Modular work bench with connected panels

April 25, 1961 j. _H trautmann 2,981,577

MODULAR WORK BENCH WITH CONNECTED PANELS

Filed March 24, 1958

Sheets-Sheet 1

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ATTORNEYS

April 25, 1961

MODULAR WORK BENCH WITH CONNECTED

Filed March 24, 1958

J· H. TRAUTMANN

2,981,577

PANELS

Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office _p.

Patented Apr. 25, 1961

2,981,577

MODULAR WORK BENCH WITH CONNECTED PANELS

John H. Trautmann, Southbury, Conn., assignor to Richard E. Deutsch, doing business as Products For Industry, Stamford, Conn., a sole proprietorship

Filed Mar. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 723,587

Claims. (CI. 311—35)

This invention relates to work bench constructions and more especially to constructions for modular work bench systems which can be extended or shortened in length as necessary or desirable.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved work bench unit having provision for electric circuits that are to serve work stations along a bench system made up of any number of connected units; and with similar provision for fluids such as gas, compressed air and water.

Other objects of the invention are to construct a work bench unit for maximum adapatability in the connection of auxiliary parts and in the positioning of such parts without interfering with one another, and for the purpose of making the bench unit neat and attractive in appearance.

Features of the invention relate to the construction of the rearward frame of the work bench unit; and to a back panel correlated with the bench and with extensions of the vertical elements or back legs of the bench. In the preferred construction the back panel holds the bench top on the frame of the bench and covers the front, top and back of the back leg extensions, but with provision for increasing the height of the extensions whenever it becomes desirable to support a shelf, rail or lights or other parts from the bench frame and at a level above the bench top.

The invention includes a construction for supporting a skirt at the back of the work bench frame and from the bottom edge of the back panel. The invention includes also constructions for independently supporting the circuitry panel in front of the rearward frame of the bench unit and parallel to the skirt when a skirt is used; and for independently supporting tubes below the level of the circuiting panel and in front of the skirt at locations which permit supply lines for the tubes to extend down to the floor ahead of the skirt and within the confines of the rearward frame.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a work bench unit made in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view, of the back leg assembly of the work bench shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, sectional view taken on the plane 3—3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, sectional view taken on the plane 4—4 of Figure 1;

Figure. 5 is an enlarged, exploded view showing the construction of the back panel of the work bench of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6—6 ⁷⁰of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing a portion of the construction of the rearward part of the work bench;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, perspective view, partly 5 broken away, showing the way in which the lower end of the skirt is attached to the rearward frame of the machine; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic top plan view showing the way in which work bench units, such as shown in 10 Figure 1, are used to construct a work bench system.

The work bench shown in Figure 1 includes a plurality of supports at longitudinally spaced locations along the bench. The supports include a rearward frame having spaced leg assemblies 17. Each leg assembly 17, as 15 shown in Figure 2, consists of a vertical element 18, an upper longitudinal element 19 and a lower longitudinal element 20. The vertical element 18 and both of the longitudinal elements 19 and 20 are undercut channel sections. This expression, “undercut channel,” is used 20 herein to designate a channel having its side walls extending inwardly for some distance along the open side of the channel so that the actual opening in the side of the channel is of less width than the distance between the parallel sides of the channel.

The elements 19 and 20, which extend longitudinally in the assembled rearward frame of the work bench, are rigidly connected to the open side of the vertical element 18, preferably by welding. An adjustable foot assembly 25 (Figure 1) extends into the lower end of 30 the vertical element 18 of any rear leg assemblies where the rearward frame is to be supported from the floor, as will be explained in connection with the horizontal bracing.

The work bench also includes front leg assemblies 27. 35 Each front leg assembly includes a front leg consisting of a vertical element 28, and fore-and-aft horizontal elements including an upper horizontal element 29 and a lower horizontal element 30. These fore-and-aft horizontal elements 29 and 30 are preferably identical. 40 There is an upper bracket 32 permanently secured to the upper end of the vertical element 28 and to the forward end of the horizontal element 29. This bracket is preferably connected to these elements by welding, and the bracket is made with a gusset section for imparting rigidity to the front leg assembly in a vertical plane.

⁴⁰ The lower end of the vertical element 28 is permanently and rigidly connected to the horizontal element 30 by a bracket 35 which is also made with a gusset section for imparting rigidity, and the connections to this lower bracket 35 are also preferably made by welding. A foot assembly 25 extends into the lower end of the vertical element 28.

