GB2289862A

GB2289862A - Portable work table

Info

Publication number: GB2289862A
Application number: GB9405203A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Carlton Morton Chasteau
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-06-23
Filing date: 1994-03-17
Publication date: 1995-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-17
Also published as: GB2289862B; GB9312947D0; GB9405203D0

Abstract

A portable work table 10 suitable for precision work in any material, according to the tool that is carried in tool mounting assembly unit, comprises a table frame (56, 60) supported by rigid foldaway legs, two transverse rails 20, 22 suspended at one end of work table, the rails being supported by columns (14A) built into worktable 10, a telescopic arm being carried laterally between the rails. The arm has a tool mounting assembly unit (36, fig 2) at its extremity. The arm can comprise two arm portions, one telescopically mounted inside the other fixed section, the internal arm portion providing the mounting for the tool mounting assembly unit. The internal section is fitted with a rail on underside of outer fixed section enabling tool to move as far as internal section is set to be extended and to run on underside of outer fixed section right back to end of table. The tool mounting assembly has a 360 degree movement enabling work to be carried out in any direction laterally between the rails, longitudinally with the telescopic arm and in any direction. <IMAGE>

Description

A Work Table The present invention relates to a work table and a tool mounting arrangement allowing a variety of tools to be positioned relative to a work piece.

In particular the present invention relates to a saw and router tool carrier and table as disclosed in my co-pending UK Patent Application No. GB 9312947.6, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by way of reference.

In my earlier application there is disclosed a saw and router tool carrier and table which is flexible and can combine the features of cross cut and table mounted saws.

There is also disclosed a tool mounting turret on which can be mounted a variety of power tools including saws, routers, drills and mortise tools.

The present invention comprises improvements, modifications or developments of the saw and router tool carrier and table disclosed in my earlier application. In particular the present invention seeks to provide a work table and a tool carrier mounted relative to the table, the tool carrier being arranged so that it can be positioned relative to the work piece on the work table and can be moved in the X and Y directions relative to the work piece.

The present invention provides a work table, a carriage, carriage mounting means, carriage guide means and a tool mount assembly, the carriage being movable on the guide means and the tool mount assembly being movable relative to the carriage mounting means.

The tool mount assembly can be removably secured to the carriage mounting means and the tool mounting assembly can be arranged to receive a range of power tools.

The carriage mounting means can comprise a telescopic arm.

The carriage can comprise a wheeled carriage arranged to run in the guide means.

The guide means can comprise two longitudinal rails secured to the work table.

The work table can be variable in depth.

The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one form of work table according to the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the work table shown in Fig.

1; and Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the tool mount assembly shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a work table (10) comprising four legs, a front pair (12) and a rear pair (14).

The front and rear pairs of legs are joined together by a pair of flaps (16, 18) which are hinged together and are hinged to their respective legs.

The upper ends of the rear legs (14) are provided with an extension (14A) and two parallel guide rails (20, 22) are attached to the upper ends of the legs (14) and extensions (14A).

The guide rails (20, 22) are generally U-shaped in section and form guide means for a carriage (24) which itself is also generally U-shaped in section.

The carriage (24) has flanges (24A) on each of which are mounted four rollers (26) which engage with the flanges on the guide rails (20, 22).

A mounting arm (28) is attached at one end to the carriage (24) and is provided with a pair of rails (30) one on each side of the arm (28).

Referring to Fig. 2 a mounting arm portion (32) is mounted for movement on the rails (30) relative to the arm (28) by means of pairs of pulleys (32) which are rotatably mounted on the mounting arm portion (32).

A tool mount assembly (36) is secured to the mounting arm portion (34) by means of a bolt (38) having a handle (40) and a nut (not shown) which can be welded to the mounting arm portion (32). The tool mount assembly (36) includes a sub-assembly (42) which is fabricated from an L-shaped and box sections. The sub-assembly (42) comprises two arms (42A, 42B) set at right angles to each other and a further box-section arm (42C) which is normal to both arms (42A, 42B). The arm (42C) is relatively movable in a box section member (44) which is welded to a further channel section member (46). The member (42C) is slidable relative to the channel member (44) and includes a bolt which extends through a slot (48) in the channel member (44) and which is engaged by clamp (50) so that the sub-assembly (42) can be moved relative to the channel member (46) and therefore the mounting arm portion (32).

The sub-assembly (42) has a further L-section arm (42D) which is movably secured to the box section arm (42B) by means of a clamping screw (52) so that the distance between the arms (42A, 42D) can be varied depending upon the size of the tool which is being mounted upon the tool mounting assembly (36).

