Abstract:
A retractable jack foot for a trailer hitch jack is disclosed, for rapidly raising and lowering the tongue of a trailer. The retractable jack foot solves multiple prior art problems discussed above in the “Description of Related Art,” such as: trailer hitch jacks not being long enough to reach the ground and still lift the trailer to a sufficient height (small distance travel); the laborious, time-consuming practice of cranking a trailer hitch jack all the way to the ground before finally causing lift in the trailer. In both cases, blocks of wood or other spacers are sometimes used to reduce the travel of the jack. The retractable jack foot of the present disclosure, solves those problems, by providing a “built in” block, or foot, pivotally attached to the bottom of the trailer hitch jack. The jack foot can be rotated into and out of position as desired, to quickly lengthen or shorten the jack.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/240,908, filed Sep. 29, 2008, entitled “RETRACTABLE JACK FOOT,” which claims the benefit of both of the following two (2) applications: 1) U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/997,272, filed Oct. 1, 2007; and 2) U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/995,744, filed Sep. 28, 2007, wherein all of the foregoing are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, including but not limited to those portions that specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference being made with the following exception: In the event that any portion of the above-referenced applications are inconsistent with this application, this application supercedes said above-referenced applications. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates generally to trailer hitch systems, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to trailer hitch systems that facilitate connecting trailers to tow vehicles. 
     The present invention relates generally to a jack stand and methods of making and using same. In particular, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to a jack stand having a means for moving the foot assembly of the jack stand from a ground engaging configuration to an upright stored configuration. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Various different types of trailer hitches are known in the art for attaching trailers to towing vehicles. One of the most common types of towing systems utilizes a ball hitch. Typical ball hitches have a generally spherical shaped ball with a stem or threaded rod extending from a base of the ball. The threaded rod may be configured to engage a ball mount mounted on the towing vehicle using a threaded receiver or ball hitch fitting. A trailer coupling member, such as a ball clamp, positioned on a front of the trailer tongue, may engage the ball hitch in a loose friction fit, and may be secured to the ball in preparation for towing. Some hitches may also have load equalizing systems to distribute loads and allow the towing vehicle and trailer to remain level. Other mechanisms may also be used in association with a trailer hitch to reduce side sway of the trailer. Most trailers include a jacking system for assisting in hitching and leveling to a tow vehicle. 
     A common challenge with the known trailer hitch systems is attaching the trailer to the tow vehicle. Difficulty may arise in properly aligning the trailer vertically with the tow vehicle. Commonly a jacking device is used to align the trailer hitch and tow vehicle by raising a lowering the tongue of the trailer. The jacking device after use must be stowed out of the way so the driving can be done safely. Along unimproved roads, the distance required for the trailer jack to clear any such obstacles would often be extensive or not quite enough leading to situations where the trailer tongue would become lodged in the ground rendering any movement futile. Most commonly this stowing is done by continuing the jacking process to pull the foot up and out of the way. This can take a great amount of time effort. 
     There have been many attempts to improve the method of aligning trailers to tow vehicles, yet the most common method remains the conventional jack attached at the tongue, even though such a method has several drawbacks. The tongue of a two-wheel (or a trailer having any number of wheels or axles) trailer is conventionally provided with a jack having a telescoping vertical element which extends below the plane of the trailer tongue. One of the drawbacks of the conventional jack system and jacking method may include the many number of movements needed to take advantage of the mechanical properties to the jacking design. Many turns may be needed to raise and lower the tongue, or to level the trailer for use. These many turns must be repeated every time the trailer is connected or disconnected. 
     Other trailer hitch systems may use a jack that is geared to move faster. In other words one actuation of the jack lever raises and lowers the trailer tongue more per actuation than a jack system designed to handle a very heavy trailer. 
     Another jacking system may be designed to handle a very heavy weight and therefore is generally slow, using the mechanical advantage of the design to over come the heavy load. In such a system many actuations are required to move the trailer a very short distance. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a side view of a trailer  10  and towing vehicle  20  system is shown. 
