Abstract:
A retrofit kit formed by pairs of telescoping legs and a tool anchoring platform for a collapsible leg structure for a metal bench including a T-shaped brace rod having one end of its stem pivotally connected to the underside of the bench and its other end extending between and lockingly engaged with the depending end portion of a pair of the legs. A strut, pivotally connected with the stem of the brace rod, is slidably engaged with a track bracket secured to the undersurface of the bench to limit downward movement of the brace rod with respect to the bench. Links connecting the legs to the strut collapse the legs to a folded position under the bench when the brace rod is manually released from the legs and moved toward the undersurface of the bench.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a metallic work bench folding leg and brace structure and more particularly to improved telescoping leg adjustment means and a tool mounting platform for such a bench structure. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The most pertinent patent is believed to be U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,111 issued Mar. 4, 1980 to me for Bench Folding Leg And Brace Structure. This patent discloses an elongated work bench normally supported by a downwardly diverging leg structure connected with a leg folding members. The leg folding members are pivotally connected with the undersurface of the work bench for pivoting the legs to a parallel stored position adjacent the undersurface of the work bench when not in use. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,870 issued Sep. 30, 1969 to Barcus for Telescopic Structure With Rotatable Shaft and U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,885 issued Apr. 3, 1973 to Becker for Locking Device For Extendible Tubes are believed good examples of the further state-of-the-art for telescoping tube or leg structure. 
     This invention is distinctive over the above named patents by providing improved telescoping retrofitting leg assemblies for increasing the operational height of the modified bench with the legs telescopically extended to a maximum height without increasing the bench minimum height with the legs telescopically collapsed. The present disclosure provides an improved leg fixed position adjustment means which is smoother operating, more positive, easier to manufacture and field replaceable. Also, this invention is distinctive over the above named patents by including a platform removably secured in overlying relation on the bench top surface for quickly mounting and supporting tools or equipment such as a power miter box saw, a table top, or the like. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An elongated bench top of substantially channel shape in transverse section is provided adjacent its respective under-surface end portions with a leg bracket for pivotal connection with the upper end of a pair of legs in a manner permitting the legs to diverge downward, laterally and longitudinally of the bench when erected and to lie in parallel relation against the undersurface of the bench between the legs of the channel shape when folded. A T-shaped brace rod pivotally connected by its stem end to the undersurface of the bench has its bar end cooperating with lock pins to form a rigid connection with a depending end portion of the respective pair of legs when erected. A strut pivotally connected with the stem of the brace rod and slidably engaging a track bracket secured to the undersurface of the bench limits pivoting movement of the brace rod away from the bench. Leg folding links extending between and pivotally connecting the respective legs with the strut pivot the legs toward an erected or collapsed position by movement of the T bar end portion of the brace rod toward and away from the undersurface of the bench. Each leg is provided with a telescoping leg extension for elevating the bench. However, the leg length of the inner leg extension in the prior art bench is appreciably less than the length of the bench connected outer leg for the reason a lug on each leg adjacent its leg bracket connected end, is connected with a respective end of each of the folding links and extends through the wall of the outer leg and limits telescopic insertion of the inner leg extension into the outer or surrounding leg beyond the position of the lug. Accordingly, described is a retrofit package of an improved telescoping leg assembly which includes an inner extension leg of only nominally shorter length than the outer or surrounding leg and other improved operating features. 
     The principal object of this invention is to provide a retrofit package for an existing work bench which comprises pairs of extended range telescoping legs for disposing the bench top at a higher level, and providing a tool, equipment, or table supporting platform removably secured to the upper surface of the work bench by quick connect and release latches and to provide an improved means for adjusting the telescoping legs so that the bench top may be raised and lowered more easily. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art bench in leg erected position, illustrating by dotted lines, the telescopic leg extensions in extended position; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross section of the prior art, to a larger scale, taken substantially along the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a similar perspective view of the work bench having the improved legs and illustrating, in exploded relation, a tool mounting platform; 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view, to a larger scale partially in elevation, taken substantially along the line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view, to a further enlarged scale, illustrating the improved telescopic extension leg assembly; 
     FIG. 6 is a transverse cross sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view, to a different scale, taken substantially along the line  7 — 7  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the improved leg lock collar on the depending end portion of the outer telescoping leg; 
     FIG. 9 is a right end elevational view of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a top view of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along the line  11 — 11  of FIG.  8  and illustrating by dotted lines the relative position of the inner telescoping leg; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bench top of FIG. 3 with the legs removed, illustrating the tool platform sell cured thereto; 
     FIG. 13 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, to a different scale, taken substantially along the line  13 — 13  of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in the direction of the arrows  14 — 14  of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 is a bench top view similar to FIG. 3, with the legs removed, illustrating another embodiment of a quick connect and release latch; 
     FIG. 16 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, to larger scale, taken substantially along the line  16 — 16  of FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 17 is a vertical cross section taken substantially along the lines  17 — 17  of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 18 is an exploded isometric view of the area enclosed by the arrows  18  of FIG. 12; and, 
     FIG. 19 is a vertical cross section, to a larger scale taken substantially along the line  19 — 19  of FIG.  18 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur. 
