# US 5,342,153 A · Portable drill support with a work surface engaging base > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,342,153 A - Document ID: US5342153A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/061,085 - Filed: 1993-05-14 - Granted: 1994-08-30 - Earliest claimed: 1993-05-14 - Inventors: Edward L. Dobkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5342153A ## CPC - B25H 1/0071: {by magnetic means} - B25H 1/0064: {Stands attached to the workpiece} - Y10S 408/712: Drill press adapted to use portable hand drill - Y10T 408/03: Processes - Y10T 408/554: Magnetic or suction means - B25H: WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT, e.g. FOR MARKING-OUT WORK; STORAGE MEANS FOR WORKSHOPS (storing or packaging B65) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A drill support having a base, and a body secured to and supported by the base. A saddle member is movably disposed on the body and a drill is removably disposed or secured to the saddle member in order to move up and down therewith. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drill support comprising a base, a body secured to and supported by said base; a saddle member movably disposed on the body, and a drill engaged to the saddle member for moving therewith; and said base comprises a first foot member coupled to a second foot member; said first foot member comprises a first suction duct in communication with a suction pump; said second foot member comprises a second suction duct in communication with said first suction duct; and a suction foot secured to said second foot in communication with said second suction duct for securing said base to a work surface by means of vacuum generated therein by said suction pump. ### Claim 2 A drill support comprising a base; a body secured to and supported by said base; a saddle member movably disposed on the body; and a drill engaged to the saddle member for moving therewith; said body comprises a pair of opposed generally L-shaped sides secured to a bottom; a first end member secured to said bottom and to said generally L-shaped sides; a first top secured to said generally L-shaped sides and to said first end member; a second end member secured to said bottom and to said generally L-shaped sides; a second top secured to the generally L-shaped sides and to said second end member; a partition member secured to said generally L-shaped sides, to said first top member, and to said second top member; a longitudinal lip secured to said first end member such that the combination of said first end member and said longitudinal lip comprises a male dove-tail protrusion joint; and said longitudinal lip additionally comprising a gear rack aligned with and flushed with an outer edge of said longitudinal lip. ### Claim 3 A drill support comprising a base; a body secured to and supported by said base; a saddle member movably disposed on the body; and a drill engaged to the saddle member for moving therewith; and said saddle member comprises a pair of opposed walls secured to a bottom; a top secured to said opposed walls; a first end wall secured to said top, to said bottom, and to said opposed walls; a second end wall secured to said top, to said bottom, and to said opposed walls; a pair of dove-tail protrusions formed in said first end wall; a shaft is rotatably disposed in said saddle member such that said shaft extends from one of said opposed walls to another of said opposed walls; a saddle actuator handle is secured to one end of said shaft; a tensioning cutout is disposed in said first end wall; a gear cutout is disposed in said first end wall; and a gear is coupled to said shaft such that said gear is situated in said gear cutout. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drill support of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a pair of opposed generally L-shaped sides secured to a bottom; a first end member secured to said bottom and to said generally L-shaped sides; a first top secured to said generally L-shaped sides and to said first end member; a second end member secured to said bottom and to said generally L-shaped sides; a second top secured to the generally L-shaped sides and to said second end member; a partition member secured to said generally L-shaped sides, to said first top member, and to said second top member; a longitudinal lip secured to said first end member such that the combination of said first end member and said longitudinal lip comprises a male dove-tail protrusion joint; and said longitudinal lip additionally comprising a gear rack aligned and flushed with an outer edge of said longitudinal lip. ### Claim 5 A drill support comprising a base; a body secured to and supported by said base; a saddle member movably disposed on the body; and a drill engaged to the saddle member for moving therewith; and said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generality L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drill support of claim 1 wherein said saddle member comprises a pair of opposed walls secured to a bottom; a top secured to said opposed walls; a first end wall secured to said top, to said bottom, and to said opposed walls; a second end wall secured to said top, to said bottom, and to said opposed walls; a pair of dove-tail protrusions formed in said first end wall; a shaft is rotatably disposed in said saddle member such that said shaft extends from one of said opposed walls to another of said opposed walls; a saddle actuator handle is secured to one end of said shaft; a tensioning cutout is disposed in said first end wall; a gear cutout is disposed in said first end wall; and a gear is coupled to said shaft such that said gear is situated in said gear cutout. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The drill support of claim 2 wherein said saddle member comprises a pair of opposed walls secured to a bottom; a top secured to said opposed walls; a first end wall secured to said top, to said bottom, and to said opposed walls; a second end wall secured to said top, to said bottom, and to said opposed walls; a pair of dove-tail protrusions formed in said first end wall; a shaft is rotatably disposed in said saddle member such that said shaft extends from one of said opposed walls to another of said opposed walls; a saddle actuator handle is secured to one end of said shaft; a tensioning cutout is disposed in said first end wall; a gear cutout is disposed in said first end wall; and a gear is coupled to said shaft such that said gear is situated in said gear cutout. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drill support of claim 1 wherein said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The drill support of claim 2 wherein said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The drill support of claim 4 wherein said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The drill support of claim 3 wherein said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The drill support of claim 6 wherein said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The drill support of claim 7 wherein said drill comprises a drill motor having a chuck; said drill motor comprises a yoke means secured thereto for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; and a mount block means secured to said drill motor for securing said drill motor to said saddle member; said yoke means comprises a first yoke plate member and a second yoke plate member secured such that said first yoke plate member and said second yoke plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, wherein said first yoke plate member comprises an aperture disposed therein for slidably receiving said chuck; said mount block means comprises a first plate member and a second plate member secured such that said first plate member and said second plate member define a structure that is generally L-shaped, and a pair of opposed brace members secured to the first plate member and the second plate member; said yoke means and said block mount means secured to the drill motor such that said yoke means and said block means define a saddle opening therebetween for slidably receiving said saddle member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The drill support of claim 4 wherein said base additionally comprises a cam lock assembly for adjustment of said first foot relative to said second foot after said vacuum has been applied to said work surface; said cam lock assembly comprises a cam lever member disposed in said first foot coupled to a cam follower member disposed in said first foot; a cam lock member disposed in said second foot coupled to said cam follower member such that said cam lock member frictionally engages said second foot when said cam lever member is operated. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The drill support of claim 2 wherein said base comprises an electromagnet disposed therein for securing said base to a work surface, said electromagnet comprising at least one wire coil secured to said base; a support member secured to said wire coil; a switch for operation of said electromagnet; and a D.C. power supply. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The drill support of claim 2 wherein said base comprises a permanent magnet secured to said base for securing said base to a work surface, said permanent magnet comprising a switch for activating or deactivating a magnetic field generated by said permanent magnet. ### Claim 17 A method for drilling comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drill support comprising a body, a saddle member for securing a drill to said body, and a drill having a chuck; (b) disposing the drill on said saddle member of the drill support such that the drill is in a generally vertical position with the chuck of the drill pointed in a downward direction; (c) drilling with said drill; (d) stopping; (e) removing said drill from the saddle member; (f) re-disposing the drill on the saddle member such that the drill is in a generally vertical position with the chuck of the drill pointed in an upward direction; (g) drilling with the drill. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein said drill support additionally comprises a work surface engaging base comprising a suction foot member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 additionally comprising securing said drill support to a work surface prior to said drilling step (c).