Claims
- 1. A jack for lifting an object, comprising:a base assembly having: a frame with a base member having a nesting chamber; lifting arms pivotably connected to said base member; a support member for supporting the object to be lifted, said support member pivotably connected to said lifting arms and disposed parallel to said base member; said support member and said lifting arms pivoting with respect to said base members into positions including: a fully raised position wherein said support member is lifted away from said base member; and a fully lowered position wherein said support members and said lifting arms are at least partly nested within said nesting chamber; a jacking assembly connected to said base assembly for moving said support members and said lifting arms from said fully lowered position towards said fully raised position; and a lowering assembly connected to said base assembly and to said jacking assembly for lowering said support member and said lifting arms toward said fully lowered position and for lowering said jacking assembly, said lowering assembly having a lowering pedal pivotably connected to said jacking assembly and a release bar pivotably connected to said base assembly.
- 2. The jack according to claim 1, wherein:said base member is two base members disposed parallel to one another in a base plane; and each of said two base members has a nesting chamber.
- 3. The jack according to claim 2, wherein each of said two base members has a U-shaped cross-section defining said nesting chamber.
- 4. The jack according to claim 1, wherein:said support member has a second nesting chamber; and at least one of said lifting arms is at least partly nested within said second nesting chamber when in said fully lowered position.
- 5. The jack according to claim 1, wherein:said base member is two base members parallel to one another in a base plane; each of said two base members has a nesting chamber; said support member is two support members disposed parallel to one another in a support member plane; said support member plane is parallel to said base plane; said two support members and said lifting arms are at least partly nested within said nesting chamber when in said fully lowered position; and at least one of said lifting arms is at least partly nested within said second nesting chamber of each of said two support members when in said fully lowered position.
- 6. The jack according to claim 2, wherein each of said two base members has a series of ratchet openings disposed in said nesting chamber.
- 7. The jack according to claim 2, wherein said frame includes cross-beams fixedly connecting said two base members to one another.
- 8. The jack according to claim 7, wherein:said cross-beams include a first cross-beam and a second cross-beam; and said frame includes a jack assembly base fixedly connected to said first and second cross-beams.
- 9. The jack according to claim 8, wherein said jack platform has:a first sloped guide surface attached to said first cross-beam; and a second sloped guide surface connected to said first leg and to said second cross-beam.
- 10. The jack according to claim 1, wherein said lifting arms are four lifting arms.
- 11. The jack according to claim 10, wherein each of said four lifting arms has a substantially same given arm length.
- 12. The jack according to claim 10, wherein:said base member is two base members disposed parallel to one another in a base plane; and a pair of said four lifting arms is pivotably connected to each of said two base members.
- 13. The jack according to claim 1, wherein said support member is two support members.
- 14. The jack according to claim 12, wherein:said support member is two support members; said two support members are disposed parallel to one another and parallel to said two base members, and each of said two support members is pivotably connected to said pair of said four lifting arms.
- 15. The jack according to claim 14, wherein, said two support members and said four lifting arms pivot with respect to said two base members into positions including:a fully raised position wherein said two support members are lifted away from said two base members; and a fully lowered position wherein one of said two support members and two of said four lifting arms are each at least partly nested within a nesting chamber of a respective one of said base members.
- 16. The jack according to claim 1, wherein said jacking assembly includes:a ram support pivotably connected to said lifting arms; and a removable hydraulic ram assembly removably connected to said ram support and to said base assembly, said ram assembly moving said support member and said lifting arms from said fully lowered position towards said fully raised position through said ram support.
- 17. The jack according to claim 16, wherein:said lifting arms are four lifting arms; two of said four lifting arms are disposed closer to said hydraulic ram assembly than two other arms of said four lifting arms; each of said two lifting arms disposed closer to said jacking assembly has a pivot; and said ram support is pivotably connected to a respective one of said two lifting arms disposed closer to said hydraulic ram assembly at said pivot.
- 18. The jack according to claim 16, wherein:said frame includes a jack assembly base fixedly coupled to said base member; and said jack assembly base has an attachment clamp removably connecting said jack to said jack platform.
