EP0844208B1 - Vehicle jack - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a jack with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

In such jacks (so-called column lifter), it has been customary to connect a side view approximately L-shaped crank firmly with the drive shaft of the drive of the threaded spindle angular gear. Since the drive shaft is perpendicular to the pillar longitudinal direction and the jack in the vehicle (usually in the trunk) is stowed away in a state in which the crank arm of the hand crank parallel to the pillar longitudinal direction, the back of the pedestal adjacent, the handle portion of the hand crank is transverse to the From the back of the pedestal, which increases the storage space required to accommodate the jack in the vehicle.

Exemplary of such jacks with which the present invention is concerned are DE-C-36 37 295 and DE-U-76 03 603 of E. A. Storz GmbH & Co. KG.

The invention was based on the object, such a column lifter so. improve that less space is needed for its placement in the vehicle.

This object can be achieved according to the invention with a jack according to claim 1.

From Figures 10 and 11 of GB-A-1 131 067 a jack with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is shown, the angular gear housed in a drive shaft of the latter superimposed, arranged at the upper end column end housing and whose in the side view approximately Z. -shaped hand crank on the drive shaft (in the direction of the shaft axis) can be plugged. To avoid damage to the jack mechanism in that the crank is operated too long in the course of lifting the load-bearing element, a resilient angle lever is provided which throws the hand crank of the drive shaft upon reaching a still permissible upper end position of the load-bearing element.

Fig. 1

den oberen Teil einer ersten Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Säulenhebers in einer Seitenansicht (die Längsachse des mit diesem Wagenheber anzuhebenden Fahrzeugs würde also senkrecht zur Zeichnungsebene der Fig. 1 verlaufen), wobei sich die Handkurbel in demjenigen Zustand befindet, in dem sich der Wagenheber mit der Handkurbel betätigen läßt;

Fig. 2

die in Fig. 1 gezeigten Teile gemäß Fig. 1 von rechts gesehen, jedoch nachdem die Handkurbel in diejenige Stellung (Wegstaustellung) gebracht wurde, in der sie sich befindet, wenn der Wagenheber im Kofferraum eines Fahrzeugs untergebracht wird;

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt nach der Linie 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht, gesehen in Richtung des Pfeils A aus Fig. 2, auf einige für das Verständnis der Erfindung wesentlichen Teile der ersten Ausführungsform;

Figuren 5 - 7

den Figuren 1, 2 und 4 entsprechende Darstellungen einer zweiten Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Wagenhebers;

Fig. 8

die in Fig. 5 oben rechts in einem vertikalen Längsschnitt dargestellte Schutzkappe in größerem Maßstab (ebenfalls in einem vertikalen Längsschnitt);

Fig. 9

einen Schnitt nach der Linie 9-9 in Fig. 8, in den jedoch auch der obere Endbereich des Kurbelarms der Handkurbel eingezeichnet wurde, und zwar bei der in Fig. 5 dargestellten Handkurbelposition;

Fig. 10

eine der Fig. 1 entsprechende Darstellung einer dritten Ausführungsform, wobei die Handkurbel jedoch sowohl in ihrer Betriebsstellung, als auch in ihrer Wegstaustellung gezeichnet wurde;

Fig. 11

eine der Fig. 2 entsprechende Darstellung der dritten Ausführungsform, wobei jedoch nur der oberste Endbereich des Wagenhebers gezeichnet wurde;

Fig. 12

eine der Fig. 3 entsprechende Darstellung der dritten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 13

eine der Fig. 4 entsprechende Darstellung der dritten Ausführungsform, wobei jedoch nur die Standsäule und ein Endbereich der Handkurbel mit deren Griffbereich gezeichnet wurden;

Fig. 14

eine der Fig. 1 entsprechende Darstellung einer vierten Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Wagenhebers;

Fig. 15

eine der Fig. 14 entsprechende Darstellung dieser vierten Ausführungsform, wobei sich jedoch der Griffbereich der Handkurbel in der Wegstaustellung befindet;

Fig. 16

die in Fig. 14 dargestellten Teile der vierten Ausführungsform gemäß Fig. 14 von rechts gesehen;

Fig. 17

den in Fig. 14 dargestellten Handkurbel-Griffbereich, wie in Fig. 14 in einer Seitenansicht, jedoch ohne einen in Fig. 14 gezeichneten Griffkörper, und

Fig. 18

das in Fig. 17 gezeigte Teil gemäß Fig. 17 von oben gesehen.

