Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6691984
-
Patent Number
6,691,984
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, January 8, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 17, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Hail, III; Joseph J.
- Shanley; Daniel
Agents
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CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 254 126
- 254 100
- 254 133
- 254 122
- 254 DIG 4
- 254 134
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
The invention relates to a jack with supporting parts, which are provided as profiles that have U-shaped cross-sections and lateral profile limbs (15, 17) or which are provided as elements with laterally elevated sheet metal lobes (13). Said supporting parts are pivotally interconnected by joints (5, 6) in such a manner that the lateral profile limbs (15, 17) and/or the elevated sheet metal lobes (13) overlap in the vicinity of the joints (5, 6), and arbors pass through borings in the lateral profile limbs (15, 17) or elevated sheet metal lobes (13). The aim of the invention is to reduce the weight of a jack of the aforementioned type as well as the risk of the profile limb (15, 17) kinking. To this end, the bottom of the U-shaped profile or element which, with the profile limbs (15) or sheet metal lobes (13) thereof, tightly surrounds the other profile or element, is provided with beads (19, 21) or lobes (24), which inwardly project and which are arranged inside, however, near the profile limbs (15, 17) or sheet metal lobes of the other profile or element.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The load-bearing components of jacks are articulated to one another at pivoting joints. Most of these parts are shaped out of structural U section. Other load-bearing components, the head and the foot for instance, are provided with laterally elevated flaps. The load-bearing components are attached by overlapping the lengths of section or tabs in the vicinity of the articulations, providing them with bores, and inserting pivots through the bores. German OS 2 231 526 discloses joints of this nature, with pivots in the form of bolts. The pivots disclosed in European Patent 0 332 565 A1 on the other hand are stamped-out necks.
There is a drawback to this system. The lengths of section and tabs in particular must be very thick, especially at their ends, in the vicinity of the joints, that is, to prevent them from buckling subject to lateral forces to the detriment of overall stability. The extra material adds to the weight.
Summary of the Invention
The object of the present invention is a lighter-weight jack with lengths of section that will not buckle.
The jack in accordance with the present invention is lighter in weight than a conventional jack but can support just as heavy a load while remaining reliably upright. The reinforcing welts along the load-bearing components also augment overall stability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be specified with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein.
FIG. 1
is a view of an articulated jack,
FIG. 2
is a larger-scale detail of the joint between the foot and the leg,
FIG. 3
is a 90°-rotated section through the joint illustrated in
FIG. 2
,
FIG. 4
is a larger-scale detail of the joint between the foot and the leg,
FIG. 5
is a 90°-rotated section through the joint illustrated in
FIG. 4
,
FIG. 6
is a larger-scale detail of a joint between the foot and the leg in the form of necks stamped out of the foot and engaging bores in the leg.
FIG. 7
is a 90° shifted sectional view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG.
6
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Jacks of all types include mutually articulated load-bearing components between the foot and the leg. These components must be strong enough to sustain the weight of a motor vehicle. They must accordingly function reliably. Although the jack illustrated in
FIG. 1
herein represents only one species, the present invention applies to all jacks of the type presented in this application. The load-bearing components of the jack illustrated in
FIG. 1
comprise a foot
1
, a leg
2
, an arm
3
, and vehicle supporting plate
4
. All these parts are connected at articulated joints
5
,
6
, and
7
. A threaded spindle
10
is articulated to leg
2
at a joint
9
and to arm
3
at a joint
8
and, rotated by a crank
11
, raises arm
3
away from foot
1
by way of a threaded nut.
The body of foot
1
comprises a web
12
with laterally elevated sheet-metal tabs
13
. Leg
2
on the other hand is a length of U section with a web
14
and flanges
15
. Arm
3
itself is a length of U section with a web
16
and flanges
17
. The joints specified herein are particularly appropriate for attaching an arm
3
to a leg
2
or a leg
2
to a foot
1
in a jack of the illustrated species.
