Tool adapter for working table top storage cabinet

An adapter which is double L-shaped with a horizontal portion joining the tops of the upright portions of the L's together, the horizontal portions of the L's being directed in opposite directions, enables each of a plurality of tools to be connected via upper and lower clamps, one at a time, to a specially constructed multi-compartment cabinet having adjustable shelves, the adapter, upper and lower clamps and all other parts necessary to place the tool in a working position on the cabinet being available separately for assembly from a kit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to power and like tools and their use. More 
particularly, it relates to an adapter which may be modified for use with 
various power tools and hand tools so that they may be fastened to and 
worked with on the top of a cabinet in which they may also be stored when 
not in use. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Until now the home craftsman has had no convenient way to remove tools from 
storage and use them one by one as needed in an installed position on a 
working table right where stored. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
After extended investigation I have developed an adapter which may easily 
be modified to fit on a working surface which has an opening therein for 
installation of the tool with an upper and lower clamp used in conjunction 
with the adapter. According to my invention I prefer that the working 
surface be the top of a cabinet which has storage spaces therein for as 
many as eight or more home-type portable power or like tools each joined 
to its own adapter, for example, hand drill, disc grinder, skill saw, 
circular saw, jig saw, router, belt sander, power drill and power planer. 
Adjustable shelf brackets and hooks of the clip-on type, adjustable shelf 
bracket bars and anchor holes are used together for forming shelves to 
hold the base portions of the L's of a double L-shaped adapter which has a 
horizontal portion to join the tops of the upright portions of the L's, 
the adapter usually being attached to the tool. A particular advantage of 
my invention is that the adapter, together with the various parts or 
components of the storage cabinet, including hinged clamps to be used with 
the adapter when placing the tool in working position on top of the 
cabinet which has a specially constructed hole or opening for the tool to 
fit into when installed, may be included in a kit for easy assembly. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING AND OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawing, a representative power tool cabinet according to the 
invention is generally indicated by 10, the cabinet having a frame 
structure 12, which may be a separate component of a kit such as shown in 
FIG. 5, made up of upright support members 14 having notches 15, upper 
cross braces or crossbracing 16, lower braces or bracing 18 and base 20. 
All the rest of the basic components of the power tool cabinet or table 10 
with adapters 66 (a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h indicating respectively the 
adapter for circle or circular saw, power planer, reciprocating saw, 
router, sabre saw, belt sander, disc sander and power drill, for example, 
and 67 and 77 indicating bolt holes and cutter blade holes or like 
openings, respectively, in adapters 66 for attachment of the various power 
tools and hand tools) are also basic components of the kit of the 
invention which may be used for putting the tool working cabinet together. 
The tools may be conveniently stored in the cabinet 10 when not in use, 
preferably with the adapters 66 attached thereto for ease of fitting 
securely on shelf brackets 26, which fit in notches 24 in notched bracket 
support strips 22. 
Working surface or top 28 has a substantially centrally located opening or 
flush mount hole 30, 81 therein so that any power tool may be inserted 
therein or therethrough with the aid of an adapter 66 and upper and lower 
clamps 32 and 34, as can be seen more readily from FIGS. 2-4. Lower clamp 
34, which has a rectangular opening 38 therein, may be part of a lower 
clamp assembly 17 (FIG. 5) which includes top bars or angles 35 for frame 
12 and is depicted in detail in FIG. 6. Upper clamp 32, having an opening 
36 therein, includes alignment tangs 44 and a hinge portion or projection 
50 for use when closed down as shown in FIG. 4 and used with with hinge 
pin 48. Lower clamp 34 also has a threaded projection 46 with a threaded 
opening 47 therein, a hinge projection 52 and a locking knob 40 with 
washer 42 for use as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Bolts used in assembly of the 
working cabinet 10 include long flathead bolts 33 and short flathead bolts 
37 used in conjunction with wingnuts 41. Sacks 68 and 70 may be used to 
hold these nut and bolt and like parts or components of the kit for 
assembly of the power tool cabinet or working table 10 as well as an 
instruction sheet 72. Top panel 60, side panels 58, hinged doors 64 and a 
rear panel 62 (FIG. 5) may be used on frame 12 to make a finished cabinet 
10, if desired, as shown in FIG. 2, with the blade of circular power saw 
78 seen emerging at the top of the cabinet 10. Tool shoe 82, shown as a 
conventional part of circular power saw 78, is also customarily provided 
with other commercially available power tools. Shown shelved in cabinet 10 
of FIG. 1 are a router 80 and a sabre saw 79. An optional switch and 
receptacle box 54 with a power cord 56 may also be supplied as a part of 
the kit, if desired. 
While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments 
thereof, the claims appended hereto are intended to encompass all 
embodiments which fall within the spirit of the invention.