Abstract:
The invention relates to a foldable frame ( 1 ) for oscillating saws or the like with an elongated support body ( 2 ), to which the oscillating saw is mountable, and to which, at each one of its two respective ends, are connected two legs ( 6,7 ), the latter being swivelable from a storage configuration in which they extend essentially parallel to the support body ( 2 ) to an operative configuration in which they extend essentially perpendicular from the support body ( 2 ). In order to improve the usefulness of the above-described foldable frame, it is proposed that the support body ( 2 ) be configured as two support body sections ( 3, 4 ), which are connected to one another by a hinge ( 5 ), which in the storage configuration lie parallel to each other, and which by swivelling movement through 180° can be brought into the operative configuration.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from German application number 102005010354.5 filed Mar. 8, 2005.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention pertains to a foldable frame for oscillating saws or the like with an elongated support body, to which the oscillating saw is mountable, and to which, at each one of its two respective ends, are connected two legs, the latter being swivelable from a storage configuration in which they extend essentially parallel to the support body to an operative configuration in which they extend essentially perpendicular from the support body.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0003]     A frame of the kind just mentioned, capable of folding together, is known from US 2004/0250903 A-1. This foldable frame likewise consists of an elongated support body having, at each of the two ends, two legs in connection. In the operative configuration, the legs extend essentially perpendicular from the support body. In the storage configuration the legs are so pivoted that they lie almost parallel with the support body.  
         [0004]     A similarly foldable frame is known from DE 10303115. In this case the foldable frame also includes a support body, at each end of which likewise two legs are attached. In essence, the legs in this patent function as described in the above-mentioned U.S. 2004/0250903A-1.  
         [0005]     It is an object of the invention to advantageously improve the structure of the above-described foldable frame to improve its function.  
         [0006]     This object is attained both by the individual claims and by any combination of claims with any desired other claim.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     To begin, Claim  1  proposes essentially that the support body have two support body sections connected together by way of a hinge, the sections being parallel to each other in the storage configuration, but being capable of assuming an operative configuration by swivelling through 180°.  
         [0008]     Preferably the hinge is so provided that, in the operative configuration, it has a vertically positioned hinge axis. In order to restrain the two hinge-remote ends of the support body sections in the storage configuration, the two hinge-remote ends have a closure. The closure provides in particular a spring-biased stop hook. In the operative configuration, the hinge is fixed with a restraining member. The restraining member lies on the side of the hinge which is turned away from the hinge axis, and is constituted in particular by a tension bolt. The tension bolt is linked to one of the two hinge halves. In the restrained condition, the tension bolt extends through edge-open notches of both hinge halves. The hinge is constructed of two half hinges, each having a front face. In the operative configuration, the front faces lie against one another and in the storage configuration they are in alignment with one another. A hand grip is provided for the hinge, the hand grip being in particular secured to the hinge axis. The hand grip, in the operative configuration, lies under the hinge halves and in the storage configuration it lies ahead of the front faces. On one support body section a support handle is located to one side. On each free end of each support body section there is provided a running wheel. The running wheels are provided on the outwardly lying side. In the storage condition, the axes are approximately in alignment with each other. Each running wheel is secured to a wedge. The legs are also connected with the said wedges. The axes of the running wheels lodge in openings of bearing blocks. It is also possible to assign the running wheels to the free ends of two legs. In the operative configuration, the two support body sections are aligned with one another. The support body sections are made from profile bodies. Essentially, the profile bodies exhibit a trapezoidal cross-section. The profile bodies are received in pockets of the hinge halves. In the end region, extension pieces project into the profile bodies, and are capable of being pulled out. The extension pieces likewise exhibit a trapezoidal section and lie displaceably and securably in form-matching hollows in the profile bodies. Against the base surface of a trapezoidal elongation piece operates a securement means. The profile bodies exhibit grooves in which stops, support plate holders or the like ride or are secured. The stops, support plate holders or the like are clampable with the profile body utilizing the eccentric snap closure in the grooves. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The above-described invention will now be described in greater detail utilizing an example embodiment. In the figures,  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective plan view of the foldable frame,  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective bottom plan view of the foldable frame,  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the foldable frame with a view of the closure,  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side view in accordance with the line of sight IV in  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view in accordance with the line of sight V in  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a plan view in accordance with the line of sight VI in  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view taken along the line of sight VII in  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the folded frame in the operative configuration taken along the line of sight defined by the tension bolt,  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the foldable frame in the operative configuration along the line of sight directed toward the handle,  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a magnified view in accordance with X in  FIG. 8 ,  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a magnified view according to XI in  FIG. 9 ,  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a front view in accordance with the line of sight XII in  FIG. 8 ,  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a plan view according to the line of sight XIII in  FIG. 12 ,  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  is a bottom plan view according to the line of sight XIV in  FIG. 12 ,  
         [0024]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 8 , except that in the Figure the running wheels are provided on the legs,  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the closure sectioned along the line XVI-XVI,  
         [0026]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the Section according to the line XVII-XVII in  FIG. 13 ,  
         [0027]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view which is sectioned in accordance with the line XVIII-XVIII in  FIG. 6 ,  
         [0028]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the running wheel which has been sectioned according to the line XIX-XIX in  FIG. 15 , and  
         [0029]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view which has been sectioned in accordance with the line XX-XX in  FIG. 13 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]     Exemplary of the invention is a foldable frame, in particular a frame  1 , to which an oscillating saw is secured. In particular, the frame  1  consists of a support body  2  which has two support body sections  3 ,  4 , a hinge  5  which connects the two support body sections  3 ,  4  with each other, and a pair of legs  6 ,  7 .  