     In the drawings: 
     Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1,  2  and  4 , the reference numeral  10  indicates my prior art bench U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,111 incorporated herein by reference, as a whole, supported by a pair of folding leg and brace structures  12  and  14 . The bench  10  is substantially channel-shaped in transverse section having a horizontal top  16  of uniform thickness having hand grip holes  17  medially its ends and defining a depending surface  18 , parallel depending channel legs  20  and depending end walls  22 . Each of the end walls  22  is provided with a downwardly open slot  23  for the purpose presently apparent. 
     The brace structures  12  and  14  are substantially identical and in the interest of brevity, only the brace structure  12  is described in detail. 
     A leg bracket  24  is transversely connected to the bench undersurface  18  adjacent one end portion of the bench. The leg bracket  24  is characterized by two spaced-apart pairs of clevis arms  26  projecting downwardly from the bench undersurface  18  in lateral diverging relation. A pair of tubular wall legs  28  are pivotally connected at their respective upper end portions between the respective pair of clevis arms  26  for pivoting movement toward and away from the bench undersurface  18 . The pair of legs  28 , when erected diverge downward, laterally and longitudinally with respect to the bench top. When folded against the bench undersurface  18 , the legs lie in spaced-apart parallel relation. The depending end portion of each leg  28  is provided with a surrounding fixed position collar  30 . Each of the collars  30  is characterized by a lateral extension  32  having a lock pin  34  secured thereto projecting generally toward the pivotally connected end of the respective leg. 
     Brace rod means  38 , including a T-shaped brace rod, has one end portion of its stem  40  pivotally connected between the legs of a channel-shaped brace rod bracket  42  longitudinally secured to the bench undersurface  18  between the hand grip holes  17  with the brace rod cross bar  44  disposed transversely of the bench for vertical pivoting movement of the brace rod toward and away from the bench undersurface. The overall length of the brace rod, with respect to the bench, is such that its stem  40  is disposed between the pair of legs  28  and the cross bar  44  of the T-shape such that it will frictionally engage a brace rod latch element  46 , preferably formed from resilient material, such as rubber, having a central downwardly open slot cooperatively aligned with the end wall slot  23  and coextensive with and secured to the outer surface of the respective bench end wall  22 . The respective end portion of the cross bar  44  is provided with an aperture  48  for cooperative reception of the respective lock pin  34  thus locking the legs when in an erected position, as presently explained. 
     Link and track bracket means  50  interconnects the brace rod means  38  and legs  28  with the bench undersurface  18 . The link and track bracket means  50  comprises an elongated track bracket  52  longitudinally secured to the bench undersurface  18  medially its width and between the leg bracket  24  and brace rod bracket  42 . The track bracket  52  is channel-shaped in transverse section having the depending legs thereof cooperatively slotted transversely, intermediate their ends, as at  54 . The slots  54  are inclined with respect to the bench undersurface  18  and terminate toward the leg bracket  24  in a horizontal plane forming an idler area  56  for the purposes presently explained. 
     A strut  58  is pivotally connected at one end with the brace rod stem  40  intermediate its ends and is slidably connected at its other end to the track bracket  52  by a pin  60  extending transversely of the track bracket and slidably supported at its end portions within the tracks formed by the bracket slots  54  so that when the legs and brace rod are moved downwardly toward an erected position, as viewed in FIG. 2, the end portions of the pin  60  are disposed in the slot idler area  56  thus stopping further downward movement of the brace rod with respect to the bench undersurface. The link means further includes a pair of links  62  which are pivotally connected at one end portion with the end portion of a screw  63  spaced downwardly and projecting inwardly of each leg  28  from its pivotal connection with the clevis bracket  24  and extending through the wall of the upper sleeve end portion of the respective outer bench leg  28  and pivotally connected at their other ends with suitable lug-like brackets  64  secured to opposing sides of the strut  58  intermediate its length. The inward end of the screws  63  thus limit the distance the inner extension legs  70  telescope into the outer legs  28  to that distance between the inward end of the respective screw  63  and the depending end of the respective outer leg  28 . 
