Abstract:
Portable work stations which permit a one-step, touch-free finishing of all surfaces of doors, shutters, window sashes, cabinet doors, garage doors, spindles, and other workpieces. There are also provided trim measuring and cutting, and hinge mortising and prep racks, a leg assembly, a drying rack, and a trim board work station. All of these devices are provided by kits of components.

Description:
[0001]     The present patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/537,106 filed Jan. 16, 2004, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/719,492 filed on Nov. 21, 2003, the entire contents of which applications are incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     
    
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to novel and unique portable work stations and devices which permit working on doors, shutters, window sashes, cabinet doors, garage doors, spindle racks, trim measuring and cutting, and hinge mortising and prep racks.  
         [0003]     More particularly, the present invention relates to novel and unique devices which will allow doors and other workpieces to be painted on all sides in the horizontal position, a leg assembly therefor, a novel drying rack for such doors, spindle work station, mortising accessory, and a trim board work station.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     During the course of their work, professional painters typically paint or otherwise finish doors, spindles, and cabinet doors, of the type commonly found in houses and other buildings, either installed in the frame or leaning against the wall or other structure. Finishing a door in the vertical position, especially when using an airless or other type paint sprayer, can result in runs or sags in the finish due to gravity, overspraying onto adjacent surfaces, and an improper viewing angle for the painter.  
         [0005]     Furthermore, because a typical construction site can range from very cluttered and dirty to well-maintained, but is rarely pristine, a door resting on or near the floor may have dirt or debris from the floor blown onto it by the sprayer as the finish is applied. If the door being finished is leaning against another structure, the finish must be applied to first one side, allowed to dry, turned, and the finish applied to the other side, a very time consuming process.  
         [0006]     The prior, but not necessarily relevant, art is exemplified by Wood U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,648, Ray U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,011, and Speed et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,204.  
         [0007]     It is a desideratum of the present invention to avoid the animadversions of the current devices and techniques, and to provide a unique painter&#39;s portable jig, leg assembly, drying rack, a kit of components thereof, and other portable work stations.  
         [0008]     The term “workpiece structure” as used herein means a workpiece itself, or workpieces themselves, or a structure for holding said workpiece or workpieces.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides a portable work station, comprising, in combination: a frame structure releasably and temporarily supporting a workpiece structure; said frame structure having an open-sided upper portion formed by three upper members; said frame structure providing predetermined clearances between said frame structure and said workpiece structure; pivot means releasably connected to said frame structure for pivoting said workpiece structure within said frame structure; and stabilizing means releasably connected to said frame structure for stabilizing said workpiece structure within said frame structure when said workpiece structure is being worked upon.  
         [0010]     The present invention also provides a novel and unique portable work station which permits easy access for working on doors, shutters, window sashes, cabinet doors, garage doors, spindle racks, trim measuring and cutting, and hinge mortising and prep racks, which permits working on and finishing all edges and sides of the workpiece at one time.  
         [0011]     The present invention also provides a novel and unique mortising accessory for mortising a workpiece, such as conventional doors and cabinet doors, which mortising accessory can be used in conjunction with the portable work station mentioned hereinabove, or alternatively can be used separately as an independent mortising accessory.  
         [0012]     The present invention also provides a novel and unique portable work station for use in the measurement and cutting of trim boards, wherein there is provided a built-in tape measure.  
         [0013]     The present invention also provides a leg assembly for replacing a conventional sawhorse, comprising: a pair of vertical leg members; a pair of cross leg members affixed to said pair of vertical leg members; securement means at the top portions of said vertical leg members for releasably securing said vertical leg members to a portion of an external object to be supported by said leg assembly; and an adjustable angled support member releasably connectable at one end thereof to a predetermined portion of one of said vertical leg members, and releasably connectable at the other end thereof to a portion of said external object to be supported to maintain said leg assembly in orthogonal arrangement with said external object to be supported by said leg assembly.  
         [0014]     The present invention also provides a drying rack for drying substantially flat elongated workpieces, comprising: an elongated L-shaped member which may be secured to an external support structure; said L-shaped member having an upper edge which is provided with a series of cutouts to accommodate at least one member protruding from said substantially flat elongated workpiece; and a cross member releasably securable to two or more of said substantially flat elongated workpieces to hold said workpieces in a substantially vertical position while said substantially flat elongated workpieces are drying.  
