Abstract:
A vehicle support apparatus includes lower and upper parallel plates connected by plural telescoping vertical supports. The upper plate is adapted to receive an elevated vehicle wheel and provide support therefor. Locking pins are spring-biased to a locked position wherein each pin is inserted in one of plural pairs of aligned apertures disposed in a spaced manner in a telescoping vertical support to maintain the telescoping members in fixed relative position. The vehicle is first lifted by a jack and the apparatus positioned so as to place one of the vehicle&#39;s wheels on the upper plate to support the vehicle. The jack is then removed from the vehicle, placed between the spaced, parallel lower and upper plates, and the upper plate and vehicle wheel are further raised using the jack, with the telescoping vertical support locked at the desired height either manually or automatically by the locking pins.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to apparatus for supporting a vehicle in an elevated position and is particularly directed to a vehicle support used in conjunction with a jack for engaging and supporting a wheel of the vehicle in an elevated position for performing maintenance or repairs on the vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Jacks for lifting a vehicle come in various forms, with the conventional mechanical, ratchet-type jack and the hydraulic jack being the most common. The lifting element of the jack is typically placed beneath and engages a structural member of the vehicle&#39;s undercarriage, such as its axle or a frame member. A jack is typically used for minor maintenance or repair which can be accomplished in a relatively short period. For more extensive maintenance/repairs requiring the mechanic to be positioned beneath the vehicle, other support structures are typically employed of a stronger, more permanent nature than a jack. Perhaps the most common of these latter type of vehicle support structures is the jack stand. As in the case of the jack itself, a jack stand is placed beneath and engages a structural member of the vehicle&#39;s undercarriage. By engaging and supporting the vehicle by means of its undercarriage, these types of vehicle support devices restrict access to the lower portion of the vehicle. If the component of the vehicle&#39;s undercarriage is large, the use of this type of undercarriage support device may require repositioning of the support device during the maintenance/repair, thus complicating and extending the time required for the maintenance/repair. In addition, this type of vehicle support device also requires the worker to position the device beneath the vehicle while the vehicle is supported by a jack. This increases the risk to the worker because of the possibility of jack failure. 
     The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a stable, high strength, adjustable-height support device for a vehicle which is used in conjunction with a jack for safely elevating and supporting a vehicle for maintenance or repair. The vehicle is first lifted by the jack and one of its tires is positioned on the vehicle support device. The jack is then removed from the vehicle, placed in engagement with the inventive support device and the vehicle is further elevated by the jack as it is supported by the device. The device is then locked in position, either manually of automatically, to stable and securely support the vehicle, with the jack then removed. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to support a vehicle in a stable, secure manner while allowing for unrestricted access to the underside of the vehicle for maintenance or repair. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle support which is adapted for use with a jack to provide stable support for the vehicle for maintenance or repair over a wide range of heights. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle support for engaging and supporting a wheel of a vehicle which is self-locking, stable and of high strength, and which is easily raised or lowered using a conventional jack. 
     The present invention contemplates a multi-position vehicle support apparatus comprising a lower platform disposed on a support surface such as the ground or a floor; plural extendible support members attached to and extending upward from the lower platform in a generally vertical manner; an upper platform disposed above the lower platform and attached to respective upper end portions of the plural extendible support members, the upper platform adapted to receive a wheel of a vehicle for supporting the vehicle in a first upraised position, the upper platform including a lower portion adapted to receive a jack for raising the upper platform and the wheel disposed thereon to a second, higher upraised position; and plural locking mechanisms each coupled to a respective extendible support member for locking the extendible support members in fixed relative position for supporting the vehicle at the second, higher upraised position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The appended claims set forth those novel features which characterize the invention. However, the invention itself, as well as further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where like reference characters identify like elements throughout the various figures, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a vehicle support in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 are end-on views of the vehicle support of FIG. 1, respectively illustrating the vehicle support in the lowered and upraised positions; 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the vehicle support of the present invention shown in the lowered position; 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the vehicle support of the present invention shown in an upraised, locked position; 
     FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a telescoping vertical support employed in the vehicle support of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the manner in which a jack is used to raise and position a wheel of a vehicle on the vehicle support of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the vehicle support on which is disposed a wheel of a vehicle is raised by means of a jack for further elevating the vehicle in accordance with another aspect of the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 9,  10  and  11  are respectively upper perspective and side elevation views of an extension support for use with the vehicle support of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an upper perspective view of a vehicle support  10  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. End-on views of the vehicle support  10  are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, where the vehicle support is respectively shown in a lowered position and an upraised position. 