     The trailer  10  and towing vehicle  20  may include a ball hitch  12  for attaching to a ball socket  14  on a tongue  16  of the trailer  10  in a manner known in the art. It will be understood that the trailer  10  and towing vehicle  20  system may be made more convenient, as explained more fully below, to allow the ball hitch  12  to be aligned more easily and faster with the socket  14  on tongue  16  when the trailer  10  is detached and attached to and from the towing vehicle  20 . 
     A jack  18  may be used on the tongue  16  to raise and lower the tongue  16  of the trailer  10  to aid in the hitching of the tow vehicle  20  with the trailer  10 . A jack  18  is generally made up of an actuation portion  22 , a post portion  24  and a foot portion  26 . The actuation portion  22  may comprise a user interface which is commonly a handle or crank of some kind. In the case of a handle and crank, the user would take the handle in its hand and rotate the crank in a circular motion. The force applied by the user is multiplied by the mechanical advantage of the jacking mechanism. An electric motor may also be employed to actuate the jack mechanism. An electric motor may be configured to run at the optimal speed for a balance of speed and power. In the case of a trailer the mechanical mechanism of the jack requires a great amount of motion at the handle and produces a small amount of motion at the post portion  24  or foot portions  26 . The post portion  24  rigidly fixes the foot portion  26  to the drive mechanism or the jack  18 . The foot portion  26  generally makes contact with the ground and is typically wider than the post portion  24  to distribute the weight of the trailer  10 . 
     In use, the tow vehicle may be positioned near the trailer such that the ball  12  on the vehicle  20  is located under the ball socket  14  of the trailer  10 . As is shown in  FIG. 2 , the ball socket  14  may be lowered over ball  12  by actuating the jack  18  with the crank handle  22 , thereby retracting upwardly the jack post  24  and jack foot  26 , which, in turn, allows the tongue  16  (and ball socket  14 ) to lower under force of gravity. As the ball  12  makes contact inside the ball socket  14 , the weight of the trailer  10  is transferred from the jack foot  26  to the vehicle  20 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , one of the shortcomings of the prior art will be discussed. In order to make the trailer  20  ready for towing, the jack foot  26  must be raised up and out of the way so that it does not contact the ground during travel.  FIG. 3  depicts the jack foot  26  raised in the upper-most position. With the trailer&#39;s weight resting on the vehicle, the mechanical advantage of the jack makes for a tedious and time consuming process in raising the jack foot high enough to be out of the way of ground contact risk. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 4  is a typical mechanical jack  18 . The mechanics of the jack may be of a screw type, step-lever type, or any other typed known in the art. For illustration purposes, a screw-type jack will be discussed. A screw-type jack derives its usefulness by using the ramping of the threads  40  on a drive axle  41  against corresponding structures on a ram or jack post  24  to move the jack post  24  in or out. In use, an operator would grasp the crank handle  22  and turn the crank  23  about the axis of the drive axle  41 . The crank  23  can be easily replaced by an electric motor that would then drive the drive axle  41 . Depending on the direction of the rotation of the crank  23 , the jack post  24  will either raise or lower. The mechanical exchange in such machines is an inverse relationship between power and distance. Accordingly, the typical jack used on a trailer needs to convert low input power but large distance travel at the handle into high output power, but small distance travel at the jack post to move the heavy weight of a trailer. Therefore, even after the weight of the trailer is resting on the vehicle, continuing to move the jack foot up and out of the way of ground contact risk takes a lot of motion and time. 
     Often people use blocks of wood  50  or other material to place under the jack foot  26 , as seen in  FIG. 5 , such that in use, the blocks can be quickly removed and thereby negate the need to move the jack  18  some distance where its mechanical advantage is not needed. The blocks however need to be stored when not in use, and are unsightly when in use or being stored. 
     At the end of this telescoping jack post is typically found a “foot” which rests on the ground to support and/or level the forward end of the trailer. In order for the trailer jack to be out of the way during towing, it has been traditional for the entirety of the trailer jack to be pivoted such that the trailer jack was in a substantially horizontal alignment with the trailer tongue when the trailer was attached to a towing vehicle. During road travel the foot would have to be elevated a considerable distance off of the ground in order for the trailer jack to clear any obstacles or uneven areas in the road to be traveled. 