FIGS. 2 through 7
are larger-scale details depicting how a leg
2
can be articulated to a foot
1
. The joints
5
depicted in
FIGS. 2 through 5
employ bolts
18
with heads at each end and extending through bores in the tabs
13
in foot
1
and in the flanges
15
on leg
2
.
The embodiments illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
feature inwardly elevated reinforcing welts
19
stamped out of each side of the web
12
in foot
1
. Welts
19
are located inside flanges
15
and close to them. Only enough play is left between the tabs
13
on foot
1
, the flanges
15
of leg
2
, and welts
19
to allow the pivoting action to take place, securely positioning the ends
20
of flanges
15
. Welts
19
extend to below bolts
18
, allowing the bolts to rest against them when necessary.
The embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 4 and 5
is similar to the ones illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
. Here, welts
21
are stamped upward out of the web
12
in foot
1
and are separated from that web along only one edge, remaining integrated into it along the other edge.
The joints
5
in the embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 6 and 7
are in the form of inward-projecting necks stamped out of the tabs
13
on foot
1
and extending into bores
23
that extend through the flanges
15
of leg
2
. The ends
20
of flanges
15
are secured in this embodiment by inward-extending tabs
24
. Tabs
24
are, like welts
19
and
20
, stamped up out of the web
12
of foot
1
.
|
List of parts
|
|
|
1.
foot
|
2.
leg
|
3.
arm
|
4.
vehicle-supporting plate
|
5.
joint
|
6.
joint
|
7.
joint
|
8.
joint
|
9.
joint
|
10.
spindle
|
11.
crank
|
12.
web
|
13.
tab
|
14.
web
|
15.
flange
|
16.
web
|
17.
flange
|
18.
bolt
|
19.
welt
|
20.
end of flange 15
|
21.
welt
|
22.
neck
|
23.
bore
|
24.
tab
|
|
Claims
- 1. A jack with load-bearing components comprising lengths of structural U section with lateral flanges articulated together at joints and overlapping in vicinity of said joints; said joints comprising bores extending through said flanges and tabs and pivots extending through said bores; a web in a length of section with flanges overlapping another length having an inward-projecting welt to prevent buckling of the jack when under load and free of added weight.
- 2. The jack as defined in claim 1, wherein said welt is stamped out along both edges.
- 3. The Jack as defined in claim 1, wherein said welt is stamped out along only one edge.
- 4. The jack as defined in claim 1, wherein said welt extends closely to said joints.
- 5. The jack as defined in claim 1, wherein said joints are bolts.
- 6. A jack with load-bearing components comprising lengths of structural U section with lateral flanges articulated together at joints and overlapping in vicinity of said joints; said joints comprising bores extending through said flanges and tabs and pivots extending through said bores; a web in a length of section with flanges overlapping another length having an inward-projecting welt to prevent buckling of the jack when under load and free of added weight; said joints being stamped-out necks.
- 7. A jack with load-bearing components comprising lengths of structural U section with lateral tabs articulated together at joints and overlapping in vicinity of said joints; said joints comprising bores extending through said flanges and tabs and pivots extending through said bores; a web in a length of section with flanges overlapping another length having an inward-projecting welt to prevent buckling of the jack when under load and free of added weight.
- 8. A jack with load-bearing components comprising length of structural U section with lateral flanges articulated together at joints and overlapping in vicinity of said joints; said joints comprising bores extending through said flanges and tabs and pivots extending through said bores; a web in a length of section with flanges overlapping another length having an inward-projecting tab to prevent buckling of the jack when under load and free of added weight.
- 9. The jack as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab extends closely to said joints.
- 10. The jack as defined in claim 1, wherein said joints are bolts.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
100 36 049 |
Jul 2000 |
DE |
|
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/EP01/07299 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO02/08112 |
1/31/2002 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5435522 |
Brosius |
Jul 1995 |
A |
6022001 |
Palacio et al. |
Feb 2000 |
A |
6189865 |
Ruffie et al. |
Feb 2001 |
B1 |