     Vehicle support  10  includes lower and upper platforms  12  and  14 , each of which is generally rectangular and planar in shape. Attached to the upper surface of the lower platform  12  are first, second, third, and fourth vertical supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c  and  16   d . The lower ends of each of the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  are securely attached to the upper surface of the lower platform  12  by conventional means such as weldments  21  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each of the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  is generally cylindrical in shape and is open at the top. A pair of cross braces  19  are attached to and extend between the first and second vertical supports  16   a ,  16   b  and between the third and fourth vertical supports  16   c ,  16   d  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Cross braces have been omitted from the other figures for simplicity. The cross braces  19  substantially increase the strength of the vehicle support  10 . Inserted within the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  in a telescoping manner are fifth through eighth vertical supports  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c , and  18   d . Each of the fifth through eighth vertical supports  18   a - 18   d  is freely slidable within its associated first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  to permit the upper platform  14  to be raised from the lowered positioned shown in FIG. 2 to the upraised position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Sectional views of the combination of the fourth and eighth vertical supports  16   d  and  18   d  are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with the lowered position shown in FIG.  4  and the upraised, or extended, position shown in FIG.  5 . The upper end of each of the fifth through eighth vertical supports  18   a - 18   d  is securely affixed to a lower surface of the upper platform  14  by conventional means such as weldments  48  as shown in the sectional views of FIGS. 4 and 5. Disposed on a lateral edge of the lower platform  12  and extending the length thereof is a reinforcing flange, or rib,  12   a . Reinforcing flange  12   a  increases the bending strength of the lower platform  12 . Reinforcing flange  12   a  may be eliminated in those cases where the size of the jack with which the vehicle support  10  is used requires that the jack extend entirely through the vehicle support. The upper platform  14  includes reinforcing flanges  14   b  and  14   c  disposed on opposed lateral edges and extending the length of the upper platform. The cross braces discussed above attached to adjacent vertical supports increase the strength of the vehicle support  10  and allow it to accommodate large vehicle weights without lateral bending or other deformation. Each of the pairs of cross braces is attached to an associated pair of vertical supports by conventional means such as weldments which are not shown in the figures for simplicity. The lower and upper platforms  12 ,  14 , the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d , the fifth through eighth vertical support  18   a - 18   d , and the first and second pairs of cross braces  19  are all preferably comprised of a high strength metal such as steel. Other components of the vehicle support  10  described in the following paragraphs are also preferably comprised of a high strength metal such as steel. 
     Attached to outer lateral portions of the first and second vertical supports  16   a ,  16   b  is a first locking mechanism  20 . Similarly, attached to outer, lateral portions of the third and fourth vertical supports  16   c ,  16   d  is a second locking mechanism  22 . The first locking mechanism  20  includes first and second generally cylindrical brackets  24   a  and  24   b  respectively attached to outer lateral portions of the first and second vertical supports  16   a  and  16   b  by conventional means such as weldments. The first and second cylindrical brackets  24   a ,  24   b  are aligned along a common axis and each is provided with an aperture extending the length of the bracket. Similarly, third and fourth cylindrical brackets  24   c  and  24   d  are respectively attached to outer lateral portions of the third and fourth vertical supports  16   c  and  16   d  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The third and fourth cylindrical brackets  24   c  and  24   d  are also cylindrical in shape, are aligned along a common axis, and each has a respective aperture extending the length thereof. Inserted through the aligned first and second cylindrical brackets  24   a ,  24   b  is a first elongated, linear rod  25 . Similarly, inserted through the aligned third and fourth cylindrical brackets  24   c ,  24   d  is a second elongated, linear rod  56 . Each of the first and second rods  25 ,  56  is slidably disposed within its associated, aligned pair of apertured cylindrical brackets. Attached in a spaced manner to the first rod  25  are first and second locking bars  30   a  and  30   b . Similarly, attached in a spaced manner along the length of the second rod  56  are third and fourth locking bars  30   c  and  30   d . Each of the aforementioned locking bars is securely attached to its associated rod and is generally “L” shaped. Disposed about and extending a portion of the length of the first rod  25  is a first coiled spring  26 . The first coiled spring  26  is disposed about the first rod  25  and between the second cylindrical bracket  24   b  and the first locking bar  30   a . The first coiled spring  26  is disposed about the first rod  25  in a compressed manner so as to urge the first rod  25  including the pair of locking bars attached thereto in a leftward direction as viewed in FIG.  1 . Similarly, the second coiled spring  54  disposed about the second rod  56  is positioned between and engages the third cylindrical bracket  24   c  and the fourth locking bar  30   d  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The compressed second coiled spring  54  urges the combination of the second rod  56  and third and fourth locking bars  30   c ,  30   d  in a rightward direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 for locking the vehicle support  10  in an upraised position as shown in FIG.  3  and is described in detail in the following paragraphs. 
