US3689029A

US3689029A - Ratchet-type lift jack unit and lift method for camper bodies and the like

Info

Publication number: US3689029A
Application number: US129035A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dale L Bargman Jr
Original assignee: Colorado Leisure Products Inc
Current assignee: Colorado Leisure Products Inc; Fisher Group Inc
Priority date: 1971-03-29
Filing date: 1971-03-29
Publication date: 1972-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-05
Also published as: CA968778A

Abstract

A free-dropping, self-locking, ratchet-type lift jack unit is adapted for attachment to the sides or corners of a camper body or the like, and each unit has outer and inner telescoping leg sections with the relative axial movement of the leg sections being controlled by a releasable lock arranged to permit a freedropping movement of the inner leg section. The inner leg section is automatically locked against further movement at the end of its drop and upon the application of a load to the leg sections. Each unit is further characterized by a novel demountable handle assembly independent of the releasable lock for effecting relative axial movement between the leg sections. For raising the camper body a pair of the ratchet-type jack units mounted on the camper body will automatically extend and lock as the camper body is raised by similar or other lift means oppositely disposed from said pair of type lift jack units.

Description

United States Patent Bargman, Jr.

1451 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] RATCHET-TYPE LIFT JACK UNIT AND LIFT METHOD FOR CAMPER BODIES AND THE LIKE [72] Inventor: Dale L. Bargman, Jr., Broomfield,

Colo.

[73] Assignee: Colorado Leisure Products, Inc.,

Broomfield, C010.

[22] Filed: March 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 129,035

[52]v US. Cl ..254/45, 214/515 [51] Int. Cl. ..B66f 7/26 [58] Field of Search....254/45, 86 R, 108; 280/150.5; 214/515; 248/356.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,507,476 4/1970 Bennett ..254/45 2,970,810 2/1961 Zich ..254/86 R 2,135,080 11/1938 Johnston ..254/108 1,121,417 12/1914 Tann ..254/108 Wu C l1! 1 s i iii 12/ 3 i lf'|| I4 I I Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Attorney-Reilly & Lewis [57] ABSTRACT A free-dropping, self-locking, ratchet-type lift jack unit is adapted for attachment to the sides or corners of a camper body or the like, and each unit has outer and inner telescoping leg sections with the relative axial movement of the leg sections being controlled by a releasable lock arranged to permit a free-dropping movement of the inner leg section. The inner leg section is automatically locked against further movement at the end of its drop and upon the application of a load to the leg sections. Each unit is further characterized by a novel demountable handle assembly independent of the releasable lock for effecting relative axial movement between the leg sections. For raising the camper body a pair of the ratchet-type jack units mounted on the camper body will automatically extend and lock as the camper body is raised by similar or other liftmeans oppositely disposed from said pair of type lift jack units.

I I l I i/ a 1 1 i 111., il it! I |0 |4 RATCI-IET-TYPE LIFI JACK UNIT AND LIFI METHOD FOR CAMPER BODIES AND THE LIKE This invention relates to novel and improved ratchettype lift jack units and methods for loading and unloading camper bodies and the like with the camper body being supported at all times during the raising and lowering thereof.

Lift apparatus for camper bodies has generally taken the form of unidirectional jack units attached to the sides or corners with independent successive actuation thereof. In my earlier filed application Ser. No. 42,312, filed June 1, 1970, entitled CROSS DRIVE FOR LIFT JACK APPARATUS there is described a cross drive assembly providing a simultaneous and coordinated movement of at least two lift jack units. The present invention is directed to the provision of novel ratchettype lift jack units which are characterized by a freedropping inner leg section which is automatically locked in place upon completion of the drop and wherein a pair of the lift jack units may be mounted on the camper body to automatically lower and lock as the camper body is raised at the opposite end and to afford a self-leveling feature making it easier and more convenient for one man to be able to load and unload a camper body while it rests solidly on the ground.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ratchet-type lift jack assembly for camper bodies and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel and improved jack units which are highly compact, relatively easy to install and operate, and do not interfere with the normal use of the camper, while at the same time being capable of being carried on the camper during the transport thereof.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel ratchet-type jack unit having an improved positive locking lever for the inner leg section which permits free dropping thereof and an improved demountable handle independent of the locking lever operatively associated with inner and outer telescoping leg sections to afford a highly reliable lifting action.

