Patent Abstract:
A table for portable miter saws or the like comprising a hinged flat rectangular surface portions from which depends a centrally located, longitudinal keel. A sawhorse-like collapsible stand of two opposed leg assemblies forms a keel gap or slot upon erection within which the longitudinal keel snugly fits, thereby supporting the table surface. The leg assemblies have upper and middle cross members between end legs and the leg assemblies are attached at the end legs at each end thereof by upward folding hinge brackets. The upper cross members are trapezoidal in cross section, forming the vertical inner walls of the keel gap or slot when erected. The leg assemblies fold together and the table folds at its hinges for transport and storage. Levelers are provided for supporting a workpiece above the table top surface.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to worktables. More particularly, the present invention relates to folding, portable worktables for supporting miter saws. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Carpenters and others in the building trades need portable surfaces such as tables upon which they can set and stabilized materials being worked and the tools and equipment being utilized in the cutting and shaping of materials. For convenience, comfort, and efficiency, the level of the working surface is preferably about waist high to the user, and the work surface is stable. The supported surface or table should be collapsible and light in weight for ease of transportation and storage, and yet be durable and strong. Folding tables for supporting equipment and work materials are known and in wide use. Existing folding worktables suffer from instability, high cost, complexity, or ease of use, portability, and storage. It would be desirable to provide a folding, portable miter saw table useful for supporting a portable miter saw and work material which overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings. Thus, a table for portable miter saws is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a collapsible, portable, carpenter&#39;s worktable made of a light material such as aluminum which is particularly useful as a support table for a portable miter saw. It features a flat, rectangular table surface having two equal, rectangular portions joined by hinges which fold together for storage. Each table portion has an elongate keel portion centrally affixed to its underside such that when the table surface is unfolded and laid flat, the two keel portions form a single, central keel extending the length of the table. The table is supported by a collapsible stand having a configuration similar to that of a common sawhorse. The collapsible stand, when in its erected position forms an elongate keel gap or slot receiving the central keel of the table surface, thus securely supporting and holding the table surface in place. 
   The collapsible stand includes two identical side assemblies connected by folding brace members so as to form the keel receiving elongate slot. Each side assembly includes a top cross member and a middle cross member extending between end legs having feet with non-skid pads. The cross members are secured to the legs by fasteners such as rivets and the middle cross member is further secured by a support bracket. The top cross members are trapezoidal in cross section with three flat, mutually perpendicular walls and a fourth wall facing outward and formed at an angle of about 15 degrees from the vertical so as to slope inward and upward. When the two side assemblies are brought together to form the stand, the flat vertical walls of the top cross members mutually face one another forming the sides of the elongate groove or keel gap. Space is maintained between the two upper cross members by a top folding bracket and a bottom folding bracket attached between the corresponding end legs at each end of the stand. When the stand is collapsed for storage, the folding brackets fold, allowing the two side assemblies to fold into a collapsed unit with the side assemblies parallel. When the stand is set up, the brackets unfold, allowing the side assemblies to form a sawhorse like table support with the legs sloping upward and inward. 
   The worktable can have a pair of leveler devices for use in further stabilizing materials being worked and in adjusting their elevation above the flat surface. The leveler devices may be conveniently used in conjunction with a miter saw. 
   It is an aspect of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
   These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the portable miter saw table according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the collapsible stand of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an end elevational view of the collapsible stand of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partial, detail view of the top bracket, as seen in the upper portion of  FIG. 3 , and drawn to an enlarged scale. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial, detail view of the bottom folding bracket, as seen in the lower portion of  FIG. 3 , and drawn to an enlarged scale. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the flat, folding, supportive table surface. 
       FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of the flat table surface of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 10  is a front elevational view of the collapsible worktable of  FIG. 1  with a miter saw and leveler devices resting thereon. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a leveler device of  FIG. 10 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention is a collapsible portable miter saw worktable which includes a collapsible stand and a hinged flat table surface having a keel along its length, the collapsible stand forming a slot or gap for receiving and holding the keel. Stabilizing work piece levelers are included with the worktable. 
   Referring to the Figures, worktable  10  includes a collapsible stand  20  and a hinged, foldable tabletop  70  supported by the collapsible stand  20 . The collapsible stand  20  is preferably made from standard aluminum ladder stock or the like. The collapsible stand  20  includes two side assemblies  26  formed by legs  30  at each end and connected by a middle cross member  32  and top cross member  34 . Each side assembly  26  is the reverse configuration of the other and tilt upward and inward toward each other when erected to form a sawhorse-type structure when stand  20  is deployed for receiving worktable top  70 . 
   The legs  30  are preferable cut from “C”-type cross section material as shown in  FIG. 6  with the legs  22  of the “C”-much shorter than the back  24  of the “C”. The top ends of each side assembly  26  and the bottom ends (not shown) of the legs are cut so that when the bottom end of the leg sits on the floor, the legs tilt at an angle of about 15° from the vertical, tilting upward and inward to form the side assemblies  26 . 
   Each top cross member  34  is a unique feature of the stand, forming the elongate keel gap or groove  52  therebetween. Referring to  FIG. 7 , there is shown a cross sectional view of a top cross member  34  in the shape of a hollow trapezoid having an upper wall  35 , an inner wall  36 , and a lower wall  38  meeting at square corners, respectively, and an angled outer wall  40 . Preferably, the upper wall  35  is about 3 inches in width, the inner wall  36  is about 3 inches in height and the lower wall is about three and ⅜ inches in width. Outer wall  40  is angled at about 15° from vertical to conform with legs  30  having outer side short legs to which it is attached at each end thereof by rivets  42 . 
