Portable table for table saw

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a portable table for a table saw and supported by legs from a floor or ground surface; more particularly, the present invention relates to a pair of horizontal struts that extend across the bottom of the table legs and provide wheels spaced forward of a pair of the legs and slightly above the surface of the ground. Titling means, such as handles, are provided on the table to tilt the table in the direction of the wheels so that the wheels engage the ground and permit the table to be wheeled to a different location.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] A preliminary patentability search was conducted on this invention and as a result the following patents were uncovered in the search:

[0005]

	Patent No.	Inventor	Date
	2,672,349	Brock	Mar. 16, 1954
	4,230,329	Johnson	Oct. 28, 1980
	4,969,496	Romans	Nov. 13, 1990
	4,971,286	Silhan	Nov. 20, 1990
	5,479,840	Hilliard et al	Jan. 2, 1996
	5,482,303	Meloy	Jan. 9, 1996
	5,709,397	Hall	Jan. 20, 1998
	5,876,173	English, Jr.	Mar. 2, 1999
	5,957,649	English, Jr. et al	Sept. 28, 1999
	6,079,931	English, Jr. et al	Jun. 27, 2000
	6,273,081 B1	Gorgal et al	Aug. 14, 2001
	6,533,524 B2	English, Jr. et al	Mar. 18, 2003
	6,659,706 B2	English, Jr. et al	Dec. 9, 2003
	6,837,665 B2	English, Jr. et al	Jan. 4, 2005

[0006] As will appear from an inspection of the above references, there is no patent that shows a table having horizontal strut with wheels mounted to one side of the table and where the wheels are positioned slightly above the surface of the ground (or floor) and whereby tilting the table will cause the wheels to engage the ground.

[0007] Many of these patents show tables, wheels and handles, but none show wheels mounted in an offset position with respect to a pair of table legs such that the wheels do not touch the ground in the normal resting position of the table but which, when the table is tilted by lifting on the handles, touch the ground and permit the table to be moved from place to place.

[0008] Certain patents such as English Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,931 show lift dollies for tables using table saws; however, the English Jr., patent involves moveable elements including casters mounted on pivotal frames which can be moved from a non-contacting position into a ground contacting position and which would require a release in order for the casters to return to their non-contacting position.

[0009] The table to which the present invention is applied is one which is designed to support a table saw which may or may not be sold along with the table. The invention itself consists, essentially, of a pair of horizontal or longitudinal struts that extend above the ground or floor and across the lower ends of the legs of the table. On one end of each of the horizontal struts are mounted a pair of wheels which are slightly above ground when the table is standing in its normal condition. Also provided are a pair of horizontally extending handles which are attached to the table just below the upper surface thereof for the purpose of tilting the table when such action is desired.

[0010] Thus, the essence of the invention is a pair of wheels which are mounted to one side of the table in a non-touching relation with the ground. When the table is tilted, by lifting up on the handles, the wheels will touch the ground and permit the table to be lifted completely off the ground and wheeled to a convenient location.

[0020] Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 3 shows a table 10 having a flat table top 12 arranged above a base 14. The base 14 is supported from the floor by forward legs 16 and 18 and rear legs 20 and 22, all of which legs are inclined towards the floor from the base 14. A pair of handles extend longitudinally through holes (not referenced) adjacent the upper ends of the table legs 20 and 22 and forward and through holes (not referenced) at a slightly lower location on the front legs 16 and 18. The handles are provided with grips 58.

[0021] Extending across the bottoms of the table legs are a pair of horizontal struts 32. The struts 32 are downwardly directed channel members; at the left-hand, or forward, end of the strut 32 is a shorter piece 34 of the same kind of channel but directed upwardly so that the webs of the two channels can be secured together by bolt and nuts. At the rear or right-hand end of the strut 32 is mounted another short channel 36 which is also upwardly directed and which is connected to the strut 32 by means of bolts 38 and nuts 40 which go through the webs of the channels. At the left-hand end of the composite struts 32, 34 and 36 are mounted a pair of wheels 42 which are connected through the composite strut by means of axle 44. As best shown in FIG. 1 the wheel 42 is secured to the axle 44 by means of a cotter pin 50.

[0022] As best shown in FIG. 4 the upper short channel member 34 is secured to the lower strut 32 by means of nuts 38 and bolts 40. For the purpose of attaching the strut to the legs, horizontal bolts 52 are provided with corresponding nuts 54; the bolt 52 will extend through a suitable hole at the lower end of table leg 16 or 18. In view of the fact that the legs 16 and 18 are tilted or inclined the upper bolt 52 which extends through the leg 16 or 18 at a location slightly above the location for the previously described bolt 52, a plurality of washers 58 are mounted on the upper bolt 52 to compensate for the taper of the legs. The washers are held in place by means of nuts 54.

[0023] As best shown in FIG. 5, the handle 30 is provided with a pair of bolts 56 which are positioned on the handle after it has been inserted through the holes in the legs 16, 18, 20 and 22. The upper bolts 56 will be used in conjunction with the legs 20 and 22 so that the handle can be moved forward and out of position when the table is in condition of repose. The nuts 56, however, will be positioned so that they will come in contact with the legs 16 and 18 when the handles are retracted so as to serve as stops for the handles.

[0024] As best shown in FIG. 9, the wheels 42 are positioned slightly above the floor when the table 10 is in its normal position on the floor. However, if it is desired to tilt the table so as to make it portable, the handles 28 and 30 are retracted by pulling them toward the right in FIG. 9 until they assume the position shown in FIG. 10. A lifting effort will be provided on the handles 28 and 30 so that the table 10 will tilt to the position shown in FIG. 10, at which time the wheels 42 will be in contact with the floor and the remainder of the table will be elevated from the floor. At this time the table 10 can be moved to any convenient location.