Abstract:
A pivoting leg assembly ( 10 ) for a sawhorse, the leg assembly comprising: a pair of pivotally movable leg members ( 40 ), the leg members movable between a storage position and operative position; a mounting body ( 50 ) for mounting the pair of leg members, the mounting body including a bridging member ( 70 ), a first support portion ( 80 ) having two first arms ( 82 ), and a second support portion ( 90 ) having two second arms ( 92 ); the bridging member extending between the two first arms; the second arms located within the first arms to form a gap between each respective first arm and second arm; wherein each leg member is pivotally mounted to at least one of the arms and sandwiched between a respective first arm and second arm within the gap.

Description:
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/AU01/00977, filed Aug. 9, 2001. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     THIS INVENTION relates to a pivotal leg assembly for use on a sawhorse. Accordingly, the invention will be described in this context. However, it should be appreciated that the pivotal leg assembly may be used on other articles, such as tables, chairs, benches or the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Sawhorses are a common tool that is found on a building site. A standard sawhorse typically has a cross member with a pair of legs that is fixed to each end of the cross member. A brace often extends between each pair of legs to provide additional reinforcement to the legs. When a load is placed on the cross member, the brace prevents the legs splaying. 
     Sawhorses are usually needed to be transported to and from different building sites and taken home each night by their owner. They are normally transported using a vehicle. An inherent problem with standard sawhorses is that they take up considerable space when placed within a vehicle. Standard sawhorses cannot be efficiently stacked on top of each other to reduce space. They are not very stable when placed in a normal operating position within the vehicle, as they often fall over or out of a vehicle when the vehicle travels around a corner. 
     In an attempt to overcome some of the above disadvantages, collapsable sawhorses have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,834 discloses a sawhorse that has a pair of legs located at each end of a cross member. Each pair of legs is able to be pivoted toward each other so that they fold underneath the cross member. However, the legs are splayed after they are pivoted, causing the sawhorse to occupy a considerable amount of space. Further, each pair of legs has a brace that prevents sawhorses from being stacked on top of each other. 
     The sawhorses disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,880,080, 4,298,904 and 4,771,863 have similar stacking problems as they all have braces. Further, the exemplified collapsible sawhorses are relatively complex to manufacture. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,517 discloses a cross member comprising a trapezoid core to which is attached two pair of legs. The legs are pivotal and are able to move adjacent the cross member when in a storage position. However, as the legs have no brace, then the legs may become splayed. Further, the trapezoid core prevents the sawhorse from being able to be staked. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, in one form, though it need not be the broadest or only form, the invention resides in a pivoting leg assembly for a sawhorse, the leg assembly comprising: 
     a pair of pivotally movable leg members, said leg members movable between a storage position and operative position; and 
     a mounting body for mounting said pair of leg members, said mounting body including a bridging member, a first support portion having two first arms and a second support portion having two second arms; 
     said bridging member extending between said two first arms; 
     said second arms located within said first arms to form a gap between each respective first arm and second arm; 
     wherein each leg member is pivotally mounted to at least one of said arms and sandwiched between a respective first arm and second arm within the gap. 
     The leg members may be legs. Alternately, the leg members may be connected to legs. 
     The bridging member, first support portion and/or second support portion may be integrally formed. Preferably, the bridging member, first support portion and second support portion are separate units. 
     The bridging member may be attached to the first support portion. The bridging member may comprise a bridging web having two forward extending plates. Alternately, the bridging member may comprise a bridging plate. 
     The first support portion may be a first support bracket. The first support bracket may include a first web having two first depending side plates. The first arms may be the first depending side plates. 
     The second support portion may be a second support bracket. The second support bracket may include a second web having two second depending side plates. The second arms may be the second depending side plates. 
     Preferably, each leg member is pivotally mounted to both of said arms. 
     Preferably, each leg member abuts both of said arm members. 
     Preferably, the width of the gap is commensurate in size with the width of the leg member. 
     The pivotal leg assembly may include a locking mechanism to lock the leg members in at least the operative position. 
     The locking mechanism may include engagement member to engage the leg. The engagement member may be a pin, tab, clasp or like member. 
     The locking mechanism may be attached to the bridging member. 