In accordance with the present invention in a preferred form shown there is provided a lift jack unit with outer and inner telescoping leg sections and a movable locking lever having a dog which is positively but yieldably urged into one of a plurality of spaced notches in the inner leg section by a spring. The dog releases the inner leg section when it is suspended so that the inner leg section will freely drop and the spring automatically urges the dog into a locking engagement with the inner leg section at the end of the drop and when a load is applied thereto. A demountable handle includes a yoke and a ratchet dog insertable into a selected of the notches. The yoke has internal pins which releasably insert into notches in a lower shoulder portion on the outer leg section to urge the outer leg section up relative to the inner leg section as the handle is forced down. In a preferred method of raising a camper body a pair of jacks at the rear corners will automatically drop and lock as the front end of the camper is raised by the same type or other types of lift jack units.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the mounting disposition and arrangement of a preferred form of ratchet-type lift jack unit on a conventional camper y;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the ratchet-type lift jack unit shown in FIG. 1 with the lock shown in a locked position in full lines and in a released position in dashed lines and with the inner leg section in an extended position and with the lift handle assembly removed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the lift jack unit shown in FIG. 2 viewing the front end of the lock;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the lift jack unit with the lift handle assembly in place and in a raised position;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the lift jack unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation view partially in section of the lift jack unit with the lift handle assembly in a lowered position; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the forward end of the lift handle assembly.

Referring now to the drawing, in FIG. 1 there is shown a camper body C of a generally rectangular configuration having four ratchet-type lift jack units each designated 10 with each lift jack unit being fixedly secured to one of the four vertical corners of the camper body by means of a corner bracket 12 mounted directly on the camper body and upper and lower C-

clamps

13 and 14 and, for example, the bracket assembly is of the type described in more detail in my copending application Ser. No. 42,312 entitled CROSS DRIVE FOR LIFT JACK APPARATUS.

Each ratchet-type lift jack unit 10 in general comprises outer and inner telescoping leg sections designated 25 and 26, respectively, with the inner leg section 26 slidable axially within the outer leg section 25 for selective raising and lowering of the camper body. The outer leg section 25 has an upper closure cap 24 on its upper end. The outer leg section is fastened to the corner of a camper by the bracket assembly as above described, leaving the inner leg section to depend from the outer leg section. As best seen in FIG. 5, the

leg sections

25 and 26 are generally tubular in shape and the outer leg section 25 is provided with four circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending projections 25a along the inside thereof which cooperate with four complementary circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending grooves 26b formed in the external surface of the inner leg section for added strength and to prevent relative rotational movement between the inner and outer leg sections. The outer leg section has a slot 27 adjacent the lower end thereof which aligns with a series of spaced notches 28 formed in one of the longitudinally extending grooves 26a in said inner leg section. The inner leg section 26 has a ground engaging foot 29 secured at the lower end thereof and normal to the longitudinal axis thereof having sufficient surface area to afford stability for the camper body when elevated.

A generally C-type clamp 30 surrounds a lower end portion of the outer leg section just above slot 27 and has oppositely disposed clamping sections including a straight intermediate side section 300 and inwardly inclined end sections 30b at one end and inwardly inclined end sections 30c at the other end which terminate in spaced-apart apertured

lugs

31 and 32 extending radially outwardly from the outer leg section. The clamp 30 is fixedly secured to the outer leg section at the lower end as by welding to form a lower shoulder on the outer leg section. The clamp has a pair of rearwardly and downwardly inclined slots 33 on opposite sides thereof, the upper ends of the slots providing bearing surfaces for the removable lift handle assembly described hereinafter.

A significant feature of the present invention is believed to reside in the manner in which the two telescoping members are locked and released, and to this end there is provided a generally L-shaped locking lever 36 pivotally mounted on a pin 37 supported between the

lugs

31 and 32 to pivot in a vertical plane between a locking position shown in full in FIG. 2 and a released position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 2. A tension spring 38 urges the locking lever into the locking position. The spring 38 includes a pair of spaced coiled portions 38a which fit over outwardly projecting ends of the pin 37 on the outside of the

lugs

31 and 32, and an intermediate closure portion 38b joining the rear ends of the two coiled portions with closure portion 38b, bearing against the back of the locking lever. The spring terminates in a pair of U- shaped ends 38c oppositely of the closure portion which fit down over the inner ends of the lugs so that as the upper end of the lever is pushed inwardly toward the leg sections the spring is placed under tension.

