GB2427168A

GB2427168A - Portable stowaway workbench

Info

Publication number: GB2427168A
Application number: GB0511970A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Montague-Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-06-14
Filing date: 2005-06-14
Publication date: 2006-12-20
Also published as: GB0511970D0

Abstract

A portable, height adjustable workbench is provided, comprising a worktop 1 with an aperture 2 and slots 3 therein; and channels 5 for the insertion of arms 6 to facilitate the support of large sheet material. The workbench may be provided with two legs 12 and can be attached 11 and stored vertically on a wall. Two further legs (figure 6, 12) can also be attached to the workbench, so that a free-standing bench is produced (figure 6). The worktop 1 may have a removable centre element (figure 14) and a further bolt-in centre element (figure 10, 31) for the fitting of power tools. The legs 12 may also protrude forwards from the worktop 1 to provide vertical cramping of material and may be stored beneath the worktop 1.

Description

Portable, stowaway workbench.

This invention relates to a workbench.

The concept of the workbench is well understood but their usability is often determined by the floor space they require in a garage or garden shed where space is often at a premium. Efforts to address this have been made by Black & Decker in producing the various models of Workmate Project Centre, which fold for ease of storage or transportation. Their usefulness however is restricted by limitations regarding function and relative instability due to size and lack of stable anchorage. Furthermore, the small size of the work surface determines that working with large sheet materials requires at least two people. Neither are these products capable of providing safe and efficient attachment for a variety of power tools, such as saws and routers, to comprehensively function as a workbench.

The present invention proposes a portable workbench, adjustable for height from floor, the bench top prepared with aperture and slots to enable the fitting of a variety of work aids and with channels to allow the insertion of dumb arms to facilitate the support of larger sheet material.

The workbench top is provided with a stable connection to wall fixings, a mechanism which allows the bench to hinge upwards for vertical stowage or it may be used standing free on four legs.

The workbench is adjustable for height for bench or sawhorse function.

Slots in the bench top enable the attachment of guide aids and tools such as a vice, mitre block and mitre saw.

Dumb arms, which slide in prepared channels and can be locked in position, are provided to support larger sheet material.

A lift out wooden centre element of the bench top, when removed, creates a large aperture in the bench top surface and greatly assists when cutting long lengths of material at sawhorse height with a hand saw.

The workbench legs have a section at the front which protrudes forward of the front edge of the bench top to allow for vertical cramping of larger material in order to facilitate the use of a plane, for example, on the long edge of a door.

Slots provided in a bolt-in workbench centre element, in conjunction with the adjustable clamping brackets, enable a variety of power tools of varying sizes, and different manufacturers, to be securely fitted to the underside of the bench top.

When working with very large sheet material, the workbench can be easily lifted slightly, removed from the wall fixings and with the fitting of the two extra push-in legs and the four leg bracing struts, be used standing free of the possible constraints imposed by the proximity of a wall.

Preferably, the workbench legs are provided with screw out levelling elements.

Preferably, the workbench is of lightweight construction for ease of transportation to alternative work locations.

Preferably, push-in cover fillets are provided to close the slots in the bench top.

Preferably, a shelf with slots is fitted into the wall fittings in order to close the gap at the rear of the bench top and to serve as a tool rack for items such as screwdrivers, chisels, bolsters, files, scrapers etc. Preferably, stowage space for two bench legs, with retaining straps, is provided within a recess in the underside the bench top.

Preferably, clips for electric supply cable and for domestic vacuum cleaner hose are provided on the underside of the bench top.

Preferably, electric power sockets and a safety override switch are provided to fit to the outside of any one of the workbench legs.

Preferably, a carrying handle is provided at centre front of the bench top.

Preferably, a wall clip is provided, to fix to the wall above the workbench, to vertically retain the bench top to the upper wall when the bench is not in use.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows the workbench fixed to wall fittings at the rear and with two legs attached at the front.

Figure 2 shows a slotted tool shelf to fit at the rear of the workbench top.

Figure 3 shows a cutting guide to attach to the bench top or pull out dumb irons.

Figure 4 shows a vice to attach to workbench top.

Figure 5 shows a mitre block to attach to workbench top.

Figure 6 shows the workbench standing on four legs and free from wall fixings.

