Abstract:
A fully collapsible and portable astronomy work station comprising a foldable base and a foldable table assembly wherein the table assembly is attached to the folded base section when desired to be transported or attached to the unfolded base section when desired in the fully operational configuration. When in the operational configuration a tray table may be lowered from the table assembly providing an astronomer with a heated back section for his maps and the like as well as a heated telescope eye piece retaining area thus preventing the back section as well as the eye pieces from becoming moist from condensation or dew.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a portable work station and in particular to a collapsible and portable astronomy field table. 
     In order for an urban astronomer to best view celestial bodies, it is usually necessary for them to travel away from the city into the country side where the skies are far less influenced and effected by surrounding urban lights. As a result, it is important for an astronomer to have an astronomy work station which is both collapsible and easily portable so that he can take it with him to many of these rural locations. 
     In order to satisfy and accommodate the needs of astronomers for a highly portable and fully functional astronomy station many attempts have been made in constructing such a work station which look to incorporate all of an astronomers needs into one unit. In general, such aggregations have resulted hap-hazard arrangements at best and do not take into account many of the needs of the individual astronomer, most important of which are the needs for a collapsible and portable work station. 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an astronomy work station which overcomes all of the problems noted above. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an astronomy work station which is easily collapsible and portable. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an astronomy station which can be readily stored. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an astronomy station which gives the individual astronomer freedom of mobility to go where he pleases. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an astronomy station which offers the individual astronomer all of the necessities associated with outdoor use. 
     The foregoing objects, together with other objects and advantages, will be apparent from the following disclosure of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a fully collapsible and portable astronomy field table is provided. The field table comprises a foldable base and a foldable back assembly. The work station is thus capable of being reduced in size and otherwise operable to erect an accessible table presenting all of the necessary astronomical instruments required. The field table is foldable to allow the user to easily transport it. It is provided with heating elements throughout the back of the table assembly to help evaporate and prevent the formation of dew and condensation on the table section. 
     Full details of the present invention are set forth in the following description of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be best understood by reference to the following drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective of the field table fully unfolded and in its operative configuration; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the field table partially disassembled; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pivot bracket contained in area  3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective of the stand partially in open condition; 
     FIG. 5 is a front perspective of the field table partially closed; and 
     FIG. 6 is a rear view of the field table in the fully collapsed storage and transportation configuration and disassembled from the stand. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As seen in FIG. 1, the astronomy field table, generally depicted by the numeral  10 , comprises a collapsible support stand  12 , a table assembly  14  comprising a fold down tray section  16  and a back wall section  18  hinged, as by a piano hinge  20 , thereto. 
     The support stand  12  comprises an H-shaped base  22  supported on pivoting rollers or casters  24 . Extending vertically at either end of the base  22  are a pair of pivotally mounted hollow posts  26 . As seen in FIG. 4, the lower ends of each of the posts  26  are attached to one part of a leaf hinge  28 , the other part of the hinge  28  being attached to the center bar of the base  22  where the bar joins its cross members. 
     Aligned with the center bar is a hole  30  fashioned through the cross member passing through the each part of the hinge  28  into the end of the post  26 . A bolt  32  is threaded through the members to maintain the post  26  in vertical position. The lower end of the post  26  may be filled with a block or nut member to hold the bolt  32 . As seen from FIG. 4 the posts  26  are collapsible one over the other above the center bar. Midway along the center bar is a U-shaped bracket  24 , welded or otherwise fixed thereto, so as to receive the overlapping posts  26 . The arms of the bracket  34  are sufficiently high so as to extend above the overlapping posts  26  and are provided with holes  36  at its upper end. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the posts  26  themselves are provided with a telescoping member  38  allowing for adjustment in the height of the table  14  itself. The extensions  38  are held in fixed adjusted position by a thumb screw knob  40 . 
     The table  14  is tiltably mounted on to the posts  26 . This is effected, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Fixedly mounted to the rear surface of the back section  18  is a pair of trunnion like brackets  38 . The brackets  38  have a cam plate  40  extending perpendicularly to the surface of the back section  18  and are provided with a semicircular slot  42 . Pivotally held by the trunnion like brackets  38  are legs  44 . Each leg  44  is insertable in a respective one of the posts  26 . 
     The posts  26  have at their upper ends a lock screw  46  which is manipulatable to lock the legs  44  in a selected elevated position. The upper end of the legs  44  are provided with a lock screw  46  which passes through the circular slot  42 . The lock screw  46  is provided with a nut  48  engaging the cam plate  40  so that the back section  18  can be tilted within the range of the slot  42  and be held in fixed position by tightening the lock screw  46 . Preferably, the arrangement is such that the slot  42  permits the user to vary the tilt of the table assembly  14  anywhere from a fully vertical position to a fully horizontal position and any desired angle in between. 
