WO1995008504A1

WO1995008504A1 - Door jacking device

Info

Publication number: WO1995008504A1
Application number: PCT/GB1994/002037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Laurence Cairns
Original assignee: Laurence Cairns
Priority date: 1993-09-20
Filing date: 1994-09-19
Publication date: 1995-03-30
Also published as: GB9319380D0; AU7622694A

Abstract

The jacking device is foot actuated by means of a pedal (9) to raise a lifting element (4) which is positioned underneath the edge of a door such that the door is lifted and retained in a supporting position. In a preferred embodiment successive actuations of the pedal (9) cause the door to be lifted incrementally to the required height; the device may be provided with a release (13) such that the lifting element (4) can be lowered from the supporting position. Because the jacking device is foot operated, both hands of the fitter are left free for manipulation of the door.

Description

Door Jackinσ Device

The present invention relates to a door jacking device.

Door jacking devices are known from, for example, US-A- 4492369 and DE-A-2538775. The devices shown in these documents enable a door to be jacked up to enable easier fitting in a door frame architrave by a fitter. The devices described in the documents referred to are hand actuated by means of respective hand levers.

An improved door jacking device has now been devised.

According to the invention, there is provided a foot actuated door jackiπr device comprising a lifting element arranged to be posit: enable under the bottom edge of a door, pedal means actuatable to raise the lifting element to a supporting position in which the door is supported, and retaining means arranged to retain the lifting element in the supporting position.

Because the jacking device is foot actuated by the pedal means, both hands of the fitter are free to aid in manoeuvring the door.

Desirably, the pedal mea;.., and lifting element are arranged such that successive actuation of the pedal means are arranged to raise the lifting element to successively higher supporting positions. Repeated depression of the pedal means therefore causes the door to be lifted incrementally to the desired height.

It is preferred that the jacking device further comprises release means arranged to be actuatable to release the retaining means, thereby permitting the lifting element to be selectively lowered; preferably, the release means comprises a foot actuatable release element such as a release lever or the like.

Desirably the retaining means is arranged to be normally biased (by resilient biasing means preferably comprising a spring) to a retaining position and only released when the release means acts to overcome the biasing force. The release means enables the door to be lowered sJLightly if necessary for precise positional adjustment relative to the architrave. Because the release means may be foot actuated the fitter has both hands free to control and manoeuvre the door.

It is preferred that the device comprises a support post arranged to support the lifting element, successive actuations of the pedal means being arranged to incrementally advance the lifting element upwardly along the support post to successive supporting positions. Desirably the pedal means is connected to the lifting element such that, subsequent to each actuation the pedal means also advanced upwardly along the support post. Preferably the lifting element is connected to both the pedal means and the retaining means such that during jacking the weight of the door is taken by either the pedal means or the retaining means.

It is preferred that the retaining means comprises a retaining element having a biting edge arranged to be biased into engagement with the support post. Desirably the biting edge of the retaining element comprises the edge of an aperture provided in the retaining element, the support post being arranged to extend through the aperture. The retaining means is preferably arranged such that movement of the lifting element is coupled to movement of the retaining means. Desirably the retaining element is arranged to permit movement of the lifting element upwardly along the support post but act to bite into the support post and substantially inhibit movement of the lifting element downwardly on the support post. The release means is actuatable to release the retaining element from biting engagement with the support post. The release means may be an extended lever portion of the retaining means, actuatable to disengage the biting edge of the retaining element from the support post.

It is preferred that the device is provided with a base support such that the device is self supporting. Advantageously the base support is provided with a toe portion arranged to extend under the edge of the door. Preferably, the lifting element comprises a lifting platform (or spaced sub-platforms) arranged to extend under the bottom edge of the door.

Desirably, the pedal means comprises a pivotable pedal lever the distal end of which is arranged to raise the lifting element. Advantageously, the pivotable pedal lever is pivotally connected to anchor means which is arranged to be fixed relative to the support post whilst the pedal is depressed. Desirably, the anchor means is biased upwardly (preferably by resilient biasing means such as a spring which is advantageously energised when the pedal means in depressed) , such that subsequent to depression of the pedal means the anchor means is urged upwardly on the support post.