         [0015]     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a painter&#39;s portable jig which allows a door to be finished in a flat, horizontal position on both sides without the necessity of removing the door from the jig.  
         [0016]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and unique portable work station for working on doors, shutters, window sashes, cabinet doors, garage doors, spindle racks, trim measuring and cutting, and hinge mortising and prep racks, which permits the working on and finishing of all edges and sides of the workpiece at one time.  
         [0017]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mortising accessory for facilitating the mortising of conventional doors and cabinet doors, which mortising accessory can be used in conjunction with the portable work stations mentioned hereinabove or alternatively, can be used separately and independently of such work stations.  
         [0018]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel portable device for working on various workpieces, such as trim boards, which has a built-in tape measure and which allows for the easy and proper cutting of the workpiece.  
         [0019]     Another object of the invention is to provide a unique drying rack which permits a plurality of doors to be dried in a vertical orientation.  
         [0020]     A further object of the invention is to provide a unique leg assembly which can be used with the portable jig to replace conventional saw horses.  
         [0021]     Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a painter&#39;s portable jig as described above, wherein such jig may be transported and/or stored in an unassembled, convenient arrangement.  
         [0022]     Another object of the invention is to provide a painter&#39;s portable jig as described above, wherein such jig is adjustable from approximately 30″ to 8′6″.  
         [0023]     A further object of the invention is to provide a kit of components for said portable jig, leg assembly, and/or drying rack.  
         [0024]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those persons skilled in this particular area of technology and to others upon reading the following specification and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates a vertical elevational view of a door mounted on a painter&#39;s portable jig in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  depicts a top plan view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates a vertical elevational view of two doors mounted in the novel drying rack in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 4 . is a perspective view of the top portion of a third embodiment of the present invention which can be used for working on spindles and other workpieces.  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment in the form of an understructure which can be used to support the structure shown in  FIG. 4 ., or alternately to support a door as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the upper left-hand portion of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention shown in its folded, storage, or carrying position, and which can be used for the measuring and cutting of trim board and other suitable workpieces.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , but in  FIG. 8  the device is unfolded into its operating working configuration.  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the  FIG. 8  structure.  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is an exploded partial view of the right end portion shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0035]     A work station in the form of a painter&#39;s portable jig  1  according to the present invention is described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0036]     The main components of the jig  1  comprise a pair of elongated upper or side members  2  and  3 , a pair of upper or cross members  4  and  5 , and an adjustable squaring mechanism  6  for maintaining the assembled components  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  in a perpendicular arrangement.  
         [0037]     The disassembled jig components  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  may be stacked in a convenient arrangement for transportation or storage, and held together with eye bolts and wing nuts (not shown).  
         [0038]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show the assembled jig  1  in its operative condition and supported on the novel leg assemblies  7  and  8  which preferably, but not necessarily, replace conventional saw horses. Before a workpiece structure such as a door or other suitable workpiece  9  is placed in the jig  1 , the side members  2  and  3  and the cross members  4  and  5  are arranged in a perpendicular arrangement, and maintained in such perpendicular arrangement by the adjustable squaring mechanism  6  having a slot  10  in its main member  11  and secured by a knob and threaded bolt device  12 . The adjustable squaring mechanism  6  is positioned near one corner of the jig  1  where one side member  2  meets one cross member  4 .  
         [0039]     The side members  2  and  3  are pre-drilled with various holes  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  and  18  to accommodate different sizes of doors  9 . Preferably, but not necessarily, there are provided: a pair of pre-drilled holes  13  and  14  to accommodate a door  9  that is  6 ′  8 ″ long; a pair of pre-drilled holes  15  and  16  to accommodate a door  9  that is  7 ′  0 ″ long; and a pair of pre-drilled holes  17  and  18  to accommodate a door  9  that is  8 ′  0 ″ long.  
         [0040]     The door  9  is placed in the jig  1  and pivotally mounted thereon by two centrally-located pivot mechanisms  19  and  20 , such as knob-handled lag screws, which pass through a pre-drilled hole  21  or  22  in their associated cross members  4  or  5 , and then through the space  23  or  24  between the cross members  4  or  5  and the door  9 , and then into the door  9  itself.  
