GB2499037A

GB2499037A - Jaw member for a workbench

Info

Publication number: GB2499037A
Application number: GB1201985.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Martin
Original assignee: Forest Master Ltd
Current assignee: Forest Master Ltd
Priority date: 2012-02-06
Filing date: 2012-02-06
Publication date: 2013-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-06
Also published as: GB201201985D0; GB2499037B

Abstract

The jaw member 20 is mountable to a table portion of a workbench. The jaw member includes a mounting portion 22 defining a recess 24 into which an edge of a table portion of the workbench can be inserted. The mounting portion is mountable in use to only a single table portion of the workbench such that two opposing table portions of the workbench can be freely moved towards and away from each other when the jaw member is mounted to the table portion. The jaw member further includes a gripping member 26 arranged to project out of the plane defined by the work surface of the table portions when the jaw member is mounted to the table portion. The gripping member includes gripping means 28 for engaging an outer surface of an elongate member, such as a log, to be held by the jaw member. A workbench may include a plurality of jaw members mounted to two opposed table portions.

Description

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JAW MEMBER

The present invention relates to a jaw member mountable to a table portion of a workbench, and relates particularly, but 5 not exclusively, to a workbench to which a plurality of jaw members are mounted to enable the workbench to hold a log, piece of wood, pipe or other elongate member to enable cutting of the elongate member into smaller pieces.

10 It is often required to cut pipes, logs of wood or other elongate members into smaller pieces. However, it can often be awkward to secure the elongate member against movement for cutting.

15 Taking the example of a log, a saw horse can be used to secure the log to enable cutting with a saw or chain saw. However, saw horses have only one application, that being the cutting of a log or piece of wood into smaller pieces. Consequently, if a user is only required to infrequently cut 20 logs a saw horse can be a costly and sometimes unjustified purchase. Saw horses can also be cumbersome and difficult to store.

It is therefore desirable to enable a workbench to be adapted 25 to hold logs or other pieces of wood for cutting. A workbench is an apparatus having two table portions which can be moved towards and away from each other to act as a vice. The table portions form a planar work surface on which workshop tasks can be conducted.

30

An example of an apparatus that can be used to enable a workbench to be used to hold logs is described in GB2478318A. The apparatus comprises two wood supporting portions, each

having a V-shaped toothed recess into which a log can be placed. Each wood supporting portion has a lower flange member which is received between the two opposing table portions of the workbench. Consequently, when the two wood 5 supporting portions are mounted in the aperture between the table portions of the workbench, a log can be rested between the wood supporting portions for cutting.

The apparatus of GB2478318A suffers from several drawbacks.

10 Firstly, the uppermost teeth of the V portions define an upper limit to the size of log or tree trunk that can be held. Particularly large logs or tree trunks can therefore not be held with this apparatus. Secondly, if a long piece of wood is placed between the two wood supporting portions,

15 use of a saw or chainsaw on an end of the piece of wood might cause the log to pivot about one of the wood supporting portions which could pose a health and safety risk. Also, this apparatus can not be used to hold pipe having a hard outer surface, because the teeth will not grip the pipe.

20 Finally, the level of grip on a log cannot be adjusted with this apparatus.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seeks to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.

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According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a jaw member mountable to a table portion of a workbench, the jaw member comprising:

30 a mounting portion defining a recess into which an edge of a table portion of a workbench can be inserted, wherein the mounting portion is mountable in use to only a single table portion of a workbench such that the two opposing table

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portions of the workbench can be freely moved towards and away from each other when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion; and

5 a gripping member arranged to project out of the plane defined by the work surface of the table portions when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion, the gripping member comprising gripping means for engaging an outer surface of an elongate member to be held by the jaw member.

10

This provides the advantage of a jaw member that can be used to easily adapt a workbench to be used to hold logs, pipes or other elongate members for cutting. By using several jaw members mounted to opposing table portions of the workbench, 15 a log or other item to be cut can be lowered into the aperture between the table portions and to be rested between the opposing jaw members. The table portions of the workbench can then be moved towards each other to tighten the grip on the log. This means that when the log or piece of wood is 20 cut with a chainsaw, it cannot pivot or move in a dangerous manner because it is locked between the jaw members.

This also provides the advantage that the size of log that can be held is only limited by the extent to which the table 25 portions of the workbench can be moved apart.

In a preferred embodiment, when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion of a workbench, the jaw member does not project across the extent of the aperture defined between the 30 two opposing table portions of the workbench.