     Either of the above-mentioned means for moving the trailer jack sufficiently out of the way of ground contact risk during transport require significant physical exertion on the part of the operator. If the trailer jack is pivoted into a horizontal position, oftentimes the pins and springs used during the pivoting process have been corroded or rusted by exposure to the weather. If these items have frozen in place, the operator has no choice but to expend considerable effort to free them in order to move the trailer jack into the horizontal position. If the trailer jack is elevated to a height sufficient to clear obstacles in the road, the elevation must be quite extensive in order to clear all potential obstacles. Additionally, the operator must exert extensive effort to ensure that the elevation is accomplished while the mechanical means for elevating the trailer hitch are oftentimes rusted and/or frozen. 
     The prior art is characterized by these and other disadvantages that are addressed by the present disclosure. The present disclosure minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the above-mentioned failures, and other problems, by utilizing the methods and structural features described herein. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A retractable jack foot for a trailer hitch jack is disclosed, for rapidly raising and lowering the tongue of a trailer. The retractable jack foot solves multiple prior art problems discussed above in the “Description of Related Art,” such as: trailer hitch jacks not being long enough to reach the ground and still lift the trailer to a sufficient height; the laborious, time-consuming practice of cranking a trailer hitch jack all the way to the ground before finally causing lift in the trailer. In both cases, blocks of wood or other spacers are sometimes used to reduce the travel of the jack. The retractable jack foot of the present disclosure, solves those problems, by providing a “built in” block, or foot, pivotally attached to the bottom of the trailer hitch jack. The jack foot can be rotated into and out of position as desired, to quickly lengthen or shorten the jack. 
     The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a vehicle and trailer towing system; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a vehicle and trailer towing system; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a vehicle and trailer towing system; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a jack used with a vehicle and trailer towing system; 
         FIG. 5  depicts blocks being used with a vehicle and trailer towing system; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  depicts a close up side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  depicts a close up rear view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in rotation; 
         FIG. 12  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure as rotated; 
         FIG. 13  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 14  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 15  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 16  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 17  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 18  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 19  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 20  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 21  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 22  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 23  depicts a front view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 24  depicts a side view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 25  depicts a view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure in use; 
         FIG. 26  depicts a view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 27  depicts a view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 28  depicts a view of one embodiment in accordance with the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 29  depicts a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 27-28 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the disclosure claimed. 
     Before the present apparatus and methods for providing a trailer jack system are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such configurations, process steps, and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 
     The publications and other reference materials referred to herein to describe the background of the disclosure, and to provide additional detail regarding its practice, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, with the following exception: In the event that any portion of said reference materials is inconsistent with this application, this application supercedes said reference materials. The reference materials discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as a suggestion or admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior disclosure, or to distinguish the present disclosure from the subject matter disclosed in the reference materials. 
     It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Moreover, as used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. 
     A jack as defined herein is any mechanism that offers a mechanical advantage between an input and an output. The phrase “height adjustment means” for raising or lowering an object such as a trailer tongue, as used herein shall include and cover a jack. Referring briefly to  FIG. 25 , for example, a jack  300  may, for example, include a housing (shown as the cylindrical member associated with item  300 ) and a first movable member  301  movably attached relative to the housing such that said first movable member  301  is movable toward or away from the housing, and the embodiment of  FIG. 25  also includes a second movable member  310  movably attached relative to the first movable member  301  such that said second movable member  310  is movable toward or away from the first movable member  301 . A locking mechanism, such as pin  340  and clip  342  may be included for retaining the second movable member  310  relative to the first movable member  301 . The first movable member  301  may be a telescoping member, or a sliding member, or a member providing any other type of relative movement useful as part of a height adjustment means such as a jack or other height adjustment means. The second movable member  310  may be a telescoping member, or a sliding member, or a member providing any other type of relative movement useful for movement relative to the first movable member  301 , especially if such movement is caused by a handle  336 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a side view of a trailer  10  and towing vehicle  20  system is shown in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. It will be understood that the towing vehicle  20  may be any variety of vehicle known in the art, such as a truck, tractor or car, or any other variety of on-road or off-road vehicle. Likewise, the principles of the present disclosure may be utilized with any variety of trailer  10  known in the art, such as camping trailers, boat trailers or cargo trailers. 