The locking lever 36 has an inwardly extending locking dog 39 formed at its lower end which releasably extends through the slot 27 and into one of the notches 28 to lock the leg sections against relative axial movement. The locking lever tapers upwardly and is rounded at the upper end to form an actuating trigger 40 which is manually depressed inwardly to manually move the locking lever to the released position. The lower end of the lever 36 is defined by a locking dog 39 which has an inwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge 39a and an oppositely disposed lower edge 39b. The upper inclined edge 39a engages the upper edge of a notch 28 in the outer leg section when the foot of the lower leg section is not in contact with the ground, and the lower horizontal edge 39b engages the lower edge of the notch 28 when a load is applied to the leg sections to lock against relative axial movement therebetween.

The angle of inclination of edge 39a and the tension in the spring 38 are selected so that the weight of the inner leg section moves the upper edge of the notch 28 against the inclined dog edge 39a and causes the locking dog 39 to rotate about the pin 37 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 2. This action releases the inner leg section for a free-falling or dropping movement when the inner leg section is suspended above the ground. Once the foot on the inner leg section comes into contact with the ground the tension spring 38 forces the dog 39 back into one of the notches 28 and the lower edge of the notch bears against the lower edge 39b of the dog to prevent further relative axial movement of the leg sections.

A safety catch 41 is pivotally mounted on a rivet 42 in a notch on one side of the lock member slightly above the lugs, and the safety catch has an inturned dog portion 43 movable to a position between the outer leg section and rivet 42 to prevent pivotal movement of the locking lever 36 from the locking position. The catch 41 has a top tab 44 which is bent over to extend laterally to one side to facilitate the manual pivoting of the safety catch between a locking and released position.

A demountable or releasable handle assembly 45 is provided to actuate the telescoping leg sections for effecting relative axial movement which in general includes a U-shaped yoke 46, an elongated handle section 47 secured to the back of the yoke and inclined upwardly and outwardly at an angle from the back of the yoke and terminating in an outer grip 47a, together with a ratchet member 48 pivotally mounted in a depending manner from the yoke. The yoke 46 has a pair of spaced parallel side legs 46a and 46b and a closed end portion 460 joining the side legs and each side leg is provided with an inturned pin 49 which releasably inserts into the inclined slots 33 on the outer leg section, as best seen in FIG. 4. The ratchet member 48 has a generally V-shaped cross section with an upper forked section of spaced parallel side arms 48a and 48b provided with apertures into which pin members 51 are mounted and fixedly secured to pivotally mount. the ratchet member 41 on the yoke 46. A lower leg section 480 of the ratchet member forms a continuation of the side arms and is contoured along one side to provide a forwardly projecting dog 53.

The ratchet member is spring-biased on the yoke by a separate tension spring 52 mounted on pin 51 on each side of the yoke. Each spring 52 includes an inturned coil section 52a having a leg terminating in a hook 52b at one end which loops under one arm section and another leg terminates in a hook 52c at the opposite end hooked under the closure portion of the yoke. A stop pin 54 extends upwardly from side leg 46a to limit the amount pivotal movement of the ratchet member.

The dog 53 releasably inserts into one of the notches 28 in the inner leg section and the ratchet member is contoured with a stepped portion including a horizontal edge portion 53a forming the underside of the dog and a vertical edge portion 53b at right angles to portion 53a. Vertical edge 53b bears against a portion of the inner leg section below the notch 28 and as the handle is moved downwardly the pins 49 are urged against the upper ends of the slots 33 to raise the outer leg section while at the same time tension is applied to the arms of spring 52. After a full downstroke, the handle is raised, pulling the dog from a notch, and the dog is inserted into the next succeeding upper notch with spring 52 urging it thereinto and the sequence is repeated to raise the camper body to the desired height.

In a full sequence of operation for the ratchet-type lift jack unit it is assumed that at least one of the jack units has been mounted at a comer of a camper body which is equipped with either the same or different lift means at the other corners or along the sides to elevate the camper body. As a portion of the camper body is raised by the lift means the inner leg section of the ratchet-type unit 10 will automatically drop and lock with the locking lever being pivoted to the released position under the weight of the inner leg section and automatically swinging back to the lock position at the end of the drop of the inner leg section. In the event the jack unit is manually raised by the ratchet-type jack unit the intumed pins 49 of the lift handle assembly are inserted into the inclined slots 33 and the ratchet dog is inserted into a notch 28 just below the lower end of the outer leg section with the handle in a raised position, as best seen in FIG. 4. A force is then applied to the outer end of the handle causing the stepped edges 53a and 53b on the ratchet member to bear against the inner leg section and apply an upwardly directed force to the upper ends of slots 33 to raise the outer leg section axially relative to the inner leg section. During the upward movement action the upper inclined edge of the locking lever is engaged by a side notch and is moved out of the notch and slot as best seen in FIG. 6. As the handle is moved down the arms of spring 52 are brought closer together, placing them under tension. At the end of the downward stroke of the handle the locking lever dog will automatically move back into a notch 28 to hold the relative positions of the outer and inner leg sections and the ratchet dog 53 may be withdrawn from its associated notch by raising the outer end of the handle, and once withdrawn the tension of spring 52 forces the ratchet dog into the next successive upper notch so that the downward stroke may be repeated and the jack unit increased in length to mechanically raise the camper jack body.

