Portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops

A new and improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops for facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from under the elevated camper top, the portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops comprising a variable-height stand having a broad base whereby the stand is stably supported in an upright position, the stand also having a bifurcated yoke fixedly connected to the top wherein a plank, a beam, or the like may extend to another similar stand for supporting the camper top, the stand further having a locking mechanism whereby the height of the stand may be fixed in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to jack stands and more particularly pertains 
to portable telescoping stands for truck camper tops which may be used for 
facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck 
by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an 
elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised 
free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from 
under the elevated camper top. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of jack stands is known in the prior art. More specifically, jack 
stands heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of removal of a 
camper top from a pickup truck are known to consist basically of familiar, 
expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad 
of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed 
for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
The present invention is directed to improving devices for removal of a 
camper top from a pickup truck in a manner which is safe, secure, 
economical and aesthetically pleasing. 
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,089 to Slay discloses an extendible jack 
stand apparatus including first, second, and third normally vertical 
frames arranged in telescoping relationship, and containing a locking 
mechanism for automatically locking the first and second frames together 
while the third frame is being raised, locking the second and third frames 
together when the third frames is fully raised, and unlocking the first 
and second frames to allow extension of the second frame; conversely, the 
locking mechanism is automatically reversible as the jack is lowered, 
unlocking the second and third frames and relocking the first and second 
frames upon the second frame being fully retracted into the first, 
allowing the third frame to be fully retracted into the first and second 
frames. The invention disclosed is overly complicated and has a relatively 
high cost of manufacture. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,276 to Hamerl describes a jack stand having a mounting 
plate enabling the stand to be mounted to any standard hitch bar. A front 
leg is pivoted by the upper end thereof to the front of the plate and 
extends downwardly and rearwardly thereof, terminating in a curved ground 
engaging skid. Over-center linkage is pivoted between the skid and the 
mounting plate extending upwardly and rearwardly towards said mounting 
plate when in the extended position; a level action makes or breaks the 
over-center linkage thereby extending or retracting the jack stand. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,212 to Westwood discloses a jack stand for supporting 
hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical and electromechanical jacks such that the 
jacks will have greatly increased stability during the handling of heavy 
loads using the jacks; the stand includes a central broad platform 
interconnected with broad feet and a horseshoe collar spaced above the 
broad central platform and interconnected to the platform and to the 
spaced feet; means can be provided for closing the opening formed by the 
horseshoe collar to further support a jack positioned on the stand and 
within the collar, should this be deemed desirable. 
Neither of the inventions disclosed above show a way to quickly and easily 
support a truck camper top. 
The prior art also discloses a jack stand as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,802,658 to Binding comprising a hollow column supported in an upright 
perpendicular position by a base plate at its lower end with a post 
telescopically supported within its upper end for extension relative 
thereto and a saddle at the upper end of the post; a pin mounted in 
inclined slots in the column by engagement with one of a plurality of 
notches on the post holds the latter at a predetermined position of 
extension; the pin is movable in the slots from an operative position 
supporting the post to an inoperative position to allow the post to be 
moved upwardly or downwardly relative to the column and back to an 
operative position in engagement with a different notch; there is a 
secondary support in the form of a plate at the top of the column movable 
into engagement with another notch and there is linkage interconnecting 
the pin and plate such that movement of the pin into and out of operative 
position is accompanied by movement if the plate into and out of operative 
position. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,012 to Miller shows a telescoping jack stand made of 
stamped metal parts with a pair of angularly extending legs which are 
pivotally mounted with respect to each other; the legs define an aperture 
between the legs with inwardly extending integral teeth; a central column 
member includes matching teeth and corresponding in shape and dimension 
with the aperture between the two legs; the central column includes 
recesses corresponding to the integral teeth of the legs; the legs are 
pivoted with respect to each other so that upon engagement of the teeth 
with the recesses in the column, additional load tends to pivot the teeth 
into greater engagement with the column and provide improved stability. 
Both of the inventions described have base structures too small to provide 
good stability when used to support a truck camper top. Furthermore, the 
telescoping jack stand having pivotally mounted legs could subject a user 
to injury if one or both of the legs were inadvertently kicked inward 
during operation thereby causing the jack to unexpectedly retract. 
In this respect, the portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops 
according to the present invention substantially departs from the 
conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing 
provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating 
easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, 
in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an elevated 
position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised free of 
the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from under 
the elevated camper top. 
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for 
new and improved portable telescoping stands for truck camper tops which 
can be used for facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from 
a pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the 
camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top 
has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be 
driven out from under the elevated camper top. In this regard, the present 
invention substantially fulfills this need. 
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made 
in an attempt to develop devices for facilitating removal of a camper top 
from a pickup truck. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits 
attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and 
commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of 
component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed 
herein. 
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and 
advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps 
and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning 
parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily 
available materials. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of jack 
stands now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an 
improved portable telescoping stand construction wherein the same can be 
utilized for facilitating easy one-person removal of a camper top from a 
pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the 
camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top 
has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be 
driven out from under the elevated camper top. As such, the general 
purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in 
greater detail, is to provide a new and improved portable telescoping 
stand for truck camper tops apparatus and method which has all the 
advantages of the prior art jack stands and none of the disadvantages. 