     The trailer  10  and towing vehicle  20  may include a ball hitch  12  for attaching to a ball socket  14  on a tongue  16  of the trailer  10  in a manner known in the art. It will be understood that the trailer  10  and towing vehicle  20  system may be made more convenient, as explained more fully below, to allow the ball hitch  12  to be aligned more easily and faster with the socket on tongue  14 , when the trailer  10  is detached and attached from and to the towing vehicle  20 . 
     A jack  18  may be used on the tongue  16  to raise and lower the tongue  16  of the trailer  10  to aid in the hitching of the tow vehicle  20  with the trailer  10 . A jack  18  is generally made up of an actuation portion  22 , a post portion  24  and a foot portion  66 . The actuation portion  22  may comprise a user interface which is commonly a handle or crank of some kind. In the case of a handle and crank, the user would take the handle in hand and rotate the crank in a circular motion. The force applied by the user is multiplied by the mechanical advantage of the jacking mechanism. An electric motor may also be employed to actuate the jack mechanism. An electric motor may be configured to run at the optimal speed for a balance of speed and power. In the case of a trailer, the mechanical mechanism of the jack requires a great amount of motion at the handle and produces a small mount of motion of the post portion  24  or foot portions  66 . The post portion  24  rigidly fixes the foot portion  66  to the drive mechanism or the jack  18 . The foot portion  66  generally makes contact with the ground and is typically wider than the post portion  24  to distribute the weight of the trailer  10 . 
     In use, the tow vehicle may be positioned near the trailer such that the ball  12  on the vehicle  20  is located under the ball socket  14  of the trailer  10 . As is shown in  FIG. 6 , the ball socket  14  may be lowered over ball  12  by actuating the jack  18  with the crank handle  22 , thereby retracting upwardly the jack post  24 . As the ball  12  makes contact inside the ball socket  14 , some of the weight of the trailer  10  in transferred to the vehicle  20 . One of the shortcomings of the prior art can be alleviated by providing a jack foot  66  that can be rotated into and out of position in order to make the trailer  20  ready for towing so that it does not impact the ground during travel.  FIG. 6  depicts the jack foot  66  raised and rotated in the upper most position. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the foot  66  is shown rotated in the down position. It can be seen that there is less distance now between the foot  66  and the ground  67 . The process can be performed with a jack foot of varying lengths or proportions to achieve the desired results. For example, the jack foot  66  could be of a configuration such that rotating it downwardly requires very minimal use of the jack  18 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the foot  66  in contact with the ground  67 , and the post  24  extended by the jack  18  such that the trailer  10  is supported on the foot  66 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a detailed view of an embodiment of a jack foot. The illustration shows a portion of a of jack post  24  and jack foot  66 . The jack foot  66  may be pivotally attached to the post  24  with a pivot bolt  90  through a slot  92 . A securing bolt  94  and locking slot  96  may be provided wherein the securing bolt  94  and locking slot  96  (also referred to herein as “locking engagement surface”) may provide a locking mechanism that will not allow the foot  66  to pivot under the weight of the trailer relative to the jack post  24 . As shown clearly in  FIG. 9 , the locking slot  96  may take the form of an open notch formed in a terminal side edge of the jack foot. A locking mechanism may take many forms and may be located anywhere on the foot  66  and the post  24 . Additionally, it is within the scope of this disclosure to contemplate the use of automatic locking mechanisms and the use of electrical or hydraulically assisted and actuated mechanisms. The embodiment may further comprise the use a retracting handle  98  which may pass through a passage way through the tongue of a trailer and fixedly attach to the jack foot  66  and may be configured to actuate a pivot movement around the pivot bolt  90  and slot  92 . Slot  92  may be formed so as to be parallel with said jack post so as to aid in the controlled loading of the system. In some embodiments it may be advantageous to have a frame mounted retainer  100  included that can hold the retracting handle  98  in a place or places and therefore holding the jack foot  66  in a position or positions. 
