Abstract:
A kit of parts assembles into a tool support using an elongate beam such as a wooden joist provided by the purchaser of the kit. The kit includes a pair of uprights suitable for clamping onto spaced apart positions on the beam. A tool supporting member also mounts onto the beam, intermediate the uprights and includes a supporting surface for supporting a tool, for example a saw, thereon. The kit includes minimal components to be transported from site to site by the user. The kit also occupies minimal space when separated from the beam such that retailers are only required to stock minimal parts on store shelves at reduced cost as the user can supply their own beam.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a tool support and more particularly to a kit of parts for assembly into a tool support using a beam for supporting a tool thereon.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Various tools including power saws and the like are intended to be supported on a table surface in use. These tools are convenient when working in a fixed location, but when travelling from one remote job site to another, transporting a suitable supporting surface along with the tools can be awkward and cumbersome. Various types of portable workbenches are known, but in general, the known workbenches occupy considerable space both when transporting and by retailers on store shelves.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts for assembly into a tool support using an elongate beam, the kit comprising:  
           [0004]    a pair of uprights including respective clamping members supported thereon for clamping onto spaced apart positions on the beam; and  
           [0005]    a supporting member including a mounting portion for mounting on the beam and a supporting surface for supporting a tool thereon.  
           [0006]    The use of a kit of parts for assembly of a tool support or workbench using a beam provided by the user enables minimal components to be transported from site to site by the user. Furthermore, retailers are only required to stock minimal parts on store shelves at reduced cost as the user can supply their own beam.  
           [0007]    The clamping members are each preferably movable between a clamping position securing the beam therein and a released position in which the beam is free to be released therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, each clamping member comprises a pair of confronting hooks which are biased towards one another into the clamping position.  
           [0008]    Each clamping member is arranged to receive a conventional size wooden construction beam therethrough, for example wooden construction beams which are commonly available in multiple lengths with cross section sizes designated as 2 inches by 6 inches or 2 inches by 8 inches.  
           [0009]    Each clamping member is preferably arranged to clamp a side of the beam to permit securement of the clamping member at various longitudinal positions along the beam.  
           [0010]    There may be provided a material support member supported on at least one of the uprights above a respective one of the clamping members for supporting a workpiece thereon. In one example, the tool comprises a power saw, while the material support member comprises a supporting surface for supporting an end of an elongate wooden member to be sawed.  
           [0011]    The material support member is preferably adjustable in height to be positioned level with a variety of different makes and types of tools supported on the beam.  
           [0012]    There may be provided a pair of supporting members for supporting the tool thereon at spaced longitudinal positions along the beam.  
           [0013]    The mounting portion of the supporting member preferably comprises a channel for receiving the beam therethrough. When the channel is inserted over a top and both sides of the beam, no fasteners for securement of the supporting member to the beam is required as the supporting member is self supporting. The channel in this instance in particularly, is preferably suitably sized to receive a conventional size wooden construction beam therethrough.  
           [0014]    The supporting surface of the supporting member may comprise a flat plate including mounting apertures therein for receiving respective fasteners therethrough.  
           [0015]    When each upright comprises a base and an upright post extending upwardly from the base, each clamping member is preferably adjustably supported on the respective upright for supporting the clamping member at various heights in relation to the respective base of the upright. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the kit of parts shown assembled supporting a tool thereon.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one of the uprights of the kit.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the uprights of the kit.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are respective side elevational and top plan views of one of the supporting members of the kit of parts for supporting the tool thereon.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of plural kits of parts shown in an assembled position for supporting various materials thereon.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the top hook of one of the clamping members. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]    Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a kit of parts generally indicated by reference numeral  10  which is intended for assembly into a tool support as illustrated in FIG. 1 in an assembled position. The tool support is arranged to support a tool  12  thereon, for example a power mitre saw as illustrated in the drawings. The kit of parts  10  requires a user provided beam  14  of the type which is commercially available in the form of conventional wooden construction beams of various length and having standard cross sections designated as two inches by eight inches for example.  
