Abstract:
An accessory for use in lifting jacks which is fixed to the standard of the jack and includes a plurality of accessories for enhancing the versatility of the lifting jack. Pulling and pushing instrumentalities can be oriented on the accessory to enhance the versatility of the lifting jack or the accessory can be used in lieu of a support platform where its downwardly extending spikes can penetrate into soft supporting material to provide increased hold of the standard.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/430,390, filed Oct. 29, 1999, status, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,290. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The following invention relates generally to an instrumentality which operatively couples to a conventional lifting jack to transform the jack from a device which merely lifts vehicles, typically for changing flat tires, to a multi-purpose accessory. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Lifting jacks, sometimes referred to as bumper jacks, are in fairly common use. Typically, a lifting jack includes an elongate perforated standard over which a ratcheting mechanism is disposed, and the ratcheting mechanism includes a load engaging nose. A handle, operatively coupled to the ratcheting mechanism allows the nose to move along the length of the standard. Over the course of the years, people have sought to diversify the manner in which a lifting jack can be used to find utility in areas other than its use as a bumper jack. 
   The following prior art reflects the state of the art of, which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant&#39;s acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents or prior art publications teach or in any way render obvious the nexus of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               PATENT NO. 
               ISSUE DATE 
               INVENTOR 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                   761,413 
               May 31, 1904 
               Schroer 
             
             
                   859,924 
               Jul. 16, 1907 
               Davis 
             
             
                   879,673 
               Feb. 18, 1908 
               Reardon 
             
             
                   911,638 
               Feb. 9, 1909 
               Allgeo 
             
             
                   958,777 
               May 24, 1910 
               Shipman 
             
             
               1,087,879 
               Feb. 17, 1914 
               Harrah 
             
             
               1,104,328 
               Jul. 21, 1914 
               Sutton 
             
             
               1,107,039 
               Aug. 11, 1914 
               Coleman, et al. 
             
             
               1,179,825 
               Apr. 18, 1916 
               Greutmann, et al. 
             
             
               1,321,950 
               Nov. 18, 1919 
               Templeton 
             
             
               1,325,963 
               Dec. 23, 1919 
               Templeton 
             
             
               1,325,964 
               Dec. 23, 1919 
               Templeton 
             
             
               1,374,653 
               Apr. 12, 1921 
               Harrah 
             
             
               1,410,380 
               Mar. 21, 1922 
               Daniels 
             
             
               1,465,895 
               Aug. 21, 1923 
               Daniels 
             
             
               1,482,846 
               Feb. 5, 1924 
               Harrah 
             
             
               2,031,815 
               Feb. 25, 1936 
               Berman 
             
             
               2,165,366 
               Jul. 11, 1939 
               Gormley 
             
             
               2,786,650 
               Mar. 26, 1957 
               Bottorff 
             
             
               3,012,755 
               Dec. 12, 1961 
               Acklin 
             
             
               3,300,184 
               Jan. 24, 1967 
               Ragolio 
             
             
               3,452,575 
               Jul. 1, 1969 
               Williams, et al. 
             
             
               3,831,892 
               Aug. 27, 1974 
               Herman 
             
             
               3,841,604 
               Oct. 15, 1974 
               Haynes 
             
             
               3,991,977 
               Nov. 16, 1976 
               Penttila 
             
             
               4,061,168 
               Dec. 6, 1977 
               Fariss, Jr. 
             
             
               Des. 248,460 
               Jul. 11, 1978 
               Dunn, et al. 
             
             
               4,203,578 
               May 20, 1980 
               Margueratt 
             
             
               4,379,546 
               Apr. 12, 1983 
               McIntosh 
             
             
               4,564,173 
               Jan. 14, 1986 
               Atherton, et al. 
             
