Gateleg workbench by Al-Ko

Gateleg workbench by Al-Ko, UK and West Germany, 1977. This product was found to infringe the patents protecting the Black & Decker ‘Workmate’ originally developed by Ron Hickman, and subsequently withdrawn from sale.

This item was made by Al-Ko International, Alois Kober KG, 8871, Kotz, Schwaben. The company withdrew it from sale in the UK following a Court judgement in 1977 – and ceased manufacture in Germany.

Legal proceedings continued until 1982, when the German Federal Patent Court rejected claims against Workmate and granted 2 broad Workmate patents in the FRG after a 13-year prosecution process. The case against Al-Ko was one of three (the others being against Meeth and AEG) which established the primacy of the Workmate patents secured in Germany.

Al-Ko's marketing materials for the bench claimed - 'With this workbench, the Al-Ko engineers have designed a universal clamping and working tool that, because of its wide range of applications, can be found in every home, every hobby room, every household and every craftsman, craftsman and do-it-yourselfer. Practically every work piece, whether round, square, polygonal, curvy or conical, can be clamped and worked on the Al-Ko workbench. And if you do not use the al-ko workbench at the moment, it will find place anywhere folded up. The subsequent build up is no problem. Two handles and your workbench are ready for you ...'

The bench was ultimately produced in three Marks, but all ignored the folding base of the Workmate, although they retained the top and vice.