         [0031]     The support body sections  3 ,  4  consist of profile bodies of equal length which have essentially a trapezoidal section (see  FIG. 18 ). Normally, these are made of aluminum. In a storage configuration the support body sections  3 ,  4  lie parallel to each other, as also do the leg pair  6 ,  7 . The leg pair  6 ,  7  lie sideward adjacent the support body sections  3 ,  4 . In an operative configuration, the support body sections  3 ,  4  extend in alignment horizontally with respect to each other. The legs of the leg pair  6 ,  7  project downward.  
         [0032]     The hinge  5  consists of two half-hinges  8 ,  9 . The two hinge halves  8 ,  9 , made of plastic, are connected with each other at a hinge axis  10 . In the operative configuration, the hinge axis  10  lies vertically. The two hinge-halves  8 ,  9  form front faces  11 ,  12  respectively. In the storage configuration ( FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7 ), the front faces  11 ,  12  lie in alignment relative to each other. In the operative configuration ( FIG. 9  to  FIG. 15 ), the front faces  11 ,  12  lie flat with regard to each other.  
         [0033]     A handle  13  is provided for the hinge  5  on its under side. The handle  13 , in the example embodiment, is secured to the hinge axis  10 .  
         [0034]     Rearward from the front faces  11 ,  12 , the hinge  5  provides on each hinge-half  8 ,  9  a pocket  14 ,  15 . In the pockets  14 ,  15 , the support body sections  3 ,  4  are received, the latter being fixed within the pockets  14 ,  15  by way of screws  66 . At the end of the hinge-halves  8 ,  9 , opposite the hinge axis  10 , are provided respective edge-opening notches  16 .  
         [0035]     In  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that, rearward on the hinge-half  9 , there is provided a captive member  17 . The captive member is provided by a tension rod  18 . At the free end of the tension rod  18 , there is provided a tension lever  19 . The tension lever  19 , by way of an internal thread, is screwed onto the tension rod  18  so that the tension rod, at its free end, exhibits an external thread. The captive member  17  is mounted to achieve pivotal movement about an axis  20  extending parallel to the hinge axis  10 .  
         [0036]     The ends of the support body sections  3 ,  4  extending from the hinge  5  are closed by sealing plates  21 . The sealing plates  21  are secured to the support body sections by screws  38 . In order to fix the support body sections  3 ,  4  in parallel condition when in the storage configuration, a closure  22  is provided on the sealing plate  21 . The closure  22  consists of two halves  22 ′,  22 ″. The closure  22  is well pictured in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 16 . The two halves  22 ′,  22 ″ are each secured to a sealing plate  21  of a support body section  3 ,  4 . The half  22 ′ is secured to the support body section  4 , and the half  22 ″ is secured to the support body section  3 . The halves  22 ′,  22 ″ are respectively by way of screws  23  secured to the sealing plate  21 . The sealing half  22 ′ provides a pivot axis  24  for a closure lever  25 . The closure lever  25  is resiliently biased in the direction of the closed position by a swivel rotary spring  26 . The closure lever  25  forms at its lower end a stophook  28  and a stophook pocket  27 . The latter engages a stophook  28 ′ which is formed by the closure half  22 ″. The stophook  28 ′ forms a control slope  29 . The closure lever  25  forms run-up ribs  30  in the handle region.  
         [0037]     Laterally located on the support body section  3  is a handle  31 . The handle  31  is secured about midway of the support body section  3 . The securement of the handle  31  is achieved using screws  32  which threadably engage nut members that in turn engage a lateral groove  67 .  