The invention is defined by the appended claims with the specific 
embodiment shown in the attached drawings. For the purpose of summarizing 
the invention, the invention may be incorporated into a new and improved 
portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops for facilitating easy 
one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck. Removal is 
facilitated by supporting, in combination with other like stands, the 
camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck bed after the top 
has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking. The truck may then be 
driven out from under the elevated camper top. The portable telescoping 
stand for truck camper tops comprises a lower support structure having a 
first hollow column supported in an upright position by a base. The base 
has a plurality of spaced apart support legs fixedly radially connected at 
one end to the lower end of the first column, the support legs extending 
from the first column at right angles to the column. The legs are equally 
spaced around the column to provide stability for the column whereby 
tipping caused by slightly off-center loads is precluded. The first column 
also has a plurality of spaced apart lateral holes therethrough, the 
lateral holes lying on parallel axes to each other at right angles to and 
intersecting the axis of the hollow first column. The stand also includes 
an upper support structure having a hollow second column telescopically 
operationally disposed over the first column whereby the overall height of 
the stand may be increased or decreased. The second column has a 
bifurcated yoke with upstanding ears fixedly connected to the upper end. 
The second column also has a plurality of spaced apart lateral holes 
therethrough, the lateral holes having essentially the same diameter as 
the holes of the first column. The lateral holes lie on parallel axes to 
each other, at right angles to and intersecting the axis of the hollow 
second column so when the upper support structure is telescopically 
longitudinally moved with respect to the lower support structure holes in 
the second column may be made to line up with holes in the first column. 
The stand further includes pin means whereby the overall height of the 
stand may be locked at any one of a plurality of discrete steps by 
inserting the pin through coincident holes of the first and second columns 
nearest a desired stand height. The pin means comprises a rod formed from 
shear-resistant material such as steel. The rod is substantially longer 
than the diameter of the second column. The rod also has a diameter 
essentially the same as the diameter of the holes of the first and second 
columns. The rod additionally has handle means whereby the rod may be 
easily grasped by a user. The rod extends through a hole in the second 
column and also extends through a hole in the first column. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In 
as much as the foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent 
and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed 
description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that 
the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. 
Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which 
form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated 
by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific 
methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or 
designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the 
present invention. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that 
such equivalent methods and structures do not depart from the spirit and 
scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops for facilitating 
easy one-person removal of a camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, 
in combination with other like stands, the camper top in an elevated 
position relative to the truck bed after the top has been raised free of 
the truck bed by jacking whereby the truck may be driven out from under 
the elevated camper top, the portable telescoping stand for truck camper 
tops comprising: a variable-height stand having a broad base whereby the 
stand is stably supported in an upright position, the stand also having a 
bifurcated yoke fixedly connected to the top wherein a plank, a beam, or 
the like may extend to another similar stand for supporting the camper 
top, the stand further having a locking mechanism whereby the height of 
the stand may be fixed in place. 
It is therefore an additional object of the present invention to provide a 
new and improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which 
has all the advantages of the prior art jack stands and none of the 
disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which may be easily and 
efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which is of a 
durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which is 
susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and 
labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to 
the consuming public, thereby making such portable telescoping stands for 
truck camper tops economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which provides 
in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages 
thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages 
normally associated therewith. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops that is compact 
and easy to store when not in use. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which may be 
universally applied to facilitate removal of all sizes and types of truck 
camper tops. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops which also 
provides an alarm means for notifying the owner of unauthorized removal of 
the camper top from the stand. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. The foregoing has 
outlined some of the more pertinent objects of this invention. These 
objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more 
prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other 
beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in 
a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the 
disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the 
invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the 
detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope 
of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 3 thereof, a 
new and improved portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops 
embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and 
generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
From an overview standpoint, the portable telescoping stand for truck 
camper tops is adapted for use to facilitate easy one-person removal of a 
camper top from a pickup truck by supporting, in combination with other 
like stands, the camper top in an elevated position relative to the truck 
bed after the top has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking whereby 
the truck may be driven out from under the elevated camper top. See FIG. 
1. 
With reference now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 and more specifically, it will be 
noted that the portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops 10 
facilitates easy one-person removal of a camper top 160 from a pickup 
truck. Removal is facilitated by supporting, in combination with other 
like stands, the camper top 160 in an elevated position relative to the 
truck bed after the top has been raised free of the truck bed by jacking. 
The truck may then be driven out from under the elevated camper top. 
The portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops 10 comprises a lower 
support structure 20 having a first hollow column 22 supported in an 
upright position by a base. The base has a plurality of spaced apart 
support legs 24, 26, 28, and 32 fixedly radially connected at one end to 
the lower end 34 of the first column, the support legs extending from the 
first column at right angles to the column. 