     In another form, the invention resides in a sawhorse comprising a cross member attached to the two pivotal leg assemblies described herein. 
     Preferably, each pair of legs are pivotally mounted to different points on respective pivotal leg assemblies. 
     The cross member may have a top surface with two depending side surfaces. The cross member may have at least one slot located in its top surface. The cross member may be a channel, beam or like member. 
     Each pivotal leg assembly may include a locking mechanism to lock the leg members in at least the operative position. 
     The locking mechanism may be operated from an end of the sawhorse. 
     In yet another form, the invention resides in a trestle comprising at least one board or plank attached to two sawhorses as described previously. 
     Preferably, each sawhorse has at least one slot located in the cross member to attach the board. 
     Preferably, a plug is positioned within the slot to join the board or plank to the sawhorse. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sawhorse according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a cross member. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the sawhorse of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an end view of the sawhorse of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the sawhorse of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a mounting body and locking mechanism of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a board attaching two sawhorses together. 
     FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-section view of the board attached to a sawhorse cross member. 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the board attached to the sawhorse cross member shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sawhorse according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is an end view of the sawhorse of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of the sawhorse of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a mounting body and locking mechanism of the sawhorse of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 13 is side view of the locking mechanism for the sawhorse of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the locking mechanism for the sawhorse of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 15 is a side view of an alternate locking mechanism. 
     FIG. 16 is a side view of another alternate locking mechanism. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 to  5  show a sawhorse  10  comprising two pivotal leg assemblies  20  attached to a cross member  30 . The cross member  30  is a hollow channel section having a top stay  31  with two depending side stays  32 . The cross member is made from laminated wood and has two slots  33  located in the top stay  31 . A pair of holes  34  are located at each end of the top stay  31 . On each side stay  32 , there is an upper hole  35  and a lower hole  36 . 
     Each pivotal leg assembly  20  includes a pair of legs  40 , a mounting body  50  and a locking mechanism  60 . The legs  40  are tubular and rectangular when view in transverse cross-section. They are made from steel or other suitable materials. A hole  41  is located through an end of the leg to pivotally mount the leg. 
     The mounting body  50  includes a bridging member  70 , first support bracket  80  and second support bracket  90  as shown in FIG.  5 . The bridging member  70 , first support bracket  80  and second support bracket  90  are all constructed of high grade steel plate or other suitable high strength material. 
     The first support bracket  80  includes a first web  81  having two first depending side plates  82 . Holes  83  and  84  are located within the first web and each first side plate. A first flange  85  extends outwardly from each first side plate. 
     The second bracket  90  includes a second web  91  having two depending second side plates  92 . Holes are located within the second web  91  and each second side plate  92 . A second flange  95  extends outwardly from each second side plate  92 . 
     The bridging member includes a bridging web  71  having two forward extending plates  72 . Holes  73  are located within the forward extending plates. Holes  74  are located within the bridge web of each forward plate  72 . 
     The locking mechanism  60  includes lock body  61 , two locking pins  62 , a handle  63 , two bushes  64  and two springs  65 . 
     The sawhorse  10  is assembled by attaching the lock body  61  to the bridging web  71  by placing fasteners  21  through holes  66  and  74  located in both the lock body  61  and bridging web  71 . The locking mechanism is then completed by positioning the springs  65  and bushes  64  within respective holes  67  located in the lock body  61 . The handle  63  is fixed to the ends of the locking pins  62 . The springs  65  are attached to respective locking pins  62  so that the locking pins  62  are able to be reciprocated within the lock body  61  and biased so that the handle  63  abuts against the lock body  61 . 
     The mounting body  50  is formed by placing the forward plates  72  of the bridging member  70  over the first side plates  82  of the first bracket  80  so that respective holes  84  of the first side plates  82  are in alignment with respective holes  73  of the forward plates  72 . The second web  91  of the second support bracket  90  is positioned against the first web  81  of the first bracket so that the holes  83  and  93  located within each web  81  and  91  are in alignment. This causes the second flange  95  to abut and support the lock body  61 . 
     The bridging member  70 , first support bracket  80  and second support bracket  90  are then placed within the cross member  30  so that the holes  83  and  93  located within respective webs  81  and  91  align within the holes  34  located within the top stay  31  of the cross member  30 . The flanges  85  and  95  of the respective brackets  80  and  90  bear against the side stays  32  and  33 . Bolts  22  are then passed through the holes located within the cross member, first web  81  and second web  82  and fastened with respective nuts  23 . 