     One embodiment of the present disclosure may include various types of retaining the retracting handles. A simple friction system may be used to retain the retracting handle. A cotter pin may also be used to retain the retracting handle  98 . The retainer  100  may be formed as a pin, bolt, clip, or any other suitable retention mechanism known to those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a detailed rear cut away view of an embodiment of the jack foot  66  in a two-point locked position. The illustration shows a portion of jack post  24  and jack foot  66 . The jack foot  66  may be pivotally attached to the post  24  with a pivot bolt  90  through the slot  92  (shown spaced apart from bolt body  90   a  for illustration purposes, but with the understanding that bolt body  90   a  is actually in contact with slot  92 ). A securing bolt  94  and locking slot  96  may be provided wherein the securing bolt  94  and locking slot  96  may provide a locking mechanism that will not allow the foot  66  to pivot under the weight of the trailer relative to the jack post  24 . A locking mechanism may take many forms and may be located anywhere on the foot  66  and the post  24 . The embodiment may further comprise the use of a retracting handle  98  which may pass through a passageway through the tongue of a trailer, and fixedly attach to the jack foot  66 , and may be configured to actuate a pivot movement around the pivot bolt  90  and slot  92 . In some embodiments it may be advantageous to have a frame mounted retainer  100  included that can hold the retracting handle  98  in a place or places and therefore holding the jack foot  66  in a position or positions. One embodiment of the present disclosure may include various types of retaining the retracting handles. A simple friction system may be used to retain the retracting handle. A cotter pin may also be used to retain the retracting handle  98 . The retainer  100  may be formed as a pin, bolt, clip, or any other suitable retention mechanism known to those skilled in the art. It is also within the scope of the disclosure to have a bracket that attaches to the jack post for receiving a foot portion thereon. The pivot bolt and securing bolts may be considered a bracket or may be part a bracket. 
     As can be observed in  FIG. 10 , the jack foot  66  is rotatable relative to the jack post  24 . The jack foot  66 , as clearly shown in  FIG. 10 , may have two opposing sidewalls that slant outwardly and away from each other in a proximal-to-distal direction in a lower half of the jack foot  66 . Further, the jack foot  66  may have a jack foot slot  92  formed in each of the two opposing sidewalls as shown in  FIG. 10 , such that a through-passage is thereby formed that extends through the entire jack foot  66  from one of said sidewalls to the other of said sidewalls. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the jack foot  66  may include a one-piece body formed by the two opposing sidewalls. 
     With reference to  FIG. 11 , an embodiment of the jack foot locking mechanism will be discussed as being moved from a first position  66   a  to a second position  66   b . The figure denotes the unlocked locking slot as  96   a  and unlocked pivot slot as  92   a . The locked depictions are  96   b  and  92   b  respectively. As the jack post settles down into the jack foot  166 , the securing bolt  94  engages the locking slot  96   b , thereby providing a second laterally fixed point of contact resulting in a lock against rotation around the pivot bolt  90 .  FIG. 12  depicts a close up view of the jack post  24  and jack foot  66   b  and the interaction they have in a locked position. The arrow denotes the downward force and movement in that direction. 
     It will be understood that locking slot  96 , or locking slot  96   b , are merely one example of a locking engagement surface. Any suitable surface disposed on the foot  66 , especially a surface that defines a concave recess, can serve as a locking engagement surface within the scope of the invention. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 13-21 , a method of use will be discussed.  FIG. 13  illustrates the jack foot  166  as seen in the upper most position. The tongue  180  of a trailer is illustrated with the jack  182  mounted thereon. The jack may also have a jack post  184  and a crank handle  186 . The retainer  204  can be seen holding the retracting handle  206  in an up position. A pivot locking mechanism  188  as previously described may comprise a pivot bolt through a slot, and a securing bolt interacting with a locking slot. Wherein the securing bolt and locking slot may provide a locking mechanism that will not allow the foot to pivot under the weight of the trailer relative to the jack post. A locking mechanism may take many forms and may be located anywhere on the foot and the post. The system is shown in an unlocked and un-weighted position. In use a user would grasp the retracting handle  206  and actuate the retainer  204  to allow the retracting handle to be put into motion. The user would move the handle  206  toward the tongue  180  such that the jack foot is rotated about the pivot locking mechanism  188 . 