     The links  62  act to pivot the legs  28  downwardly from the bench undersurface  18  when the brace rod  40  is moved downwardly and to stop such leg movement when the pin  60  is disposed in the idler area  56  and the brace rod and legs are disposed in downwardly converging relation thus permitting the brace rod cross bar to be engaged with the collar pins  34 . The pair of links  62 , each comprise a turnbuckle for the purpose of adjusting its length in accordance with the desired spacing between its connection with the respective bench leg and the strut bracket  64 . The pivotal connection  63 , at the respective end of each link of the pair of links  62 , is a ball joint type connector. 
     In accordance with the present invention and referring also to the remaining figures, an improved telescoping leg assembly (FIG. 5) including an outer leg  128  and an inner extension leg  170  having an overall length, including a foot portion  172 , greater than the length of the prior art inner leg length as presently evident, and is configured as a complete leg assembly or package for retrofitting the prior art bench  10 . The upper end portion of the outer leg  128  is pivotally connected with the prior art clevis arms  26 . The wall of the outer leg  128 , adjacent its clevis bracket connected end, is provided with a bore  129 . The leg wall portion diametrically opposite the bore  129  is bulged or struck outward to form a protrusion  131  having a hexagonal nut  133  secured thereto (FIG.  6 ). 
     The inner wall surface  135  of the outer leg  128  permits the inward end of the telescoping leg  170  to slidably extend into the leg  128  until the inner end of the leg  170  abuts the inward end surface  137  of the outer leg wall reinforcing sleeve  139 . 
     The prior art leg extension lock collar  76  is retrofitted by an in the field replaceable lock collar  176  formed in endless ring fashion from non-metallic material providing a non-galling low friction bearing surface for ease of angular rotation relative to the leg  128 . The lock collar  176  similarly includes diametrically opposite field replaceable inwardly projecting inner leg locking lugs  178  similar to prior art lugs, not shown, in the lock collar  30  which required press fitting in the prior art lock collar. The lugs  178  include a flange end  177  and are secured in the collar  176  by means of an overlying recessed plate and screws  179  (FIG.  10 ). The lugs  78  are longitudinally slidable in the extension leg longitudinal grooves  82  (FIG. 5) and freely enter one of a series of longitudinally spaced slots  84  extending latterly from one side of the groove  82  to lock the inner leg  170  with the outer leg. The slots  84  are characterized at their juncture with the groove by a lead-in radii on opposite corner edges, as at  187 , for preventing generating burrs on these edges and to insure ease of entry of the lugs  178 . A pair of springs  141  nested by grooves  143  in diametric opposite areas of the lock collar  176  are respectively connected at one end by an end tang with an integral lock collar pin  180  and at the other end with a leg wall tongue  181  fabricated in the wall of leg  128  within a partially surrounding recess  183  for loosely receiving the spring other end tang without the spring tang protruding into the inner space of the leg  128  and interfering with the installation or rotation of the lock collar  176 . The springs  141  normally bias the lugs  178  into selected extension leg lateral slots  84 , as presently explained. 
     Referring more particularly to FIGS.  12  and  17 - 19 , the step forming bench top side rails  90  are normally held in place by the top and bottom lip elements  92  and  94  of the bench top side rails  20 . The bench top supporting of the side rails  90  is enhanced by a spring clip  200 . One end portion of the spring clip  200  is attached to the side rail  90  medially its end and the other end portion  201  of the spring clip is interposed between the depending surface of the side rail and the lip  94  of the bench side rail  20  in a partial wrap around action of the lower portion of the respective side rail  90  to insure retaining the side rail on the bench top. 
     The respective hollow end portion of the side rail  90  is preferably closed by an end cap  202 . The end cap is preferably formed from resilient material and is characterized by a planar end wall  204  having a perimeter complimentary with the perimeter of the respective end of the side rail  90 . The end cap further includes an endless side wall  206  which is frictionally received by the inner peripheral wall surface  208  of the side rail  90 . The end cap is further characterized by a plurality of transverse partition walls  210  to maintain the endless wall configuration of the end cap and insure its retention by the respective end portion of the side rails  90 . 