Figure 7 shows the underside of the bench top.

Figure 8 shows the bench top with one end fitting removed.

Figure 9 shows a bench top end fitting.

Figure 10 shows a slotted wall fitting to enable attachment of the workbench to a wall.

Figure 11 shows the slotted metal plate to bolt into the centre aperture of the bench top to enable the attachment of power tools.

Figure 12 shows one clamping bracket for fitting power tools to bench top slotted metal plate.

Figure 13 shows a clamping strap.

Figure 14 shows the wooden element to fit in the rebated aperture of the bench top.

Figure 15 shows a cover fillet to close the slots in the bench top.

Figure 16 shows the hollow top element of a bench leg.

Figure 17 shows the lower element of a bench leg.

Figure 18 shows the clip to screw to the wall to retain the bench top vertically when stowed away.

Figure 19 shows a bracing strut to attach to bench legs.

As seen in the drawings the workbench comprises a bench top 1, prepared with rebated aperture 2 and slots 3 to accept bolts passed through holes 22 of cutting guide 21, shown at Figure 3. Slots 4 accept threaded studs 25 of vice 24, shown at Figure 4, and mitre block 26 with threaded studs 27, shown at Figure 5. The base of a mitre saw can also be bolted through Slots 4. Openings to channels 5 accept dumb arm supports 6 which have ends 7 prepared to accept fittings 23 of cutting guide 21 shown at Figure 3, thus enabling cutting guide 21 to be positioned either side of aperture 2. Bench top end fittings 8 are diagonally cut 9 for the provision of hinges 10 to allow the bench top to be lifted to vertical position and to be held by clip Figure 18 which fixes to the wall at higher level.

Two elements of the bench legs 12 at Figure 16, and 13 at Figure 17, fit one inside the other at required length by aligning holes 14 with holes 15 and securing with bolts and wing nuts. The front push-on legs attach to the underside of the bench top at 38, shown at Figure 7 and Figure 8. Leg bracing strut 28, the detail of which is shown at Figure 19, attaches to integral fittings 30. Bench top end fittings 8, with shaped ends 29, are pushed and dropped into slotted wall fittings 11 at the height required. Slotted shelf 18, shown at Figure 2, is fitted to wall fittings 11 by pushing elements 20 into the open tops 37 of wall fittings 11. Screw out feet 16 are provided to facilitate final levelling of workbench. To aid understanding, broken line a' at Figure] shows where the wall surface ends at floor level.

Rebated aperture 2 in bench top 1 is provided to accept either the wooden centre element shown at Figure 14 or the slotted plate 31 shown at Figure 10 and both can be fitted into aperture 2 to finish level with bench top 1. The function of the centre element at Figure 14 is only to close aperture 2 but the metal slotted plate at Figure 10 enables a variety of power tools, of different size and manufacturer, to be attached to the workbench by using the adjustable clamps shown at Figure 13. This is achieved as follows: All of the eight slots 33 in the bolt-in slotted plate at Figure 10 are rebated wider on the underside to allow clear upward passage of the threaded element of bolts but retain the shallow bolt heads within the wider rebate. Aperture 32 is provided to the full depth of the slotted plate 31 at Figure 10 to accept the blade of a circular saw or cutting elements of other power tools. The power tool to be used is placed on the underside of the bolt-in plate 31 with the saw blade, or router cutter, protruding through and centred over the length of aperture 32. Four adjustable clamping brackets of the type shown at Figure 13 are then fitted to the underside of slotted plate 31. Bolts are passed through holes 35 of element 34 at Figure 13 and these are retained with wing nuts on the underside of slotted plate 31. Element 36 slides vertically and can be adjusted to suit the height of the base plate of the power tool being attached and when all wing nuts have been tightened the power tool is securely held for use. A metal strap, of the type shown at Figure 12 may be required to be used in lieu of one adjustable clamping bracket Figure 13 for some power tools. Finally slotted plate Figure /0 is bolted to bench top 1 with the power tool secured on the underside.