Further features, advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the appended claims 2 to 16 and / or from the accompanying drawings and the following description of some particularly preferred embodiments of the jack according to the invention; in the drawing show:

Fig. 1

the upper part of a first embodiment of a column lifter according to the invention in a side view (the longitudinal axis of the vehicle to be lifted with this jack vehicle would therefore perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1), wherein the hand crank is in that state in which the jack with the hand crank to operate;

Fig. 2

1 as viewed from the right, but after the hand crank has been brought into the position (Wegstaustellung) in which it is located when the jack is housed in the trunk of a vehicle;

Fig. 3

a section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

a plan view, as seen in the direction of arrow A of Figure 2, on some essential for understanding the invention of the first embodiment parts.

FIGS. 5 to 7

Figures 1, 2 and 4 corresponding representations of a second embodiment of the jack according to the invention;

Fig. 8

the cap shown in Figure 5 top right in a vertical longitudinal section on a larger scale (also in a vertical longitudinal section).

Fig. 9

a section along the line 9-9 in Figure 8, in which, however, also the upper end portion of the crank arm of the hand crank was drawn, namely in the illustrated in Figure 5 hand crank position.

Fig. 10

a representation corresponding to Figure 1 of a third embodiment, wherein the hand crank has been drawn both in its operating position, as well as in their Wegstaustellung.

Fig. 11

a representation corresponding to Figure 2 of the third embodiment, but only the top end portion of the jack was drawn.

Fig. 12

a representation corresponding to FIG. 3 of the third embodiment;

Fig. 13

a corresponding representation of the third embodiment of FIG. 4, but only the pedestal and an end portion of the hand crank were drawn with the handle portion;

Fig. 14

a representation corresponding to Figure 1 of a fourth embodiment of the jack according to the invention.

Fig. 15

an illustration corresponding to FIG. 14 of this fourth embodiment, but with the grip area of the hand crank in the path position;

Fig. 16

seen in Fig. 14 parts of the fourth embodiment of FIG. 14 seen from the right;

Fig. 17

14 in a side view, but without a drawn in Fig. 14 handle body, and

Fig. 18

the part shown in Fig. 17 shown in FIG. 17 seen from above.

Fig. 1 shows an upper part of a pedestal 10 of a jack designed as a so-called column jack; the basic design and operation principle of such a column lifter can be z. See, for example, DE-C-36 37 295 or DE-U-76 03 603 from EA Storz GmbH & Co. KG, so that it is not necessary to represent the entire basic structure of such a pillar lifter and its basic operating principle drawing and describing.

The pedestal 10 has a cavity enclosed by a pedestal housing 12, in which a threaded spindle 14 only indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4 is arranged. This threaded spindle is rotatable in a manner not shown, but known manner in the pedestal 10 about the threaded spindle axis 14a, but mounted axially immovable. On the threaded spindle 14, a nut, not shown, which is longitudinally displaceable in the column housing 12 in the direction of the spindle axis 14a but guided non-rotatably and also not shown, carries on the vehicle to be lifted attachable load-bearing element that (or its holder) by a in Fig. 4 recognizable longitudinal slot 12a of the pillar housing 12 passes through.

At the top of the pillar housing 12, an approximately U-shaped bearing block 16 is fastened, in particular welded, which receives a toothed wheel angular gear 18. The latter comprises a first gear in the form of a bevel gear 14 fixed to the bevel gear 20, a meshing with the latter second gear in the form of a bevel gear 22, and a rotatable in the bearing block 16 about a horizontal axis, but axially non-displaceably mounted drive shaft 24 on which Bevel gear 22 at least non-rotatably (relative to the drive shaft 24) is arranged.

