US2227397A - Jack - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3l, 1,940. M. B. LUC'KER 2,227,397

, JACK Filed March 10, 1938 .lumnllr INVENTOR ATroRNxmf,

Patented Uec. 31, 1940 y' A. UNITED *STATES PATENT 'OFI-*lcs 'l isolani. (ci. 25e-10s) This invention relates to a pushing and pulling device and more particularly to' a device adapted to be used as an automobile jack or as a portable automobile body repair tool.

I'he invention is particularly adaptable to a ja'ck or repair tool of the so-called friction grip type, which includes a relatively long supporting rod on which a housing is adapted to be moved by means of one or more clutches pivotally l0 mounted within or on. the housing and adapted alternately to grip and release the rod. whereby the housing which carries the load, in the case of a jack, is propelled upwardly along the housing` to lift the load. Among the objects of my inl ventlon are to provide an improved construction for a device of the foregoing character, wherein there is provided actuating and/or releasing clutch constructions formed of a plurality of plates or layers, as for instance a two-layer or two-plate clutch, for actuating and/or for holding the housing in gripping relation with the longitudinal rod, whereby to provide a more effective gripping action during the canting of the clutches, and whereby to provide a more effective interaction between the housing and the clutches; to provide these and other objects of invention as will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of one form of my improved construction particularly illustrated in the form of a jack;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the operation of theactuating or lifting clutch in its support gripping position:

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the holding clutch in released position:

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line l-B of Fig. 1:

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of onelayer of the holding clutch; and

Fig. 'l is a perspective view of one layer of 4the .M actuating or lifting clutch.

2 Referring now to the device in detail:

in general my invention comprises an elongated upright 2 preferably formed as a rod or tube and preferably of circular cross section, although it t0 may be polygonal in cross section. This upright 2 is supported in any suitable base I, with which it makes a detachable friction grip whereby the elongated support 2 is held in generally upright position. The `upper portion of this elongated support 2 is preferably peened over slightly, as at t, to form a stop or head which is adapted to contact with a portion of the saddle support hereinafter described, to prevent detachment of the saddle support from the housing and from the support 2. 5

Cooperating with the elongated upright 2 is a. housing 8 of preferably cylindrical cross section in part and preferably considerably elongated in the direction of the upright 2. This housing is formed preferably as a one-piece or integral l0 metal casting, although it may be in some instances formed of heavy gauge pressed sheet metal or steel construction. The housing includes at its upper portion a substantially elongated sleeve-like member I0 having the upper 15 end inwardly extending. as at I2, and formed with an opening I4 which closely4 surrounds the upright 2 and providing an upper bearing of the housing for this upright 2.

The upper portion of the housing, as at I2, is 20 formed as a substantially horizontal platform when the housing is in vertical position. The

central portion of the housing is formed as a meansl for supporting the lifting and holding clutch mechanism, whereby the housing is verti- 25 cally shifted along the upright 2. The bottom of the housing is provided with an inwardly extendi ing partition I6 which has an opening il registering with the opening Il of the flange l2. This bottom inwardly projecting flange It forms a botso tom bearing for the upright 2. The housing is provided with an internally 'projecting flange 2l located between the two ilanges I2 and l2, which iiange forms a dividing abutment and pivot for the actuating clutch. c 35 'I'he actuating clutchis preferably formed of a p plurality of elements shown specifically in Fig. '1. They comprise a preferably round, washer-like shaped, sheet metal stamping 22 having an opening 24 centrally thereof and a laterally projecting o actuating lug 28. 'I'here are preferably two of these sheet metal elements which are superimposed and have their openings 24 registering to receive therethrough the upright 2. The rearmost edge of the uppermost element abuts against 5 the upper face of the inward projection 20, whereby to form a pivot to permit these actuating plates to be tilted with respect to the rod or upright 2.- The inner edges of the openings 2l form biting or gripping jaws adapted, when the clutch is tilted, to grip the upright and whereby the housing may be advanced upwardly of the rod4 2. The outer end of this clutch plate 22 is adapted detachably to fit within a furcation 28 of an operating lever 30 detachably pivoted to the hous- 55 ing, as at 32, through a longitudinal slot 34 formed in the front wall of the housing. For this purpose the walls Iofthe housing l project forwardly, as at Il, to form spaced apart cheeks. These cheeks are perforated to receive the pivotal pin 32. The end of the lever may be of sumcient length to permit the clutch-like member to be shifted angularly and whereby upon oscillation of this lever 30 the housing 36 will be lifted upwardly along the rod 2, by the gripping action of this lifting clutch 22. A spring $8 is coiled between the upper face of the inwardly extending flange Il and takes against the under side of the lower layer of the clutch member 22 whereby to keep the clutch` normally upwardly against the under surface of tion 20. v

