US3414080A - Collapsible sawhorse - Google Patents

Description

3, 1968 E.J. DOUCETTE COLLAPSIBLE SAWHORSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 16, 1967 INVENTOR EDMUND J DOUCETTE ATTOi/VEYS Dec. 3, 1968 E. J. DOUCETTE COLLAPSIBLE SAWHORSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16. 1967 INVENTOI? A77 7 NEYS EDMUND J DOUCETTE United States Patent 3,414,080 COLLAPSIBLE SAWHORSE Edmund J. Doucette, 50 Monmouth Blvd., Oceanport, NJ. 07757 Filed May 16, 1967, Ser. No. 638,785 6 Claims. (Cl. 182-155) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible sawhorse having spring-biasing means connected between the sawhorse body and each sawhorse leg for automatically biasing each leg upon manual guidance thereof into its terminal mounted or travel position.

This invention relates to a collapsible sawhorse and more particularly relates to a sawhorse having collapsible legs which are connected to the sawhorse body by an articulated biasing connection.

In the past there have been provided a great number of models and types of collapsible sawhorses or trestles. For the most part such a collapsible feature meant that thesawhorse could be dismantled piece-by-piece with the artisan wasting much time and requiring much dexterity in order to carry the multiple pieces of his finally portable sawhorse. There have been other sawhorses which have been proposed which indeed are collapsible but only after much loosening, bending and folding under the skillful manipulations of the artisan. It is a primary object of this invention to provide a collapsible sawhorse having means on the sawhorse itself which will actually assist the artisan in collapsing the sawhorse into a single portable unit by providing a biasing force assist means for guiding and moving the sawhorse legs to a terminal position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sawhorse having legs which are permanently connected to the sawhorse body by a substantially universal connection.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed description when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the sawhorse in its working position;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the sawhorse in its travel condition;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the biasing members and their associated elements;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral indicates the sawhorse of the invention. The body portion of the sawhorse includes a rail 12 and a brace bar 14 supported below and parallel to the rail by pairs of spacing members 16 and 18. The spacing members 16 and 18 are mutually perpendicular and are rigidly secured to the inner faces of the rail 12 and the brace bar 14 near their longitudinal extremities. The said spacing members 16 and 18 are preferably formed of metal in order to provide the sawhorse body with a maximum weight-bearing and stress withstanding capability.

As is conventional, the sawhorse 10 has a pair of legs 20 and 21 at either end thereof. The sawhorse when in the working position has its legs mounted so that they extend downwardly and outwardly from the inner face of the rail 12 past the longitudinal edge of the brace bar 14. The legs 20 and 21 are also angled outwardly toward 3,414,080 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 "ice their respective ends of the body portion. Since the legs are identical, only one of the legs 20 along with its cooperating elements on the sawhorse body will be discussed. The leg 20 is provided with upper and lower mounting brackets 22 and 23 respectively disposed parallel to each other. Each mounting bracket is comprised of a base plate 24 and a double-T bar 26 which is spaced therefrom by lugs 28. The brackets 22, 23 are rigidly mounted to the leg and an aperture 32 (FIGURE 4) is provided in the plate 24 in order to allow egress of a locking screw 34 Which is in threaded engagement through the leg.

For receiving the leg brackets 22, 23 there are provided upper and lower body brackets 36 and 37 respectively. The bracket 36 is L-shaped and comprised of legs 38 and 40. The bracket leg 38 is secured to the inner face of the rail 12 and as shown in FIGURE 4, is spaced from the rail 12 by spacers 42. It is also connected to its adjacent sister body bracket on the rail via bars 44 which extend through apertures 46 in the spacing member 18. As best seen in FIGURE 2, each bracket is provided with a flange 47 projecting from the outer end of the leg 40 in order to assist in guiding the leg to its mounted position. The bars 44 provide an additional measure of reinforcement to prevent against twisting or loosening during use while the spacers 42 corresponding location of the upper leg brackets 22 at a greater distance from the leg end for increased strength. Each bracket leg 40 is provided with arcuate identations 48 which serve to receive the lugs 28 of the leg brackets.

The body bracket 37 is rigidly secured to the brace bar 14 with its leg 40 in spaced relation opposite the longitudinal edge of the brace bar. Bars 44 are again provided between sister body brackets on the brace bar and are secured in identical fashion as the brackets 36.

When the brackets 22, 23, 36 and 37 are properly engaged, they will restrict the leg 20 from movement in any direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the leg 20. Movement by the leg in a direction away from the brackets 36, 37 along its own longitudinal axis is prevented by tightening the locking screw 34 which directly bears against the bracket leg 40 through the double-T bar 26 to clamp it against the said bar 26.