In a preferred embodiment, the gripping member comprises a plate which extends substantially perpendicularly from, or at

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an acute angle from, the work surface of the table portion when the jaw member is mounted to the table portion.

This provides the advantage of simplifying the loading of an 5 elongate member to be cut between jaw members, because the elongate member can first be rested between the jaw members and the jaw members then tightened to grip the elongate member.

10 By providing a plate which extends in use at an acute angle from the work surface of the table portion, this provides the advantage of increasing the size of object that can be held by a workbench because the tilt of the jaw members provides an aperture of greater size than the aperture defined between 15 the table portions of the workbench.

The gripping means comprises a plurality of teeth formed in the gripping member.

20 This provides the advantage of enabling the jaw members to strongly grip pieces of wood.

The gripping means may comprise at least one recessed portion formed in the gripping member.

25

This provides the advantage of enabling the jaw members to strongly grip pipes or other elongate members with a hard outer surface.

30 In a preferred embodiment, the mounting portion comprises locking means arranged to prevent removal of the jaw member from a table portion of a workbench.

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In a preferred embodiment, the mounting portion comprises a flange arranged to abut an underside of a table portion of a workbench and the locking means comprises at least one threaded hole formed through the flange and screw means 5 disposed in the or each said threaded hole to enable the screw means to be loosened and tightened against the underside of the table portion.

This provides the advantage of a relatively low cost and straightforward mechanism for mounting the jaw members to the 10 table portions of a workbench.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a workbench comprising two opposed table portions moveable towards and away from each other and at least one 15 jaw member as defined above mounted to one of the table portions.

In a preferred embodiment, the workbench further comprises a plurality of jaw members as defined above mounted to the 20 table portions.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

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Figure 1 is a perspective view of a workbench to which four jaw members of a first embodiment of the present invention are mounted to enable the workbench to hold a log;

30 Figure 2 is a perspective view of a jaw member of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the jaw member of Figure 2;

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Figure 4 is a bottom view of the jaw member of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a rear view of the jaw member of Figure 2;

5 Figure 6 is a perspective view of a jaw member in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a jaw member in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and

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Figure 8 is perspective view of a workbench to which four jaw members of Figure 7 are mounted to enable the workbench to hold a pipe.

15 Referring to Figure 1, a workbench comprises a frame support 2 comprising a plurality of legs 4. First and second table portions 6 and 8 are movably mounted to the frame 2 and can be moved towards and away from each other. As will be familiar to persons skilled in the art, a threaded rod and 20 follower mechanism (not shown) is used to move the table portions 6 and 8 towards and away from each other when handles (not shown) are rotated. The table portions 6 and 8 define a planar work surface 12 defined by the upper surfaces of table portions 6 and 8. Inner edges 14 of the table 25 portions can be used to grip objects in a vice-like manner.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a jaw member 20 according to the present invention is shown. Jaw member 20 is mountable to a table portion 6 or 8 of a workbench. Jaw member 20 comprises 30 a mounting portion 22 defining a recess 24 into which an edge 14 of a table portion 6 or 8 of a workbench can be inserted, wherein the mounting portion 22 is mountable in use to only a single table portion of the workbench such that the two

opposing table portions 6 and 8 of the workbench can be freely moved towards and away from each other when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion.

5 The jaw member 20 further comprises a gripping member 26 arranged to project out of the plane defined by the work surface 12 of the table portions 6 and 8 when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion. The gripping member comprises gripping means 28 for engaging an outer surface of an 10 elongate member, such as log 40, to be held by the jaw member 20.

When the jaw member 20 is mounted to a table portion 6 or 8 of the workbench, it can be seen from Figure 1 that the jaw 15 member 20 does not project across the extent of the aperture 10 defined between the two opposing table portions 6 and 8 of the workbench.

Gripping member 2 6 is formed from a plate which extends 20 substantially at an acute angle a from the work surface of the table portion when the jaw member 20 is mounted to the table portion. The gripping means 28 comprises a plurality of teeth 2 9 formed in the gripping member. Teeth 2 9 are able to penetrate the surface of log 40 to provide increased grip.

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Mounting portion 22 comprises locking means arranged to prevent removal of the jaw member from a table portion 6, 8 of the workbench. The mounting portion 22 comprises a flange 30 arranged to abut an underside of table portion 6 or 8. At 30 1 east one threaded hole 32 is formed through the flange 30. Screw means 34 is disposed in each threaded hole 32 to enable the screw means to be loosened and tightened against the underside of the table portion 6, 8.