     As will be seen from FIG. 6, disassembly and storage of the work station  10  is conveniently effected by removing the legs  44  from the posts  26  and collapsing them toward the back wall where they are then locked into place. The posts  26  are collapsed and held one atop the other in the U-shaped bracket  34 . The entire table assembly  14  is then placed upright on the H-shaped base  22  which is provided with a second pair of holes  50  into which screws  52  pass and engage corresponding holes along the bottom edge of the wall section  18 . The screws  52  are secured in the lower edge of the back wall section  18  in permanent manner. A peg  54  extends from the lower rear portion of the back wall section  18  for engagement with holes  36  of bracket  34  thus securing the posts  26  when collapsed. With the table itself in collapsed condition the entire work station  10  is now portable and easily stored or transported by either carrying or by rolling on pivot rollers  24 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 5, the construction of the table assembly  14  will be shown. The tray section  16  comprises a heated telescope eye piece retaining section  56  and a power supply retaining section  58 . The eye piece retaining section  56  of the tray section  16  comprises a plurality of retaining holes  60  passing completely therethrough. The retaining holes  60  are adapted to retain and hold standard varying sized telescope eye pieces E. Alternatively, the retaining holes can be adapted to receive any ancillary item associated with the work to be performed by the user. The eye piece retaining section  56  is provided with a fixedly mounted bottom cover  62  beneath the eye piece section  56  itself and a pivotally mounted heated lid  64  above the eye piece section  56 . A pivotally mounted lid  66  is provided over the remaining work surface portion of the tray assembly  16 . 
     The covers  64  and  66  are provided with magnets  74  along their front edge for contact with strike plates  76  along the rear edge of the tray assembly  16 . The contact of the magnet  74  with the strike plates  76  ensure that the covers remain closed. 
     In use, eye pieces E are held in the heated receptacle section  56  until needed at which time the user lifts the top cover  64 , removes the desired eye piece E and recloses the top cover  64 , thereby maintaining the fully enclosed heated environment. As a result, the eye piece E, which the user has chosen, is free from moisture and condensation and ready to use. 
     The power supply retaining section  58  comprises a pivotally mounted cover  66  which encloses a power supply (110 AC 12 V DC 2.5 AMP desk top power supply). (not shown for clarity). 
     The tray assembly  16  is supported by an arm  68  pivotally attached at its lower end to the side edge of the tray section  16 . The upper end of the arm  68  slidably engages rail  70  which is mounted to the side edge of the back section  18 . 
     A stop  72  is fixed to the lower end of the rail  70  to prevent the upper end of the arm  68  from sliding out of the rail  70 . In use, when the tray section  16  is lowered, the arm  68  slides down the rail  70  and comes to rest when it comes into contact with stop  72  thus maintaining the tray  16  in a substantially horizontal plane. 
     In order to collapse the tray  16  and the back section  18 , the heated top cover  64  and the power supply cover  66  are first completely opened. The tray section  16  is then raised until its top surface comes into contact with the front surface of the back section  18 . The magnets of the covers  64  and  66  then contact strike plates  76  located along the top edge of the front surface of the back wall  18 . Latch means  78  are mounted to the side edge of the tray section  16  as well as the side edge of the back section  18  which align with one another when the tray section  16  comes into contact with the back section  18 . The latch means  78  ensure that the tray section  16  remains closed against the back section  18  when the work station  10  is in its collapsed storage and transport configuration. 
     As seen in FIG. 5, a heating element  82  is interposed within the back section  18 . The inner front surface of the back section  18  is uninsulated while the inner rear surface of the back section  18  is insulated, thereby ensuring that the majority of the radial heat produced by the heating element  82  is solely conducted through the front surface. The heating element  82  provides sufficient heat (108 to 131 F. degrees) to warm the front surface and prevent any dew or condensation from forming on the surface while in use outdoors. Additionally, any charts or maps attached to the front surface will be kept sufficiently dry to permit the user to write on them easily. 
     For example, many astronomers use grease pencils to write on laminated star maps and therefore will not be able to write on these maps if they are wet or moist. The heating element plugs into any standard 12 volt DC power supply (not shown). The power supply is preferably one that provides a minimum of 12-17 AMP hours for uninterrupted use. While a portable 12 volt DC power supply is recommended, any other typical power source for heating the heating element  82  may be used, such as an electrical outlet, batteries or portable electrical generator. 
     A heater control box  80  is mounted to the rear surface of the back section  18  for control of the amount of heat produced by the heating element  82 . An electrical adapter  84  is mounted near the upper edge of the rear surface of the back section  18 . While a standard 12 volt DC cigarette lighter adapter is used any other form of portable outlet can be mounted. 
     The holding clips  86  are mounted along the periphery of the front surface of the back section  18 . The clips  86  hold astronomy charts, tables, maps or the like to the front surface of the back section  18 . 
     A plurality of handles  88  are mounted along the outer edge of the back section  18  to aid in carrying and transportation of the work station  10 . 
     A light  90  is provided which plugs into the electrical adapter  84  and is used to illuminate the front surface of the back section  18  with a reddish light so as not to dilate the users pupils when turned on at night. 
     Various modifications and changes of the present invention have been disclosed herein and others will be apparent to those skilled in this art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of illustration and not limiting to the present invention.