     In  FIG. 14  the retracting handle is being lowered toward the tongue and the jack foot  166  is mid way between the up and down positions. The retainer  204  can be seen in dashed lines as it descends through or behind the tongue  180  portion. 
     In  FIG. 15  the jack foot  166  is illustrated in its down most rotated position. In  FIG. 16  the jack foot  166  is not bearing the weight of the trailer and is also in an unlocked position as the securing bolt is not resting in the locking slot. The user then begins to turn the crank handle  186  to actuate the jack  182  until the jack foot  166  contacts the ground. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , once the jack foot has reached the ground and bears the weight of the trailer, the locking mechanism  188  is actuated as the securing bolt is pushed in to the locking slot. The pivot slot allows the jack post  184  to slide linearly in to the jack foot  166 . The slot may be configured as curved slot without deviating from within the scope of this application. The two point lock prevents the trailer from collapsing the jack foot  166  by rotation. 
     The process is now ready to be reversed. In  FIG. 18  the crank handle  186  is cranked by the user to lift the foot  166  from the ground as the weight of the trailer is supported by the vehicle. As the jack foot  166  is un-weighted the foot falls due to its own weight along the path of the locking mechanism  188  consequently releasing the securing bolt from the locking slot thereby unlocking the locking mechanism  188 . 
     In  FIGS. 19 and 20  the user actuates the retracting handle  206  causing the rotation of the jack foot  166  around the pivot locking mechanism  188 . 
     In  FIG. 21  it is illustrated that after full actuation of the retracting handle  206  it can be locked in place with the retainer  204 , resulting in the jack foot  166  being locked in the upper most position. It is within the scope of this application to contemplate that it may be desirous to hold the jack foot in intermediate positions between those steps shown. Various locking/holding means may be employed and are contemplated by this application. 
     With reference to  FIG. 22  it will also be appreciated that other similar mechanical and electronic variations on the trailer jack method are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, an electronic motor with controls  286  may be provided for ease of use and all of the advantages of the jack foot  166 . It will be understood that one embodiment of the jack system may be installed on trailers by the manufacturer. Accordingly, it will be understood that one embodiment of the tongue may not need to be modified or customized to be compatible with the jack system  10 . Thus, the principles of the present disclosure may be compatible with standardized equipment. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 23 and 24  and embodiment will be discussed having a bracket  230  configured to receive a jack post  232 . The embodiment may further comprise a slot  234  in said jack foot  242 . The embodiment may further comprise an elongate handle  236  extending from a jack foot  242 . The slot  234  may be configured to mechanically communicate with a pivot bolt  238 . The embodiment may further comprise a protrusion  240  on the jack foot at a distance from an area around which the jack foot  242  rotates. The embodiment may further comprise a recess  244  on said bracket corresponding to said protrusion  240  such that when the jack foot  242  is in a loaded position said protrusion  240  mechanically interacts with said recess  244 . 