         [0038]     The end-region positioned sealing plates  21  each provide, on the respective side of the support body sections  3 ,  4 , a wedge  33 ,  33 ′. The sealing plates  21  are arranged as stamp-and-bend portions. On each of the wedges  33 ′, there is provided a bearing block  34  made of plastic. The legs of the leg pair  6 ,  7  are respectively secured to a wedge  33 ,  33 ′ with a swivel axis  35 . The wedges  33 ,  33 ′ each provide, for an individual leg of the leg pair  6 ,  7 , a swivel bearing. Similar to DE 10303115 A1, the leg pair is held by a stop mechanism  36  either in the storage configuration or the operative configuration. The stop mechanism  36  has a bolt which registers in stop openings corresponding to the storage or the operative mode. By the use of a handle  37 , the bolt can be released from the stop position.  
         [0039]     There is provided on each free end of a leg of each leg pair  7  an outwardly lying guide block  39 . Attention is direction to the section of  FIG. 19  which clarifies the further structure of the guide block  39 . The guide blocks  34  have the same shape as the guide blocks  39 . The guide blocks  39  are secured utilizing a threaded connection  40  near the free end of each leg of a leg pair  7 . The guide block  39  forms an opening  41  in the mid region. A threaded bore  42  is provided in the radial direction with respect to the opening  41 . A set screw  43  is screwed into the threaded bore  42 . The guide blocks  34 ,  39  can each receive a wheel  44 . The wheel  44  has an axis  45 . The axis  45  has a circumferential groove  46 , the position of which is so determined with respect to the threaded bore  42  that, in the inserted position, the axis  45  in the guide block  34  can, with help from the set-screw  43 , be fixed in the axial position. Due to the securement with the set-screw  43 , the axis  45  of the running wheel  44  cannot unintentionally be released from the opening  41  of the guide block  34 ,  39 . Consequently, the running of the wheel  44  will not be impaired. The free end of each leg  7  is protected by the running surface of the wheel  44 .  
         [0040]     From the respective ends of the support body sections  3 ,  4  an elongation piece  48  projects through an opening  47  of the sealing plate  21 . In the sectional view of  FIG. 18 , it is clearly seen that the profile body has a trapezoidal cross-section. The basis of the trapezoidal shape is dealt with above. The C-shaped elongate groove  53  runs in the middle region. The trapezoidal surface extending downward also has a mid-region elongate groove. The elongating portion  48  also has a trapezoidal cross section. The elongating pieces  48  lie respectively in a shape-resembling hollow  49  in the support body sections  3 ,  4 . In  FIG. 20 , it can be seen that the elongating piece  48  can be fixed in any position utilizing a securement means  50 . The securement means  50  consists of a handle  51  which is situated above the support body sections  3 ,  4 , a groove following nut  52  which is guided in an elongate groove  53  of the support body sections  3 ,  4 , and a clamp screw  54  which is connected with the handle  51  in a manner to resist rotation. In the groove following nut, there is a threaded bore  55 , through which the clamping screw  54  projects. Around the head of the clamping screw  54  is provided a protective member  56 . The protective member  56  prevents contamination of the basic surface  57 , and also contributes to an improved securement of the elongation piece  48 . The protection member  56  can, for example, be made of plastic or rubber. A securement means  50  exerts its effect on a base surface  57  of the respective elongation piece  48 .  
         [0041]     In known manner, workpiece supports  58  are provided for the free ends of the elongation pieces  48 . The workpiece supports  58  can be secured at the various heights utilizing securement means  59 .  
         [0042]     In  FIG. 7 , it can be seen that, below the support body sections  3 ,  4 , workpiece supporting arms  60  are provided. The workpiece support arms  60  are connected with the support body sections  3 ,  4  rotatively about a swivel point  61 . The swivel point  61  is provided approximately in the middle under the support body sections  3 ,  4 . The workpiece support arm  60  consists of bend portions ( FIG. 2 ).  
         [0043]     In the elongate groove  53  are led securement means for stops  62  and support plate holders  63 . As is clear from  FIGS. 17 and 20 , the stops  62  and the support plate holder  63  are clamped by way of an eccentric snap closure  64  with profile bodies  3 ,  4 . As can be seen in the operative configuration, the support plate holder  63  supports a support plate  65  for example for an oscillating saw. The support plates  65  can consist of MDF and are held by way of tension straps.  
