This invention relates to a power tool support device for use with a bench clamp or vice and is particularly concerned with such a device for use as an accessory with the WORKMATE (Trade Mark) portable bench manufactured by the Black & Decker Company.

Electrically driven portable tools are well known and generally comprise tools specifically adapted to perform a particular function, e.g. circular saw, drill, hand-mill, jig saw, router or a power source, generally an electric drill together with tool heads adapted to be fitted to the drill to perform the different functions.

It is known to provide stands for such tools so that they can be bench mounted but generally such stands allow only limited operations and are of necessity semi- permanent fixtures on the bench.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool support device whereby power tools can be readily mounted in a bench clamp such as provided by the bench jaws of the WORKMATE bench allowing the bench to provide a working surface for supporting material to be worked on by the power tool.

According to the invention such a support device comprises a surface plate member having a pair of spaced generally parallel sides for receipt between the jaws of the bench clamp with the surface plate generally aligned with upper surfaces of the jaws, the surface plate being formed with a slot and circumferentially around the slot with an array of apertures whereby a power tool may be mounted below the surface plate by fasteners extending through the apertures with the work member of the tool

extending upwardly through the slot above the surface plate.

Suitably the slot extends generally parallel to the sides and the array of apertures is adapted to match with fastener arrays of several different tools in accord¬ ance with the provision of the various tool suppliers, e.g. Black & Decker, Stanley, Bosch, Wolf, etc.

The surface plate may on its upper side be provided with adjustable guide means adapted to position a guide bar at varying distances from the slot and/or at various inclinations to the slot, whereby a work piece may be guided past the work member of the tool.

A pair of guide bars may be provided, one on each side of the slot whereby a work piece can be guided on both sides.

A guide member may comprise a guide bar and a pair of arms each pivotally connected to the guide bar at one end at spaced locations along the guide bar and adapted to be pivotally mounted at the other ends to the surface plate or to the bench at a corresponding spacing, whereby the guide bar may be moved in pantograph manner. Releasable clamp means for releasably securing both or one of the arms to the bench or surface plate member against pivotal movement enables the guide bar to be locked in desired position.

For example, with a WORKMATE bench the other ends of the arms may be pivotally mounted in existing apertures formed in the working surfaces of the bench jaws as a standard feature of that bench. The slot is suitably enlarged at a central position

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to define a circular aperture to allow penetration of work member of the tool of dimensions wider than the slot.

The surface plate may be formed of sheet metal with flanges bent down at one pair of sides for receipt between the bench jaws. The flanges are suitably of such depth as to engage cross members of the bench extending below the bench jaws when the upper surface of the plate registers with the upper surfaces of the jaws. Alternatively the flanges may be bent to double thickness and side edges of the plate bent outwardly to form lateral extensions of the surface plate whereby the extensions engage upper sides of the jaws to support the surface plate during engagement and disengagement of the jaws from the flanges. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying partly diagram¬ matic drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of support device;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of support device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a support device according to Figure 1 mounted between the jaws of a WORKMATE bench with a circular saw mounted below the support device, and guide means in position; Figure 4 is an end view of a bench assembled with a support device according to Figure 1 carrying a circular saw unit, and

Figure 5 is an end view of an alternative form of bench assembled with a support device according to Figure 2 carrying a router unit.

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In Figure 1 a support device 1 is formed from sheet metal and is of generally rectangular form having folded down flanges 2 at a pair of opposite, parallel sides, lower edges 3 of the flanges 2 being turned in. A plate portion 4 between the flanges 2 is formed with an elongate slot 5, parallel to the flanges 2 and positioned closer to one of the flanges 2. An aperture 6 of diameter larger than the slot 5 is formed centrally of the slot. On opposite sides of the slot 5, the plate portion 4 is formed with an array of slots 7, and 8, the slots 7 extend¬ ing transversely and slots 8 parallel to the slot 5.

The slots 7 and 8 serve to receive clamping screws engaging mounting apertures in a tool mounted below the plate position 4 and are elongated to enable adjustment of the tool position relative to the slot 5 and aperture 6 for precise location of a member of the tool relative to the slot 5 and aperture 6 in order to project through the slot or aperture above the plate portion 4. The offset of the slot 5 is to facilitate positoning of a power tool such as a circular saw, where the motor of the tool projects from one side of the saw blade.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, a support device

10 formed from sheet metal has a central plate portion

11 of rectangular form with flanges 12 at a pa-ir of opposite parallel sides folded down and then upwardly to define a flange of double thickness. Edge portions 13 of the flanges 12 are folded outwardly in coplanar relation to the plate portion 11. The plate portion 11 is provided with an array of slots 7, 8 around an elongate slot 5 and aperture 6 as in the embodiment of Figure 1.

In use, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support device of Figure 1 is positioned between the jaw members 20, 21 of a work bench 22, with the turned in flange edge portion 3 engaging frame member 23 of the bench to support the plate portion 4 in coplanar relation with respect to work surfaces of the jaw members 20,21. The device 1 is secured by adjusting clamping screws 24 of the bench.

The blade 30 of a circular saw 32 mounted below the plate portion 4 and secured thereto by clamping screws 31 in the array of slots 7, 8, projects through the slot 5 above the surface of the plate portion 4.

A guide bar 25 is pivotally mounted to the jaw member 20 by links 26, 27, spaced lengthwise of the bar by a distance corresponding to the space between a pair of apertures formed in the jaw member and pivotally secured in the apertures by pegs 28 so that the bar 25 may be moved in pantograph fashion, parallel to the slot 5. The guide bar 25 is clamped in described position by a screw clamp 29.

When using a support device according to the embodi¬ ment of Figure 2, as seen in Figure 5 the flanges 12 are engaged between the jaw members 20, 21, and the device is supported by the flange portion 13 resting on upper surfaces of respective jaw members 20, 21. As seen in

Figure 5,. a router device 36 is mounted below the plate portion 11 of device 10 with the router spindle 37 project¬ ing above the plate portion 11 through the aperture 6. It Will be understood that the plates of Figures 1 and 2 may each be used in similar manner to support a variety of different tools in the manner generally described.

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