     Disposed in a spaced manner along each of the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  are plural pairs of spaced apertures. Thus, the first vertical support  16   a  includes upper and lower paired apertures  32   a  and  32   b , although only one of each of the paired apertures is shown in the figures for simplicity. The second and third vertical supports  16   b ,  16   c  similarly include respective pairs of aligned upper and lower apertures  34   a ,  34   b  and  36   a ,  36   b , respectively. Finally, the fourth vertical support  16   d  includes a pair of upper aligned apertures  38   a  and  40   a  and a pair of lower aligned apertures  38   b  and  40   b  arranged in a spaced manner along the length of the vertical support as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As shown in its FIG. 4, in the lowered position the eighth vertical support  18   d  is fully inserted along its entire length within the fourth vertical support  16   d . When the combination of the upper platform  14  and the four vertical supports attached thereto, including the eighth vertical support  18   d  as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is raised as described below, the fourth locking bar  30   d  (as shown in dotted line form in FIG. 5) is inserted through aligned apertures  38   b  and  40   b  for engaging an end cap  42  disposed on the lower end of the fourth vertical support  18   d  for maintaining the vertical support as well as the upper platform  14  in an upraised position as shown in FIG.  5 . The first, second and third locking bars  30   a - 30   c  are similarly inserted through respective aligned apertures in the first through third vertical supports  16   a - 16   c  for maintaining each of these vertical supports as well as the upper platform  14  in an upraised position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Further lifting of the upper platform  14  and the vertical supports attached thereto to a position above upper aligned apertures in each of the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  is followed by insertion of a respective locking bar in a pair of upper aligned apertures in each of these vertical supports permits the upper platform  14  to be supported at a second, higher level. Thus, with specific reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the fourth locking bar  30   d  could also be inserted in the upper pair of aligned apertures  38   a  and  40   a  with the end cap  42  positioned above these aligned apertures so as to provide support for the fourth vertical support  18   d  and the upper platform  14  attached to an upper end thereof at a second, higher level. Although each of the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  is shown with two pairs of aligned apertures disposed in a spaced manner along its length, these vertical supports could be provided with a larger number of aligned apertures to provide smaller spacing between the elevated positions of the vehicle support or an increased elevation of the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform  14 . 
     Disposed adjacent the opening in the upper end of the fourth vertical support  16   d  is a annular bearing  46  disposed between and engaging the fourth and eighth vertical supports  16   d  and  18   d  for facilitating sliding displacement between the two vertical supports. Annular bearing  46  may be comprised of any of the more conventional bearing materials and have a conventional bearing configuration. For example, annular bearing  46  may be either a nylon bearing or a ball bearing. Annular bearing  46  is maintained in position within the fourth vertical support  16   d  by means of a cylindrical collar  62   d  attached to the open upper end of the fourth vertical support. Similarly, end cap  42  is preferably comprised of a bearing material such as nylon for engaging the inner wall of the fourth vertical support  16   d  for facilitating sliding displacement of the eighth vertical support  18   d  within the fourth vertical support. Thus, end cap  42  is preferably in the form of a nylon disc attached to the lower end of the eighth vertical support  18   d  by means of a mounting screw or bolt  44 . A second pin  47  such as a small screw or bolt is also inserted through the end cap  42  and into the lower end of the eighth vertical support  18   d  for preventing rotation of the end cap on the vertical support. Each of the other three vertical support combinations includes a similar annular bearing, collar and end cap arrangement to facilitate relative displacement between the attached vertical support members. Collar  62   d  is preferably removable and is attached to the upper end of the fourth vertical support  16   d  by conventional means such as a threaded coupling or a retaining pin, neither of which is shown in the figures for simplicity. 