'I'he holding clutch plates, one of -which is shown in perspective in Fig. 6, are formed somewhat similarly to the lifting clutch, being provided with a central relatively round or washerlike portion 40 provided with an integral diametrically extending lug 42 and an oppositely extending operating lug 44. The central open.

ing 46 registers with the central opening of the other layer or plate of this holding clutch. The holding clutch is preferably formed of stamped sheet metal, and like the operating clutch is preferably hardened to give it proper wear. 'I'he two layers of the holding clutch are placed in superimposed relation and are adapted to have their registering ends 42 received in aslot 48 in the housing 8 generally opposite the elongated slot 34. A -sprin'g 50, coiledbe'tween the upper side of the flange 20 andthe under side of the lower clutch section 40, normally tends to cant this clutch to the position shown in Fig. l, such that it normally grips the upright 2 and holds the housing in fixed position relative to this rod. Upon movement of the holding clutch to an uncanrted position, as shown in Fig. 3. a releasing action is effected which permits the downward travel of the housing relatively to the upright '2. This releasing is effected by insertion of a rod 52 in the opening 34 on the under side of a bottom edge I4 of said opening of the housing, and by pressing slightly downwardly upon the upper face of the operating tongue 44 the holding clutch will be shifted to uncanted position.

The load supporting member preferably comprises a conically shaped sleeve or rin'g 56 having a bottom edge 58 and-an upper opening 60 registering with the opening I4 of the main housing. This load support is provided with a projecting saddle in the form of a laterally extending prong 62 which is adapted to receive, for instance, a bumper suppor-t i4 for raising an automobile from the ground. By formin-g this load'support as an independent element, I a-m enabled considerably to decrease the cost of manufacture of rthe Jack housing; to bring the saddle, which receives the weight of the load, much closer to 'the longitudinal axis of the rod 2, whereby to eliminate undue lateral strain of the housing on the upright 2 during the lifting and releasing operation, thereby making the operation of the jack much sm'oother and easier in actuation and I am enabled to place the upper bearing I2 at the maximum distance from the lower bearing I 6, thereby providing a greater distance between these bearings and thereby reducing to a mini-l mum the lateral tilting or shifting of the rod or upright 2 relative to the housing. In addition, by forming this load support 56 as an entirely separable and independent element from the the inwardly extending parti-- housing' I, I am enabled to permit it angularly to shift around the rod 2. The head 8 on the upper end ofthe rod maintains this load support 56 in assembled relation with respect to the housing l and to the rod 2.

During assembly of the jack, the rod is inserted through theload support 58 and housing I il, the clutch members and operating levers and springs having been inserted through the opening 34, and then the 'base 4 is attached to the lower end of the upright 2 by means of its friction grip, whereby to produce a completely assembled job.

By forming the clutches of sheet metal and forming them in superposed layers or sections, I am' sible toprovide a much cheaper type of construction an'd likewise to form the gripping edges more closely together so that with a minimum tilt I secure a maximum grip. In addition, I provide a plurality of gripping or biting contacts for each clutch. since there are two layers and each layer will provide two oppositely disposed gripping contacts, making a total of four gripping contacts in all for each clutch. Itwill thus be seen that by my improved construction I have provided a very rugged, economical and simple type of Jack cons-truction or construction adaptable in certain instances as a body repair kit tool. In the event that the device is used as a body repair kit tool, the upper` load member 56 is removed and the upper and lower portions of the housing are suitably threaded.

In some instances I prefer to make the housing body of the jack of sheet metal construction, for instance as shown in my prior application Serial No. 74,969, flied April 17, 1936, in which case the relative sliding movement of the two clutch sections during their canting wil-l tend to provide a certain amount of flexibility to offset any binding action due to any possible lateral movement of the sheet metal housing relatively to the support rod during operation of the jack.

The claims of this application are directed more particularly to the laminated clutch conlstruction, claims to other features of the device shown being presented in applications of applicant copending herewith, including applications, Serial No. 43,752, filed October 5, 1935; Serial No. 74,969, filed April 17, 1936; Serial No. 101,693, flied September 21, 1936, and Serial No. 184,174, iiledJanuary 10, 1938.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention set forth for purposes of illustration without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. The invention is accordingly not to 'be limited to tb'.I precise embodiment shown, but only as indicated in the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, 2 ,what is claimed as new and is desired .to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated rod forming a support, a housing adapted to slide along said rod, clutch means pivotally mounted on said housing and having an opening therethrough through which said rod is adapted to pass, said clutch means being formed of a plurality of separable layers, and means for actuating said clutch means to cause the same to grip the rod and to propel the housing along said rod.