To shorten the jack unit and lower the camper body the upper end of the locking lever 36 is momentarily depressed and released, allowing the inner leg section to retract one notch at a time.

In one preferred method of raising the camper body, two of the ratchet-type lift jack units are mounted at the two rear corners of the camper body. The lifting and lowering comes entirely from the front of the camper body. This may be done by two additional ratchet-type lift jack units at the front or other forms of lift means such as, for example, a pair of hydraulic lift jack units, one at each front corner of the camper body as described fully in my copending application Ser. No. 135,705 filed Apr. 20, 1971, entitled HYDRAULIC LIFT JACK APPARATUS. As the camper body is rocked from side to side by the actuation of the front lift jacks the rear ratchet-type lift units will automatically lower and lock themselves as the load is applied.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lift jack assembly for raising and lowering a camper body or the like, a ratchet-type jack unit comprising:

telescoping outer and inner leg sections, said inner leg section having a series of spaced notches arranged longitudinally thereof,

locking means positively but releasably urged into engagement with said inner leg section in a locking position, said locking means being movable to a released position under the weight of the inner leg section to allow for a free-dropping movement of said inner leg section, said locking means being biased to automatically return to locking engagement with said inner leg section against further movement relative to said outer leg section when a load is applied in a direction urging said inner leg section upwardly with respect to said outer leg section and,

handle means having a yoke at one end adapted to extend around said outer leg section, there being attachment means between said yoke and said outer leg section to pivotally attach the yoke to oppositely disposed portions of the outer leg section and a ratchet supported on the yoke terminating in a dog adapted to insert into a selected one of said notches whereby a downward force applied to the handle urges said outer leg section upwardly relative to the inner leg section, said locking means automatically locking said leg sections at the end of each downstroke of the handle.

2. In a lift jack assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said attachment means is in the form of a pair of oppositely disposed slots on said outer leg section and a pair of intumed aligned pins on said yoke adapted to insert into said pair of slots.

3. In a lift jack assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pair of slots are formed in a C-type clamp secured to the lower end of the outer leg section, said slots being inclined upwardly toward said handle.

4. In a lift jack assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said clamp has a pair of outwardly projecting lugs and a cross pin through the lugs for providing a pivotal support for the locking means above the lugs.

5. In a lift jack assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said handle is inclined on an upwardly directed angle form the back of the yoke.

6. In a lift jack assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ratchet member has a forked upper end pivotally connected to the side arms of the yoke, and bias means to urge the dog into each notch.

7. In a lift jack assembly for raising and lowering a camper body or the like, a ratchet-type lift jack unit for at least one corner of the camper body, said lift jack unit comprising:

outer and inner telescoping tubular leg sections, said outer leg section having a lower end portion with a slot and a pair of spaced projections extending outwardly from said outer leg section, said inner leg section having a series of vertically spaced notches aligned with the slot of the outer leg section,

a generally L-shaped positive locking lever pivotally mounted between said lugs, said lever having an inturned dog in the lower end thereof, said dog being positively moved through said slot successively into each notches as the leg sections are moved axially relative to one another to lock in the outer and inner leg sections against relative axial movement, said locking lever dog being inwardly and downwardly inclined for automatically releasing the inner leg section from the outer leg section for a free-dropping movement as the camper body is raised, said locking the lever being spring-biased to automatically move into the locking position, and

a demountable lift handle assembly having a yoke at one end, one of the lower end portion of said outer leg section and said yoke having a pair of aligned pins and the other of said lower end portion and yoke having a pair of opposed slots adapted to receive said pins to releasably connect said yoke to said outer leg section for pivotal movement about the axis of said pins, a handle extending from the back of the yoke and a ratchet member depending from said yoke and terminating in a ratchet dog shaped to removably insert into the notches in the inner leg section and as the handle is moved in a downward stoke and an upward force is imparted to the outer leg section through the pins with the locking lever dog entering the next notch in the inner leg section.