     One embodiment of the jack may include spacer bushings  246 , securing bolts and pivot bolts. It is within the scope of this disclosure to include any fasteners that would appropriately replace or augment pivoting and retaining. The spacer bushings may be configured to provide lubrication or accept lubrication for the movement of the jack foot. Additionally, the spacer bushings, securing bolt and pivot bolt may be components of the locking and the retaining of the jack foot in any position. The spacer bushings, securing bolt and pivot bolt may also be configured to bear all or part of the force exerted on the tongue of the trailer. Alternatively, any spacer bushings, the securing bolt and the pivot bolt may be configured without consideration of bearing the weight of the trailer. Additionally, a sensor or manual indicator may be integrated into the jack for reporting to a user whether the jack foot is in the up or down position. The reporting may be done remotely or at the jack. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 , and  29  an embodiment will be discussed having a telescoping portion. The embodiment may comprise an outer housing  300  having a jack crank/handle  302  on the top thereof. For telescoping purposes the embodiment may further comprise a first telescoping member or outer cylinder  301  and a second telescoping member or inner cylinder  310  configured and sized so as to slide in and out of said outer housing  300 . When the crank  302  is operated as known in the art, a height adjustment means contained in the outer housing  300  mechanically communicates with the outer cylinder  301  causing it to raise or lower. A foot portion  312  may be disposed on an end of said inner cylinder  310 . The embodiment may further comprise an elongate handle  336  extending from a foot portion  312 . The elongate handle  336  may be held in position by a guide  338 . The embodiment may further comprise a pin  340  and clip  342  for retaining the outer cylinder  301  and the inner cylinder  310  in position relative to each other. 
     Additionally, a sensor or manual indicator may be integrated into the jack for reporting to a user whether the jack foot is in the up or down position. The reporting may be done remotely or at the jack. In use the pin  340  is removed as shown by phantom lines in  FIGS. 25 and 26 , and the clip  342  is removed as also shown in phantom lines, to allow the telescoping action of the jack. This may be done while grasping the handle/lever  336 . The telescoping foot portion  312  extender will drop down mostly by its own weight, but also guided by the person holding the handle/lever  336 . When the foot  312  has been extended the desired length, the handle/lever  336  is used to align the desired through hole  352 , and then the pin  340  &amp; clip  342  are reinserted to lock the jack foot to the desired extension position. 
     This is all done without turning the jack crank/handle  302  any rotations on the jack itself. However, the jack foot extender may still not be enough to reach the ground. it may be necessary to still utilize the rotation of the jack, but it will require far less rotations due to the quick extension gained by the telescoping jack foot or inner cylinder  310 . 
     To quickly retract using far less rotations of the jack crank/handle  302  itself, the pin  340  and the clip  342  are detached and the handle/lever  336  is lifted up, causing the foot  312  to be quickly pulled up. If necessary, the rest of the retraction can be done by rotations of the jack crank/handle  302 . This is a much faster way to retract the jack to gain ground clearance for towing. 
     The handle/lever  336  may be pulled all the way up, or until the desired holes are aligned for inserting the pin  340  and clip  342 . The pin  340  and clip  342  are then inserted to keep the telescoping jack foot  312  fully retracted. 
     Referring specifically to  FIGS. 27 ,  28 , and  29  one embodiment may include a remote lock and release pin function. This enables a one-handed operation from a standing position. The embodiment may comprise a spring-biased pin  363  contained within a housing  362 , that is biased to stay inserted into the holes  352  of the two telescoping members outer cylinder  301  and inner cylinder  310 . There may also be a pull cable  364  in a sheath accompanied by a squeeze lever  360 . To extend or retract the foot  312 , the same hand that grasps the handle  336  will also squeeze the lever  360 . The internal cable  364  will pull within the sheath, which causes remote disengagement of the spring-biased pin  363 . 
     It will be understood that the components of the present disclosure may be manufactured using processes known to those skilled in the art. Moreover, the materials used to manufacture the components of the jack system may vary in accordance with suitable materials known in the art. 
     It will be appreciated that the structure and apparatus disclosed herein are merely examples of a means for adjusting the height of a trailer tongue more conveniently with respect to a tow vehicle, and it should be appreciated that any structure, apparatus or system for adjusting the height of a trailer tongue more conveniently with respect to a tow vehicle that performs functions the same as, or equivalent to, those disclosed herein are intended to fall within the scope of this application. 
     In accordance with the features and combinations described above, a useful apparatus for attaching a trailer to a tow vehicle may include: 
     a tongue attached to a trailer, said tongue having a jack for lifting and leveling the trailer; 
     said jack including; a handle; a jack post; and a foot portion for contacting the ground; said foot portion being movable to provide length of structure for adjusting the height of said tongue. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the features and combinations described above, a useful method for jacking a trailer may include: 
     positioning a jack foot from a contracted position to an un-contracted position; and 
     actuating a user interface lowering the jack foot until loaded with the weight of the trailer. 
