Abstract:
A work piece support assembly having a primary section and two wing sections that can be arranged in a variety of modular configurations. The sections are hinged to collapse, stack and mount into a compact package for storage or transport. A portion of one set of collapsed legs project to provide a handhold for transport. Bi-axial leg hinge brackets secure the legs to primary and wing rail members. The legs fold between parallel and splayed, Λ-shaped alignments relative to each other along a first axis. The legs independently fold along a second axis between orthogonal and parallel alignments to the adjoining rail member. Retainers at the primary leg brackets interlock and contain the wing sections. Fittings at the wing and primary support rail members interlock to provide different geometric support configurations that accommodate tool movement without the necessity of re-orienting a work piece or the primary or wing support sections.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to work piece supports and, in particular, to a multi-section saw horse assembly wherein multiple wing sections disassemble, fold and store within a primary support section and wherein the multiple sections can be deployed in a variety of support configurations. 
   Work piece supports have been constructed in a variety of designs for a variety of applications. Sawhorses are one type of support commonly used by carpenters and home handypersons for woodworking, new construction and remodeling projects. These supports typically provide pairs of A-shaped legs that support an intermediate runner. The individual sawhorses are commonly constructed to stack on each other for storage or transport. 
   Most typically sawhorses are constructed with rigid legs to prevent against collapse. Some hinged designs fold flat. Some designs provide end brackets that accept lengths of 2×4 stock. Some designs provide a rail piece that accepts rollers and/or tool holders, for example, a miter saw, router etc. 
   Varieties of table top supports also exist that provide horizontal sections that separate and the peripheral edges of which can be drawn together to clamp and contain work pieces or tools. The table surfaces can also act as a sawhorse. The support legs may fold such that the table assembly folds generally flat for transport or storage. 
   The present invention was developed to provide a hybrid sawhorse assembly that disassembles, stacks and stores into a compact, self-carry package and accommodates a wide-variety of support configurations. The assembly includes one primary section and a pair of wing sections. The sections provide bi-axially hinged legs. The wing section legs fold substantially flat, store with the primary section and are restrained such that a leg provides a handhold for transport. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a collapsible work piece support assembly. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-section support assembly wherein the sections are detachable and can be interconnected in a variety of work support configurations. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-section support assembly having hinged legs that pivot along one or more axes. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-section support assembly having biaxial hinged legs that fold along one axis between A-shaped and parallel orientations and pivot along another axis between orthogonal and parallel orientations to a rail support member. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-section support assembly wherein hinged leg brackets include retainers to contain the collapsed wing sections to a primary section. 
   The foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention, among others, are found in a presently preferred assembly that provides a primary support section and a pair of wing support sections. The sections are hinged to collapse, stack and mount into a single compact package. A portion of the collapsed legs project to provide a handhold for transport. 
   Each section includes at least one pair of legs that are hinged to fold along two axes. That is, the legs are fastened to a rail member and fold between parallel and A-shaped alignments and once folded independently fold along a second axis between orthogonal and parallel alignments to a rail member. A main or primary support section includes a pair of bi-axially folding legs secured to hinge brackets at opposite ends of a primary rail member. Each wing section includes a single set of bi-axially hinged legs that depend from a wing rail member and which wing rail members interlock in different arrangements with the primary rail member. Retainers affixed to brackets at the primary support section capture one end of the wing sections and the other ends overlap and fasten together, such that a portion of the folded legs act as a handle. 
   Still other objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. Considered alternative constructions, improvements or modifications are described as appropriate. The singular features may also be combined into a variety of different combinations. The following description should therefore not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention should be broadly interpreted within the scope of the further appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a front plan view of the sawhorse assembly collapsed with the wing-sections secured to the primary section for transport or storage. 
       FIG. 2   a  shows a perspective view of the wing sections disassembled from the primary section of the sawhorse assembly. 
       FIG. 2   b  shows the legs of the wing sections folded out and partially splayed open. 
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of the primary section. 
       FIG. 4  shows a top view of one of the wing sections. 
       FIG. 5  shows a detailed section view a bi-axial, retainer hinge bracket of the primary support section. 
       FIG. 6  shows a detailed section view of a bi-axial, hinge bracket of a wing support section. 
       FIG. 7  shows a front view of the bi-axial, retainer hinge bracket of the primary support section. 
       FIG. 8  shows a right side view of the bi-axial, hinge bracket of the primary support section. 
       FIG. 9  shows a top view of the bi-axial, hinge bracket of the primary support section. 
       FIG. 10  shows a foreshortened side view of a support leg. 