8. In a lift jack assembly in which a plurality of lift jack units are attached to a camper body for raising and lowering same, each said lift jack unit comprising telescoping outer and inner leg sections, each of said telescoping outer sections including locking means positively but releasably urged into locking engagement with its associated inner leg section, said locking means being movable to a released position under the weight of the inner leg section to allow for a freedropping movement of said inner leg section, said locking means being biased to automatically return to locking engagement with said inner leg section against further movement relative to said outer leg section when a load is applied in a direction urging said inner leg section upwardly with respect to said outer leg sectron,

a demountable handle actuated means supported for pivotal movement on said outer leg section, said handle actuated means including a yoke adapted to extend around said outer leg section, there being releasable attachment means on said yoke and said outer leg section to pivotally attach the leg section.

Claims

1. In a lift jack assembly for raising and lowering a camper body or the like, a ratchet-type jack unit comprising: telescoping outer and inner leg sections, said inner leg section having a series of spaced notches arranged longitudinally thereof, locking means positively but releasably urged into engagement with said inner leg section in a locking position, said locking means being movable to a released position under the weight of the inner leg section to allow for a free-dropping movement of said inner leg section, said locking means being biased to automatically return to locking engagement with said inner leg section against further movement relative to said outer leg section when a load is applied in a direction urging said inner leg section upwardly with respect to said outer leg section and, handle means having a yoke at one end adapted to extend around said outer leg section, there being attachment means between said yoke and said outer leg section to pivotally attach the yoke to oppositely disposed portions of the outer leg section and a ratchet supported on the yoke terminating in a dog adapted to insert into a selected one of said notches whereby a downward force applied to the handle urges said outer leg section upwardly relative to the inner leg section, said locking means automatically locking said leg sections at the end of each downstroke of the handle.

2. In a lift jack assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said attachment means is in the form of a pair of oppositely disposed slots on said outer leg section and a pair of inturned aligned pins on said yoke adapted to insert into said pair of slots.

7. In a lift jack assembly for raising and lowering a camper body or the like, a ratchet-type lift jack unit for at least one corner of the camper body, said lift jack unit comprising: outer and inner telescoping tubular leg sections, said outer leg section having a lower end portion with a slot and a pair of spaced projections extending outwardly from said outer leg section, said inner leg section having a series of vertically spaced notches aligned with the slot of the outer leg section, a generally L-shaped positive locking lever pivotally mounted between said lugs, said lever having an inturned dog in the lower end thereof, said dog being positively moved through said slot successively into each notches as the leg sections are moved axially relative to one another to lock in the outer and inner leg sections against relative axial movement, said locking lever dog being inwardly and downwardly inclined for automatically releasing the inner leg section from the outer leg section for a free-dropping movement as the camper body is raised, said locking the lever being spring-biased to automatically move into the locking position, and a demountable lift handle assembly having a yoke at one end, one of the lower end portion of said outer leg section and said yoke having a pair of aligned pins and the other of said lower end portion and yoke having a pair of opposed slots adapted to receive said pins to releasably connect said yoke to said outer leg section for pivotal movement about the axis of said pins, a handle extending from the back of the yoke and a ratchet member depending from said yoke and terminating in a ratchet dog shaped to removably insert into the notches in the inner leg section and as the handle is moved in a downward stoke and an upward force is imparted to the outer leg section through the pins with the locking lever dog entering the next notch in the inner leg section.

8. In a lift jack assembly in which a plurality of lift jack units are attached to a camper body for raising and lowering same, each said lift jack unit comprising telescoping outer and inner leg sections, each of said telescoping outer sections including locking means positively but releasably urged into locking engagement with its associated inner leg section, said locking means being movable to a released position under the weight of the inner leg section to allow for a free-dropping movement of said inner leg section, said locking means being biased to automatically return to locking engagement with said inner leg section against further movement relative to said outer leg section when a load is applied in a direction urging said inner leg section upwardly with respect to said outer leg section, a demountable handle actuated means supported for pivotal movement on said outer leg section, said handle actuated means including a yoke adapted to extend around said outer leg section, there being releasable attachment means on said yoke and said outer leg section to pivotally attach the yoke to oppositely disposed portions of the outer leg section.