Patent Publication Number: US-6209683-B1

Title: Adjustable sawhorse

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to sawhorses and, in particular, to adjustable sawhorses. 
     The prior art reveals the concept of sawhorses or trestles having adjustable legs. These are useful when the device is used on uneven surfaces such as steps. Independently adjustable legs allow the upper cross member to be oriented horizontally at a desired height when the device is used on sloped or uneven surfaces. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2325592to Degler discloses a trestle with telescopically adjustable legs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4565263 to Southworth discloses a sawhorse having adjustable leg assemblies that are selectively extendable and retractable to allow the cross beam to be moved to a selected elevation. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4804064 to Coultrup et al. discloses a lightweight sawhorse where the respective lengths of each of the legs may be adjusted independently of one another. 
     A collapsible and adjustable trestle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3139950 to Borman. 
     U.S. Pat. Des. 280440 to Gromer Jr. shows an adjustable trestle with cross members extending between the legs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3110360 to Hearn discloses a sawhorse which is collapsible for storage. 
     It is therefore known in the prior art to provide sawhorses or trestles which are adjustable in height and have individually adjusted legs and cross members between the legs. However, there are limits to the maximum effective height of such sawhorses because, if the legs are extended beyond a certain height, the top of the sawhorse becomes inaccessible to the user. This is particularly true for sawhorses with telescopic legs. If the lower telescopic portions of the legs are too long, the top of the sawhorse may become effectively inaccessible. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved sawhorse having a top which is more accessible to the user. 
     Is also an object of the invention to provide an improved sawhorse having legs which are adjustable in height, but having a top which remains accessible to the user even when the legs are extended a significant distance. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved sawhorse which is simple and rugged in construction and which can be collapsed and stored conveniently when not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There is provided, according to the invention, a sawhorse which has an upper cross member having two ends. There is a pair of legs hingedly connected to each end of the upper cross member. Each leg has an upper portion and a lower portion slidingly received by the upper portion. Each leg is independently adjustable in length. There is a latch mechanism on each leg for releasibly latching the upper and lower portion of each said leg together. There is a plurality of space-apart steps extending between the legs on each side of the sawhorse. The steps are parallel to the upper cross member. At least one of the steps is removal. 
     The latch mechanism may include a plurality of spaced-apart slots in the lower portion of each leg and a latch slidingly and selectively engagable in one of the slots. 
     Preferably the sawhorse includes one step fixedly connected to the upper portions of the legs on each side of the sawhorse. Each of the steps has opposite ends. One latch is mounted on each end of the one step. 
     In a preferred embodiment, at least some of the steps are removably connected to the lower portions of the legs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a sawhorse according to an embodiment of the invention shown resting on an uneven surface; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, isometric view thereof, showing a plank resting on the top thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one of the steps connecting the upper portions of the legs on one side thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of one end thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a top isometric view of one of the removable steps thereof; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom, isometric view thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary isometric view of one end thereof showing one of the projections releasibly engagable with the legs; 
     FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing two sawhorses according to an embodiment of the invention supporting a plank on an uneven surface; 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 on an alternative uneven surface; 
     FIG. 10 shows the sawhorse of FIG. 1 collapsed in the storage position; 
     FIG. 11 is an isometric view of one of the clips used for connecting a removable step connected to a fixed step for storage; and 
     FIG. 12 is another clip used for so connecting the removable step. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring first FIG. 1, this shows a sawhorse  20  according to an embodiment of the invention resting on an uneven surface  22  which includes a block  24  and a structure  26  having two steps  28  and  30 . 
     The sawhorse includes an upper cross member  32  having opposite ends  34  and  36 . A pair of legs  38  and  40  is hingedly connected to the cross member by rivets  42  and  44  in this example. Another pair of legs  46  and  48  are hingedly connected to opposite end  36 . 