The side of the pedestal 10, at which the longitudinal slot 12a of the pillar housing 12 is located, is as the front 30 of the pillar, the opposite side as the back 32 of the pedestal (see Fig. 4).

The drive shaft 24 protrudes (especially seen from above on the pedestal 10) with a stub shaft 24a not only on the bearing block 16 addition, but especially on the back 32 of the pedestal 10 and the pillar housing 12, so that the drive shaft 24 driving Hand crank 34 can rotate about the axis of the drive shaft 24 over a full 360 °. The hand crank 34 has a perpendicular to the drive shaft 24 extending crank arm 34a and a perpendicular to the latter extending arm 34b on which a handle body 34c is freely rotatable, but axially immovable, wherein the handle arm 34b together with the handle body 34c a handle portion 34d of the hand crank 34th forms.

The attachment of the hand crank 34 to the drive shaft 24 serves as a whole designated 40 connecting device; this has an approximately U-shaped headband 42 with a crossbar 42a and two bearing legs 42b. The crossbar 42a is fixedly connected to the stub shaft 24a, while the two bearing legs 42b carry the crank arm 34a and thus the hand crank 34.

As can be seen Fig. 1 in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3, each of the two bearing legs 42b has a passage opening for the passage of the crank arm 34a through the headband 42 through, and that is in Fig. 1 overhead bearing leg 42b with a Passage opening 44 provided (see in particular Fig. 2), the lower lying in Fig. 1 bearing leg 42b with a passage opening 46 (see Figures 2 and 3). According to FIG. 1, seen from above, the two passage openings 44 and 46 are located one above the other, in that the crank arm 34a can be pushed through both passage openings and then provided with an upset thickening 48 (see FIG. 1) at its free end so that the hand crank 34 can no longer be pulled out of the connection device 40. In the region of the crank arm 34a that traverses the passage opening 46, the latter is provided with an embossed rib 50 extending in the longitudinal direction of the crank arm 34a, which in the state of the jack shown in FIG. 1 does not lie in the plane of the drawing in FIG. Outside the region of this rib, the crank arm 34a has a circular cross section, and also the passage opening 44 is circular. According to the invention, the rib 50 is dimensioned only so long and arranged on the crank arm 34a, that the latter can move as far as shown in FIG. 1 up that the rib 50 leaves the region of the passage opening 46. According to the passage 46 is not circular, but rather designed so that with their help and as a result of the rib 50, the crank 34 in at least two angular positions (based on the longitudinal axis of the crank arm 34a) can be set on the bracket 42.

In the illustrated embodiment, the passage opening 46 for this purpose according to the invention has the shape of a circle with two bulges 46a and 46b (see especially Fig. 3) for a particular slight clamping engagement of the rib 50, and according to the invention, the two bulges 46a, 46b arranged so that the rib 50 engages in the operating position of the hand crank 34 in the one of the two bulges, in the Wegstaeftellung the hand crank 34, however, in the other bulge - in the illustrated embodiment, the rib engages 50 in the operating position of the hand crank 34, ie in that shown in Fig. 1 Condition, in the bulge 46a, while in the Wegstaeftellung of the hand crank 34 shown in FIG. 2, the rib 50 engages in the recess 46b. According to the angular distance (relative to the longitudinal axis of the crank arm 34a) of the two bulges 46a, 46b from each other so large that in the Wegstaustellung the hand crank 34 of the handle body 34c abuts against the pillar housing 12, as shown in FIG. 4, and thereby a rattling of the hand crank 34 is prevented.

In the first embodiment according to Figures 1 to 4, starting from the state shown in Fig. 1, the hand crank 34 must therefore only be raised, pivoted about the longitudinal axis of the crank arm 34a and then lowered again to the hand crank 34 in its Wegstaustellung lock, while it is locked in the state shown in Fig. 1 in its operating position.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the bearing block 16 a this and the angle gear 18 overlapping cap 17 is attached.

The second embodiment of the jack according to the invention illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 9 differs from the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 only insofar as this results from the following description, in which, if appropriate, the same reference numerals are used as in FIG Figures 1 to 4.