         [0041]     The jig  1  provides predetermined spaces or clearances  23 ,  24 ,  25  and  26  between the door  9  and the components of the jig  1 . In this manner, the door  9  may be pivoted or rotated from one surface to another without interference with the cross members  4  and  5  or the side members  2  and  3 .  
         [0042]     A door stabilizing mechanism  27  is provided to hold the door  9  in a horizontal arrangement when one of its major sides is being finished or painted. Preferably, but not necessarily, the door stabilizing mechanism  27  comprises a pre-drilled hole  28  at a predetermined location in a cross member  4 , cooperating with a knob-handled lag screw  29  which passes therethrough into the door  9 . This door stabilizer mechanism  27  holds the door  9  in the horizontal position while a major surface of the door  9  is being painted. When it is desired to rotate or flip the door  9  so that the opposite major surface can be painted, or the edges of the door  9  can be painted, the door stabilizing mechanism  27  is temporarily removed to permit pivoting of the door  9 .  
         [0043]     The cross members  4  and  5  can be releasably assembled to the side members  2  and  3  by any suitable releasable connecting mechanisms  43 , such as pins, D-rings, bolts, etc.  
         [0044]     The portable jig  1  as described above can be supported, if desired, on conventional saw horses, and disassembled for transportation and/or storage in a convenient package. However, a preferable arrangement involves the unique disassemblable leg assemblies  7  and  8  described hereinbelow.  
         [0045]     Preferably, but not necessarily, each leg assembly  7  or  8  comprises two vertical members  30 ,  31  or  32 ,  33  welded orthogonally to two cross leg members  34 ,  35  or  36 ,  37 , respectively. The top portions of the vertical leg members  30 ,  31 ,  32  and  33  may be releasably secured to the end of the jig side members  2  and  3  by suitable bolts  38  and wing nuts  39 . To maintain the leg assemblies  7  and  8  in orthogonal arrangement with the jig side members  2  and  3 , there is provided a pair of angled support members  40  and  41  for securement to one of the jig side members  3 . Such angled support members  40  and  41  are releasably secured to the jig side member  3  and a vertical leg member  31  or  33 , respectively, by releasable D-pins  42 .  
         [0046]     Although only two angled support members  40  and  41  are shown in the drawings, there can, of course, be three or four such members used if desired.  
         [0047]     It should be appreciated that upon disassembly, the leg assemblies  7  and  8  and the components of the portable jig  1  can all be disassembled conveniently for storage and/or transportation, and assembled on site with a minimum of effort.  
         [0048]     It will be appreciated that after the doors  9  have been painted or finished using the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is desirable and necessary to arrange for the painted doors  9  to dry properly. For this purpose, the novel and unique drying rack  50  depicted in  FIG. 3  is utilized in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0049]     The drying rack  50  includes an elongated L-shaped member  51  which is secured to a common saw horse  52  with screws  53 . Such L-shaped member  51  may preferably, but not necessarily, comprise a 12 inch by 12 inch by 48 inches long by {fraction (1/8)} inch thick angled aluminum member. The upper edge  63  of the L-shaped member  51  is provided with a series of cutouts  54  to accommodate T-handle screws or lag bolts  55  and  56 . Such T-handle screws or lag bolts  55  or  56  are positioned centrally in the door edge where the central pivot mechanisms  19  and  20  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  were placed.  
         [0050]      FIG. 3  shows two doors  9  and  9   1  being supported in the drying rack  50 . Remote from the viewer of  FIG. 3 , on the opposite side of the doors  9  and  9   1 , is another portion of the drying rack  50  similar to that described hereinabove.  
         [0051]     The portion of the drying rack  50  shown in  FIG. 3  is provided with a cross member  57  to hold the doors  9  and  9   1  in vertical position while drying, with such cross member  57  being connected to the L-shaped member  51  by a support bracket  58 . Preferably, but not necessarily, such support bracket  58  may comprise an aluminum or mild steel member which is {fraction (1/16)} of an inch by ¾ of an inch by 11 inches.  
         [0052]     Suitable fastening members  59 ,  60 ,  61  and  62  are employed for releasably interconnecting the cross member  57  to the doors  9  and  9   1 , and for pivotally interconnecting the support bracket  58  to the L-shaped member  51  and the cross member  57 . Only one such cross member  57  and support bracket  58  is necessary for holding the drying doors  9  and  9   1  in position while drying.  