             
               4,568,064 
               Feb. 4, 1986 
               Reinhardt 
             
             
               4,953,606 
               Sep. 4, 1990 
               Brown, Jr. 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   OTHER PRIOR ART (Including Author, Title, Date, Pertinent Pages, Etc.) 
   Jackall Products product brochure “Jackall 8000 Series”, entire brochure printed from the internet, Jun. 30, 1999. 
   When a lifting jack is to be used as a bumper jack, it typically is provided with a platform at its lowermost surface to engage the ground and provide a stable platform as the lifting jack is utilized to raise the car. However, if the car is being elevated at an area other than its center point, the lifting jack experiences a load which is not truly vertical and it is possible for a bumper jack to experience severe angulation and a force vector not axially aligned with the standard causing the bumper jack to slip, creating a hazardous situation. In addition, bumper jacks suffer from further instability when being deployed upon ice, irregular surfaces, and surfaces which are yielding (i.e., something other than pavement, like sand, gravel, mud, etc.). The accessory associated with the instant invention not only provide enhanced performance in these areas where the lifting jack has known shortcomings, but also lends itself to utilization in a multiplicity of other ways for providing added flexibility to the lifting jack. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The instant invention is distinguished over the known prior art in a multiplicity of ways. The accessory is configured as a sleeve, which is dimensioned to slideably overlie the standard of a conventional lifting jack and can move along the length of the standard, since its inner diameter provides clearance for the standard to move therewithin with minimal friction. Once located on the standard at an appropriate spot, the accessory can be fixed into position on the standard by means of a pair of holes which are axially aligned and pass through the sleeve. A locking pin is dimensioned to project through the holes on the sleeve and through a perforation commonly found on the lifting jack so that the position of the accessory is fixed on the standard. The sleeve has opposite first and second ends. The first end includes a purchase area which lends itself to work in concert with the nose on the ratcheting mechanism of the lifting jack to provide loads either in compression or tension. The second opposite end of the accessory includes a plurality of spikes so that when the accessory is located at an extremity of the standard, the spikes provide enhanced stability when engaging soft materials, thereby providing a more secure grip of the lifting jack at that area. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   A primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel accessory for a lifting jack. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as characterized above which is easy to use, extremely safe and lends itself to mass production techniques. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as characterized above which can provide compressive and tensile loading. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as characterized above which includes a support area having a plurality of spikes which enhance the stability of the device when used in conjunction with a lifting jack. 
   Viewed from a first vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lifting jack accessory in which the lifting jack includes an elongate, perforated standard, a ratcheting mechanism overlying the standard, the ratcheting mechanism including a load engaging nose operatively coupled to a ratcheting handle, the accessory comprising, in combination: a sleeve dimensioned to slideably overlie the standard and translate along a length of the standard, a pair of holes, axially aligned and passing through the sleeve, a pin dimensioned to project through the holes to fix the sleeve on the standard by the pin passing through one perforation of the standard, a purchase area at a first end of the sleeve, and a plurality of spikes at a second end of the sleeve. 