In the second embodiment, instead of the rib 50 of the first embodiment, two diagonally opposite ribs 60 of the crank arm 34a, which in the operating position of the hand crank 34 shown in FIG each extending perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of Fig. 5 away from the circumference of the crank arm 34a. Furthermore, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a real locking of the hand crank 34 is provided on the retaining bracket 42 only for the operating position of the hand crank 34 shown in Fig. 5, which is why in the second embodiment in place of the passage opening 46 of the first Embodiment, a non-illustrated circular passage opening in the lower bearing leg 42b of the retaining clip 42 occurs, which has two mutually diagonally opposite bulges for a simultaneous engagement of the two ribs 60; these lobes differ from the lobes 46a and 46b of the first embodiment only in that the angle between these two lobes is 180 °.

In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 9, a protective cap 62 is pushed and latched onto the retaining clip 42, which is preferably a plastic injection-molded part. This cap 62 serves primarily to exclude the purpose that a person using the jack on the bracket 42 may be injured. The protective cap 62 has on each of its two side walls 68 two inner upper retaining webs 64 and an inner lower retaining web 66, with which the protective cap on the two bearing legs 42b of the retaining clip 42 so postpone, as shown in Fig. 5. As shown in FIG. 7 reveals, the two side walls 68 of the cap 62 at their free longitudinal edges each have a latching nose 68 a, which engage in the latched on the headband 42 protective cap behind the cross bar 42 a of the retaining clip 42.

Between the upper bearing leg 42b of the retaining clip 42 and the ribs 60 of the crank arm 34a extends a spring 70 shown in Figures 5 and 6, which designed as the crank arm 34a comprehensive tensioned coil spring and consequently strives to the crank arm 34a relative to the bracket 42 after to press down. The primary aim of the spring 70 is that the crank arm 34a does not shift upward from its position shown in FIG. 5 upon actuation of the jack, and as a result the hand crank 34 remains locked in its operating position on the mounting bracket 42.

Thanks to the spring 70 but can also achieve that the hand crank 34 does not readily herausschwenkt from its Wegstaustellung shown in Fig. 6: For this purpose, 42 not shown, relatively flat and in particular embossed in the top of the lower bearing leg 42b of the retaining clip 42 Recesses may be provided in which the spring 70 pushes the lower ends of the two ribs 60 when the hand crank 34 is in its Wegstaustellung, d. H. assumes its position shown in Fig. 6. The hand crank 34 must then be pivoted only about the longitudinal axis of the crank arm 34a to bring the hand crank into its operating position shown in Fig. 5, since in the latter, the spring 70 ensures that the hand crank 34 on the bracket 42 in the manner described above is locked.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, according to the invention, it is also ensured that the hand crank 34 can only be pivoted out of the operating position in one direction, namely the desired direction, in order to bring the hand crank into its travel position. In this regard, reference is made to Fig. 9, it follows that the Protective cap 62 is provided with two inner stops 74 and 76 against which abut the two ribs 60 of the crank arm 34 a in the operating position of the hand crank 34 and a pivoting of the hand crank 34 about the longitudinal axis of the crank arm 34 a only in the in Fig. 9 by a Allow arrow marked direction.

The third preferred embodiment of the jack according to the invention, which is shown in Figures 10 to 13, differs from the first embodiment according to Figures 1 to 4 only in the configuration of the connecting device between the crank handle and gear angular gear, and only in the arrangement of provided on the crank arm rib and the two provided for the engagement of this rib bulges of a passage opening of the retaining bracket for the hand crank. As a result, Figures 10 to 14 will be described below only briefly and only insofar as is necessary for the explanation of these differences, and in this description the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 4 are used, but with the addition of a dash.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 13, the rib 50 'projects perpendicularly from the plane defined by the crank arm 34a' and the grip region 34d 'of the hand crank 34', and as a result the two bulges 46a 'and 46b' of the passage opening 46 are located 'in FIG. 10 lower bearing leg 42b' diagonally opposite, with respect to a diameter of the passage opening 46 ', which parallel to the back 32' of the pillar housing 12 'extends.