2. In a device of the'class described, the combination of an elongated rod forming a support, an elongated housing having an opening through which the rod is adapted to pass, clutch means pivotally mounted within said housing and having an opening through which the rod is adapted to pass, said clutch means being formed of sheet metal stampings lying in superposed relation upon each other, and means for causing said clutch means to grip and to release said rod.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated rod forming a support, an elongated housing having an opening through which the rod is adapted to pass, clutch means pivotally mounted within said housing and having an opening through which the rod is adapted to pass, said clutch means being formed of sheet metal stamplngs lying in superposed relation upon each other, and means for causing said clutch means to grip and to release said rod, the opening in said clutch means forming biting Jaws grip- Dingly to engage said rod.

4. A clutch for devices of the class described formed of a plurality of layers of sheet metal disposed in superposed registering relation, each -ture built up from a layer including a generally circular central portion provided with a hole therethrough and substantially diametrically oppositely extending lugs, one of said lugs forming a pivot for the clutch and the opposite lug being constructed and arranged to receive an operating lever, the edges of each layer at the hole forming grippingl surfaces for the clutch.

5. A jack comprising a base, an upright rod, a

housing adapted longitudinally to slide along said ,l

rod, said housing having registering apertures to receive the rod therethrough, the upper portion of the housing carrying.a load-carrying member, clutch means mounted in said housing and having openings through which the rod will pass, said clutch means comprising a vplurality of superimposed sheet metal stampings having gripping edges adapted to grip the supporting rod, and means for actuating the clutch means.

6. VIn friction jacks and the like, relatively movable members, one of said members taking the form of a relatively smooth surfaced bar, a friction clutch interposed between said members for transmitting the load from one member to the other, said clutch comprising a laminated strucplurality of relatively thin sheet metall platea slidable upon one another.

, form of a relatively smooth spaced opposed portions of each plate defining `an opening slightly greater than the thickness of said bar through which said bar extends, said opposed portions of said plates gripping said bar and. an individually canted position upon said bar when' said laminated structure is canted as a unit. p f

'1. In friction Jacks and the like. relatively movable members, one ofsaid members taking the surfaced bar. a pair of friction clutches interposed between said membcrs for transmitting Y to 'the other, one of said clutches serving as a the load from one member locking detent and theother oi said clutches serving at an elevating detent.' said clutches comprising a plurality of relatively thin plates slidable uponone another,

opening slightly greater bar through which said than the thickness of said bar extends, said opposed portions of saidpiates gripvins said bar and an individually frocanted position upon said bar when said clutches are canted as a unitary structure.

8. In friction'lacks and the like, relatively movable members, one of which takes the form of a bar, a friction clutch interpolod spaced opposed portions .'stampings having plates having Aaligned openings through which said bar extends, each of said plates gripping said bar and assuming an individually canted position upon said bar when said clutch is canted` upon said bar as a unit.

9. A friction clutch for jacks and the like, comprising a plurality of superimposed relatively thin metal plates, said plates being slidable upon one another and having aligned openings to receive a bar vto be individually gripped by each plate when said clutch is in a canted position upon the bar.

10. In a lifting mechanism including a supporting column and a housing mounted for relative vertical movement with respect to said supporting column, a plurality of lifting plates within said housing disposed inv superimposed relation with respect to each other, each of said lifting plates having an aperture therethrough through which said supporting column passes, means for simultaneously tilting all of said plates. said plates being slidable with respect to each other whereby when said platesv are tilted, each may frictionally engage said column substantially independently of each other. l

11. In a lifting mechanism including a supporting column and afhousing mounted for relative vertical movement with respect to said supporting column, a plurality of lifting plates within said housing disposed in superimposed relation with respect to each other,each of said lifting plates having an aperture therethrough through which said supporting column passes, means for simultaneously tilting all of said plates, said plates being slidable with respect to each other whereby when said plates are tilted, each may frictionally engage said column substantially independently of each' other, said plates being bodily vertically movable a substantial distance with respect to said housing, and resilient means for supporting said plates in predetermined position with respect to said housing.

12.7In a lifting mechanism including a supporting column and a housing mounted for relative vertical movement with respect tcsaid supporting column, a plurality o! lifting plates within said housing disposed in superimposed relation with respect to each other, each of said plates having an aperture therethrough, through which said supporting column passes', means for simultaneously tilting all of said plates, said plates being slidable transversely with respect to each other, whereby when said plates are tilted each may frictionally engage said column substan independently of each other, and a plurality of superimposed locking ing an aperture through which said supporting column' passes, and resilient means normally serving to tilt said locking' plates whereby the same will each frictionally engage said lifting column.

in to receive a clutch supporting rod, the edges of the sheet metal stampings at the holes forming biting edges.

' MIILARD B. LUCKER.

plates each similarly hav-A

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