Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Unitary foldable – rigid scaffold or ladder – Trestle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-09-04
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Unitary foldable, rigid scaffold or ladder
Trestle
C182S181100, C182S225000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283250
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to portable workpiece supports, and specifically to a portable workbench that is capable of holding a variety of work pieces thereto using conventional workpiece fixing instrumentalities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of portable workbenches are known. Perhaps one of the most well known portable workbenches is that manufactured by Black and Decker, Inc. under the Workmate® trademark. While such known workbenches are suitable for their intended purposes, they have certain shortcomings that are addressed by the workbench of the invention.
A simple planing beam has been used by oriental craftsmen for centuries. This device incorporates a triangular support at one end thereof, and allows the workpiece to rest on the floor or ground at the other end thereof. Because a three-point support will always conform to the grounding surface, problems of leveling are not present with this form of workbench.
A workbench is intended to provide a working surface for a task. Frequently, this requires that a workpiece be secured to the working surface of a workbench. Although a number of attachment schemes are known, such schemes generally incorporate fixed attachment points, and only allow for attachment of a workpiece to the upper surface of the workbench by a predetermined fixation method, such as clamps or dogs which are provided with the workbench.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,147,522, granted Jul. 20, 1915 to Loomis describes an adjustable workbench wherein one set ground-contacting legs rides on another set of legs which support a cross-piece, allowing the workbench to be adjusted for height and uneven surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,109, granted Oct. 31, 1989 to Welch et al. describes and adjustable sawhorse having a set of fixed, hollow legs and a set of adjustable legs which are received in the hollow legs, and are moveable at fixed increments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,502, granted Apr. 16, 1991 to Shapiro describes a self-leveling saw horse wherein the leg length is fixed and the cross-piece is adjustable to remain parallel to the supporting surface.
A variety of sawhorse brackets are manufactured, including those manufactured by Crawford Products, Inc., of West Hanover, Mass., which brackets receive pre-cut leg elements in receptacles on the lower surface thereof, and wherein, in some models, a gap is present between a portion of a cross-piece support and the cross-piece.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A workbench for use with a workpiece includes a work surface having multiple slots therethrough for securing the workpiece thereto; a pair of spaced apart frames attached to the work surface, wherein each frame includes a pair of legs and a brace structure; wherein the legs each have a groove extending along the length thereof, and which further includes a leg extension adjustably received in the groove for individually and infinitely adjusting the length of each leg.
An object of the invention is to provide a workbench that allows a user to attach a workpiece to a work surface using conventional attachment devices.
Another object of the invention is to allow work pieces to be attached to the bottom surface of the work surface.
A further object of the invention is to provide a workbench which includes an integrally formed leveling mechanism.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a workbench which may be compacted for easy transportation and shipping.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a workbench which is inexpensive to manufacture and is durable.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent as the description which follows is read in conjunction with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1103699 (1914-07-01), South
patent: 1147522 (1915-07-01), Loomis
patent: 1226112 (1917-05-01), Pepin
patent: 1566171 (1925-12-01), Spurr
patent: 4375245 (1983-03-01), Schill
patent: 4596308 (1986-06-01), Auerbach
patent: 4756384 (1988-07-01), Maddox
patent: 4782917 (1988-11-01), Schulz
patent: 4877109 (1989-10-01), Welch et al.
patent: 5007502 (1991-04-01), Shapiro
patent: 5141077 (1992-08-01), Zuercher
patent: 5265697 (1993-11-01), Quick
patent: 5351785 (1994-10-01), Du Rapau
patent: 5904225 (1999-05-01), Patros
Odate, Toshio; from “Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition . . . ”; 1984; Ch. 1, pp. 6 & 7.
Crawford Products, Inc.; product brochure for their #90 “Double Duty” Sawhorse brackets.
Stodola Daniel P.
Thompson Hugh B.
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