The vertical element 28 and the fore-and-aft horizontal elements 29 and 30 are undercut channel sections. In order to provide a degree of adjustability for the length ⁰ of the horizontal elements 29 and 30, each of these elements is made in two parts. Both parts are undercut channel sections but there is an inner part 36 of similar cross section but slightly smaller than an outer part 37 so 60 that the inner part is slidable lengthwise in the outer part to change the length of the horizontal element 29. The lower horizontal element 30 is of similar construction.

The front leg assemblies are connected to the rearward frame by clamping means 38. These clamping means include an angular plate 39 having a vertical panel 41 ⁰⁰ which extends across the open side of any of the channel sections of the rearward frame. In Figures 1 and 3, the angular plate 39 extends across the open side of the longitudinal element 19 of the back leg assembly 17. The angular plate 39 also has a horizontal panel 43 which extends across the open side of the horizontal element 29.

2,981,577 cause the element includes the thickness of only one undercut channel at this location.

There are clamping means for holding the parts 36 and 37 of the front leg assembly in adjusted position with 5 respect to one another. This clamping means includes an outer clamping plate 54, inner clamping pieces 55 and bolts 56 which extend through the outer clamping plate 54 and which thread into the inner clamping pieces 55.

These inner clamping pieces 55 are of parallelogram 10 shape. They are narrow enough to pass through the open side of the channel sections of which the parts 36 and 37 are made. After being inserted into the channel sections, the inner clamping pieces 55 turn as the bolts 56 are rotated, and this turning movement causes the 15 inner clamping pieces 55 to rotate until the end faces of the parallelogram come in contact with the inside surfaces of the walls of the channel sections. Since the inner clamping pieces 55 can rotate no further, further turning of the bolts 56 draws the clamping pieces 55 20 down against the edges of the channel sections and clamps these edges together between the clamping plate 54 and the inner clamping pieces 55.

These paralielogram-shaped clamping pieces 55 have the important advantage that they can be inserted into 25 the undercut channels of the frame at any location and it is not necessary to slide them in from an open end of a channel section, or to insert them edgewise and then turn them after they are within the channel sections. This greatly facilitates the assembly of the work bench ³θ and saves substantial time.

At the upper end of the vertical element 18 of each of the back leg assemblies 17, there is an extension 58 of the vertical element 18. This extension 58 consists of an inner channel section which is slidable in the vertical ³⁵ element 18 and of similar cross section except that the cross section of the extension is slightly smaller so as to permit the extension to telescope into the vertical element 18. The extension 58 is clamped in any desired position by a bolt 60 which extends through the open sides of the channel sections of element 18 and extension 38; and this bolt 60 screws into a clamping piece 62 located within extension 58.

There is a back panel 66, preferably made of sheet metal of fairly heavy gauge; and this back panel includes a front portion 68 which covers the front of all of the extensions 58 throughout the full length of the work bench unit, as shown in Figure 1. At the lower end of the front portion 68, the back panel has a flange 7© which contacts the top surface of a bench top 72. This flange 70 holds the bench top 72 down on the supporting elements of the work bench frame including the upper foreand-aft horizontal elements 29 and the longitudinal elements 19 of the back leg assemblies. Friction of the flange 70 against the bench top 72 holds the bench top gg in place when the assembly is one not subject to any substantial displacement forces. When the bench is intended for severe usage, positive connections of the bench top 72 to the frame of the work bench unit are used.

The back panel 66 has a top portion 74 extending rearβθ wardly over the upper ends of the extensions 58, and there is a rearward portion 76 of the back panel extending downwardly behind the extension 58 to a level which is preferably at least as low as the level of the upper surface of the top panel 72.

θ₅ The back panel 66 is held in place by clamping means consisting of a bolt 78 extending through the front portion 68 and through the open front of the extension 58. The clamping means include also a clamping piece 79 into which the bolt 78 threads, and this clamping means 79 is γο pulled firmly against the edges of the undercut channel section of which the extension 58 is made.

At the lower end of the rearward portion 76 of the back panel 66, the sheet metal is folded upwardly so as to provide a hook shaped lip which preferably extends

The leg assemblies 17 of the rearward frame of the work bench are connected together by stringers 44. These stringers are undercut channel sections of slightly smaller size than the longitudinal elements 19 and 20 so that the stringers 44 fit into the longitudinal elements 19 and 2® and are slideable therein for making certain adjustments. For example, if the front leg assembly 27 is at the left-hand end of a bench, as viewed in Figure 3, then the left-hand end of the plate 39 is preferably brought even with the left-hand end of the longitudinal element 19 of the rearward frame. Such a relation of the parts is shown at the left-hand end of the work bench shown in Figure 1.

