GB2223735A

GB2223735A - Vehicle jack

Info

Publication number: GB2223735A
Application number: GB8914295A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Stibr
Original assignee: Metallifacture Ltd
Current assignee: Metallifacture Ltd
Priority date: 1988-10-13
Filing date: 1989-06-22
Publication date: 1990-04-18
Also published as: GB8824049D0; GB8914295D0

Abstract

The jack is of the parallelogram type having upper links (14, 15) hinged to lower links (12, 13) with an operating screw (23) therebetween. The lower links are hinged to a base (20), are of channel shape and have channel sides formed with teeth (35, 36). The teeth of the two lower links mesh and are held in mesh by a spacer (37). The spacer is a plastics moulding having disc-shaped end pieces (38, 39) integral with a cruciform arrangement of intervening webs (40). This arrangement prevents collection of paint, with consequent spoiling of a jack, after a paint-dipping operation. <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLE JACKS This invention relates to vehicle jacks, especially the parallelogram type of jack.

A parallelogram jack comprises a pair of upper links hinged to a pair of lower links with a load support member mounted on the upper links and with the lower links pivotally mounted on a base. The links form a parallelogram and a screw is engaged between opposite pivots of the parallelogram for effecting lift of the jack.

The lower links are usually separately mounted on the base and each link has teeth in mesh with the teeth of the other link. The teeth are formed on metal strips forming extensions of the side walls of channel-shaped members defining the links.

There is a tendency for the meshed teeth to come out of mesh due to lateral deformation of the metal strips and it is usual to provide a spacer in the form of a length of hollow tubular metal between the ends of the strips adjacent the teeth to prevent such deformation.

This spacer causes other problems however. Vehicle jacks are painted b being dipped. Paint often collects within the hollow tube defining the spacer during dipping and, during a drying process, the paint runs out of the spacer and spoils the appearance of the jack. The jack cannot be sold in this state and needs to be stripped of paint and reworked. There is substantial wastage due to this problem.

The present invention avoids this problem and permits the spacer to be much more sheaply produced, contributing to a reduction in the cost of production of the jack.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vehicle jack comprising a base having a bottom and a pair of side walls, a pair of links pivotally mounted between said side walls, each link having a pair of spaced members located one adjacent each respective side wall, each said member having teeth engaged with the teeth of another member of the other link, and a spacer located between the members, the spacer comprising a plastics moulding having at least three angularly spaced webs radiating from a common join and opposite end pieces lying transverse to the common join and engaging with said members.

The end pieces may be disc-shaped and serve to locate the spacer between the bottom of the base and the means pivoting the members to the side walls of the base.

Apertures may be formed in one or more webs to facilitate run off paint immediately after a dipping operation.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a jack according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the jack of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a spacer used in the jack of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a section on lineIV-IV of Fig. 2.

The jack shown comprises two lower links 12, 13 and two upper links 14, 15 hinged together in parallelogram form.

The two upper links 14, 15 are pivotally joined together by a load support member 16 to which the links are separately pivoted by pivot pins 17, 18. The two lower links 12, 13 are separately pivoted to a base 20.

Pivot members 21, 22 pivot each lower link to a respective upper link and a screw 23 passes through both pivot members. The screw bears against one of the pivot members 22 by means of a bearing device 25 and screwengages with the other member 21, which defines a nut.

The screw carries a formation 26 for receiving a handle by which the screw can be turned to effect lift.

The base comprises a bottom 30 with opposed side walls 31. Each link 12, 13, 14, 15 is of channel form with the side walls of the channels extended. The extended side walls 12a, 12b, and 13a, 13b of the lower linlss are pivoted to the side walls 31 of the base by pivot pins 33, 34. The extended side walls of each lower link has teeth 35, 36 which mesh with the teeth of respective extended side walls of the other lower link.

A spacer 37 is located between the meshed extended side walls. The spacer is an injection plastics moulding having disc-shaped end pieces 38, 39. Between the- end pieces is integrally formed a cruciform structure comprising four webs 40 radiating from a common join 41 and angularly spaced by 900 . The end pieces are transverse to the join. Apertures 42 are formed in one or more of the webs.

The spacer is held in position b means of the end pieces engaging between the pivot pins 33, 34 and the bottom 30 of the base.

The spacer is cheap to manufacture and serves to prevent the teeth 35, 36 from coming out of mesh. The cruciform arrangement facilitates run-off of paint after dipping and the apertures ensure that there is no collection of paint.

It is envisaged that three webs spaced at 1200 may be provided, when the apertures may not be required.

Additional webs may, alternatively be provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle jack comprising a base having a bottom and a pair of side walls, a pair of links pivotally mounted between said side walls, each link having a pair of spaced members located one adjacent each respective side wall, each said member having teeth engaged with the teeth of another member of the other link, and a spacer located between the members, the spacer comprising a plastics moulding having at least three angularly spaced webs rediating from a common join and opposite end pieces lying transverse to the common join and engaging with said members.

2. A vehicle jack according to Claim 1, wherein each said link is of channel shape, the sides of channel shape, the sides of the channel defining said spaced members

3. A vehicle jack according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the spacer has four webs radiating from a common join and engaged with the end pieces, each web being spaced from the next by substantially 900

4. A vehicle jack according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the end pieces are disc-shaped and locate the spacer between the bottom of the base and the means pivoting the members to the side walls of the base.

5. A vehicle .jack according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the webs has apertures to facilitate run off of paint after the .jack has been dipped in a paint bath.

6. A vehicle jack according to any preceding Claim, including a pair of upper links pivotted to the said links to define a parallelogram, a screw engaged between opposite pivots of the parallelogram for effecting lift of the jack, and a load support member supported by the upper links.

7. A vehicle jack according to Claim 1 wherein the spacer is constructed substantially as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A vehicle jack constructed substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.