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In order to adapt the workbench to hold a log 4 0 to be cut into smaller pieces, a jaw member 20 is taken and mounting portion 22 is slid over an edge 14 of a table portion 6 or 8 5 of the workbench such that the edge 14 is fully received in recess 24 and the flange 30 is in contact with the underside of table portion 6 or 8. The screw means 34 is then tightened to lock the jaw member to the table portion 6 or 8. As shown in Figure 1, four jaw members can be used in a 10 configuration of two pairs having mutually opposed sets of teeth 29 to hold log 40.

To load log 40 into the jaw members 20, the user moves table portions 6 and 8 to set the size of aperture 10 to be 15 slightly smaller that the outer diameter of log 40. Log 40 can then be lifted into the aperture 10 and the teeth 29 of the jaw members 20 will loosely grip the log 40 therebetween. The user then moves table portions 6 and 8 towards each other to lock the log 40 between teeth 29. This provides a strong 20 grip on the log for cutting with a saw or chainsaw.

A jaw member of a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 6, with parts common to the embodiment of Figure 1 to 5 shown with like reference numerals but 25 increased by 100.

Jaw member 120 comprises gripping member 12 6 formed from a plate which extends substantially perpendicularly from the work surface of the table portion to which the jaw member 120 30 is mounted. Gripping means 128 comprises a plurality of teeth 129.

A jaw member of a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 7 and 8, with parts common to the embodiment of Figure 1 to 5 shown with like reference numerals but increased by 200.

5

Jaw member 220 comprises gripping member 226. Gripping means 228 comprises at least one recessed portion 229 formed in the gripping member 226. Recess 229 enables the jaw member 220 to hold pipe 50. Pipe 50 has a hard outer surface so teeth would 10 be unsuitable here because they might puncture pipe 50.

In the example shown, recessed portion 229 is V-shaped, although other shapes are possible. For example, the recessed portion could have a right angle to be shaped to hold an edge 15 of a plank of wood. In order to increase the size of object that can be held, the tilt of the gripping member can be increased (by decreasing angle a).

This enables the range of the workbench to be increased. 20 Standard workbenches have a range (maximum aperture width) of around 100mm and can only usually hold a plank of wood so that the narrow edge of the plank points upwardly. By using the jaw members discussed, a plank can be held across its maximum width. This enables us of a router on a plank held in 25 the jaw members. Consequently, many different shapes of recessed portion are possible, depending on the size, shape and type of material of object to be held.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the 30 above embodiments have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

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Claims

1. A jaw member mountable to a table portion of a workbench, the jaw member comprising:

a mounting portion defining a recess into which an edge of a table portion of a workbench can be inserted, wherein the mounting portion is mountable in use to only a single table portion of a workbench such that the two opposing table portions of the workbench can be freely moved towards and away from each other when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion; and a gripping member arranged to project out of the plane defined by the work surface of the table portions when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion, the gripping member comprising gripping means for engaging an outer surface of an elongate member to be held by the jaw member.

2. A jaw member according to claim 1, wherein when the jaw member is mounted to a table portion of a workbench, the jaw member does not project across the extent of the aperture defined between the two opposing table portions of the workbench.

3. A jaw member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gripping member comprises a plate which extends substantially perpendicularly from, or at an acute angle from, the work surface of the table portion when the jaw member is mounted to the table portion.

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4. A jaw member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping means comprises a plurality of teeth formed in the gripping member.

5 5. A jaw member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping means comprises at least one recessed portion formed in the gripping member.

6. A jaw member according to any one of the preceding 10 claims, wherein the mounting portion comprises locking means arranged to prevent removal of the jaw member from a table portion of a workbench.

7. A jaw member according to claim 6, wherein the mounting 15 portion comprises a flange arranged to abut an underside of a table portion of a workbench and the locking means comprises at least one threaded hole formed through the flange and screw means disposed in the or each said threaded hole to enable the screw means to be loosened and tightened against 20 the underside of the table portion.

8. A jaw member mountable to a table portion of a workbench, the jaw member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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9. A workbench comprising two opposed table portions moveable towards and away from each other and at least one jaw member according to any one of the preceding claims mounted to one of the table portions.

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10. A workbench according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of jaw members according to any one of claims 1 to 8 mounted to the table portions.