[0001] The present invention relates to a collapsible trestle of the kind which includes
a seating part supported on two legs.
[0002] The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved trestle, and to this
end the invention is characterized mainly in that in a trestle of aforesaid kind the
end of one leg remote from the seating part is so attached to a base plate, intended
for abutment with the foundation surface on which the trestle stands, as to be pivotable
about a first axis which is substantially parallel with the plane of the base plate,
while the end of the other leg remote from the seating part is detachably connectable
to a fitting on the base plate located at a distance from the location of attachment
of said one leg; and in that the seating part is rotatable relative to the base plate
about a second axis which extends substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis
of said one leg. This arrangement enables- the trestle to be collapsed readily and
quickly onto the base plate in an advantageous manner, by releasing the end of the
said other leg distal from the seating part, turning the seating part through 90°
about said second axis, and by swinging said one leg towards the bottom plate about
the first axis.
[0003] Further characteristic features of the invention and other advantages afforded thereby
are defined in the following claims and will be evident from the following description
of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an end view of a trestle according to the invention when raised;
Figure 2 is a side view of the trestle illustrated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the trestle illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, when collapsed;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the same trestle when raised; and
Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the seating part illustrated in
Figure 1-4, this section corresponding to the section indicated by the section line
V-V in Figure 4.
[0004] In the Figures, in which equivalent or substantially equivalent elements are identified
by the same references, there is illustrated a collapsible trestle which comprises
a base plate 10, first and second legs 11 and 12, and a substantially V-shaped seating
part 13. The end of the first leg 11 distal from the seating part 13 is fitted in
a substantially U-shaped fitting 14 carried by the plate 10. More specifically, the
distal end of the first leg 11 has a cylindrical lower part 15 which extends through
and is journalled for rotation in a diametrical bore formed in a shaft 16 which in
turn is journalled for rotation in the opposing side-pieces of the fitting 14. The
lower end of the second leg 12 is detachable connected to a further fitting 17, which
is also of substantially U-shape configuration and which is carried by the base plate
10 and spaced from the first-mentioned fitting 14. There can be used for this connection
of the leg 12, for example, a connecting pin 19 which passes through holes 1 in the
side-pieces of the U-shaped fitting 17 and a hole 18 in the lower end of the leg 12,
as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. In the raised position of the trestle, the legs
11, 12 are supported by the upstanding side-pieces of respective U-shaped fitting
14, 17. When wishing to collapse the trestle, the pin 19 is withdrawn so as to release
the lower end of the leg 12. The leg 11 is then turned in a clock-wise direction,
as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4, through about 90°, and the leg 11 swung downwardly
about the shaft 16 onto the base plate. In its downwardly swung position the leg 11
is received in the fitting 14 and is held detachably therein by means of the pin 19,
which to this end passes through holes 20 and 21 provided in the upstanding side-pieces
of the fitting 14 and in the leg 11 respectively. As will be evident from a comparison
between Figures 1 and 3, the end of the leg 12 adjacent the seating part 13 is advantageously
mounted for pivotal movement about a shaft (not shown) which, when the trestle is
raised, is substantially parallel with the shaft 16, so that the leg 12 can be swung
towards the leg 11, for,example in parallellity therewith, so as to reduce the external
measurements of the collapsed trestle (Figure 3). The base plate 10 also carries a
fitting 22 which receives the free end part of the leg 12 when the trestle is collapsed.
[0005] The seating part 13 can be swung to a limited extent about an axis indicated at 23
in Figure 1, this axis being substantially parallel with the plane of the base plate
10 in the raised position of the trestle. The extent to which the seating part can
be swung is limited by a stop means 24 provided on the leg 11, this stop means being
located so as to permit the seating part to be swung to selected positions between
the limit positions shown in full an broken lines respectively in Figure 2.
[0006] When using the trestle to support an elongated object 25, such as tubing for example
(Figure 5), one end of the tubing is seated in the V-shaped recess of the seating
part 13 while, if the other part of the tubing is rested against the ground, the seating
part 13 is swung about the axis 23 until said seating part is inclined to the ground
at the same angle as the object 25. The object 25 is secured by means of a securing
chain 26, shown only in Figure 5, one end of which is attached to a block 27 which
is movable in the part 13, and the other end of which is arranged to be passed over
a nose-shaped portion of the part 13. The block 27 is movable in a groove or channel
29 which merges with an opening 30 passing through the seating part, seen towards
the centre of said seating part. The mutually opposite sides 31 (Figure 4) of the
groove or channel 29 form guide surfaces for the block 27. The reference 32 identifies
a screw or spindle which is in screw-thread engagement with a screw-threaded hole
in a portion 33 of the seating part 13 bridging the groove or channel 29. The spindle
32 can be turned by means of a handle 34 pivotably mounted thereon and is reduced
in diameter at the end thereof distal from the handle 34, to form a cylindrical pin
35. Screwed onto this latter end of the spindle 32 is a cylindrical nut 36 which is
provided with a screw thread along solely a part of its length. The block 27 is placed
on the pin 35 together with a square washer-plate 37, both the block 27 and the plate
37 having a through-passing hole corresponding to the diameter of the pin 35. The
plate 37 and the block 27 are held onto the pin 35 by means of a plate 38 and a bolt
39 screwed into the pin. When the spindle 32 is rotated in one direction or the-other,
the block 27 is either pressed downwards by the nut 36'acting on the plate 37 or is
drawn upwards by the plate 38 acting on the undersurface of the block. The block 27
and the plate 37 are guided against the groove sides 31 during this up or down movement,
so that the block and plate will not rotate together with the spindle 32.
[0007] The invention is not limited to the aforedescribed embodiment illustrated in the
drawings, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention
as defined in the claims.
1. A collapsible trestle comprising a seating part (13) supported on two legs (11,12),
characterized in that the end of one leg (11) remote from the seating part (13) is
so attached to a base plate (10), intended for abutment with the foundation surface
on which the trestle stands, as to be pivotable about a first axis (16) which is substantially
parallel with the plane of the base plate, while the end of the other leg (12) remote
from the seating part (13) is detachably connectable to a fitting (17) on the base
plate located at a distance from the location of attachment of said one leg; and in
that the seating part (13) is rotatable relative to the base plate about a second
axis (15) which extends substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said
one leg (11).
2. A collapsible trestle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the end of said
other leg (12) adjacent the seating part (13) is arranged for pivotal movement about
a third axis which, when the trestle is in a raised position, extends parallel with
the said first axis (16).
3. A collapsible threstle according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the seating
part (13) can be swung to a limited extent about a fourth axis (23), which in the
raised position of the trestle is substantially parallel with the base plate (10)
of the trestle.
4. A collapsible trestle according to Claims 1-3, characterized in that the base plate
(10) has provided thereon fittings (17,21) effective to detachably hold the legs (11,12)
relative to the base plate in the collapsed state of the trestle.
5. A collapsible trestle according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterized in that
the seating part (13) is substantially V-shaped; and in that a chain (26) intended
for securing an object (25) to the seating part (13) of the trestle can be brought
detachably over a nose-like portion (28) formed on one side-piece of the V-shaped
seating part, and is connected at one end to a block (27) which is non- rotatably
guided in a groove or channel (29) which is formed along the other side-piece of the
V-shaped seating part (13) and which is open towards the inner side of said side-piece,
said block (27) being carried by and movable along the groove or channel (29) by means
of a spindle (32), which is in screw-threaded engagement with a tapped hole in the
seating part (13) and extends in the longitudinal direction of said groove or channel,
said block being rotatable but axially immovable in relation to said spindle.