         [0044]     In the following part, the operation and example embodiment are described in greater detail. In  FIGS. 1 through 7 , the frame  1  is in the storage configuration. It can be seen that the support body sections  3 ,  4  are oriented parallel with one another. Also parallel to one another are the leg pairs  6 ,  7 . In  FIGS. 2, 3  and  5  it can be seen that the two support body sections  3 ,  4 , by way of the closure  22 , are maintained in the storage configuration. The running wheels  44  are mounted in the bearing blocks  34 , which in turn are mounted on the wedges  33 ′. The running wheels  44  are mounted in the bearing blocks  34  which are supported on the wedges  33 ′. The running wheels  44  are fixed in place by way of the set-screws  43 . Shifting now from the storage to the operative configuration, the first step is to open the closure  22  with the help of the closure lever  25 . The closure lever  25  must be swivelled against the force applied by the swivel rotary spring  26 . Once the closure  22  has been opened, the support body sections  3 ,  4  can be swivelled about the spring axis  10  through 180°. Now the support body sections  3 ,  4  will be lying in alignment one behind the other. In order to lock the support body sections  3 ,  4  in this condition, the captive member  17  must be reverse rotated about the axis  20  in the edge-opening notch  16  of the individual hinge halves  8 ,  9 . After the tension bolt  18  lies in the edge-open notches  16  of the hinge halves  8 ,  9 , the captive member  17  must be tightened with the tension lever  19 . After the captive member  17  has been put into tension, the leg pairs  6 ,  7  can be switched from the storage configuration into the operative position. In order to be able to pivot the leg pairs  6 ,  7  about the swivel axis  35 , the stop mechanism  36  must first be released. By way of the activation of the handle  37 , the stop mechanism  36  is released from its grip with the wedges  33 ,  33 ′, and the leg pairs  6 ,  7  can be swivelled to the operative configuration. When the leg pairs  6 ,  7  have reached the operative configuration, the stop mechanism  36  again stops and fixes the leg pairs  6 ,  7  in that condition. The stop mechanism  36  functions similarly to the description in VE10303115A1.  
         [0045]     The operative configuration is illustrated with the help of  FIGS. 8 through 14 . In these figures it can be seen that, for example, the support plate holder  63  can receive a support plate  65 . Likewise here, the stops  62 , the work piece support  58  and the work piece supporting arms  60  are in their operative configuration. These can be variously positioned along their path of movement.  
         [0046]     In  FIG. 15 , the running wheels  44  are decoupled from the bearing blocks  34  to the bearing blocks  39 . In order to get the running wheels  44  out of the bearing blocks  34 , the headless screw  43  must firstly be disengaged from its engagement with the circumferential groove  46 . After this has been achieved, the axis  45  of the running wheel  44  can be pulled out of the opening  47 . Thereafter, the axis  45  can be lodged in the opening  47  of the mounting blocks  39  and newly fixed with the help of the headless screw  43 . Now it is possible to hoist the frame  1  onto the leg pair  6  and to displace it with the help of the running wheel  44 .  
         [0047]     In order to return the frame to the storage position, the running wheels  44  must again be de-mounted, the leg pair  6 ,  7  must be folded together and the support body sections  3 ,  4  must be brought into parallel alignment. In order to do this, the first task is to raise the stop mechanism  36  in order to fold the leg pair  6 ,  7  and to open the captive member  17 , in order to swing the support body sections  3 ,  4  into a parallel condition. The closure  22  which holds the two support body sections  3 ,  4  in parallel condition, will stop by itself. This causes the stop hook  28  to run over the opposite stop hook  28 ′. Simultaneously the run-up ribs  30  of the closure lever  25  engage a control slope  29  of the stop hook  28 ′, and swivel the closure lever  25  against the force of the swivel rotary spring  26  about the swivel axis  24 . After the support body sections  3 ,  4  have been brought into parallel configuration, the closure lever  25 , by reason of the force of the swivel rotation spring  26 , is returned to its closure condition. Now the stop hook pocket  27  engages the stop hook  28 , and secures the two support body sections  3 ,  4  to each other.  
         [0048]     In the storage configuration it is possible to pull the folded-together frame  1  behind oneself. One grasps the frame  1  by the handle  13 , and the running wheels  44  roll over the ground. In this fashion a simple transport for the frame  1  is possible. Because of its connection to the hinge axis  10 , the grip  13  is rotatable. It can be rotated under the support body  2 . In the storage condition, the handle  13  extends beyond the aligned front faces  11 ,  12  of the hinge  5 .  
         [0049]     In the operative configuration, the oscillating saw frame has sufficient length to work large work pieces. In the storage configuration, the oscillating saw frame becomes a compact object.  
         [0050]     All disclosed characteristics are regarded as inventive. The disclosure of the application is considered to include also the disclosed content of the accompanying/attached priority documents (text of the prior application) with all contents, also with the purpose of including characteristics of the documents in the claims of the present application.