     The bench retrofit package further includes a support panel  147  (FIG. 3) for mounting a tool such as a miter saw, not shown, on the bench top  116 . The panel  147  may be singular or multiple hingedly joined sections, as illustrated by broken lines (FIG.  3 ), and generally rectangular in overall configuration and disposed longitudinally on the bench top  116 . Respective end portions of the support panel  147  are bored, as at  151  (FIGS.  12 - 13 ), in vertical alignment with cooperating apertures  153  punched through the work bench top. The apertures  153  are characterized by lateral diametrically opposite slots  159 . In the example shown, the bench top apertures  153  are also punched through the prior art track bracket  52  (FIGS.  13 - 14 ), between the legs thereof, and form diametrically opposite depending stops  174  (FIG.  14 ), for the purpose presently explained. The panel apertures  151  respectively receive quick connect and release latch means  155  for removably joining the panel  147  to the bench  116 . 
     Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3,  12  and  13 , the quick connect and release latch means  155  comprises a cup-like socket  157  having a cylindrical wall portion snugly received by the wall forming the panel aperture  151  and having a centrally bored bottom wall. An outstanding peripheral flange  161  on the cup socket wall overlies the top surface of the panel  147  for securing the socket  157 , as by screws  163 , only one being shown. A cylindrical latch body  165  is angularly rotatably received by the cup socket  157  and includes a threaded stem  167 , having a thread frictional locking element  166 , secured to a latch shaft  169  in turn slidable and angularly rotatably received by the bench top bore  153 . The inward end of the latch body  165  is provided with a downwardly open annular slot adjacent its periphery which receives a compression spring  173  normally biasing the latch body  165  out of the cup socket  157 . The shaft  169  transversely supports, at its depending end portion, a lock pin  171  which cooperatively enters the diametrically opposite slots  159  of the bench top bore  153  for contiguously locking the panel  147  to the bench top when the spring  173  is manually compressed into the cup  157 . The shaft  169  and lock pin  171  are angularly frictionally rotated substantially 95° in one direction, by the latch body  165 , from the position of the opposing slots  159  of the bore  153 . Respective end portions of the lock pin  171  contact the stops  174  for indicating a latch locked position. The latch body  165  is further provided with an arcuate relatively narrow inwardly extending groove  175  which receives a key, for example, a chord of a coin, or the like, for manually collapsing the spring  173  by depressing the latch body and angularly rotating the same and the lock pin  171  in a latch locking or releasing direction. 
     Referring also to FIGS. 15 and 16, an alternative quick connect and release latch means  185  secures the panel  147  to the bench top  116  and comprises a cup-like star shaped, in the example shown, control wheel  186  having a central downwardly directed centrally bored and threaded sleeve  188 , similarly provided with a thread friction locking element  189 , secured and frictionally held to one end portion of a latch shaft  190  vertically slideably received by the bore  153  in the respective end portion of the panel  147 . The depending end portion of the shaft  190  is similarly provided with a transversely disposed latch pin  171 ′ which similarly enters the slots  159  of the bench top bores  153  to secure the panel  147  to the bench top  116  when the latch shaft  190  is inserted into bench top bore  153  and angularly rotated substantially 95°, in one direction (preferably a thread engaging direction) after insertion until it stops when latch pin  171 ′ contacts the bracket stops  174 . When not engaged with the bench top  116  the latch pin  171 ′ is normally nested by a slot  196  in the depending surface of the respective end portion of the panel  147 . Resilient means such as a helical expansion spring  194  axially surrounds the star wheel sleeve  188  and is interposed between the depending surface of the control wheel and the adjacent surface of the panel  147  to bias the latch pin  171 ′ against the depending surface of the bench top  116  when the latch means  185  is in connected position with respect to the bench top which is accomplished by manually depressing the control wheel  186  and spring  194  to similarly engage the stops  174 . With the latch pin  171 ′ in contact with the stops  174 , the control wheel  186  may be manually further threadedly engaged with the shaft  190  until the spring  194  is substantially collapsed and the depending end of the sleeve  188  contacts the surface of the panel  147 , thus immobilizing the spring release feature of the latch means  185 . 
     Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability. Therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings and described herein.