If a front leg assembly is to be used at an intermediate location where two modular sections of the work bench are to be connected together, then the angular plate 39 is located in a centered position with respect to the back leg assembly 17, as shown in Figure 3 and as shown at the intermediate supporting station of the work bench illustrated in Figure 1. Since the stringers 44 of the rearward frame are channels, it will be apparent that the angular plate 39 of the clamping means 38 can be shifted lengthwise of the rearward frame and used to clamp a front leg assembly at any desired location along the rearward frame.

The length of one of the stringers 44 determines the length of a unit of the work bench. For example, if the stringers 44 are six feet long, then the work bench will have a six-foot unit, and with units of this length it is preferable to brace the back frame with a back leg assembly 17 located at a mid point along the stringers 44, as shown in Figure 1. At these locations where the stringers 44 are continuous through the longitudinal elements 29 of a back leg assembly, it is not necessary to have any foot under the back leg assembly. Stringers of other lengths can be used, such as four-foot stringers, and by so combining stringers of different length, work benches of any desired total length can be obtained.

Within the stringer 44 and the longitudinal element 19 there is a clamping plate 45. This clamping plate 45 is substantially wider than the channel opening of the longitudinal 19, and it has threaded openings in it for receiving bolts 47. There are preferably two such bolts, as shown in Figure 3, located toward opposite ends of the clamping plate 45.

The bolts 47 extend through openings in the vertical panel 41 and they clamp the edges of the undercut channels of the stringer 44 and longitudinal element 19 between the panel 41 and the clamping plate 45. This provides a connection which can be adjusted lengthwise of the longitudinal 19 when the bolts are loosened. It also provides a connection which holds the stringer 44 in its adjusted position lengthwise of the longitudinal element 19 at the same time that it connects the front and back leg assemblies together.

The horizontal panel 43 of the angular plate 39 is secured to the horizontal element 29 by a clamping plate 50 located within the horizontal element 29 and clamped against the inside of the channel edges by bolts 51 extending through the horizontal panel 43 and. threading into the clamping plate 50.

The horizontal panel 43 tapers to a reduced width toward its forward end, from a substantial width along the full extent of the vertical panel 41, to serve as a gusset to impart rigidity in a horizontal plane to the connection between the front leg assembly and the rearward frame. The clamping, plate 50 is preferably identical with the clamping plate 45, and it is of substantial length so as to distribute the clamping load along an extended length of the undercut channel in which this clamping plate 50 is located, and this length of plate with the extended distribution of pressure is advantageous in the end portion of the horizontal element 39^; be- 75 along the entire length of the back panel 66. A skirt 86 £,981,577 b · ⁵ has its upper edge folded over and forwardly to provide a complementary lip which hooks into a lip at the lower end of the rearward portion 76 of the back panel. This skirt 86 preferably covers the rearward frame of the work bench unit throughout the full longitudinal length of the rearward frame and all the way down to the foot assemblies 25. With a work bench unit which is placed with, its back against a wall, it is not necessary to have a skirt. 86; but if the work bench unit is at a location, where it can be viewed from the back, a skirt 86 is desirable.

The lower end of the skirt 86 is connected to the rearward frame of the work bench. In' the construction illustrated this connection is made with clips 88. There is one clip for each of the vertical elements_: 18 of the rearward frame. Each clip 88 extends; up into the lower end. of the channel section of which the vertical element 18 is constructed and also extends upwardly across a portion of the lower end of the skirt to hold the skirt against the rearward frame, The bend of the clip 88 is wide enough to clear an upturned fold 90 which stiffens the skirt along its lower edge. ;

At those locations where there is a foot assembly 25 inserted into the lower end of the vertical element 18, a saddle 92 of the foot assembly closes the end of the vertical element. The clip 88 is inserted into the vertical element by moving the leg assembly out of the channel section far enough to permit the clip to be put into the channel above the saddle 92, as shown in Figure 8, and the foot assembly is then thrust up again into the channel section, and the clip 88 is held in place by the saddle 92.

For many installations it is desirable to have the extensions 58 (Figure 4) project above the back panel 66 for supporting a shelf, rails, hangers, or lights. Provision is made for this greater height of the extensions 58 by having an opening 96 in the upper part of the back panel 66 directly above each of the vertical elements 18. Figure 5 shows one of the extensions 58 projecting through one of the openings 96. No shelf or other structure is-shown connected with the higher extension 58 . since this invention merely provides a back panel construction with provision for higher extensions 58, but the particular use to which these extensions are put forms no part of the present invention.