- 19. The jack according to claim 16, wherein:said base member is two base members disposed parallel to one another in a base plane; said frame includes cross-beams fixedly connecting said two base members to one another; said cross-beams include a first cross-beam and a second cross-beam; said frame includes a jack assembly base fixedly coupled to said first and second cross-beams; said jack assembly base has an attachment clamp removably connecting said hydraulic ram assembly to said jack assembly base.
- 20. The jack according to claim 8, wherein said jack assembly base is disposed in a plane at an angle from said base plane.
- 21. The jack according to claim 18, wherein:said base member is disposed in a base plane; and said attachment clamp removably connects said jack to said jack platform in a plane at an angle from said base plane.
- 22. The jack according to claim 19, wherein:said base member is disposed in a base plane; and said attachment clamp removably connects said jack to said jack platform in a plane at an angle from said base plane.
- 23. The jack according to claim 16, wherein:said frame includes a jack assembly base fixedly coupled to said base member; said jack assembly base has an attachment clamp; and said hydraulic ram assembly has: a base housing a hydraulic fluid; a lifting piston moveably disposed in said base housing, said lifting piston having a piston end and a cap disposed at said piston end, said attachment clamp of said jack assembly base removably connecting said base housing to said jack assembly base such that said lifting piston has an axis inclined with respect to said base plane; a pumping piston moveably connected to said base housing for exerting pressure upon said hydraulic fluid when moved into a downward position and correspondingly raising said lifting piston out of said base housing along said axis; a return spring connected to said pumping piston for returning said pumping piston to a raised position; a pedal flange pivotably connected to said base; a pedal pivotably connected to said pedal flange, pivotably connected to said pumping piston, and connected to said return spring such that, when said pedal is depressed from an initial position, said pedal depresses said pumping piston, and, when pressure is released from said pedal, said return spring returns said pedal to said initial position; and a pressure release valve connected to said base for releasing pressure upon said hydraulic fluid.
- 24. The jack according to claim 23, wherein:said front ram support has: an upper span having two ends and a bracket removably connected to said cap of said lifting piston; and two side spans each having an upper end and a lower end; said upper end of each of said two side spans is fixedly connected to a respective one of said two ends of said upper span to form a U-shape; said lifting arms include two lifting arms disposed closer to said jacking assembly than other arms of said lifting arms; each of said two lifting arms have a pivot; and said lower end of each of said two side spans is pivotably connected to a respective one of said two lifting arms at said pivot.
- 25. The jack according to claim 1, including a locking assembly connected to said base assembly for locking said base assembly in one of said positions.
- 26. The jack according to claim 25, wherein said locking assembly is connected to said lifting arms.
- 27. The jack according to claim 26, wherein:said lifting arms include two lifting arms; and said locking assembly is connected to said two lifting arms.
- 28. The jack according to claim 27, wherein:each of said two lifting arms has a pivot; said locking assembly has two locking pawls each having a ratchet portion and an actuating portion; each of said two locking pawls is pivotably connected to a respective one of said two lifting arms at said pivot for holding said two lifting arms in one of said positions.
- 29. A jack for lifting an object, comprising:a base assembly having: a frame with a base member having a nesting chamber; lifting arms pivotably connected to said base member; a support member for supporting the object to be lifted, said support member pivotably connected to said lifting arms and disposed parallel to said base member; said support member and said lifting arms pivoting with respect to said base members into positions including: a fully raised position wherein said support member is lifted away from said base member; and a fully lowered position wherein said support members and said lifting arms are at least partly nested within said nesting chamber; a jacking assembly connected to said base assembly for moving said support members and said lifting arms from said fully lowered position towards said fully raised position, said jacking assembly including a ram support pivotably connected to said lifting arms and a removable hydraulic ram assembly removably connected to said ram support and to said base assembly, said ram assembly moving said support member and said lifting arms from said fully lowered position towards said fully raised position through said ram support; and said lifting arms include two lifting arms each having a pivot; a locking assembly is connected to said base assembly and has two locking pawls each with a ratchet portion and an actuating portion; each of said two locking pawls is pivotably connected to a respective one of said two lifting arms at said pivot; said ratchet portion has a locking end; said base member has ratchet openings; said jack has a pressure release valve; a lowering assembly has: a lowering pedal with a pressure release flange, said lowering pedal pivotably connected to said jack; and a release bar pivotably connected to each of said two locking pawls at said actuating portion and connected to said lowering pedal such that, when said lowering pedal is initially depressed, said release bar pivots both of said two locking pawls to disconnect said locking end from a respective one of said ratchet openings, and, when said lowering pedal is further depressed, said pressure release flange contacts and moves said pressure release valve to release pressure in said jack thereby lowering said lifting arms and said support member towards said fully lowered position.