     A gap  24  is formed between each adjacent first side plate  82  and second side plate  92 . The legs  40  are placed within the respective gaps  24 . The respective side plates  82  and  83  are spaced such that the gaps  24  are commensurate with the width of the legs  40  so that the side plates  82  and  83  abut against the legs  40 . 
     Bolts  25  are then placed through the side stays  32 , the first side plates  82 , legs  40  and the second side plate  92 . Nuts  26  are then located on the bolts  25  to fasten the cross member  30 , first support bracket  80 , legs  40  and second support bracket  90  together. 
     The holes  41  in the pair of legs  40  located at one end of the sawhorse  10  is positioned higher than in the pair of legs located at the opposite end of the sawhorse. The upper holes  35  located in the side stays  32  and an upper hole  84  located in side plates  82  and  92  is utilised at one end of the cross member whilst the lower holes  36  in the side stays  32  and lower holes in the side plates  82  and  92  are utilised at the opposite end of the cross member. 
     Each leg  40  is movable between an operative position where the legs  40  engage a ground surface and a storage position where the legs  40  are located substantially within the cross member  30 . As one pair of legs  40  is pivotally mounted at a lower position than that of the other pair of legs  40 , this allows both pairs of legs  40  to be located adjacent each other when in the storage position as shown in phantom in FIG.  4 . 
     When the pair of legs  40  are moved from the storage position to the operative position, they engage the locking pins  62 . The locking pin  62  is depressed by the leg  40  until the locking pin  62  comes into alignment with a hole  42  located in a side of the leg  40 . The locking pin  62  is then biased into the hole  42  to lock the leg  40  in the operative position. 
     When the pair of legs are to be moved from the operative position to the storage position, the handle  63  is pulled away from the lock body  61  from an end of the cross member  30  to release the locking pins  62  from the holes  42  in the legs  40 . This allows the legs  40  to be rotated to the storage position. The legs maintain the storage position due to the friction force that is applied by the respective nuts  26  and bolts  25 . 
     It should be appreciated that in this embodiment, the first bracket  70  may not be necessary, as the channel section of the cross member enables the side stays  32  to perform the same function. The cross member is suitably composed of shaped plywood. Alternatively, the cross member may be fabricated from an engineered plastic or constructed from timber sections as illustrated in FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 6 shows two sawhorses  10  that can be secured to each other using a board or plank  11  and the slots  33  provided with the top stay of the cross member to form a trestle  12 . 
     A plug  13  is used to attach the board  11  to the cross member  30  as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The plug  13  is optionally constructed from a resilient plastics material that can be deformed to locate the plug  13  within one of the slots  33  located in the top stay  31 . A bolt  14  is then passed through the board  11  and through the plug  13 . A nut  15  is attached to the bolt  14  to secure the plug  13  and the board  11  together. 
     Sawhorses  10  can be joined together by one or more boards  11  to provide a platform for a user to access an elevated position. Alternately, boards  11  can be joined together to provide a work surface for activities, such as sawing. A workhorse may be constructed using the sawhorses  10  and boards  11  to them. 
     FIGS. 9 to  12  show a second embodiment of a sawhorse  110 . The sawhorse  110  again comprises a two pivotal leg assemblies  120  attached to a cross member  130 . The cross member in this embodiment is a solid beam having tapered edges  131  located at the sides of each end. Holes  132  are located at each end of the cross member. 
     Each leg assembly includes a pair of legs  140 , a mounting body  150  and a locking mechanism  160 . The legs are as described previously, except that the hole located within each leg in this embodiment is an elongate hole  141  as depicted in FIG.  11 . 
     The mounting body  150  includes a first support bracket  180 , second support bracket  190 , abutment members  200  and cover bracket  210 , as shown in FIG.  12 . The first bracket  180 , second bracket  190  and cover bracket  210  are all constructed of high grade steel plate or other suitable high strength material. 