         [0024]    The kit of parts generally includes two uprights  20  and two tool supporting members  22 . Additional tool supporting members  22  may be provided if it is desirable to support multiple tools on a common beam, while multiple uprights  20  may additionally be provided or plural kits may be combined to form a more elaborate work area including a working table as illustrated in FIG. 6.  
         [0025]    Each upright generally includes a base  24  in the form of a rigid angle iron having a pair of feet at opposed ends thereof for being supported on the ground. A base collar  26  is centrally located on the angle iron of the base  24  perpendicularly thereto to extend vertically upwardly when the angle iron is supported horizontally on the ground. An additional brace member  28  spans between the angle iron and the base collar  26  at a position spaced upwardly from the ground.  
         [0026]    The base collar is square in cross section for slidably receiving the base section  30  of a telescoping post  32  therein. The base section  30  is slidably received within the base collar  26  and secured therein by a suitable threaded clamp  34  for adjustment of the height of the base section in the longitudinal direction of the post. The post  32  further includes a main section  36  which is also square in cross-section for being slidably received overtop of the base section  30  of the post at a top end opposite the base collar  26 . A threaded clamp  34  is similarly received in the main section  36  of the post for securing the base section  30  therein at various longitudinal positions for height adjustment of the post relative to the base  24 .  
         [0027]    A clamping member  38  is supported on each upright on the main section  36  of the post so as to be adjustable in height relative to the base  24  of the upright. Each clamping member  38  comprises a pair of confronting hooks which includes a bottom hook  40  and a top hook  42 .  
         [0028]    The bottom hook  40  comprises a shelf  44  which is substantially wider than the post  32  which projects outwardly from one side of the post and extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the post. A free outer edge of the shelf  44  is turned upwardly to define a generally U-shaped channel with the post which is suitably sized to receive a bottom edge of a conventional sized beam  14  therein. A gusset  46  spans between the bottom side of the shelf  44  and the post  32  upon which it is supported.  
         [0029]    The top hook  42  is movably supported on the post  32  for movement between a clamped position confronting the bottom hook and securing the beam  14  there between and a released position in which the top hook is spaced upwardly in relation to the clamped position so as to permit the beam to be freely released from the clamping member. The top hook  42  is supported on a lever  48  which is pivotally supported on the post  32  adjacent the top end thereof. The lever is pivotally supported on the post on an opposite side as the corresponding bottom hook  40  and projects overtop the post to extend outwardly from the post on the same side as the bottom hook. The top hook  42  is thus positioned on the bottom side of the lever  48  in vertical alignment with the corresponding bottom hook.  
         [0030]    The lever  48  generally includes a pair of side pivot flanges  50  which are parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the post  32  and a top flange  52  which spans between the opposed side pivot flanges  50 . Only one of the side pivot flanges projects from the post on the same side as the bottom hook  40  and includes the top hook  42  formed therein in the form of a generally U-shaped notch which is suitably sized to fit overtop of the top edge of the beam  14 .  
         [0031]    An outer side of the top hook  42  spanning away from the post defines a camming face  54  which tapers outwardly from the post at an incline away from the bottom hook from the mouth of the top hook  42  to the free end of the lever  48  spaced outwardly from the post. In use, a board is first inserted into the bottom hook  40  and then twisted into position so that the camming face  54  of the lever rides along the top edge of the beam as the beam is twisted into a vertical position to automatically deflect the lever upwardly sufficiently that the beam may be received within the top hook  42 .  
         [0032]    The top flange  52  of the lever overlaps the open top end of the post  32  with the pivot axis of the lever and the top hook of the lever being located on opposite sides of the post. A spring  56  is anchored to the top flange  52  of the lever by a suitable fastener to extend between the lever and an anchor pin  58  located within the post  32  spaced below the open top end of the post. The spring, which is housed within the hollow post  32 , thus pulls downwardly on the lever to pull the lever towards the post and accordingly pull the top hook  42  downwardly to urge it towards the opposing and confronting bottom hook  40 .  