       FIG. 11  shows an assembled perspective drawing of a C-shaped (when viewed from above) first arrangement of the wings along one side of the primary section. 
       FIG. 12  shows an assembled perspective drawing of a second arrangement of the wings along one side of the primary section. 
       FIG. 13  shows an assembled perspective drawing of a third arrangement of the wings along opposite sides of the primary section. 
       FIG. 14  shows an assembled perspective drawing of a T-shaped fourth arrangement of the wings along opposite sides of the primary section. 
       FIG. 15  shows an assembled perspective drawing of a fifth arrangement of the wings along opposite sides of the primary section. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With attention to  FIG. 1 , a view is shown to the modular work piece support or sawhorse assembly  2  of the subject invention in a storage or transport condition. The assembly  2  provides two wing support sections  4  that are secured to a primary support section  6 . The wing sections  4  are secured beneath end clips or retainers  8  at leg pivot brackets  10  mounted to each end of the primary section  6 . A first spring clip  12  is secured to overlapped portions of folded pairs of legs  14  at the two wing sections  4 . The legs  14  are aligned such that a portion  15  of the folded legs  14  of the one wing section  4  project to provide a handhold to facilitate carrying the assembly  2 . 
   A second spring clip  12  is secured between two mounting pins  16  that depend from the adjoining ends of the two wing sections  4  to prevent the release of the wing sections  4  from the retainers  8 . The assembly  2  is thus compactly collapsed for ready transport or storage. 
     FIGS. 2 through 4  show views to the general configuration of the primary support section  6  and each of the wing support sections  4 .  FIGS. 5 through 10 , in turn, depict detailed views to the construction of the bi-axial hinge pivot brackets  10  and  11  that respectively secure the legs  14  to the primary and wing support sections  4  and  6 . 
   When disassembled for normal use and as shown at  FIGS. 11 through 15 , several alternative mounting arrangements of the primary and wing sections  4  and  6  are shown. Depending upon the project, the different arrangements support a work piece in a fashion such that a tool (e.g. saw or router) can be used without having to rearrange the sections  4  and  6  during a work task. In each arrangement, the wing sections  4  are fitted to the primary section  6  with a depending pin  16 . The pins  16  extend from the bottom of a wing rail member  20  at each wing section  4 . Each pin  16  mounts to a selected one of a number of open-ended sockets  18  that extend from the longitudinal sides of a rail member  22  at the primary section  6 . The pins  16  and sockets  18  are welded to the support sections  4  and  6 . 
   Depending upon a work task and/or a work piece that is to be supported on the assembly  2 , the sections  4  and  6  are normally arranged to span the work area of the supported wood or metal work piece. The sawing, drilling, routing or other task can then be performed without the tool striking any of the support sections  4  or  6 . Advantageously, the work can be performed without having to rearrange the support sections  4  and  6  during the task. Previously, multiple saw horses or supports were required or it was necessary to rearrange the supports during the task, but which is no longer required. 
   The pins  16  and sockets  18  are constructed of lengths of square tube stock. When interlocked in a telescoping fashion, the square circumference of the pins  16  and square bores at the sockets  18  prevent the wings  4  from rotating relative to the primary section  6 . The sections  4  and  6  are thus restricted to various transverse relative mounting relationships. A variety of other mating shapes may be used at the pins  16  and sockets  18 . For example, round pins  16  and sockets  18  or other configurations might alternatively be used to permit a hinged rotation of the sections  4  and  6  to achieve an expanded range of mounting permutations of the sections  4  and  6 . The types and locations of the interlocking fasteners (e.g. pins  16  and sockets  18 ) can be varied to accommodate any desired geometric arrangement of the support sections  4  and  6 . Separate fasteners (e.g. lynch pins) may be used to latch the couplings between the pins  16  and sockets  18 . 
   With attention to  FIGS. 3 through 10 , the legs  14  and the rail support pieces  20  and  22  are generally formed as channel pieces from steel sheet stock selected in the nominal range of 6 to 12 guage. Different materials and/or materials of different thickness can be used depending upon the weights of the loads to be supported. 
   An appropriate cover piece  24  of another material can be secured to the top of each of the rail support pieces  20  and  22 . Presently a wood cover piece  25  is attached to each of the support sections  4  and  6 . The cover pieces  25  protect each of the underlying metal rail pieces  20  and  22  from contact with any tools, for example, a saw blade or other tool bit or blade that might traverse over one of the tops of the cover pieces  25 . 