In order to give the back panel 66 a finished appearance when it is used with low extensions 58, there: are covers 98 (Figure 5) which fit into and fill the openings 96. The cover 98 is shown in a raised position in Figure 5 for clearer illustration. To further improve the appearance of the back panel 66, an end wall 100, with side flanges, fits between the front and rearward portions of the back panel and extends downward to the level of the longitudinal element 19. This end wall 100 is displaced from the back panel in Figure 5 for clearer illustration. It is secured in place by fastening means extending through its flanges .and through the front and rearward portions of the back panel.

Just under the level of the bench top 72 (Figure 4) and the horizontal elements of the bench unit, particularly the elements 19 of the rearward frame and the foreand-aft horizontal elements 29, there is a circuitry panel 60 104. A forwardly extending flange stiffens the upper part of this sheet metal panel 104. At the lower end of the panel 104, the sheet metal is folded forwardly and upwardly to form a hook-shaped bp 106. / ,, , ------------ -- — —

The circuitry panel 104 is attached to each of the ele- 65 Ui ^Cap?^ed’ Jhe supply line ments 18 of the rearward frame of the work bench by the bolt 60 near the upper end of the panel, and by a similar bolt 108 near the lower end of the panel. This circuitry panel 104 preferably extends for the full length - __________________ of the bench unit, and it supports longitudinally extend- 70 ^{can be made and some} features can be used in different ing conductors, electrical conduits, wiremold units 110, -----------or any other circuitry including particularly that which extends lengthwise of the work bench system and from One bench unit to the next.

These is a tube support 116 attached to the front of 75 longitudinally spaced vertical elements, front legs, upper each of the vertically extending elements 18. Each tube support 116 has a width, as measured lengthwise of the bench, somewhat greater than the width of the vertical element 18 to which it is connected. At its lower end, the tube support 116 has an abutment face, shown m Figure 7 as a flange 118, which contacts with the top of the lower horizontal element 20 for determining the proper vertical position of the tube support. Off-set tongues 120 at opposite ends of the flange 118 extend behind the horizontal element 20 to anchor the lower end of the support 116 back against the vertical element 18 of the rearward frame of the bench.

The upper portion of the tube support is secured to the vertical element 18 by clamping means including a bolt that extends through an opening in the support 116 and through the open front of the vertical element 18, and that threads into a clamping piece 122 within the vertical element .18, Tubes 124 are attached to the supports 116 by brackets 126 bolted or otherwise fastened to the supports 116.

The tubes 124 are of the same modular length as the work bench units. The ends of the tubes at the end of the work bench system are preferably equipped with one half of a union for connection with the complementary half of a union or the end of the corresponding tube of the next bench unit when bench units are assembled to make a long bench system. As originally supplied the half unions are plugged or capped. Thus the fluid lines are made up of connected modular lengths of tubing and this makes practical the sale of knocked down work bench units with the tubes part of the kit.

. The. tubes 124 are equipped with T’s 128 for connection with the particular fittings or equipment of the work bench unit for which the tubes are to be used. Each of 35 the T’s 128 has its branch outlet plugged when the work bench units are supplied to the customer. In order to connect each run of tubing with a fluid supply line of the shop, a basic unit of the bench system has an additional _ T 129 with its branch outlet directed downwardly and 40 rearwardly for connection with a 45° street L 130 (Figure 3) that connects with a vertical run of tube 132 leading to a supply or drain line of the shop. This pipe 132 is located in front of the skirt 86 and in the space between successive vertical elements 18.

A cover 134, preferably constructed in one piece and of sheet metal, has a top wall 136 with a rearward flange that hooks into the lip 106 at the lower end of the circuitry panel 104. The cover 134 has a front wall 138 with an off-set lower lip 140 that stiffens the lower end of the front wall 138.

Although the tube supports 116 are of limited longitudinal extent in front of each of the vertical elements .18; the cover 134, which covers the tubes 124, extends for the full length of the work bench unit and is of the same modular length as the bench unit. Where the cover 134 extends across the clamping means which connects the lower fore-and-aft element 30 to the horizontal element 20 of the rearward frame, the lower lip 140 is clamped between the vertical panel 41 and the front of the lower horizontal element 2d of the rearward frame.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the way in which work bench units 151-156 are connected together to form a work bench system. Tubes 124 of successive units are connected together and both ends of

132 is connected with the system of tubing by a T 128 as previously described. ’

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, but changes and modifications combinations without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.