Work support

A work support. The support has a cross member of variable length to receive and support planks of variable width. Leg supports extend downwardly and outwardly from each end of the cross member. There are stops attached to the cross member, adjacent each end, to locate each side of a plank carried by the cross member. The plank can be located on the cross member and legs are supported in the leg supports.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a work support. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Work supports are well-known and becoming increasingly popular. For example 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,871 issued to Koffski Oct. 21, 1980, describes a 
bracket useful to form a free standing structure that can, particularly 
for domestic use, replace scaffolding. Scaffolding is, of course, 
relatively complex to put up and is not normally used by an individual 
working on his own house or, indeed, professional workers working on 
houses. In general it is used for industrial application on a relatively 
large scale and ladders are used in working on houses. 
Ladders have a number of disadvantages. In particular they require a level 
support surface if the person on the ladder is not to be in danger. 
The bracket described and claimed in the above patent has proved useful but 
is improved by the present invention which, in one aspect, has a cross 
member of variable length, unlike the fixed length crosspiece of the 
patent and, in another aspect, has an improved method of locating the legs 
useful with the work support. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the present invention provides a work support comprising a 
cross member of variable length to receive and support planks of variable 
width; leg support means extending downwardly and outwardly from each end 
of the cross member; stops attached to the cross member adjacent each end 
to locate each side of a plank carried by the cross member; means to 
locate the plank on the cross member; and means to locate a leg in each 
leg support means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The drawings illustrate a work support comprising a cross member 2 of 
variable length to receive and support a plank, not shown, whose width may 
vary. As shown particularly in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 6 cross member 2 of 
variable length comprises two members, an outer member 4 provided with an 
inwardly turned channel 6--see FIG. 4--and an inner member 8 whose lower 
edge 10 is engaged in the channel 6. As shown in FIG. 1 the telescoping of 
the two members 4 and 8 may be prevented by the provision of clamping 
means such as bolts 12 extending through the two members 4 and 8. 
FIGS. 1 to 4 show leg support means 14 extending downwardly and outwardly 
from each end of the cross member 2. As will be appreciated particularly 
from FIGS. 1 and 2 each leg support means is fastened to or may be 
integral with a telescoping member 4 or 8 that makes up the cross member 
2. Each leg support means 14 comprises a housing 16 adapted to surround a 
leg (not shown) of generally rectangular cross section. In this regard it 
will be noted that typically the leg will be a piece of lumber, for 
example 2.times.4, arranged to be a close fit within a housing 16. 
The work support has stops 18 attached to each cross member at 20. In the 
embodiments illustrated the stops comprise angle bars bolted to the cross 
member 2. A more permanent attachment can be used. For example the angle 
bars may be welded to the cross member 2. 
The stops 18 are adapted to contact and locate each side of a plank carried 
by the cross member 2. There are means to locate a plank on the cross 
member 2 and, in the illustrated embodiment, the means comprise simple 
screw holes 21 formed in the angle bars. When a plank is screwed into 
position, using wood screws inserted through holes 21, it will be 
understood that telescoping of the cross member 2 is not possible so that 
bolts 12 can be replaced by the simple use of wood screws extending 
through the holes 21. 
There are means to locate a leg in each leg support means. When, as in 
FIGS. 1 to 4, the leg support means comprises a housing 16 in the location 
of the leg is by the provision of a cam member 22 pivotally attached to 
the housing 16 by a shaft 24 extending through the cam member 22 and 
through lugs 26 extending from the housing 16. There is an opening 28 
formed in each inner surface 30 of each housing 16 and the cam member 22 
projects through that opening 28 into the housing 16. A lever 32 permits 
hand operation of the cam member 22 between a first position--shown in 
broken lines in FIG. 4--where a leg may be inserted into the housing 16 
without obstruction, to a second position--shown in solid cross section in 
FIG. 2--where a leg in the housing 16 is forced outwardly by the cam 
member 22, again an outer surface 33 of the housing 16 to locate the leg. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 is used as follows. First a plank of the 
required width to act as a support for a worker and to be carried by the 
cross member 2 is selected and two work supports, each as shown in FIG. 1, 
are attached at each end of the plank. Pieces of lumber of the required 
cross section and length are then inserted into the four housings 16 at 
each corner of the plank. To do this the levers 32 are moved to the 
position shown in FIG. 2 in broken lines and the legs inserted until the 
plank is supported in the required position. It will be appreciated that 
the legs are positioned entirely independently of each other so that the 
fact that the ground is not level is not a serious concern. When the plank 
is in the required position the levers 32 are rotated to turn the cam 
members 22 to force the legs outwardly to locate them in the housings 16. 
As shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3 it is desirable that the cams be 
provided with teeth 34 on their leg contacting inner surfaces to 
facilitate the grip of the cam member 22 on the legs. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8 differs only by the provision of a bracket 
36 extending from a pivotal mounting 38 on shaft 40 pivotally engaged in 
lugs 42 around the front of open channel members 44, opening outwardly 
from the cross member. These open channel members 44 are dimensioned to 
receive legs (not shown) as in the FIGS. 1 to 4 embodiment. The brackets 
36 are urged to their upward position, in which they grip a leg, by 
springs 46 provided at each of lugs formed in the inner surfaces of the 
channels. Two springs 46 are shown but one is usually sufficient. Hand 
levers 48 extend inwardly to facilitate operation of the brackets 36. As 
particularly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the brackets may be provided with 
teeth 50 to facilitate gripping of the legs in position. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8 is used as follows. First a plank is located 
on the cross member as described for FIGS. 1 to 4. Levers 48 are pushed 
upwardly to move the brackets 36 downwardly from the position shown in, 
for example, FIG. 6. This permits a leg to be inserted in the open channel 
members 44, to be surrounded by a channel member 44 and a bracket 36. When 
the leg is in the required position the levers 48 are released and the 
brackets 36 grip the leg. The leg is of a depth slightly greater than the 
depth of the channel member 44 so that the bracket 36 can be certain to 
contact and locate a leg. 
The invention thus provides a support that is robust and easy to use. The 
supports do not require level terrain nor, of course, is it necessary that 
they be carried with a plank or with legs. If they are to be used 
professionally the sort of lumber that would be used to form the plank 
carried by the cross member and the legs would be easily available on any 
building site. An advantage over prior art supports is the variable length 
of the cross member 2. This ensures that the support takes up only the 
space it needs to support a plate rather than the fixed space of cross 
members of fixed length. The support of the invention can also hold planks 
of considerable width by separating the telescoping parts of the cross 
member. 
The telescoping parts can be separated to facilitate storage. 
It has also been noted that the support of the invention has less tendency 
to permit dirt to enter the leg supports comprised with prior art 
structures. This feature helps in the ease of use of the support.