Bench folding leg and brace structure

• US 6,173,660 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emmert Second Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Emmert Second Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Emmert, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US09/347,631
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 108/132, 108/129, 108/115, 108/130, 108/90, 108/116, 108/27, 248/188.6
• US Class Current: 108/90
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/06 of trestle type
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/10 with provision for adjusting holders for tool or work

Abstract

A retrofit kit formed by pairs of telescoping legs and a tool anchoring platform for a collapsible leg structure for a metal bench including a T-shaped brace rod having one end of its stem pivotally connected to the underside of the bench and its other end extending between and lockingly engaged with the depending end portion of a pair of the legs. A strut, pivotally connected with the stem of the brace rod, is slidably engaged with a track bracket secured to the undersurface of the bench to limit downward movement of the brace rod with respect to the bench. Links connecting the legs to the strut collapse the legs to a folded position under the bench when the brace rod is manually released from the legs and moved toward the undersurface of the bench.

Claims

1. In combination with a metal bench having opposing ends, an undersurface, bench leg bracket means secured to the undersurface of each end portion of said bench top, a bench brace rod at respective end portions of the bench undersurface and having opposing end portions projecting longitudinally of the bench medially the bench width and having one end portion of each rod pivotally connected with a medial portion of the undersurface for vertical pivoting movement of each rod other end portion toward and away from said undersurface, said other end portion of said brace rod having a transverse cross bar provided with a lock pin receiving aperture at respective ends of the cross bar, said metal bench comprising:

pairs of inner and outer telescoping tubular wall bench legs having upper and lower end portions pivotally connected by the respective upper end portion of each outer bench leg of said pairs of bench legs to said bench leg bracket means on transversely aligned inclined axes for disposing the longitudinal axes of each pair of said pairs of telescoping bench legs when erected in downward lateral and longitudinal diverging relation relative to said bench top,

the tubular wall of each outer leg of each pair of said pairs of legs having a connector supporting protrusion adjacent said pivotally connected upper end portion permitting unobstructed inward telescopic movement of the upper end portion of the respective inner leg beyond the position of the wall protrusion, each inner leg of each pair of said pairs of bench legs having a foot forming extension axially depending from its lower end portion; and

,

link and track bracket means pivotally connecting an intermediate portion of each said brace rod with said wall protrusion on the respective outer leg of each pair of said pairs of bench legs for pivoting movement of said pairs of bench legs from a bench erected position to a parallel stored position adjacent said undersurface and vice versa by vertical movement of said bench brace rod.

2. The combination according to claim 1 and further including:

a nut secured to the wall protrusion for connection with said link means of said link and track bracket means.

3. The combination according to claim 2 in which said each said inner leg is coextensively provided with diametrically opposite groves, each groove having diametrically opposite series of longitudinally spaced inner leg slots projecting laterally from one side of each groove, and further including:

each said outer leg of said pairs of legs having diametrically opposite slots in its end portion adjacent said foot; and

,

field replaceable inner leg locking collar means rotatably surrounding each said outer leg in overlying relation with respect to the outer leg diametrically opposite slots.

4. The combination according to claim 3 in which the edges of the inner leg lateral slots at the juncture with the inner leg groove are provided with a radius for ease of accepting the collar locking lugs.

5. The combination according to claim 3 in which the locking collar means includes:

a collar having diametrically opposite circumferentially extending through slots;

a pair of diametrically opposite inner leg locking lugs projecting through said collar for normally maintaining the respective pair of legs in a selected telescopic position; and

,

resilient means longitudinally disposed, within the respective collar slot and connected at respective ends with the collar and the outer leg for normally biasing said collar locking lugs in an inner leg locking lug slot entering direction.

6. The combination according to claim 5 in which the sides of said bench top are channel shaped having upper and lower horizontal parallel channel legs supporting a bench step side rail, and further including:

an elongated spring clip means secured by one end portion to said side rail and interposed at its other end portion between said side rail and the lowermost said channel leg.

7. The combination according to claim 6 in which the bench step further includes:

a resilient end cap on the respective end of said bench side rail.

8. The combination according to claim 5 in which said bench top is provided with longitudinally spaced through apertures, and further including;

a tool supporting panel longitudinally overlying said bench top and having through apertures in registration with the bench top apertures; and

,

quick connect and release latch means for anchoring said panel on said bench top.

9. The combination according to claim 8 in which the latch means includes:

a shaft rotatably projecting through the panel and bench top apertures;

a latch pin transversely extending through the shaft adjacent the bench undersurface;

a shaft control member threadedly and frictionally secured to the other end portion of said shaft;

a latch pin stop secured to the bench top undersurface for limiting angular rotation of the shaft; and

,

a resilient member biasing said latch pin toward the undersurface of said bench top.

10. The combination according to claim 9 in which the latch means includes:

a cylindrical wall having a centrally apertured end wall for forming a socket axially nested by each panel aperture;

a latch body having an axial stem angularly rotatable in the socket;

an internally threaded sleeve having one end threadedly and frictionally secured to the latch body stem and projecting through the bench top aperture;

a second latch pin extending through the other end portion of the sleeve; and

,

a resilient member axially biasing the second latch pin toward the undersurface of the socket.

11. The combination according to claim 1 in which opposite sides of the bench top removably support a bench step between upper and lower bench top channel legs and further including;

a spring clip having a first end portion secured to said bench step intermediate its ends, said clip having a second end portion normally interposed between the bench step and one said channel leg.

12. A work bench having a bench top provided with longitudinally spaced through apertures, comprising;

a tool supporting panel longitudinally overlying said bench top and having through apertures in registration with the bench top apertures;

quick connect and release latch means for anchoring said panel on said bench tops

said latch means including a shaft rotatably projecting through the panel and bench top apertures; and

,

a latch Pin transversely extending through the shaft adjacent the bench undersurface.

13. A work bench having a bench top provided with longitudinally spaced through apertures, comprising:

a tool supporting panel longitudinally overlying said bench top and having through apertures in registration with the bench top apertures;

quick connect and release latch means for anchoring said panel on said bench top, said latch means including;

a shaft rotatably projecting through the panel and bench top apertures;

a latch pin transversely extending through the shaft adjacent the bench undersurface;

a shaft control member threadedly and frictionally secured to the other end portion of said shaft;

a latch pin stop secured to the bench top undersurface for limiting angular rotation of the shaft; and

,

a resilient member biasing said latch pin toward the under-surface of said bench top.

14. The combination according to claim 13 in which the latch means includes:

a cylindrical wall having a centrally apertured end wall for forming a socket axially nested by each panel aperture;

a latch body having an axial stem angularly rotatable in the socket;

an internally threaded sleeve having one end threadedly and frictionally secured to the latch body stem and projecting through the bench top aperture;

a second latch pin extending through the other end portion of the sleeve; and

,

a resilient member axially biasing the second latch pin toward the undersurface of the socket.

15. The combination according to claim 13 in which the panel is transversely divided defining panel end portions and further including:

a hinge joining the panel end portions; and

,

latch means for anchoring said platform to the bench top.