It will be appreciated that the tool mounting assembly and therefore any tool which is mounted upon that assembly can be moved in the X direction relative to the table by translating the carriage (24) along the guide rails (20, 22).

It will be further appreciated that any such tool can be moved in the Y direction by translating the mounting arm portion (32) relative to the arm (28) by means of the pulleys (34) engaging the rails (30).

The working surface of the table (10) comprises a fixed panel (54) which is located towards the rear of the table (10) and a hinged panel (56) which can be fixed in either an upright position against two struts (58) which extend downwardly from the extensions (14A) of the rear legs (14), or in a flat position in which the panel (56) lies flat on the two hinged flap (16, 18) as shown in Fig. 1.

In the position of the work table as shown in Fig. 1 the front and rear pairs of legs can be braced so as to prevent inadvertent operation of the flaps (16, 18). In this arrangement a further panel (58) can be removably secured at the front of the table in front of the panel (56) to increae the area of the work surface.

It will be understood that the width of the working surface of the work table (10) can be varied by operation of the flaps (16, 18). The flaps can be fully folded so that the front pair of legs are adjacent the rear pair of legs. This position is usually adopted in order to store the work table when not required for use.

The panels (16, 18) can be partially folded so that the front pair of legs lie under the front of the panel (56) when it is hinged downwardly.

Otherwise the panels (16, 18) can be fully extended to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the working surface of the table is provided by the panels (56, 60).

A further panel (62) can be provided at the rear of the table in order to stiffen the frame.

The work table can be provided with a handle (64) at each end in order to assist movement.

The base of the rear pair of legs (14) can be provided with a foot having an opening (66) to secure the work table to the floor of a workshop in order to provide extra stability.

The width of the table can be extended by providing a further pair of flaps (16, 18) if required.

The mounting arm (28) can comprise two arm portions, one telescopically mounted inside the other, the internal arm portion providing the mounting for the tool mount assembly.

It will be appreciated that a work table, according to the present invention, provides a working surface which can be varied in size, enables a variety of tools to be mounted for movement relative to a work piece secured to the working surface of the work table, over a wide area, and in any direction relative to the work piece.

The tools can comprise saws, drills, routers or, indeed, any form of suitable power tool which is normally used on a work piece mounted on a work bench.

The design of the work table enables the size of the working surface to be varied and also enables the work table to be stored away conveniently without occupying a great deal of space.

Claims

1. A work table suitable for work in a wide range of materials comprising:- a work surface supported by 2 pairs of rigid legs at one end, a foldaway pair of hinged legs within these, at end of table with rigid support 2 pairs of columns. one at each end of table is provided to take transverse rails which has no carriage between them to take a telescopic arm that is provided with a rotatable tool mounting assembly.

2. A work table as Claims 1. including provision to extend work surface by use of foldaway legs.

3. A work table as Claims 2. a pair of columns is provided at each side of table, to which is fixed a pair of rails between which the carriage is fitted with bearings etc. and is moved along from one side to the other between columns.

4. A work table as Claims 3. a carriage carried between 2 rails on which is fixed a telescopic arm. The arm is composed of 1 fixed section and 1 or more inner sections which telescope out from inside of fixed section with the use of bearings etc. the movements are controlled by internal stops that can be made to stop at any given distance of it's longitudinal movements.

5. A work table as Claims 4. to which a fixed section is provided to house a telescopic arm which is moved into the longitudal plane and also from one side to the other. On the inner arm of the telescopic section is fixed a tool mounting assembly, the under side of the fixed telescopic arm section is fitted with a slideable carriage which interlocks with tool mounting assembly enabling full range of movement from back to front of work table.

6. A work table as Claims 5. the tool mounting assembly has a 360 degree rotation plate enabling full range of movement and can be locked in any position by location holes.

7. A work table as Claims 6. a tool mounting assembly also encapsulating elevation movement to vary depth of work.

SUMMARY OF CLAIMS The prototype of this work table is built 4 feet wide by 5 feet high by 2 feet deep with foldaway legs which extend to 5 feet long, thus enabling machine to accommodate an 8' x 4' sheet of any suitable material for cutting or drilling in any direction including circular movement. All movements are unrestricted. Also needs a small space, only, is required in which to operate as the tool is pushed through the work piece, not the work piece through the tool, so a standard 8' x 4' sheet of material can be worked in any direction in it's own area maximising space. It is also portable and can easily be moved form one site to another with extreme ease.

N.B. The prototype is only made as stated above for convenience and is not to be taken as standard as it can be scaled up or down.