Patent ID: 7534173

Claim:
A spreader plate assembly for use with an arbor carriage having a spaced apart top member and bottom member connected by two substantially vertical rods and adapted to hold rectangular counterweight plates having two short sides each provided with a slot that straddles one of said vertical rods, said spreader plate assembly comprising: a substantially rectangular first plate and a substantially rectangular second plate overlying said first plate, each said first and second plates comprising two spaced apart notches disposed on the first of the two long sides and a first circular bore proximate the first of the two short sides, said second plate being congruent with but disposed in mirror-reversed position relative to said first plate; and a first elongate fastener of circular cross-section dimensioned to fit within said first circular bores in said plates, said fastener being inserted through said first circular bore in each of said plates, thereby pivotably connecting said plates and enabling said plates to be moved relative to one another between an open position and a superimposed closed position; wherein, in said closed position, said two spaced apart notches in said first long side of each of said first and second plates adapted to straddle said two spaced apart substantially vertical rods of said arbor carriage.