Folding bench with hand truck capabilities

A portable workbench, comprising:

• a plurality of top members defining a working surface;
• a support structure supporting the top members and including a clamping device;
• a collapsible frame connectable to the support structure, the collapsible frame having two pairs of legs rotatably connectable to each other and positionable in each of a longitudinal configuration and an X-shape;
• a pair of wheels coupled to the frame;
• a toe plate rotatably coupled to the frame adjacent the pair of wheels;
• and
• a latching mechanism operable to latch the toe plate in each of an upright position and an extended position;
• wherein the portable workbench is positionable in each of a raised position having the collapsible frame in the X-shape, a collapsed position having both the toe plate and the working surface positioned substantially parallel to the collapsible frame in the longitudinal configuration, and a lift truck position wherein the toe plate is positioned in the extended position rotated approximately 90 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the collapsible frame.

A portable workbench, comprising:

• a plurality of top members defining a working surface;
• a support structure supporting the top members and including a clamping device for selectively traversing at least one of the top members toward another of the top members to permit a workpiece to be selectively clamped there between;
• a collapsible frame connectable to the support structure;
• a pair of wheels coupled to the frame;
• a toe plate rotatably coupled to the frame adjacent the pair of wheels and positionable in at least an extended position;
• and
• a base portion rigidly extendable from the toe plate and oppositely extending about the frame relative to the toe plate, the base portion operable to contact the frame when the toe plate is positioned in the extended position, and further operable to prevent continued rotation of the toe plate beyond the extended position;
• wherein the portable workbench is positionable in each of a raised position in contact with a ground surface and a collapsed position, and wherein the toe plate is movable from a retracted position to the extended position to permit the portable workbench to be further employed as a hand truck.

A method for constructing a portable workbench, the workbench including a plurality of top members defining a working surface, a support structure supporting the top members, a collapsible frame;

• at least one wheel;
• and a toe plate;
• the method comprising:
• slidably connecting at least one of the top members to the support structure;
• joining the support structure to the collapsible frame;
• rotatably fastening the wheel to the collapsible frame;
• rotatably coupling the toe plate to the collapsible frame adjacent to the wheel;
• connecting a latching mechanism to the toe plate operable to releasably latch the toe plate in each of an upright and an extended position;
• and
• slidably joining a plurality of legs of the collapsible frame such that the portable workbench is operably positionable in each of a longitudinal collapsed position and a raised position wherein the collapsible frame substantially forms an X-shape.