     In accordance with the features and combinations described above, a useful apparatus for jacking a trailer with an extendable and retractable jack post may include: 
     a jack foot, said jack foot having a surface engaging portion for engaging a surface; 
     the jack foot having at least one rigid support member extending upwardly from said surface engaging portion; 
     a pivot bolt mountable to said jack post; 
     a securing bolt mountable to said jack post; 
     at least one slot formed in the at least one rigid support member, said at least one slot for engaging the pivot bolt to thereby provide an axis of rotation for the jack foot; 
     at least one locking slot formed in an uppermost portion of the at least one rigid support member, said at least one locking slot being configured and adapted for slidably engaging said securing bolt to thereby prevent rotation of the jack foot around the axis of rotation; and 
     a retracting device for applying a torque to the jack foot to thereby cause its rotation around the axis of rotation. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the features and combinations described above, a useful method for unhitching a trailer having an extendable and retractable jack post from a tow vehicle may include: 
     releasing a first locking mechanism to thereby allow a jack foot mounted on an end of the jack post to move from a storage position to a ground engaging position; 
     extending the jack post such that a ground engaging portion of the jack foot engages the ground; and 
     applying a load to the jack foot to thereby cause an engagement of a second locking mechanism, said second locking mechanism preventing the jack foot from moving out of the ground engaging position. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the features and combinations described above, a useful method for hitching a trailer having an extendable and retractable jack post to a tow vehicle may include: 
     retracting the jack post such that a tongue hitch of the trailer engages a ball of the tow vehicle; 
     continuing to retract the jack post such that a ground engaging portion of a jack foot mounted on the jack post disengages the ground, said disengagement of the ground engaging portion of the jack foot causing an anti-rotational locking mechanism to become disengaged; 
     applying a torque to the jack foot to thereby cause the jack foot to move from a ground engaging position to a storage position; and 
     locking the jack foot in the storage position. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the features and combinations described above, and in accordance with an understanding that alternatives and modifications thereof can be used to cause, provide or effectuate the methods contained herein including any methods described above and any methods described below, a useful method for hitching a trailer having an extendable and retractable jack post to a tow vehicle may include: 
     retracting the jack post such that a tongue hitch of the trailer engages a ball of the tow vehicle; 
     continuing to retract the jack post such that a ground engaging portion of a jack foot mounted on the jack post disengages the ground; 
     applying a torque to the jack foot to thereby cause the jack foot to move from a ground engaging position to a pivoted position relative to the jack post, said step of applying a torque being accomplished by a user pulling (or causing to be pulled) a retraction device in an upward direction. 
     In the above methods, the step of applying a torque may further include grasping a ring-handle and pulling it in an upward direction to thereby cause a retracting rod, cable or strap attached to the jack foot to pivot or rotate the jack foot relative to the jack post, into a disengaged position, which may include a storage position. 
     Additionally, in accordance with the features and combinations described above, a useful method for installing a jack foot onto an end of a jack post may include: 
     pivotally mounting the jack foot onto the end of the jack post such that the jack foot is operable between a ground engaging position and a storage position; 
     providing an anti-rotational locking mechanism to thereby secure the jack foot in the ground engaging position; and 
     providing a retraction device for applying a torque to the jack foot to thereby allow a user to move the jack foot from the ground engaging position to the storage position. 
     Those having ordinary skill in the relevant art will appreciate the advantages provided by the features of the present disclosure. For example, it is a feature of the present disclosure to provide a trailer jack system that is simple in design and manufacture. Another feature of the present disclosure is to provide such a trailer jack system that makes attaching the tow vehicle to the trailer faster, easier and safer, especially in situations where assistance from another individual is not available. It is a further feature of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect thereof, to provide a trailer jack system that has improved vertical alignment mechanisms. It is another feature of the present disclosure to provide a jacking system that may be used with or incorporate a conventional hitch receiver. In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features of the present disclosure are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description of the Disclosure by this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.