The legs 24, 26, 28, and 32 are equally spaced around the column 22 to 
provide stability for the column whereby tipping caused by slightly 
off-center loads is precluded. The first column 22 also has a plurality of 
spaced apart lateral holes 36, 38, and 42 therethrough, the lateral holes 
lying on parallel axes to each other at right angles to and intersecting 
the axis of the hollow first column 22. The stand 10 also includes an 
upper support structure 60 having a hollow second column 62 telescopically 
operationally disposed over the first column 22 whereby the overall height 
of the stand 10 may be increased or decreased. 
The second column 62 has a bifurcated yoke 64 with upstanding ears 66 and 
68 fixedly connected to the upper end. The second column 62 also has a 
plurality of spaced apart lateral holes 72, 74, and 76 therethrough, the 
lateral holes having essentially the same diameter as the holes 36, 38, 
and 42 of the first column. The lateral holes 72, 74, and 76 lie on 
parallel axes to each other and at right angles to and intersecting the 
axis of the hollow second column 62 so when the upper support structure 60 
is telescopically longitudinally moved with respect to the lower support 
structure 20 holes in the second column 62 may be made to line up with 
holes in the first column 22. 
The stand 10 further includes pin means 90 whereby the overall height of 
the stand 10 may be locked at any one of a plurality of discrete steps by 
inserting the pin 90 through coincident holes of the first and second 
columns 22 and 62 nearest a desired stand height. The pin means 90 
comprises a rod 92 formed from shear-resistant material such as steel. 
The rod is substantially longer than the diameter of the second column 62. 
The rod 92 also has a diameter essentially the same as the diameter of the 
holes of the first and second columns. The rod 92 additionally has handle 
means 94 whereby the rod may be easily grasped by a user. The rod 92 
extends through a hole 74 in the second column and also extends through a 
hole 38 in the first column. 
Referring also now to FIGS. 4 and 5, in a first modification of the 
preferred embodiment, the upper support structure 60 is modified to 
include a weight scale means 100 whereby the heaviness of the supported 
camper top 160 may be ascertained, the weight scale means 100 comprises a 
tubular body 102 fixedly collinearly connected to the upper end of the 
second column 62. The tubular body 102 has essentially the same outside 
diameter as the second column 62. The tubular body 102 also has a closed 
lower end 108 and an open upper end 114. 
The tubular body 102 additionally has a longitudinal slot 104 therethrough 
and calibrated weight indicia 106 along a longitudinal edge of the 
longitudinal slot 104. The weight scale means 100 also includes a 
bifurcated yoke 64 with upstanding ears 66 and 68. The bifurcated yoke 64 
is fixedly connected to a downwardly projecting cylindrical member 112 
which has an outside diameter essentially the same as the inside diameter 
of the of the tubular body 102. 
The cylindrical member 112 is operationally telescopically disposed within 
the tubular body 102. The weight scale means 100 additionally has a 
biasing means 110, such as a coil compression spring, having a predictable 
coefficient of compression. The biasing means 110 has an outside diameter 
essentially the same as the inside diameter of the tubular body 102. The 
biasing means 110 is also captively longitudinally disposed within the 
tubular body 102 such that it is trapped between the closed bottom end of 
the tubular body 108 and the bottom end 116 of the cylindrical member 
whereby biasing the cylindrical member 112 upwardly whereby a load weight 
placed on the yoke 64 will cause the cylindrical member 112 to overcome a 
portion of the biasing tension being deflected downwardly within the 
tubular body 102 by an amount proportional to the load. 
The weight scale means 100 further includes indicating means 118 whereby 
the amount of downward deflection of the cylindrical member 112 may be 
interpreted by a user as units of weight. The indicating means 118 
comprises a mark, such as an annular ring inscribed on the surface of the 
cylindrical member 112. The mark is located on the cylindrical member 112 
such that it is visible through the slot 104 of the tubular body 102 
whereby a user may visually compare the position of the indicating means 
118 to the calibrated indicia 106 whereby a specific load weight may be 
ascertained. 
The portable telescoping stand for truck camper tops 10, in a second 
modification of the preferred embodiment (shown in FIGS. 6 and 7), further 
includes a theft alarm 150 whereby an aural signal is sounded upon removal 
of the camper top 160 from the stand 10. The theft alarm 150 comprises 
electrical switch contact means 134 being biased normally closed. The 
switch contact means 134 also being fixedly connected to the tubular body 
102 of the weight scale means. 
The switch contact means 134 also having a linkage 144 fixedly 
operationally connected to the bifurcated yoke 64 of the weight scale 
means whereby the weight of the camper top on the yoke causes the switch 
contact means 134 to open. The theft alarm 150 additionally has electrical 
alarm means 152 such as a bell or buzzer, the alarm means 152 being 
operationally connected in series with the switch contact means 134. The 
theft alarm 150 further includes a source of electrical current 146 having 
characteristics appropriate for powering the electrical alarm means 152. 
The source of electrical current 146 is operationally connected in series 
with the alarm means 152 and the switch contact means 134 whereby closing 
of the switch contacts caused by removing the weight of the camper top 160 
causes electrical current to flow through the alarm means 152 whereby 
sounding an aural alarm. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further 
discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. In as much as 
the present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims as 
well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has 
been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of 
particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the 
preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes 
in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts 
may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention. 
Now that the invention has been described,