Supporting frameworks

A supporting framework has at least one roller which is carried by a carrying frame. The roller has an axis positioned generally along the horizontal direction in the use position. An axial extension projects out of each opposite end of the roller. The carrying frame has a pair of opposite, generally vertically extending bearing limbs, each bearing limb having a bearing opening. Each axial extension of the roller extends into one of the bearing openings of the bearing limbs. Lateral guide elements are provided at the two opposite ends of the roller. Each lateral guide element has a radially projecting lug which can be moved between an active position and an inactive position. The lugs can prevent a workpiece from moving past the ends of the roller when the lugs are in the active positions.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application claims priority of German patent application number 10312935.9, filed Mar. 22, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application relates to the following commonly-owned pending patent application: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/834,608 filed on Apr. 28, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to supporting frameworks. In an embodiment of the invention, a supporting framework has at least one roller which is carried by a carrying frame. The axis of the roller is located along the horizontal direction in the use position, and projects, by way of axial extensions, out of the ends of the roller. The axial extensions project through bearing openings in vertically extending bearing limbs of the carrying frame. The lugs can prevent a workpiece from moving past the ends of the roller when the lugs are in the active positions. The supporting frameworks of the present invention can also be described as roller stands.

Supporting frameworks have long been known from the prior art. Such a supporting framework is described, for example, in German patent document number DE-A1 1 055 925. In that document, it is provided that the substructure of the supporting framework has a pair of legs. This pair of legs has, on the floor side, an extension arm in the form of a crossmember, which has feet at the ends. A height-adjustable tube, which carries a supporting head at the end, may project out of one of the legs. This supporting head carries a roller, the axis of which is located along the horizontal, so that a workpiece may be positioned on the vertex of the roller, for support of the workpiece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a supporting framework in a functionally advantageous manner.

In an embodiment of the present invention, two lateral guide elements, which are each seated flatly on bearing limbs, can each be pivoted back and forth about an axial extension between an active position and an inactive position and project beyond the roller radius. As a result of this configuration, the lateral guide elements counteract the situation where the workpiece resting on the roller veers out laterally beyond the ends of the roller, provided that the width of the workpiece is less than the longitudinal extent of the roller.

If the workpiece is wider than the longitudinal length of the roller, it is advantageously possible for the lateral guide elements to be pivoted back and forth from the active position into an inactive position.

Preferably, the lateral guide elements are lugs integrally formed on lug support disks. Each lug support disk may have a central bearing opening which is plugged onto the axial extension projecting from the end of the roller and is enclosed or at least partially surrounded by an approximately semicircular slot. A single fastening screw, for example, may project through the slot. Furthermore, the single fastening screw may be screwed into a threaded bore of the bearing limb, disposed directly beneath the axial extension and rests on the peripheries of the semicircular slot by way of its head.

A catch is also advantageously provided which, in respect of the axial extension, is disposed on that side of the bearing limb which is directed away from the fastening screw and, with the lateral guide elements moved into the active position, projects into the semicircular slot. The catch may be located in front of a narrow wall of the semicircular slot. The catch is advantageously formed by a notched portion. The notch may be disposed along a peripheral incision of the bearing limb, which can be formed by a metal sheet.

Moreover, it is further preferably provided that it is possible to overcome the action of the catch by tilting the lug support disk alongside the lateral guide element axially about the fastening location. The lug support disk may be a punched part.

It is further provided that, in its vertically upwardly oriented active position, the lateral guide element assumes the position in which it is secured against pivoting by the catch or latching stop and an end stop of the fastening screw. The lateral guide elements may be sheathed in plastic material. Also, the lateral guide elements may form a pivoting handle.

Located diametrically opposite the semicircular slot is a window, which can be configured as a double arrow.

The diameter of the lug support disk is smaller than the diameter of the roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the legs1,2of the supporting framework S are substantially in the form of an upside-down T. The crossbar of the T in each case form a cross member3,4, at the ends of which are seated end caps5which form the feet of the supporting framework S.

The supporting framework S has a fixed leg2. A supporting tube6is mounted in the fixed leg2and can be telescoped out of the fixed leg2and can be fixed in various height positions by means of a clamping element7. In the region of the clamping element7, the second, longer leg1is articulated in a pivotable manner, so that it can be moved from a stop-limited spread-out position, which is illustrated in the drawings, into a position in which it is parallel to the fixed leg2.