   The side webs of the rail channel pieces are bent with suitable forming equipment. The ends of the rail piece  22  are left open to accept the bi-axial, retainer hinge brackets  10  shown at  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  7 – 9 . Substantially identical biaxial hinge brackets  11  are shown at  FIGS. 4 and 6  and are secured to the rail piece  20  of each wing support  4 . The brackets  11  differ from the brackets  10  in that they don&#39;t include retainer clips  8 . The brackets  11  are secured to the ends of the rail pieces  20  opposite to the pins  16 . 
   Folded tabs  24  and  26  are formed at the opposite ends of the legs  14 . The tabs support the assembly  2  on the ground or floor. Non-marring caps or pads (not shown) can be mounted over the tabs  26 . Threaded, level adjuster pads (not shown) can also be secured to the tabs  26  or legs  14  to facilitate leveling when working on uneven surfaces. 
   The sidewalls of the legs  14  are separately formed with a longitudinal taper and the pivot ends adjacent the folds  24  are radiused with a relieved surface  28  shown at  FIG. 10 . The relieved surfaces  28  are also shown in overlapped relation at  FIGS. 4 and 6  and which accommodate the rotation of the legs  14  to facilitate the A-shaped splay action of the legs  14 . The relieved surfaces  28  permit the legs  14  to rotate in a range on the order of 20° to 45°. Contact between the stop surfaces  29  at the tabs  24  of the legs  14  further limits the range of leg splay rotation. 
   Each of the brackets  10  and  11  are secured to the appropriate ends of the rail support pieces  20  and  22  with rivet or pin fasteners  30  that mate with holes  32  formed in bracket flange arms  34  and  35 . The pin fasteners  30  act as hinge pins to define a first axis of rotation and permit the rotation of the brackets  10  and  11  within the rail sections  20  and  22 . The legs  14  rotate about the pins  30  between parallel and orthogonal alignments to the rail pieces  20  and  22 . 
   Each pair of legs  14  is separately secured at the overlapping ends to one of the brackets  10  and  11  with a shouldered pivot pin or hinge bolt/nut fastener  36  secured through an aperture  38  at each leg  14  and an aperture  40  at each bracket  10  and  11 . The fasteners  36  permit the legs  14  to rotate 90° relative to a second axis of rotation. The second axis allows the legs  14  to rotate between parallel and a splayed (i.e. A-shaped) orientation. 
   Tabs  42  are secured with rivets or other fasteners  43  to the opposite side webs of each rail piece  20  and  22  adjacent each hinge bracket  10  and  11 . The tabs  42  act as stops to prevent the rotation of the legs  14  after they are folded open to an A-shaped condition. That is, the tabs  42  contact the channel piece side walls to prevent the legs  14  from folding or collapsing inward toward the rail pieces  20  and  22 , once rotated to a splayed condition. 
   When the legs  14  are folded flat between the side webs of each rail piece  20  and  22 , a bracket surface  44  and the retainers  8  at each bracket  10  lie parallel to the top webs of the rail pieces  20  and  22 . In this condition, the edges of the rail pieces  22  readily mount beneath the retainers  8 . When the legs  14  are rotated to extend at 90° to the rail pieces  20  and  22  and are splayed open, the tabs  42  prevent the legs  14  from folding inward. The bracket surfaces  44  and hinge bolts  36  then serve as end caps to the channel pieces  20  and  22 . 
   While the primary section  6  can be used alone, more typically one or both of the wing sections  4  are attached to enhance the stability of the primary section  6 .  FIGS. 11–15  depict a variety of different mounting configurations that can be obtained. Depending upon the work piece and/or task to be performed, a preferred arrangement is obtained by fitting the pins  16  to the appropriate sockets  18 . 
   Presently, the primary section  6  extends approximately 36 to 40-inches and the wing sections  4  extend approximately 18 to 20-inches. The legs  14  extend approximately 26-inches and splay apart approximately 14-inches to 18-inches. The sockets  18  are also spaced apart at the rail piece  22  and located to prevent overlap of the legs  14  when secured to adjacent sockets  18 . The foregoing dimensions permit the assembly  2  to readily support 4-foot×8-foot sheets of plywood, paneling, plasterboard, cement board among sundry other work pieces. 
   While the invention has been described with respect to considered alternative assemblies and considered improvements or alternatives thereto, still other assemblies may be suggested to those skilled in the art. It is also to be appreciated that selected ones of the foregoing components can be used singularly or can be arranged in different combinations to provide a variety of further improved sawhorse and work piece support assemblies. For example, the primary section can be used alone or with one or both of the wing sections. The foregoing description should therefore be construed to include all those embodiments within the spirit and scope of the following claims.