Portable automotive bench

• US 4,811,875 A
• Filed: 03/24/1988
• Issued: 03/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert P. Disimone
• Original Assignee: Robert P. Disimone
• Inventors: DiSimone, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haughland, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US07/172,488
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 224/42.44, 224/42.08, 224/42.11, 312/250, 312/251, 312/256, 312/330 R, 312/286, 248/149, 108/1, 108/6, 108/44, 108/137, 108/143, 108/153, 108/158, 108/47, 108/50, 108/38, 108/157, 280/727
• US Class Current: 224/541
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 5/00 Tool, instrument or work supports or storage means used in association with vehicles; Workers' supports, e.g. mechanics' creepers collecting or removing exhaust gases in workshops B08B15/002; vehicle lifting devices, e.g. jacks, platforms or ramps B66F
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/06 for tools or spare parts for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a portable bench which finds particular application in the automotive field. The bench is comprised of a main body for supporting a pair of opposed drawers in sliding relationship to one another. When the drawers are in a closed position, they are concealed within the main body. A support assembly is removably attached to the front of each of the drawers. In use, the bench is oriented at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The drawers are slid outward from the main body to permit the support assemblies to engage the respective opposite fenders of the vehicle. Tools, parts and related materials may be rested upon the main body which can be slid from one extremity of the bench to the other. Items placed in the drawers during use of the bench may be temporarily stored therein when the bench is removed from the vehicle and the drawers closed.

Claims

1. A portable bench for resting small items comprising in combination:

a main body member having opposed extremities which are open and having internal glides traversing its length,

a pair of drawers having external longitudinally disposed glides complementary in structure and homologously arranged with respect to said gliders of said main body member,

said pair of drawers being inserted within said main body member at respective opposed extremities thereof and being retained therein in sliding relationship with each other,

support means directly attached to the front of each of said drawers for supporting said bench in an operative position, and locking means for attaching said support means to said drawers.

2. A portable bench as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said locking means permits said bench to be pivotally mounted with respect to said support means.

3. A portable bench as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that the dimensions of said bench are such that when said drawers are in a closed position, they are concealed within said main body member.

4. A portable automotive bench for traversing the engine compartment of a vehicle having its hood raised and for engaging opposite fenders of said vehicle adjacent said compartment comprising:

a main body member having opposed extremities which are open and having internal glides traversing its length,

a pair of drawers having external longitudinally disposed glides complementary in structure and homologously arranged with respect to said glides of said main body member,

said pair of drawers being inserted within said main body member at respective opposed extremities thereof and being retained therein in sliding relationship with each other,

a pair of support assemblies directly attached respectively to said pair of drawers, each of said support assemblies including a substantially planar body having an aperture at one extremity thereof and an angle section at its opposite extremity, said angle section being formed by a horizontal portion and an adjacent vertical portion,

at least one of said drawers being slid outward from said main body member to permit the horizontal portions of the angle sections to rest upon the respective tops of said fenders and the vertical portions of the angle sections to contact the vertical parts of said fenders which normally abut said hood when the latter is in a closed position, and,

means for attaching said support assemblies to said drawers.

5. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for attaching said support assemblies to said drawers include a pair of locking-knob assemblies, each of said locking-knob assemblies being comprised of a screw centrally mounted within a drawer and protruding from the front surface thereof, a washer disposed in contact with said front surface, and a threaded knob.

6. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said horizontal portion in each of said support assemblies traverses said body at right angles thereto and said vertical portion is coplanar with said body.

7. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 6 wherein said vertical portion of said angle section is comprised of a pair of spaced-apart vertical sections, the space between said vertical sections providing a relief for possible obstructions adjacent said engine compartment which might interfere with the desired placement of said bench.

8. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 7 wherein said body of each of said support assemblies is disposed via said aperture between said washer in contact with the front surface of said drawer and said threaded knob, said bench being capable of being oriented with respect to the horizontal when said knob is loosened, and to be locked into position when said knob is tightened.

9. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said vertical sections includes a magnet disposed therein for exerting a magnetic force on the vertical part of the fender with which it is in contact, thereby tending to retain said bench in its operative position.

10. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 9 further including a strip of resilient material affixed to the underside of said horizontal portion to prevent the scratching of the fender surface.

11. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said angle section of each of said support assemblies is comprised of a pair of spaced-apart inverted "L" sections, the horizontal portion of each of said "L" sections projecting at right angles from said body and terminating in a vertical section which lies in a plane parallel to but spaced apart from the plane of said body.

12. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 11 wherein each vertical section includes a magnet disposed therein.

13. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 12 further including a contoured, fender-gripping arm, a narrow box-like receptacle open at least at one extremity thereof and disposed within the space between said "L" sections, said receptacle being affixed to said body by a spring-loaded hinged assembly, said arm having a straight section at one extremity thereof for insertion into said receptacle, said arm being rotatable via said hinge assembly into contact with said fender, a pair of grooved members disposed on the side of said body opposite to that on which said hinge assembly is affixed, a lever having an elongated slot in coincidence with said aperture in said body, said lever being slidably mounted within said grooved members, said lever further including at one extremity thereof a foot which contacts the outer surface of said arm.

14. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 13 wherein said body of each of said support assemblies is disposed via said aperture and said slot in said lever between said washer in contact with said front surface of said drawer and said knob, said bench being capable of being oriented with respect to the horizontal and said arm being capable of being rotated into contact with said fender when said knob is loosened, said lever sliding downward by gravity to maintain said foot in contact with said arm, said bench and said arm being locked into position when said knob is tightened.

15. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 14 wherein said main body member is an elongated box-like structure, having a generally rectangular cross section, said internal glides being comprised of concave channels formed in the internal upper and lower planar surfaces of said main body member adjacent the corners thereof,

said drawers each having pairs of said glides on opposite sides thereof, said last mentioned glides having a complementary convex structure to that of said channels in said main body.

16. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 15 wherein said channels formed in said upper planar surface of said main body member produce narrow, raised ribbed sections on opposite sides of the external upper planar surface.

17. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 16 further including a pair of stop knobs mounted in spaced-apart locations in said main body member, each of said stop knobs being comprised of a screw having a knob at one extremity thereof and a high-friction disk at its opposite extremity, said knob being rotatable to move said disk into contact with a drawer disposed within said main body member, thereby preventing relative motion of said drawer and said main body member.

18. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 17 further including windows in the upper surface of said main body member to provide visual inspection of the contents of said drawers.

19. A portable automotive bench as defined in claim 18 wherein said glides of said main body member and said drawers include ball bearings.