   The middle cross members  32  are preferably aluminum having a “C”-shaped cross section as that of legs  30 , however, they are cut at right angles at each end for attachment to legs  30 . The middle cross members  32  are of the same length as top cross members  34  and are attached to legs  30  about halfway up their length by rivets  44  running through the short legs  22  of the “C” for each leg  30 . An angle support bracket  46  is attached between the outer short “C” leg  22  of a leg  30  to the short “C” leg (not shown) of the outer portion of the middle cross member  32  at each end thereof. The angle support bracket  46  is attached to the leg  30  below the midpoint by a rivet  48  and to the middle cross member  32  by a rivet  50  at angles of about 45°. 
   Each leg  30  has a non-skid foot pad  51  covering its lower end which contacts the floor or other surface upon which the deployed collapsible stand rests, the lower portions of the legs forming a stable support for table  10  when placed on flat ground surface. 
   The collapsible stand  20  is formed by tilting each side assembly  26  toward the other, with the flat sidewalls  36  of the top cross members  34  facing one another and leaving the keel gap  52  between the flat inside walls  36  into which the hereinafter described keel snugly fits. The side assemblies  26  are connected for limited rotation at each end thereof by top hinged brackets  54  and bottom hinged brackets  56 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a top hinged bracket  54  is located at each side of the collapsible stand  20 . The top hinged bracket  54  includes two elongate flat links  55  which are joined together at a mutual inner end by an axle rivet  58  about which they are free to pivot. Each outer end of top hinged bracket  54  is attached to a corresponding leg  30  slightly below the line where the bottom walls  38  of the top cross members  34  meet legs  30 . The outer ends of the top hinged bracket are fixed to legs  30  by rivets  60  and placed at an angle with the apex of the angle pointed toward the top of the collapsible stand  20 . The degree of the angle of placement of the hinged bracket outer ends is such that the side assemblies  26  of the collapsible stand can be folded together. 
   Likewise, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a bottom bracket  56  is located at each side of the collapsible stand  20 . The bottom bracket  56  includes two elongate flat links of equal length, joined together at mutual inner ends by a metal keeper  62  by means of axle keeper rivets  64  which allows the bottom hinge bracket  56  to collapse inward and upward during folding of the stand, while locking the stand  20  in an extended position upon the side assemblies  26  being spread to their fullest extend when deployed for use. The outer ends of the bottom hinge bracket  56  are pivotally attached to the legs  30  of the collapsible stand  20  by axle rivets  66 . On one outer end, the rivet  66  of bracket  56  is placed about two-thirds down from the point of the meeting of the lower edge of the middle cross member  32  and the leg  30 . The other outer end of the bottom bracket  56  is placed slightly higher on the opposite leg  30  so that when the bottom bracket  56  is fully extended and locked, it is at a slightly elevated angle from the horizontal. 
   It is the combination of brackets and angles that provide the opened collapsible stand its rigidity and stability, while creating the keel gap or slot into which the hereinafter described keel  78  if fitted. 
   The hinged table top  70  as shown in  FIG. 8 , is the other major component of the collapsible portable workstand  10 . The hinged top  10  includes two identical rectangular portions  72  and  74 , held together by two hinges  76  so as to fold upward from the horizontal. Keel portions  80  and  82  are centrally affixed, lengthwise, to the underside of corresponding top portions  72  and  74  to form keel  78  upon unfolding of the table top  70 . The width of the table top  70  is preferably about 6 inches with the length about 5 feet. The corners of the rectangular portion  72  and  74  are preferably rounded. The keel  78  is preferably about twice the length of that of the top cross members  34  of the collapsible stand  20 . The depth of the keel  78  is preferably about four and the width about 1 inch. The keel  78  is preferably made of aluminum, as is the table top  70 . The inner ends of the keel portions  80  and  82  join one another as the inner ends of the table top portions. When the collapsible stand  20  is fully deployed the keel  78  fits snugly into the keel gap or slot  52  between the inside flat walls  36  of top cross members  34  the weight of the side assemblies  26 , table top  70 , and any equipment on the table top  70  pushing down, forces inner faces  36  of top cross members  34  inward against the keel  78  so as to secure the table top  70  in place during use. Although table top  70  is described and shown as about 6 inches in width, the table of the invention may be substantially wider and directed to other uses such as a work table. 
   Referring to  FIG. 10 , when the collapsible stand  20  is fully deployed with the tabletop  70  in place, a miter saw or other power tool  90  can be placed on the tabletop  70 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 11 , workpiece levelers may be placed on the tabletop  70 . The workpiece levelers  100  can be used to raise workpiece material above the plane of the tabletop  70  or can be used in conjunction with a power tool, such as a miter saw, as shown. A representative leveler  100  has a rectangular top surface  110  which is a sheet about one-half inch thick having a width of about seven inches and a length of about 19 inches. The top surface  110  is supported at points spaced inward from each end by bottom blocks  115  of hollow aluminum extending crosswise relative to the top surface  110 . Bottom blocks  115  have caps at each end. The blocks  115  are supported at their respective outer sides by “L”-shaped support brackets  120  having vertical walls  125  and defining spaced, vertical slots  132 . Blocks  115  have studs  130  extending outward from their outer ends through respective slots  132  in support brackets  120  and which have wing nuts  135  for releasably tightening over studs  130  against vertical walls  125 , thus supporting top surface  110  at a desired height relative to the support brackets  120 . By loosening the wing nuts  135 , the height of the top surface  110  of leveler  100  may be adjusted in a range. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0