Referring also toFIGS. 3-5, a carrying frame8or roller support is screwed onto the free end of the supporting tube6. The carrying frame8has a U-shaped configuration and carries a roller9capable of supporting a workpiece. Furthermore, the carrying frame8has an angled portion8′, by which the carrying frame8is screwed to the end of the supporting tube6. The U-shaped opening of the carrying frame8is used for mounting the roller9. The bearing limbs10or opposed ends of the carrying frame8, which form U-limbs, have bearing openings11. The roller9engages, by way of its axial extensions12, in the bearing openings11of the bearing limbs10, which form the U-limbs. Lateral guide elements O or workpiece guides which are disposed opposite one another and associated with the ends of the roller9are plugged onto the axial roller extensions12projecting from the bearing openings11. The mutually facing inner surfaces of the lateral guide elements O rest flatly on the outer surfaces of the bearing limbs10.

The lateral guide elements O each comprise a circular lug support disk13and a radially projecting lug14integrally formed thereon. The lateral guide elements O, which are produced as punched parts, have their lugs14sheathed in plastic material. The plastic-sheathed lugs14each provide the function of a pivoting handle. Furthermore, the lug support disks13each have a central bearing opening15, in which the axial roller extensions12are accommodated. Disposed around the central bearing openings15, the lug support disks13each have a semicircular slot16.

Fastening screws18are provided for securing the lateral guide elements O in a pivotable manner on the bearing limbs10of the carrying frame8. These fastening screws18project through the semicircular slots16of the lug support disks13into threaded bores19of the bearing limbs10which are located beneath the bearing openings15. See the illustrations inFIGS. 3 and 4, in particular. Furthermore, a spring ring20and a washer21are associated with each fastening screw18. The washers21rest on the peripheries of the semicircular slots16. The spring rings20are positioned such that they are disposed between the screw heads and the washers21.

Referring toFIGS. 3-6, the sheet-metal carrying frame8has peripheral incisions in the form of notched portions disposed in each case on its bearing limb10above the bearing openings11. Each notched portion performs the function of a catch22. The catches22, which are oriented away from the end surfaces of the roller9, project beyond the inner surfaces of the lug support disks13into the semicircular slots16. The catches are located in the slots16, with the lateral guide elements O oriented vertically, in each case in front of the narrow walls23of the semicircular slots16.

If the user positions on the vertex of the transversely oriented roller9a workpiece (not illustrated) which has a width which is less than the length of the roller9, the user can pivot the lateral guide elements O, via the lugs14, into a vertically upwardly directed, catch-secured active position. This counteracts any possibility of the workpiece veering out laterally beyond the end peripheries of the roller9. In this position, as has already been mentioned, each catch22is located in front of the narrow walls23of the curved slots16. In this vertically upwardly oriented active position, the lateral guide elements O, as a result of the catch-formed latching stops and end stops formed by the fastening screws18, assume a position in which they are secured against pivoting.

In order for the lateral guide elements O to be moved into inactive positions, the later guide elements O can be pivoted, via the lugs14, in the direction of the double arrows17. In this case, the following takes place: the lateral guide elements O, in the upwardly oriented active position, initially only have to be pulled away to a minimal extent from the end surfaces of the roller9. In the course of the associated pivoting movement, the catch22passes out of the curved slots16, counter to the spring force of the spring ring20, and slides along the inner surfaces of the lug support disks13until the narrow walls24of the curved slots16engage against the end-stop-forming fastening screws18. Furthermore, the lateral guide elements O assume a slightly oblique vertical position in relation to the bearing limbs10as a result of the spring rings20, see the illustration inFIG. 4in particular. The lateral guide elements O have thus assumed the downwardly directed, vertical inactive position, and the user can position an overly wide workpiece on the vertex of the roller9of the supporting framework S, even such that the workpiece projects beyond the end surfaces of the roller9. The lateral guide elements O can be placed in their active and inactive positions independent of each other. Also, the lateral guide elements O can be rotated to various positions, as may be desired, such that the lugs14can have various positions between the active and inactive positions.

If a workpiece (not illustrated) is of sufficiently greater width, it is also possible to set up a second supporting framework S, if present, such that the two supporting frameworks S and/or the rollers9are aligned with one another. All that may be required here is for the outer lateral guide elements O to be pivoted into an active position. The inner lateral guide elements O, which are directed toward one another, remain in the downwardly directed inactive position. This is only possible, however, since the diameter of the lug support disks13of the inner lateral guide elements O are smaller than the diameter of the rollers9so as not to interfere with the workpiece. Similarly, additional supporting frameworks S can be utilized to support a workpiece. Even further, the lateral guide elements O can be individually positioned between active and inactive positions as desired.

Via the fastening screws18, it is possible to set the surface pressure of the lateral guide elements O on the bearing limbs10by means of a screwing tool.