As can be seen in FIG. 13, in the third embodiment the grip body 34c 'lies in the travel position of the Hand crank 34 'against one of the two sides of the pillar housing 12' to prevent rattling of the hand crank, while, as shown in FIG. 4, in the first embodiment in the Wegstaustellung the hand crank 34 whose handle body 34c obliquely both to the rear 32 of Standing pillar 10 as well as to the one longitudinal side of the pedestal comes to rest.

The inventive basic principle of the connecting device 40 and 40 'of the first and the third embodiment is thus to be seen in that it allows the hand crank 34 and 34' to lock both in their operating position, as well as in their Wegstaustellung, the lock through merely to move the hand crank to release and then the hand crank to the longitudinal direction of its crank arm 34a and 34a 'to pivot, after which the hand crank can be locked in the other of its two positions again.

Also, the fourth embodiment shown in Figures 14 to 16 is largely consistent with the first two embodiments, so that in the following only the deviations are described and the figures 14 to 16 were provided only to the extent with reference numerals, as this for the understanding of the fourth Embodiment is required.

The fourth embodiment of Figures 14 to 16 has a hand crank 100 with a crank arm 102 and a handle portion 104, the latter consists of a pin 104a and a handle body 104b, which is freely rotatably mounted on the pin, but axially non-displaceable.

In the fourth embodiment, a connecting device 110 provided according to the invention is located between the crank arm 102 and the handle portion 104 of the hand crank 100 is provided. As FIGS. 17 and 18 show, the end region of the pin 104a facing the crank arm 102 is configured as a fork 118, between the two legs 118a, 118b of which an end region 112 of the crank arm 102 engages. In each of the two legs 118a, 118b of the fork 118 there is a keyhole-shaped bearing opening 114, wherein these two bearing openings perpendicular to the plane of the Fig. 17 seen congruent succession and both are designed identically. It should be noted, however, that one of the two bearing openings could also be circular, since only one of the two bearing openings, in this case the other of the two openings, must fulfill the function of locking the grip area 104 in its operating position.

At the end portion 112 of the crank arm 102 are two bearing lugs 116 are provided, which are both oriented perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 14, wherein the one bearing lug 116 of FIG. 14 facing forward, the other, not shown bearing lug at the back of the end portion 112th lies and points in the opposite direction. According to the invention, the two bearing lugs 116 have an approximately square cross-section whose edge length corresponds to the width of the narrower region of the bearing openings 114 so as to be able to lock the grip region 104 in its operating position shown in FIG. 14, but also in its travel position shown in FIG , According to the invention the connecting device 110 is designed so that, starting from the state shown in Fig. 14, the pin 104a can move so far to the left as shown in FIG. 14, that the two bearing lugs 116 reach into the wider areas of the bearing openings 114 and then the Handle area 104 can be pivoted relative to the crank arm 102, specifically about the axis of the bearing projections 116 extending perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 14. After a pivoting of the grip area 104 by 90 ° in the clockwise direction (as shown in FIG. 14), the grip area 104 then assumes its travel position 1 and falls under its own weight according to FIG. 15 down, so that the bearing lugs 116 again reach the narrower areas of the bearing openings 114. Conveniently, however, one will dimension these narrower areas of the bearing openings 114 and the bearing lugs 116 so that the latter are under slight clamping in the narrower areas of the bearing openings 114, especially to ensure that the grip portion 104 of the dammed-up jack can not rattle.

As shown in FIG. 15, the pillar housing 120 of this fourth embodiment advantageously has a recess on its rear face 132 in which the handle body 104b engages when the grip portion 104 is in its travel position so as to prevent the hand crank 100 of FIG twisted jack and then prone to rattle.