     As previously described, the coiled spring in each locking mechanism urges the locking bars in a direction along the line of the elongated, linear rod to which the locking bars are attached. More specifically as described above, coiled spring  26  urges the first and second locking bars  30   a ,  30   b  in a generally leftward direction as viewed in FIG. 1, while coiled spring  54  urges the third and fourth locking bars  30   c ,  30   d  in a rightward direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. With reference specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, when the vehicle support  10  is in the fold down position as shown in FIG. 2, the second and third locking bars  30   c ,  30   d  are positioned within one of the upper apertures within the third and fourth vertical supports  16   c  and  16   d , respectively. In this configuration, the distal ends of the third and fourth locking bars  30   c  and  30   d  respectively engage outer lateral portions of the seventh and eighth vertical supports  18   c ,  18   d  disposed within the third and fourth vertical supports  16   c ,  16   d , respectively. When the upper platform  14  is raised as described below, each of the locking bars positioned within a respective upper aperture of an outer vertical support engages the inner vertical support disposed within the outer vertical support until the lower end of the inner vertical support clears the aperture in the outer vertical support within which the locking bar is positioned. Once the lower end of the inner vertical support clears the aperture within which the locking bar is positioned, the coiled spring attached to the linear, elongated rod connected to the locking bar urges the rod and locking bar combination in a direction so that the locking bar is displaced through the outer vertical support and extends through the aligned apertures therein. This is shown in FIG. 3, where the combination of the upper platform  14  and the fifth through eighth vertical supports attached thereto has been raised so that the lower ends of each of the inner vertical supports clears the aperture within which a respective locking bar is inserted. This permits locking bars  30   c  and  30   d , under the urging of coiled spring  54 , to be inserted through each of the vertical supports  16   c ,  16   d  and extend through the aligned, opposed apertures in each of these vertical supports. This permits each locking bar to engage a lower end of a respective inner vertical support for supporting the upper platform  14  and a vehicle disposed thereon. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a transverse sectional view of the lower end of the inner eighth vertical support  18   d  having an end cap  42  disposed thereon as positioned with the outer fourth vertical support  16   d . The vertical support&#39;s end cap  42  is provided with a notched out, or recessed, portion  42   a  in a lateral surface thereof. As the combination of the upper platform and the four vertical supports attached thereto is raised as previously described, each of the locking bars will engage a lateral portion of a respective vertical support until the vertical support clears the locking bar in its upward travel. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6 the fourth locking bar  30   d  engages a lateral portion of the eighth vertical support  18   d  as it is displaced upward until the end cap  42  attached to the end of the eighth vertical support clears the locking bar. Once the combination of the eighth vertical support  18   d  and end cap  42  has been displaced upwardly so that the end cap clears locking bar  30   d , the locking bar will be urged rightwardly as shown in FIG. 6 so that it extends through aligned apertures  38   b  and  40   b  within the fourth vertical support  16   d . In this position, locking bar  30   d  provides support for the fourth vertical support  18   d  as well as the upper platform and a vehicle position on the upper platform. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the manner in which the vehicle support  10  of the present invention is used with a jack  74  is shown. The vehicle  70  is first elevated by jack  74  permitting the vehicle support  10  to be positioned beneath one of the vehicle&#39;s wheels  72 . 
     The vehicle  70  is then lowered by the jack  74  so that the vehicle&#39;s wheel  72  is positioned within the recessed upper portion  14   a  of the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform  14 . Jack  74  is then removed from the vehicle  70 . In a preferred embodiment, jack  74  is a 1½-2 ton hydraulic jack. With the vehicle&#39;s wheel  72  positioned on the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform  14  as shown in FIG. 7, the jack  74  is then inserted in the vehicle support  10  so as to be disposed between the vehicle support&#39;s lower and upper platform  12 ,  14 . Jack  74  is again raised causing the lifting of the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform  14  and the vehicle&#39;s wheel  72  disposed thereon. Once the fifth through eighth vertical supports  18   a - 8   d  each clears a respective locking bar in an associated one of the fifth through eighth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d , the locking bars will be automatically inserted through aligned apertures in each of the fifth through eighth vertical supports so as to engage a lower end of and provide support for each of the fifth through eighth vertical supports and the upper platform  14  attached thereto as well as a vehicle  70  disposed on the upper platform. The vehicle  70  disposed on the fully upraised vehicle support  10  is shown in FIG. 8, where each of the four locking bars is shown inserted through an associated one of the first through fourth vertical supports  16   a - 16   d  so as to engage and provide support for an associated one of the fifth through eighth vertical supports  18   a - 18   d . Jack  74  may then be removed, with the vehicle  70  securely and stably positioned on and supported by the vehicle support  10 . In lowering vehicle  70 , the procedure is reversed. Thus, jack  74  is placed beneath and in engagement with the upraised upper platform  14  to provide support for the vehicle  70  disposed thereon. The four locking bars  30   a - 30   d  are then removed from the four vertical support arrangements, and the jack  74  lowers the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform  14  and the vehicle  70  thereon to the position shown in FIG.  7 . In this position, the vehicle support  10  is in the full down position, allowing the jack  74  to be removed. The jack  74  is then positioned in engagement with a lower portion of the vehicle  70  for raising the vehicle, allowing the vehicle support  10  to be removed and the vehicle to be lowered to the floor or ground. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown in accordance with another aspect of the present invention an extension support  158  disposed on the vehicle support  10  for supporting a vehicle by engaging a structural component such as a frame member rather than the vehicle&#39;s wheel in supporting the vehicle in an elevated position. FIGS. 10 and 11 are side elevational views of the extension support  158  showing the manner in which the extension support is positioned within the recessed portion  14   a  in the upper surface of the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform  14 . The extension support  158  also allows the vehicle to be supported at a greater height than by simply using the vehicle support  10 . Extension support  158  includes a generally planar, rectangular, base member  60 . Disposed on the upper surface of the base member and extending upwardly therefrom is a cylindrical member  64  having a pair of spaced apertures  64   a  and  64   b  disposed along its length. Inserted within and displaceable along the length of the base member  60  in a telescoping manner is a support member  76 . Attached to the upper end of support member  76  is a cross member  68  which is adapted to engage and support a structural member in the vehicle&#39;s undercarriage which is not shown in the figures for simplicity. Disposed in a spaced manner along the length of the support member  76  are plural apertures (not shown in the figures for simplicity), which when aligned with the apertures  64   a  or  64   b  in the cylindrical member  64  allow a pin  78  to be inserted in the aligned apertures to maintain the cross member  68  and support member  76  combination in an extended, or upraised, position for supporting the vehicle at a greater height. Disposed about and attached to an upper portion of the cylindrical member  64  are four support legs, where only three support legs are shown in the figures as elements  66   a ,  66   b  and  66   c . Each of the support legs is attached at its respective lower end to a peripheral portion of the extension support&#39;s base member  60  for increasing the strength of the extension support. As shown in the partial sectional side elevation views of FIGS. 10 and 11, the extension support&#39;s base member  60  is positioned within the recessed portion  14   a  in the upper surface of the upper platform  14  shown in FIG.  1 . Respective lateral and front and back edges of the base member  60  are positioned in contact with adjacent portions of the upper platform&#39;s recessed portion  14   a . As shown in FIG. 11, front and back edge portions  60   a  and  60   b  of the extension support&#39;s base member  60  are angled, or beveled, so as to intimately engage the adjacent angled portions of the upper platform&#39;s recessed portion  14   a . The extension support  58  is thus fixedly and securely maintained in position in the upper platform&#39;s recessed portion  14   a.    
     There has thus been shown a vehicle support for use with a jack for supporting a vehicle in an elevated position. The vehicle support includes lower and upper generally planar platforms arranged in a vertically spaced manner and connected by means of plural extendible support members. The vehicle is first raised by the jack and the vehicle support is positioned beneath one of the vehicle&#39;s wheels. The vehicle is then lowered by the jack unto the upper platform of the vehicle support and the jack is removed from the vehicle. The jack is then positioned between the vehicle support&#39;s lower and upper platforms to permit the upper platform to be raised to a second elevated position. The extendible support members are then locked in the extended position to maintain the vehicle support&#39;s upper platform and vehicle disposed thereon in an elevated position for maintenance or repair. Each of the extendible support members is disclosed as comprised of upper and lower vertical supports connected together in a telescoping manner. Locking bars are inserted in aligned apertures in a lower set of the vertical supports so as to engage and maintain in fixed position the upper vertical supports connected thereto. In the disclosed embodiment, a pair of locking bars are connected to an elongated common rod extending between adjacent vertical supports and urged to a first position by a coiled spring. In a first position, each of the locking bars is inserted through aligned apertures in a respective lower vertical support member so as to engage and provide support for an associated upper vertical support member and the upper platform. In lowering the vehicle, the locking bars are removed from the vertical supports allowing coupled pairs of vertical supports to be displaced in a telescoping manner relative to one another, permitting the jack to lower the upper platform to lowered position. The jack is then removed from the inventive vertical support, placed in contact with a lower portion of the vehicle for raising the vehicle to allow the vertical support to be removed, whereupon the vehicle is lowered to the floor or ground. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the relevant arts that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.