- 30. A jack for lifting an object, comprising:a base assembly including: a frame including: two base members disposed parallel to one another in a base plane, each of said two base members having: a U-shaped cross-section defining a nesting chamber; and a series of ratchet openings; cross-beams fixedly connecting said two base members to one another; a jack platform fixedly connected to two of said cross-beams, said jack platform having an attachment clamp, a first leg, and a second leg longer than said first leg, said second leg disposed at an angle from said base plane; four lifting arms, a pair of said four lifting arms pivotably connected to each of said two base members, each of said four lifting arms having a substantially same given arm length; two support members for supporting an object to be lifted, said two support members disposed parallel to one another in a support plane parallel to said base plane and parallel to said two base members, said two support members each pivotably connected to a pair of said four lifting arms; said two support members and said four lifting arms pivoting with respect to said two base members into positions including: a fully raised position wherein said two support members are lifted away from said two base members; and a fully lowered position wherein one of said two support members and two of said four lifting arms are at least partly nested within a nesting chamber of a respective one of said base members; and a jacking assembly for moving said two support members and said four lifting arms from said fully lowered position towards said fully raised position, said jacking assembly including: a hydraulic jack including: a base housing a hydraulic fluid; a lifting piston moveably disposed in said base, said lifting piston having a piston end and a cap disposed at said piston end, said attachment clamp of said jack platform removably connecting said base to said second leg of said jack platform such that said lifting piston has an axis inclined with respect to said base plane; a pumping piston moveably connected to said base for exerting pressure upon said hydraulic fluid when moved into a downward position and correspondingly raising said lifting piston out of said base along said axis; a return spring connected to said pumping piston for returning said pumping piston to a raised position; a pedal flange pivotably connected to said base; a pedal pivotably connected to said pedal flange, pivotably connected to said pumping piston, and connected to said return spring such that, when said pedal is depressed from an initial position, said pedal depresses said pumping piston, and, when pressure is released from said pedal, said return spring returns said pedal to said initial position; and a pressure release valve connected to said base for releasing pressure upon said hydraulic fluid; a front ram support including: an upper span with two ends and a bracket removably connected to said cap of said lifting piston; and two side spans each having an upper end and a lower end; said upper end of each of said two side spans fixedly connected to a respective one of said two ends of said upper span to form a U-shape; two of said four lifting arms disposed closer to said jacking assembly than two other arms of said four lifting arms; each of said two lifting arms disposed closer to said jacking assembly having a pivot; and said lower end of each of said two side spans pivotably connected to a respective one of said two lifting arms disposed closer to said jacking assembly at said pivot; a locking assembly including: two locking pawls each with a ratchet portion and an actuating portion, said ratchet portion having a locking end; and each of said two locking paw is pivotably connected to a respective one of said two lifting arms disposed closer to said jacking assembly at said pivot; a lowering assembly including: a lowering pedal having a pressure release flange, said lowering pedal pivotably connected to said base; and a release bar pivotably connected to each of said two locking pawls at said actuating portion and connected to said lowering pedal such that, when said lowering pedal is initially depressed, said release bar pivots both of said two locking pawls to disconnect said locking end from a respective one of said ratchet openings, and, when said lowering pedal is further depressed, said pressure release flange contacts and moves said pressure release valve to release pressure upon said hydraulic fluid thereby lowering said four lifting arms and said two support members towards said fully lowered position.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/243,923 , filed Oct. 27, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/243923 |
Oct 2000 |
US |