junction, the other of said arms being pivotally secured to said leg remote from said junction, said arms being pivotally secured to each other, and locking means for selectively locking said arms together.

6. The bench of claim 5 wherein each of said mounting units further comprises a rod extending horizontally across and secured to said pair of legs.