US2063661A - Bumper jack - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a jack and while the jaclr may have various applications, it particularly is designed as a bumper jack for an automobile. It has heretofore been the custom to use jacks 5 which were placed under the axle or spring to elevate the automobile in order to change a tire. It is a difficult and voften irksome task to locate such a jack as it must be placed a considerable distance under the car. The present tendency is to use a bumper jack or vone which engages the ,bumper or some part thereof in order to lift the car yto changea tire. The bumpers are at the `ends .of the car and easily accessible and it is not ,necessary for the operator to get down on the 1'ground andv place a jack beneath the car. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a very simple', easily placed and easily and ,quickly operated jack for lifting a car by engaging the bumper or bumper support.

It is a further object of the invention to provide 'a bumper jack having a means for 'engaging a `,bumper part, a flexible means secured to said ,means and a rotatable means for lifting said ilexible means and thus raising the bumper and car.

It is a further object of the invention to pro- Vide Such a jack as set forth in the preceding paragraph in which the rotatable means is oper- `ated by a lever-actuated means.

`It is still another object of the invention to provide ,a jack having abase and a frame readily removable therefrom, which frame may comprise spaced members which can be placed at either vvside of a Vbumper part and engage the base mem- `ber.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the jack, a portion being broken away and other portions shown in vertical section; j

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the jack as applied to a bumper support of an automobile;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the jack;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, a portion being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of a modified form .of the device.

Referring to the drawing, a jack is shown comprising a base member I0. While this base memlbs? might take various forms., in the `@mbo.dfnflerit posed in the tops of members II.

of the invention illustrated it is shown as com- I prising a plate of rectangular form in plan, from which plate upstands a pair of cylindrical pins Illa suitably secured to the plate at their lower ends, as by the riveting shown. A frame is shown comprising spaced vertical members II. Members I I are shown as tubular and open at their lower ends so that they can be placed over the pins Ia and `be supported on the base Ill. Members I I extend a considerable distance above base I0 and at their upper ends are shown as 4connected by a U-shaped cylindrical bar I2 having its sides dis- A supporting member I3 is provided shown as in the form of a headed and nutted bolt extending through and between members II. Between members I I member I3 forms a support or axle for a reel IIIl is in the form of a ratchet wheel I4b. A flexible cable I is provi-ded, one end of which is secured in reel I4 adjacent ratchet wheel I4b and the other end of cable I5 has secured thereto a hook member I6. Hook member I6'is shown as having an aperture through which member I5 passes, the latter being formed into a loop I5a, which loop is maintained by binding wires I'I extending around and clamping thesides thereof. Member I3 has pivoted thereon at' one side of ratchet wheel IIIb and between the same and the adjacent member I I a lever I8. Lever I8 has a somewhat elongated slot |801.l adjacent its'end through which member I3 passes, said lever being of considerable length and extending some distance to one side of member I3, the same being shown as having its outer end somewhat curved downwardly to form a handle. 'Lever I8 has a pin I9 secured therein and projecting at one side thereof adapted to lengage in the spaces between the teeth of ratchet wheel I4b. A pawl member 20 is pivoted on the pivot 2I extending into one member I I,said pawl member extending across and between members I'I in position to seat in one of the spaces between the teeth` of ratchet wheel I4b. Pawl 20 is shown as having its free end formed in semi-circular shape and extending about one member II. y

In operation, the base member I0 is placed on the ground beneath the bumper 24 or the bumpersupporting bracket 25 which secures the bumper to the frame 26 of the car. When member I0 is thus placed in position, the frame comprising members I I is placed in position from above support 25, the members II extending at each 4side of or straddling one side of member 25. The

lower ends of members il are placed over or telescoped on the pins lila and the frame is then supported on base I0. The hook it is now hooked under the lower side of member 25. The operator now oscillates lever i3 and on the dovvn stroke engages pin i9 with one of the teeth of ratchet wheel lllb. It will be seen that lever I8 can be drawn outwardly a short distance due to slot ia so that pin i9 can be disengaged from wheel iLib and lever i8 again lifted to engage said pin with the next adjacent tooth. Wheel ilb is thus intermittently rotated. Pawl 2S is lifted as each tooth of wheel iib moves thereunder and drops by gravity into the next space. Said pawl therefore prevents reverse movement of wheel iflb. As wheel illb is rotated reel M is rotated and member i5 is wound up on said reel, thus lifting hook i6, bracket 25, bumper 2li and the car body or frame 28. There is quite a distance of lifting capacity and the wheel of the automobile is soon lifted oi of the ground so that a tire can be changed. The lever i8 is easily operated and the car is quickly lifted. When it is desired to lower the car it can be let down in gradual stages by pressing down on lever i8 suiciently to release the tension on pawl 2li, then lifting said pawl by hand and holding lever it while the car is allowed to descend the distance of one or two teeth on wheel iiib. This operation can be repeated until the wheel is again in contact with the ground. If desired, the car can be quickly lowered by throwing lever i3 upwardly to engage pawl 2i) and knock it from engagement with wheel Mb. The weight of the car then quickly pulls down on cable l5, rotating reel Hi so that the car drops at once to the ground.