In order to permanently attach the leg to the sawhorse body, a biasing member 50 is secured on one side of the spacing member 18 by 'bolts 52 and to the leg 20 by a screw 54 located intermediate the brackets 22 and 23. The biasing member 50 is comprised of two parts, namely, a spring clip 54 and a connecting rod 56. As best seen in FIGURE 5 the spring clip 54 is composed of identical coil spring segments 58 which form a projecting arm 60. The spring clip is secured at an angle on the spacing member 18 so that the longitudinal axis of the projecting arm 60 lies substantially within a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the legs 20 and 21. The projecting arm 60 is biased by the coil segments 58 to lie flat against the face of the spacing member 18. A connecting link 62 is pivotally secured to the extreme end of the projecting arm 60 and is pivotal about an axis transverse to the axis of the projecting arm.

The connecting rod 56 is formed with circular loops 64, 66 at each end. Each loop forms a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the other loop and it can be seen that when the leg mounting brackets are disengaged from the body brackets, the leg 20 is free to move along its longitudinal axis by overcoming the bias of spring clip 54 and also to pivot about the bottom loop 66.

In operation, with the sawhorse fully assembled and ready for collapse, the locking screw 34 is loosened until the leg is unlocked. The leg can then be pulled downwardly along its olngitudinal axis against the bias of spring clip 54 until the brackets 36 and 37 are disengaged.

Once the brackets are disengaged, the leg 20 is pivoted about the bottom loop 66 until it is substantially parallel with the rail 12 and brace bar 14. The leg is then released or preferably hand guided between the rail and brace bar. During this operation the bias of the spring clip 54 provides a motive force for finally locating the leg 20 in its terminal travel position as seen in FIGURE 2. Of course, to insure that the movement of the leg ends be restricted, a belt B shown in phantom could be usde.

In order to erect the sawhorse, the reverse operation is performed. The leg is manually pulled outwardly to overcome the bias of spring clip 54 until the leg is clear of the rail and brace bar. The leg is then pivoted until the leg brackets 22 and 23 are positioned just beneath the respective body brackets 36 and 37. Once again simple guidance by the artisan will suflice since the spring clip 54 will provide the final motive force to locate the legs in their terminal mounted position. It is to be noted that the said motive force provided by the spring clip 54 acts through its projecting arm 60 by pulling upwardly and inwardly on the connecting rod 56 and hence the leg 20. The leg is then locked into position by tightening the locking screw 34.

It is seen from the above description that not only does the biasing member 50 provide a permanent connection between the leg 20 and the sawhorse body, but it also provides a motive force for moving each leg to its terminal mounted or travel position.

What has been set forth above is intended primarily as exemplary to enable those skilled in the art in the practice of the invention and it should, therefore, be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced in other ways than as specifically described.

What is new and therefore desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A collapsible sawhorse having a trestle member and a plurality of supporting legs at the longitudinal end of said trestle wherein the improvement comprises a bracing assembly below said trestle, means connected between said bracing assembly and an outer surface portion of at least one of said legs for pivotally securing said leg to said bracing assembly between an erected position wherein said leg extends downwardly and outwardly from said trestle and a travel position wherein that leg is nested parallel to and beneath said trestle and said means biasing said leg to said erected position or to said travel position depending upon which of said positions said leg is in closest proximity.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 wherein said bracing assembly includes receiving brackets which receive inserting brackets carried by said legs to detachably secure said legs in said first position.

3. The invention as described in claim 2 wherein said legs carry locking means for locking said inserting brackets to said receiving brackets when said brackets are engaged with each other.

4. The invention as described in claim 2 wherein said receiving brackets include a downwardly depending leg having arcuate indentations therein and said inserting brackets include lugs for engagement in said indentations.

5. A collapsible sawhorse having a trestle member and a plurality of supporting legs at the longitudinal end of said trestle wherein the improvement comprises a bracing assembly below said trestle, a spring clip mounted on said bracing assembly, a connecting rod pivotally connected between said spring and each said leg, said spring clip and said connecting rod pivotally securing said leg to said bracing assembly between an erected position wherein said leg extends downwardly and outwardly from said trestle and a travel position wherein that leg is nested parallel to and beneath said trestle, said spring clip and said connecting rod biasing said leg to said erected position or to said travel position depending upon which of said positions said leg is in closest proximity.

6. The invention as described in claim 5 wherein said spring clip is biased inwardly substantially within a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the erected legs at one end of said sawhorse.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,144,914 8/1964 Tjosvoll 182-155 3,269,487 8/1966 Larson l82155 3,282,379 11/1966 Jones 182l55 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

Images