         [0033]    Each upright  20  further includes a material support  60  which includes a mounting collar  62  mounted on the post  32  parallel thereto and directly adjacent a top end thereof. The lever  48  is pivotally anchored on an outer side of the mounting collar  62  so that the side pivot flanges  50  span across opposing sides of both the mounting collar  62  and the post. The top flange  52  of the lever is open between the opposing side pivot flanges  50  above the mounting collar  62  so that a mounting post  64  can be received within the mounting collar  62  through the opening in the lever  48  between the side pivot flanges  50  thereof. Both the mounting collar  62  and the mounting post  64  have a mating square cross section so that the mounting post  64  is adjustable in height by selectively securing the post within the collar at various positions by a threaded clamp  34  as described previously.  
         [0034]    The material support  60  further includes a support flange  66  which is perpendicularly supported on a top end of the mounting post  64 . A side flange  68  acts as a gusset between the support flange  66  and the mounting post  64  along one side of the support flange. The support flange  66  further includes an end flange  70  which lies perpendicularly to the support flange at one end thereof spaced laterally outwardly from the post to assist in guiding material supported on the support flange. The support flange is adjustable in height with the mounting post  64  relative to the clamping member  38  and the base  24  of the upright so that an upper surface of the support flange  66  may be aligned vertically in height with the upper surface of a working deck of the tool  12  supported by the tool supporting members  22 .  
         [0035]    The tool  12  is supported on the beam by the tool supporting members which are selectively clamped onto the beam  14 . Each tool supporting member includes a supporting surface  72  in the form of an elongate flat plate which lies perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the beam once supported thereon. The supporting surface includes a bolt hole  74  at one end thereof and an elongate slot  76  at an opposing end in which the slot  76  is oriented to extend towards and away the bolt hole  74  so that a spacing between a pair of fasteners for bolting the tool thereon is adjustable.  
         [0036]    A channel is formed on a bottom side of the supporting surface for receiving the beam therein by a pair of side flanges  78  which lie parallel and spaced apart from one another perpendicularly to the supporting surface  72 . Suitable gussets  80  are provided which span between the side flanges and the supporting surface. The spacing of the side flanges  78  is arranged to receive a side edge of a conventional size wooden construction beam therein, so that the tool supporting members are slidably received overtop of the beam and held in place without fasteners being required.  
         [0037]    In use, the kit of parts  10  is first purchased by a user and a beam  14  is provided either separately or with the kit to permit assembly into the tool support as illustrated in FIG. 1. The beam is preferably a standard size wooden construction beam which is supported on the uprights by first inserting a bottom edge into the respective bottom hooks at spaced positions along the beam. The beam is then twisted upwardly into a vertical position so that the camming face  54  of each top hook permits the top hook to be biased away from the bottom hook sufficiently to receive the top edge of the beam within the top hooks  42 . The tool supporting members may then be inserted overtop of the top edge of the beam so that the tool  12  may be bolted to the bolt hole  74  and slot  76  of the tool supporting members at a base of the tool. Spacing of the tool supporting members from one another and the use of an elongate mounting slot  76  permit various adjustments of mounting locations to accommodate various types of tools to be mounted thereon. Once the tool is mounted in place, the height of the posts  32  may be adjusted to a desired working height of the tool and subsequently the material supports  60  may be adjusted so as to lie at approximately the same height as the deck of the tool supported by the kit of parts  10 .  
         [0038]    In a further arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 6, multiple kits may be combined together at spaced positions along separate beams  14  with the beams lying parallel to one another so that a table surface may be created in addition to a tool supporting area by spanning a suitable sheet  90  of rigid material, for example a desired thickness of plywood, between the material supports of uprights supported on opposed and spaced apart beams  14 .  
         [0039]    In a further embodiment of the clamping members, as illustrated in FIG. 6, biasing of the confronting hooks of the clamping members towards one another may be accomplished by a spring  80  under compression. The lever  48  in this instance includes a crank arm  82  which is fixed in orientation relative to the lever  48  to extend at a downward incline. The crank arm terminates at a free end  84  spaced laterally from the post  32  for mounting the compression spring  80  between the free end  84  of the crank arm  82  and the post to urge the crank arm outwardly and accordingly urge the upper hook  42  on the lever  48  downward. Any other variation of biasing which acts to urge the hooks of each clamping members towards one another may be suitable.  
         [0040]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.