         [0053]     Although  FIG. 3  shows only two doors  9  and  9   1  being held while drying, the drying rack  50  is provided with sufficient cutouts  54  and space to accommodate three or more doors.  
         [0054]     The present invention also provides a novel kit of components, taken singly or in combination, for all the workpiece stations, the painter&#39;s portable jig  1 , the novel leg assemblies  7  and  8  therefor, and the novel drying rack  50  disclosed herein.  
         [0055]     A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIG. 4 .  
         [0056]     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  is particularly useful for working on spindle workpieces. The workpiece structure  70  depicted in  FIG. 4  includes a pair of side members  71  and  72  and a pair of end members  63  and  74 . Preferably, but not necessarily, the side members  71  and  72  may comprise a 65-inch length of {fraction (1/14)} aluminum tubing have {fraction (9/16)} of an inch holes  75  therein. The holes  75  are used to hold the ends of spindle workpieces which are shown diagrammatically by the lines  76 ,  77  and  78 . The side members  71  and  72  are provided with inserts  79 ,  80 ,  81  and  82  for threadably receiving bolts  83 ,  84 ,  85 , and  86 , respectively.  
         [0057]     The end members  73  and  74  may preferably, but not necessarily, be constructed from aluminum tubing and include handles  87  and  88  to lay in the pivot slots  89  and  90  in members  105  and  105 ′, respectively, of the frame structure or understructure  130  shown in  FIG. 5 . Each end member  73  and  74  is provided with an adjustable slot  91  and  92  for accommodating different lengths of spindles or other workpieces. Each end member  73  or  74  is provided with bolts  83 - 86  which pass through the end member  73  or  74  and into the inserts  74 - 82  at the ends of the side members  72  and  72 .  
         [0058]     A frame structure  130  which serves as an alternate to the jig  1 , or as the understructure of the workpiece structure  70 , is shown in  FIG. 5 . This frame structure  130  includes a pair of leg assemblies  93  and  94  which are interconnected by an upper member, which upper member includes a pair of elongated members  95  and  96  which are adjustably interconnected by a central member  97 . The connection arrangement also includes a pair of locking handles  98  and  99  and squaring members  100  and  102 .  
         [0059]     An optional mortising accessory can also be provided if desired. The two main components  103  and  104  of the mortising accessory are shown secured to the left leg assembly  93  in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0060]     The exploded view in  FIG. 6  shows a portion of the member  105  having a ⅝-inch slot  89  disposed therein, a turn-in lock pin  107 , and a hole  108  for working on cabinet doors or full-sized conventional doors.  
         [0061]     A fifth embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 7-10 . The fifth embodiment comprises a portable work station  110  which can be used for measuring and cutting a plethora of workpieces, but is particularly suitable for measuring and cutting trim boards.  
         [0062]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the work station  110  comprises a pair of main members  111  and  112  which are interconnected by a knife hinge  113 . The main members  111  and  112  are provided with handles  114  and  115  to facilitate the portability and carrying thereof. Preferably, but not necessarily, each main member  111  and  112  is approximately five feet in length.  
         [0063]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show the work station  110  unfolded in its full operating condition. Preferably, but not necessarily, each main member  111  and  112  may be fabricated from 2-inch by 6-inch aluminum U-channel.  
         [0064]     The knife hinge structure  113  includes bolts  116  and  117 , a position lock pin  118  and an angle pin  119 .  
         [0065]     The work station  110  includes a built-in tape measure  120  which extends from a 45 degree angle stop  121 . A work piece, such as a piece of trim board (not shown), may be positioned against the 45 degree angle stop  121 . It should be mentioned at this point that it is difficult and unwieldy to get a measurement of the short side of a trim board from the angled cut. This problem is solved by the fact that the built-in tape measure  120  of this embodiment gives a measurement commencing from the short side of the angle, without having to hold a conventional tape measure on it. In this manner, the measurement of the short side of a workpiece or trim board is easily ascertained with the built-in tape measure  120  of this device  110 .  
         [0066]     This device also includes a slot with an adjustable trim stop for accommodating various widths of trim board, and to enable the square cutting of such a trim board.  
         [0067]     The foregoing description of some preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for the purpose of description and illustration only, and not for limitation. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form and components disclosed. Many modification and variations are possible in light of the above description, and will occur to those persons skilled in this area of technology and to others after having read the present patent application.