In Fig. 6 a modified form of the device is shown having a base member 3l] comprising a plate of rectangular form and having upstanding centrally therefrom a single pin 38a. A member 3i in the form of a tube open at its lower end is provided and this tube fits over pin 30a. Member Si has secured to its upper end a frame member 32 illustrated as formed from a flat bar bent into substantially rectangular form with lower side portions 32a. extending along each side of member 3i and secured thereto by the rivets 33. A headed and nutted bolt 3ft extends through and between the sides of member 32 and has journaled thereon a reel 35 similar in all respects to reel ill already described and having a ratchet wheel 35a similar to wheel Mib at one side thereof. A lever 36 similar to lever I8 is pivotally mounted on. member 36B and has a pin 3l projecting from one side in position to engage ratchet wheel 35d. A 4small bracket 38 is secured at the upper inner side of member 32 by rivets 39 and a pawl di) is -pivoted to bracket 38 to swing vertically about its pivot 4|, the free end of pawl fill being bent to extend along one side of frame 32. A exible cable d2 preferably made of wire has one end secured to reel 35 and at its other end has secured thereto a hook member i3 similar to member it, said hook being secured in a loop 2d formed on the end of member 42.

The operation of the form shown in Fig. 6 is similar to that already described for the device shown in Figs. l to 5. Base Sil is placed in proper position beneath the bumper or a supporting part thereof and member 3i is then placed downward over pin Sila. Hook t3 is then engaged with the lower side oi the bumper or bumpersupport and lever 35 is operated as already described in connection with lever i8 to rotate reel 35, wind up cable ft2 and lift hook i3 to lift the bumper and car. The car can be lowered as already described either by gradual steps or by releasing pawl 40 and allowing the car to drop.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient form oi bumper jack. The jack comprises very few parts and can be made of a size which is easily carried under the rear seat ,of the car or in the trunk now often provided. The jack is very easily and quickly placed in position for operation and the operation is also easy and quite rapid. The speed of operation is one of the important features of applicants jack. The jack will lift the heaviest cars and the operating lever is operated with remarkable ease. The parts of the jack can be made quite rugged so that the jack will be very durable and yet will not have xcessive weight. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and eiiicient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, ar rangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and dened in the appended claims.

Vihat is claimed isz- 1. A bumper jack for an automobile having in combination, a plate-like base member adapted to be disposed horizontally on a supporting surface, a frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel adjacent rod-like frame members of. small horizontal cross-section extending vertically upward from said base member, the upper part of said frame being separable vertically from and telescoping over the lower part, a reel mounted between the upper ends of said frame members having its axis substantially in the plane passing centrally through said members, a flexible cable secured at one end to said reel and adapted to be wound thereon, a hook secured to the other end of said cable, said hook and the free end of said cable depending between said frame members and closely adjacent the plane thereof, said hook being adapted to engage a bumper part of. an automobil-e, a ratchet wheel secured to said reel, a lever journaled about the axis of'said reel, a pawl on said lever for engaging said wheel and rotating the same upon oscillation of said lever and means for preventing reverse rotation of said reel whereby said base member may be placed beneath said bumper, the upper part of said frame moved downwardly straddling said bumper part and engaged with said lower part, said hook engaged with said bumper part andv the latter elevated by oscillation of said lever.

2. A bumper jack comprising a base member adapted to be disposed horizontally on a supporting surface, a pair of members upstanding from said base, a pair of standards of. small crosssectional area telescoping over said members and extending upwardly in spaced parallel relation, a reel journaled in said members and disposed therebetween adjacent the top thereof having its axis substantially in the plane passing through the central axes of said members, a ratchet wheel secured to said reel, a lever journaled about the axis of said reel having a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, a flexible cable secured at one end to said reel and having its free end depending between said standards, a hook adapted to engage 75 a bumper part of an automobile secured to said free end of said cable and means for preventing reverse rotation of said ratchet wheel.

3. A bumper jack for an automobile having in combination, a base member adapted to be disposed horizontally on a supporting surface, spaced members projecting upwardly from said base member, a U-shaped frame having parallel sides, telescoping over said last mentioned members and extending vertically therefrom, a shaft extending through and between said sides, a reel journaled on said shaft, a ratchet wheel secured to said reel, a lever journaled on said shaft, a pawl carried by said lever engaging said ratchet Wheel for rotating the same by the oscillation of Said lever, a stop pawl pivoted to said frame for preventing reverse rotation 4of said ratchet wheel, a flexible cable secured at one end to said reel and adapted to be wound thereon having its free end depending. between said sides and closely adjacent the plane thereof, a hook secured to said free end adapted to engage a bumper part whereby said basey member may be placed beneath said bumper and said U-shaped frame moved downwardly with its sides straddling said bumper part and engaged with said bumper and said lever oscillated to wind said cable on said reel and lift said bumper part, said cable then extending vertically in a line closely adjacent the center of Said base.

4. A bumper jack for an automobile having in combination, a frame comprising a base and an upwardly extending standard of small cross-sectional area, the upper part of said frame being separable from and telescoping over the lower part thereof and having spaced vertically extending portions, a reel axle extending between said portions, a reel mounted on and revoluble about the axis of. said axle, a ratchet wheel secured to one end of said reel, a lever journaled about said axle and having a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, a flexible cable secured at one end to said reel and having a free end depending closely adjacent the plane of said standard, a hook adapted to engage a bumper part secured to said free end and a stop pawl pivoted to said frame extending across said ratchet wheel and across the plane of said lever whereby said lever may be swung upwardly to engage said stop pawl and move the same out of engagement with said ratchet wheel.

FRANK L. CURRAN.

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