Another version of the invention is shown at Figure 6, where the bench top is supported on four legs with bracing struts 28, detailed at Figure 19, connecting to fittings 30 on all four of the legs. To utilise in this manner end fittings 8 can be removed from the bench top, to prevent the presence of hinges 10 interfering with the movement of material across the bench top 1. In this drawing rebated aperture (2 in other drawings) is shown closed by the wooden centre element Figure 14. Slots 3 and 4 are shown but they can be closed with cover fillets of the type shown at Figure 15.

Figure 7 is a view of the underside of the bench top and shows box type strengthening sections emphasised with diagonal hatching. It also shows aperture 2, slots 3 and 4, channels 5 for dumb arms 6, fixings 38 for the push on legs, recesses 34 for stowage of two legs, anchorage points 35 to accept retaining straps for legs, position of clips 36 for vacuum cleaner hose, clips 37 for power cable and holes 33 threaded to accept wing nuts to secure dumb arms 6.

Claims

Claims.

I. A portable, stowaway, workbench, adjustable for height from floor, the bench top prepared with an aperture and slots to enable the use of a variety of work aids and with channels for the insertion of dumb arms to facilitate the support of larger sheet material.
2. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to claim 1, in which the workbench top requires only two legs and is provided with a stable connection to wall fixings and a mechanism which allows the bench to hinge upwards for vertical stowage.
3. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to claim 2, in which a wall clip is provided to stow the bench vertically against the wall to which it is attached when not being used.
4. A portable, stowaway workbench according to claim 2, in which a shelf with slots is fitted into the wall fittings at the rear of the bench top to serve as a tool holder for screwdrivers, chisels, files, bolsters, and scrapers.
5. A portable, stowaway workbench according to claim 1, in which the bench can be easily removed from wall fixings and with the fitting of two extra legs and leg bracing struts, be used standing free.
6. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which a lift out wooden centre element, when removed, creates a lge aperture in the bench surface and greatly assists when cutting long material at sawhorse height with a handsaw.
7. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which a slotted, metal, bolt-in centre element, in conjunction with adjustable cramping brackets, enables a variety of power tools of varying sizes to be securely fitted to the bench top.
8. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which bench legs protrude forward of the bench top edge to enable easy vertical cramping of material to facilitate the use of a planer, for example, on the long edge of a door.
9. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which it is of strong but lightweight construction, with a carrying handle provided, for ease of transportation to various work locations.
10. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which cover fillets are provided to close the slots provided for work aids in the bench top.
11. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which space for the stowage of two bench legs is provided within a recess in the underside of the bench top.
12. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which electric power sockets and a safety override switch are provided to attach to a workbench leg.

12. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims in which clips for vacuum cleaner hose and power cable are provided on the underside of the bench top.

13. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which electric power sockets and a safety override switch are provided to attach to any one of the Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims.

I. A portable, stowaway, workbench, adjustable for height from floor, the bench top prepared with an aperture to accept a lift out wooden centre element, slots to enable the use of a variety of work aids and channels for the insertion of dumb arms to facilitate the support of larger sheet material.

2. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to claim 1, in which a slotted, metal, bolt-in centre element, in conjunction with adjustable clamping brackets, enables a variety of power tools, with varying sizes and shapes of base plates, to be securely fitted to the bench top.

3. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which the workbench top requires only two legs and is provided with a stable connection to wall fixings and a mechanism which allows the bench to hinge upwards for vertical stowage.

4. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to claim 3, in which the bench can be removed from wall fixings and with the fitting of two extra legs and leg bracing struts, be used standing free.

5. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to claim 3, in which a wall clip is provided to stow the bench vertically against the wall to which it is attached when not * being used. * 6. A portable, stowaway workbench according to claim 3, in which a shelf with slots is fitted into the wall fittings at the rear of the bench top to serve as a tool holder for screwdrivers, chisels, files, bolsters, and scrapers.

7. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which bench legs protrude forward of the bench top edge to enable easy vertical cramping of material to * facilitate the use of a planer, for example, on the long edge of a door.

8. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which it is * provided with a carrying handle for ease of transportation to various work locations.

9. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which cover fillets.. : are provided to close the slots provided for work aids in the bench top.

10. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims, in which space for the stowage of two bench legs is provided within a recess in the underside of the bench top.

I I. A portable, stowaway, workbench according to previous claims in which clips for vacuum cleaner hose and power cable are provided on the underside of the bench top.