     Each leg has an upper portion  50  which, in this embodiment, is a rectangular tube. This and the other major components in this embodiment are of aluminum although other materials could be substituted. Each leg also has a lower portion  52  which in this embodiment is also a tubular member, smaller in section than the upper portion and telescopically received therein. The lower portion is, accordingly, slidingly received by the upper portion so each leg is independently adjustable in length. 
     There is a plurality of spaced-apart steps extending between the legs on each side of the sawhorse. In this example there are three such steps  60 ,  62  and  64  on one side and four steps  66 ,  68 ,  70  and  72  on the other side. In this example the upper two steps  60 ,  62 ,  66  and  68  on the two sides of the sawhorse are fixedly connected to the upper portions  50  of the legs, by welding in this particular case. 
     The upper two steps on each side are formed by an inverted channel with ribs on the top for grip and strength. FIG. 3 illustrates step  62 . Step  68  is identical. Each of these steps has a projection  90  and  92  at each end. As shown in FIG. 4, for projection  90 , each projection is a latch-like member slidingly received in a recess  94  at one end of the step. The projection is biased outwardly by a spring  96 . 
     The lower portions  52  of the legs are provided with a plurality of spaced-apart slots, such as slots  98 , 100  and  102  shown on leg  38 . The projections  90  extend through slots in the upper portions of the legs and releasibly fit into a selected slot  98 ,  100  or  102 , to latch the upper and lower portion of each leg together in a desired position. A cover plate, not shown, is screwed onto each of the legs  62  and  68  over the projections and springs to hold them in the recesses. 
     Steps  64 ,  70  and  72  are removably connected to the lower portions  52  of legs  38  and  46 . Additional removable steps may be used, depending upon the degree of extension of the legs. In this example one removable step  64  is used between legs  40  and  48  because they are not extended as far as legs  38  and  46 . However a plurality of additional steps could alternatively be placed on each side if the legs are extended higher than legs  38  and  46 . Alternatively no removable steps could be used on a side if the legs are not extended far enough. 
     Removable step  72  is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. It has a rectangular recess  120  at one end and a similar recess  122  at the opposite end. The lower portions  52  of the legs  38  and  46  are received in the recesses. There is a projection  124  in each of the recesses. The projections are movable and are biased outwardly by a coil spring  126  as seen in FIG.  7 . There is a rod  128  connected to the projection  124  and extending slidingly through a slot  130  at each end of the step. The rod allows the user to attract the projection to position the removable step. Once positioned adjacent one of the slots  98 , 100  or  102 , the rod can be released so the projection extends through the slot to hold the removable step in place. 
     Each of the projections  124  in this example is provided with a small aperture  125  shown in FIG. 7. A split pin  170 , shown in FIG. 1, is inserted through the aperture when the step is in place to prevent it from being accidentally dislodged. 
     Referring to FIGS. 10-12, each of the removable steps is provided with a pair of clips  180  and  182 . FIG. 10 shows sawhorse  20  in the storage position with the legs collapsed adjacent each other. Removable steps  64  and  70  are shown in the storage position connected to steps  60  and  62 . Clip  182  is shown fitted over step  62 . Clip  180  clips under step  60 . It may be seen that the removable steps are stored perpendicular to the fixed steps  60  and  62 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is a brace  140 , comprising two links  142  and  144 , pivotally connected to the legs  38  and  40  by rivets  146  and  148  and to each other by rivets  150 . This brace serves to limit outward pivoting of the legs. A similar brace can also be used at the opposite end of the sawhorse. The brace is bent when the sawhorse is in the storage position as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     In this example each of the legs is provided with a foot, such as foot  160  at bottom  162  of leg  40 . Each foot is pivotally connected to the leg by a rivet  164  in this example. A rubber pad  166  is fixed to the bottom of each foot. 
     FIGS. 2,  8  and  9  show the sawhorse  20 , together with another similar sawhorse  21  in FIGS. 8 and 9, used in different positions on different surfaces and supporting a plank  200  between the sawhorses. These show the flexibility of the sawhorses for use in different situations on steps or uneven surfaces. 
     It will be understood by someone skilled in the art, that many of the details provided above are by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is to be interpreted with reference to the following claims.