   
     These and other objects will be made manifest when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the appended drawing figures. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 1A  is an alternative to that which is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1B  details one end of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1C  details one configuration of teeth. 
       FIG. 1D  details another configuration of teeth. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view along lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1  indicating the cooperation of a locking pin in association with the device according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  shows the device in use on a lifting jack performing one manipulation. 
       FIG. 4  shows the device in association with a lifting jack providing a second type of manipulation. 
       FIG. 5  shows the device according to the present invention being used in an emergency situation accessing a car door. 
       FIG. 6  shows the apparatus used in another configuration in conjunction with its use as a bumper jack. 
       FIG. 7  shows the device in a further configuration in which a compressive load is being provided. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various drawing figures, reference numeral  10  is directed to the accessory for a lifting jack according to the present invention. 
   In its essence, the accessory  10  includes a sleeve  50  integrally formed with an implement adjunct  60  thereto. 
   More particularly, the sleeve  50  is formed as a hollow construct having four sides, a first and second wide side  2  each held in parallel spaced relationship and bounded at extremities by spaced parallel narrow sides  4 . The juncture between all sides is preferably provided with radiused corners  6  so that a smooth contour is provided. The hollow  52  that is defined by the peripheral wide and narrow sides  2 ,  4 , respectively, is dimensioned to receive a standard which is a common feature on conventional lifting jacks. Lifting jacks typically include a plurality of holes along the length of the standard. These hollows allow the sleeve  50  to be located along the length of the standard by virtue of holes  44  which pass through each of the wide sides  2 . The holes  44  are axially aligned to allow a quick release pin  42  to pass therethrough. The quick release pin  42  is constrained to stay on the accessory  10  by means of a lanyard  38  having a first end which connects to a first end of the pin  42  via a pin aperture  43  which receives a circular locking clip  40 . The second end of the lanyard, shown in  FIG. 2  attaches to a removeable positive locking clip  46  which passes through a complementarily formed aperture  43  on a second end of pin  42  so that collectively the pin, clip, lanyard assembly retains the sleeve in fixed position on the standard. The lanyard  38  is retained on the adjunct  60  by being threaded through a lanyard retaining fenestration  36 . 
   One of the narrow sides  4  supports the integrally formed normally projecting adjunct  60 . The adjunct  60  is formed as a wall  8  which includes a purchase area at one extremity that includes a rounded nose  20   a  ( FIGS. 1 and 1C ) and a plurality of teeth  22 . The remote extremity of the adjunct includes at least one spike  18  formed adjacent a notch  25  (preferably V-shaped) that transitions to the narrow side  4  by means of a shoulder  26 . Spike  18  serves as a fixture spur. A surface  24  that extends from the nose  20  to the spike  18  has a flat sloped contour that narrows as it extends from the nose  20  to the spike  18 . The nose  20   a  is preferably contoured as having a rounded periphery as shown in  FIG. 1C . The nose could terminate in an edge coplanar with surface  24  and having a widened “chisel” head  20   c  ( FIG. 1A ) or a spike, such as  18 .  FIG. 1D  reflects a “chisel” head transverse to the  FIG. 1B  version with the chisel head  20   b  facing away from the device  10 . Somewhat in the same plane as teeth  22 . 
   The adjunct  60  also includes a clevis hole  16  which provides a convenient attachment point for rigging shackles as will be explained. In addition, the adjunct  60  includes a chain slot having a wide rectangular hollow  12  to receive the chain and a narrowed chain lock  14  with a depth comparable to a chain link&#39;s thickness. The chain slot  12  is shown closer to teeth  22  than clevis hole  16 . Both are centrally located on wall  8 . 
   The sleeve  50  has at one extremity ( FIG. 1B ) four spikes  30  preferably having flattened ends all lying in a horizontal plane and at corners of sleeve  50  to provide secure footing when this end is placed on a support surface. The flattened spikes  30  are interrupted one from the other by means of “V” shaped canted walls, a pair of long canted walls  28  on the wide sides  2  and smaller canted walls  32  on the narrow sides  4 . 
     FIG. 1  shows a version in which the opposite end from the spikes has a flattened surface  34 .  FIG. 1A  shows a version in which the serrated teeth  22  of  FIG. 1  extend along the entire face and bear the reference numeral  54 . Note also that the teeth all lie in the same plane in the  FIG. 1A  version.  FIG. 1C  shows teeth  22   a  which come to a point.  FIG. 1D  shows flattened teeth  22   b  and a pointed nose  20   b  ( FIGS. 1A and 1D ). 
   In use and operation, and considering  FIGS. 3 through 7 , various illustrative forms of manipulation of the accessory  10  can be explored. These examples are not exhaustive of possible uses. 
   In  FIG. 3 , the standard S fixes the accessory  10  thereon by means of the pin  42  discussed above. A rigging shackle RS is fastened to the clevis hole  16 . The ratcheting mechanism R and handle H of the conventional jack is located as shown to the left of the drawing in  FIG. 3  and the nose N receives a chain C thereabout. Cranking the handle H can pull the chain C in the direction of the arrow A with the standard S firmly held by the accessory  10 . 
   In  FIG. 4 , the chain C includes one link received in the chain lock  14 . The handle H, when manipulated, will cause the standard to move in the direction of the arrow A moving the accessory  10  therewith since it is locked onto the standard. 
     FIG. 5  reflects an emergency situation in which it is desired to force a door. In this context, the accessory  10  is oriented such that the teeth  22  are located on one edge of a door of a vehicle. By moving the handle H on the jack, a force is provided along the double ended arrows B on the window periphery. 
   With respect to  FIG. 6 , the accessory  10  is fixed on the standard as explained above with the flattened spikes  30  engaging the ground. Where the surfaces is yielding, the spike will provide an increased grip as a downward force F is exerted. The penetration of the spikes  30  into the ground provides a more stable contact with the ground. 
     FIG. 7  shows an embodiment in which the accessory  10  is fixed on the standard S and the jack handle H is manipulated to provide a force F on an object interposed between the nose N of the ratcheting mechanism and the teeth  22  of the accessory  10 . The compressive force will be exerted on the object O interposed therebetween. 
   Moreover, having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.