page_title: Jack (device)
section_title: Farm jack
hierarchical_section_title: Jack (device) / Farm jack
caption_attribution_description: Photo of a Farm Jack attached to the back of a Land Rover
context_page_description: A jack is a mechanical lifting device used to apply great forces or lift heavy loads. A mechanical jack employs a screw thread for lifting heavy equipment. A hydraulic jack uses hydraulic power. The most common form is a car jack, floor jack or garage jack, which lifts vehicles so that maintenance can be performed. Jacks are usually rated for a maximum lifting capacity. Industrial jacks can be rated for many tons of load.
context_section_description: The farm jack also known as a railroad jack, high lift Jack or kanga-jack was invented in 1905.  It consists of a steel beam with a series of equally spaced holes along its length, and a hand-operated mechanism which can be moved from one end of the beam to the other through the use of a pair of climbing pins.  Typical sizes for the farm jack are 4 feet (1.2 m), 5 feet (1.5 m)and 6 feet (1.8 m) referring to the length of the beam.
  The jack's versatility stems from its use for such applications as lifting, winching, clamping, pulling and pushing.  It is this versatility, along with the long travel it offers and its relative portability, which make the farm jack so popular with off-road drivers.
caption: A farm jack attached to a vehicle
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