Black Decker Inc.

Frank Basten

Edward H Meisner

Michael Ballone

Colin Overy

Roberta S Hall

Christopher Bennett

Michael A Loferski

Keith C Kristiansen

Michael D Dolson

John B Mason, Sr

Peter Oxley

John B Manson, Sr

Michael D Dolsen

Utility box incorporating an integral clamping vise

A utility box for storing and/or carrying articles to a remote site has a base and a cover with a clamping vise incorporated as an integral portion of the cover. The base is a box-like structure defining a chamber for holding the articles and having a set of four pedestals which provide a supporting structure for the integral vise. The base further includes an integral pair of clamping feet which extend from two of the pedestals to form a surface which can be used to clamp the utility box to a relatively stationary surface. The cover is hingedly secured to the base and mates with a positioning rib extending from the base in order to locate and position the cover with respect to the base. The integral vise defines a worksurface and includes a stationary jaw and a movable jaw. The movable jaw is movable via a pair of threaded rods which are rotatably mounted to the cover. Additional features of the utility box include and externally accessed parts tray having a clear plastic cover and an internally nested auxiliary parts tray to facilitate the internal organization of the utility box. Additional embodiments of the invention include a plurality of support legs to position the utility box at a predetermined height and a drawer support to provide additional storage and to also position the tool box at a predetermined height.

A pair of manually-manipulatable spring-loaded buttons are accessible outwardly of the side walls of a pair of respective vise brackets secured beneath the table of a portable foldable workbench. When the buttons are pressed laterally inwardly, respective latching mechanisms are released to enable the workbench to be raised from a lowered storage position into an erected working position, and vice-versa. The buttons facilitate a rapid movement of the workbench from one position to another, and the buttons are conveniently located on the workbench for improved ergonomics.

Unitary latching and release means for portable foldable workbench

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Brockville, Canada

Frank Basten