The invention will now be further described in a specific embodiment by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foot actuated jacking device according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is a partially cut away view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, jacking device 20 comprises a body with a base 1 to which is fixed an inverted U-shaped load bearing frame enclosing a rigid metal support post 3 on which travels, by incremental upward movement, a lifting platform 4. The support post 3 is fixed within the base l and frame 2 by top and bottom screws 5, the bottom screw being flush with the base, so as to allow the lifting mechanism to be assembled within the fixed structure. The lifting and lowering of the lifting platform 4 is accomplished on the metal support post 3 by means of a drive pedal 9 provided with a lever arm 10 which is pivoted at a pivot point 8 to an anchor block 6 slidably mounted on support post 3. A compression spring 7 is provided about support post 3 such that when foot effort is applied to actuate the pedal 9 and pivot lever arm 10 about pivot point 8, the spring 7 is compressed and the distal ends of lever arm 10 levers up the lifting platform 4 by a sliding movement on the support post 3 which is assisted by the rolling movement of a circular roller or cam 11 which is constrained to move between two cam cradles 12. A foot actuatable releasable retaining tab 13 is mounted on the support post 3 and held in the upward cantilever position by means of a biasing spring 14. A central aperture in the retaining tab 13 through which the support post 3 passes is made slightly eccentric, and because the retaining tab is normally biased to the upward cantilevered position by spring 14, the retaining tab is free to move upwards to any desired position but immediately locks, by biting into the surface of the rod 3, when force acts to try to push it downwards on the support post 3. This locked position of the retaining tab on the support post can be released at any time by downward toe pressure on the retaining tab 13.

As lifting platform 4 moves up support post 3 retaining tab 13 is also correspondingly forced up support post 3 whereas anchor block 6 temporarily remains in place (biting into support post 3) in a similar manner to the biting engagement described above for the retaining tab 13 whilst pedal 9 remains depressed. When pedal 9 is released, spring 7 forces elevator block 6 upwardly on support post 3 until it once again rests against retaining tab 13.

By judicious use of the pedal 9 and the release means of the retaining tab 13 it is relatively straightforward to position the lifting platform 4 at any point on the support post 3 and it is this facility which allows a lone fitter to accurately place a heavy door so that it can be slid into the architrave and screw fixed. It should be noted that the toe 15 of the base is a continuation of its main part 1 and is provided to prevent the loaded device from tilting over.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A foot actuated door jacking device comprising a lifting element arranged to be positionable under the bottom edge of a door, pedal means actuatable to raise the lifting element to a supporting position in which the door is supported, and retaining means arranged to retain the lifting element in the supporting position.

2. A door jacking device according to claim 1, wherein successive actuations of the pedal means are arranged to raise the lifting element to successively higher supporting positions.

3. A door jacking device according to any preceding claim further comprising release means arranged to be actuatable to release the retaining means, thereby permitting the lifting element to be selectively lowered.

4. A door jacking device according to claim 3, wherein the release means is foot actuatable.

5. A door jacking device according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the retaining means is arranged to be normally biased to a retaining position, being released from the retaining position when the release means is actuated to overcome the biasing force.

6. A door jacking device according to any preceding claim, which comprises a support post arranged to support the lifting element, successive actuations of the pedal means being arranged to incrementally advance the lifting element upwardly along the support post to successive supporting positions.

7. A door jacking device according to claim 6, wherein the pedal means is connected to the lifting element such that subsequent to each actuation the pedal means is incrementally advanced upwardly along the support post.

8. A door jacking device according to any preceding claim, wherein the lifting element is connected to both the pedal means and the retaining means such that during jacking the weight of the door is taken by either the pedal means or the retaining means.

9. A door jacking device according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the retaining means is provided with a biting edge arranged to be biased into engagement with the support post.

10. A door jacking device according to claim 9, wherein resilient biasing means is provided arranged to bias the biting edge of the retaining means into engagement with the support post.

11. A door jacking device according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the biting edge of the retaining element comprises the edge of an aperture provided in the retaining element, the support post being arranged to extend through the aperture.

12. A door jacking device according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the release means according to claim 3 or claim 4 is arranged, when actuated to disengage the biting edge of the retaining element from engagement with the support post, thereby permitting the lifting element to move downwardly of the support post.