     The first bracket  180  includes a first web  181  having two first depending side plates  182  and a first bridging plate  183 . Holes  184 ,  185  and  186  are located within the first web  181 , each first side plate  182  and the bridging plate  183 . Slots  187  are also located within the first bridging is plate  183 . A first flange  188  extends outwardly from each first side plate  182  with holes  189  located therethrough. 
     The second bracket  190  includes a second web  191  having two second depending side plates  192  and a second bridging plate  193 . Holes  194 ,  195  and  196  are located within the second web  191 , each second side plate  192  and bridging plate  193 . 
     Each abutment member  200  includes an abutment plate  201  and attachment plate  202 . Holes  203  are located through the attachment plate. The abutment member  200  is constructed from plastic. 
     The cover bracket  210  has a cover web  211  with two depending side cover plates  212 . Holes  214  are located in the cover web  211 . A cover flange  218  is attached to the side cover plates  212 . Holes  219  are located through the cover flanges  218 . 
     The locking mechanism  160  includes a locking bracket  161  that has a face plate  162  attached to a base plate  163 . Tabs  164  are located at two edges of the face plate  162 . An engagement projection  165  is located on each tab  164 . Locking flanges  165  are located on opposing edges of the base plate  163 . Holes  167  and  168  are located in the face plate  162  and flanges  166 . 
     The sawhorse  10  is constructed by placing the tabs  164  of the locking bracket  161  through the slots  187  in the first bridging plate  183  so that the holes  167  and  186  in the face plate  162  and first bridging plate  183  are in alignment. The second bracket  190  is placed within the first support bracket so that the holes  194  and  184 , located in the second bridging plate  193  and first bridging plate  183 , are in alignment. Fasteners (not shown) are then placed through the aligned holes  184  and  194 . Gaps  124  are formed between the respective side plates  182  and  192 . 
     The abutment members  200  are then located on respective flanges  188  of the first support bracket  180  so that the holes  203  within the attachment plate  202  are in alignment with holes  185  within the first side plates  182 . Legs  140  are placed within the gaps  124  and a bolt  125  is passed through each attachment plate  201 , first side plate  182 , leg  140  and second side plate  192 . A nut  126  is attached to the end of each bolt  125  and tightened as depicted in FIG.  10 . 
     A spring  142  is attached inside each leg  140  and each bolt  125  as shown in FIG.  11 . The cover bracket  210  is located on the first flange  188  and locking flange  218  so that holes  186 ,  196  and  216  located within the first web, second web and cover web are in alignment. Bolts  122  are located through the first web  181 , second web  191 , cover web and cross member  130 . Bolts are also located through first flanges  188  and cover flanges  218 , and locking flanges  165  and cover flange  218 . Corresponding nuts  123  and  128  are located on the bolts. 
     Each pair of legs  140  is pivotally mounted to a different point on each of the pivotal leg assemblies  120 . Each leg is movable between an operative position where the legs  140  engage a ground surface and a storage position where the legs are located substantially adjacent the cross member  130 . As one pair of legs  140  is pivotally mounted at a lower position than that of the other pair of legs, this allows both pairs of legs to be located adjacent each other when in the storage position. 
     When the pair of legs  140  are moved from the storage position to the operative position, they engage the engagement projection  165 . The leg is then pulled away from the cross member  130  to allow the engagement projection  165  to enter a slot  143  located within each leg  140 . The leg  140  is then released so that the projection locks the leg  140  in the operative position. 
     When the leg  140  is to be moved to the storage position, the leg  140  is pulled away from the cross member  130  and rotated away from the engagement projection  165  to the storage position. The leg  140  fictionally engages with the abutment plate  202  to hold the leg  140  in the storage position. 
     FIGS. 13 and 14 show further detail of the locking mechanisms as described in first embodiment and second embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 15 shows that the locking pins  62  of FIG. 13 can be replaced with clasps  362  that engage with slot  343  of the leg to hold the leg in the operative position. 
     FIG. 16 shows that the tab  164  that engages with the slot  143  of FIG. 14 can be replaced by a tongue  464  that engages with a recess  343  on the leg that locks the leg in the operative position. 
     The sawhorse described above enables the legs to be pivoted to a storage position to allow effective stacking of the sawhorse. The pivotal leg assembly prevents the leg splaying due to its construction when the sawhorse is loaded. 
     It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.