Claims (16)

1. Vehicle jack comprising a hollow support column (10) having at one, lower end thereof a foot for placement on the ground, and in the area of the other, upper end thereof a gear-type angle transmission (18) for driving a threaded spindle (14) arranged in the support column, the gear-type angle transmission including a drive shaft (24) extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support column, and a hand crank (34) for driving the drive shaft, and a load bearing element in the area of a front side (30) of the support column, the load bearing element being positionable against the vehicle to be raised, and, by turning the threaded spindle, being displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the support column together with a nut which is longitudinally displaceably and non-rotatably held in the support column and through which the threaded spindle extends, the hand crank having a crank arm (34a) which extends along the support column when the hand crank is in a position of rest and a handle portion (34d) which extends transversely away from the crank arm when the vehicle jack is in operation, characterized by a lockable and unlockable connecting device (40; 110) provided between the drive shaft (24) and the handle portion (34d) of the hand crank and designed such that the handle portion

   (a) extends, in an operating position, with the connecting device locked, transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support column and thereby points away from the load bearing element of the vehicle jack,
   and

   (b) is pivotable, after unlocking of the connecting device, into a space-saving stowed away position and thereby approaches the support column.
2. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that the connecting device (40; 110) is also lockable when the handle portion of the crank handle is in the stowed away position.
3. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting device (40) is provided between the drive shaft (24) and the crank arm (34a).
4. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 3, characterized in that a holder (42) for the hand crank (34) is attached to an end portion (24a) of the drive shaft (24) pointing away from the gears (20, 22) of the angle transmission (18) and from the front side (30) of the support column (10), the holder forming a receiving device (44, 46) for an end portion of the crank arm (34a) extending transversely to the drive shaft, and in that the end portion of the crank arm is mounted in the holder for rotation about its longitudinal axis and is lockable on the holder in at least one angular rotational position associated with the operating position of the handle portion (34d) of the hand crank.
5. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 4, characterized in that the end portion (34a) of the crank arm is also lockable on the holder (42) in a second angular rotational position associated with the stowed away position of the handle portion (34d) of the hand crank.
6. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the end portion (34a) of the crank arm is held in the holder (42) for displacement in the longitudinal direction of the crank arm, and the end portion of the crank arm and the holder, which form the connecting device (40), are designed such that the locking of the crank arm in an angular rotational position on the holder can be brought about and released by displacement of the end portion of the crank arm.
7. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the end portion (34a) of the crank arm is provided with a projection (50) at its circumference, and the holder (42) is provided with a recess (46a) associated with the operating position of the handle portion (34d) of the hand crank for engagement with this projection.
8. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 6 or 7, characterized by a spring (70) which moves the end portion (34a) of the crank arm in its longitudinal direction into the locked position and a stop (48) provided on the end portion of the crank arm, which co-operates with the holder (42) and defines the locked position.
9. Vehicle jack in accordance with any one or several of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the holder (42) - viewed transversely to the drive shaft - has an approximately U-shaped bracket whose two side legs (42b) point away from the angle transmission (18) and whose transverse member (42a) is attached to the drive shaft (24), and in that the two side legs each have one bearing opening (44, 46) through which the end portion (34a) of the crank arm extends.
10. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claims 7 and 9, characterized in that one of the bearing openings (46) has at its edge at least one recess (46a, 46b) for engagement with the projection (50) of the crank arm.
11. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 8 and Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the stop (48) provided on the end portion (34a) of the crank arm lies on the outer side of one bracket leg (42b), and the spring (70) is arranged between the latter and the projection (60) of the end portion of the crank arm.
12. Vehicle jack in accordance with any one or several of Claims 4 to 11 characterized in that stops (60, 74, 76) which can be made to bear against one another by rotation of the end portion (34a) of the crank arm and serve to define the angular rotational position of the end portion of the crank arm associated with the operating position or the stowed away position of the handle portion (34d) of the hand crank are provided on the holder (42, 62) and on the end portion (34a) of the crank arm.
13. Vehicle jack in accordance with any one or several of Claims 9 to 11, characterized by a protective cap (62) attached to the bracket (42) and engaging over the latter.
14. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the stop or stops (74, 76) of the holder (42, 62) is or are arranged on the protective cap (62).
15. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the protective cap (62) is locked on the bracket (42).
16. Vehicle jack in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting device (110) is provided between the crank arm (102) and the handle portion (104) of the hand crank (100).