Abstract:
Disclosed is an improved garbage disposal jack for use in the installation and removal of sink mounted garbage disposals. The improved garbage disposal jack allows for rotation of the garbage disposal unit while maintaining the height during the installation or removal process.

Description:
FIELD 
     The disclosed device relates to the field of adjustable support devices. More particularly, the disclosed device is an adjustable jack stand for use installing and removing sink-mounted garbage disposal units. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Jack stands have been employed for many years as temporary supports during various tasks requiring mechanical work. One activity where jack stands have been helpful is installation and removal of garbage disposal units. 
     Due to the limited space under a kitchen sink, installing or removing a garbage disposal unit is often a one-person task. In addition to the limited space, garbage disposal units are bulky and heavy, which make installation and removal difficult and uncomfortable for one person. 
     Furthermore, manipulating jacks or screws while the entire apparatus is underneath the sink is a difficult and tedious task. Prior art screw jack stands do not completely secure the garbage disposal unit. Specifically, when moving a nut-and-screw stand into proper position or adjusting the position, the wiggling or jarring may loosen the nut and screw that secure the elevation of the garbage disposal unit. If the nut becomes too loose to support the load atop the stand, breaking or injury may occur. 
     In screw-shaft jack stands, moving or adjusting the orientation of the garbage disposal unit while elevated results in the raising or lowering of the height due to twisting of the screw-shaft. 
     Additionally, crank-jack stands, screw-shaft stands, and nut-and-screw stands all require the user to manipulate the screws or cranks within the confines underneath the sink. Persons with back or joint problems or with arthritis will have a difficult time using fine motor skills in confined spaces. 
     What is needed is a garbage disposal jack that is compact, light, easy to manipulate in confined spaces, and has a safe means for maintaining the height of the garbage disposal unit. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present application discloses an improved apparatus for easily installing and removing a garbage disposal unit. 
     The disclosed device improves upon the prior art by providing a lighter apparatus. The disclosed device utilizes air, rather than a liquid, to control the height of the jack. 
     The disclosed device improves upon the prior art by making it easier to raise and manipulate the orientation of the garbage disposal unit while elevated and in the confined space under the sink. 
     Kitchen sinks used in construction generally come in either high or low clearance. Above counter sinks generally have a higher clearance of approximately 9 to 10 inches. Below counter sinks have a lower clearance of approximately 7 to 8 inches. The disclosed device can be used with either sink because of the adaptability of starting heights that is possible through utilizing the locking pins or the locking disc. 
     Additionally, the telescoping tubes result in a compact garbage disposal jack that can be easily placed in any kitchen cabinet spaces. 
     Finally, the disclosed device utilizes improved height maintaining mechanisms. 
     Now turning to a brief discussion of the operation of the disclosed device. 
     In order to use the disclosed device, the user first places the garbage disposal jack underneath the sink. Next, the jack is positioned underneath the garbage disposal attachment point. If necessary, the user adjusts the height maintaining mechanism to change the starting height of the support arms. In a first embodiment, the height maintaining mechanisms are locking pins in conjunction with a locking slot. In a second embodiment, the height maintaining mechanism is a locking disc in conjunction with a plurality of shaft recesses. 
     In the first embodiment, the height maintaining mechanism is a series of locking pins affixed incrementally along the shaft. Using the locking pins and locking slot, the user is able to adjust the starting height of the support arms. The locking pins prevent the garbage disposal unit from falling vertically and crushing the user&#39;s hands or fingers. 
     In a second embodiment, the height maintaining mechanism is a locking disc with a series of shaft recesses. The shaft recesses are incrementally spaced along the shaft. 
     The locking disc has the overall shape of a flat disk. In the center of the disk is a teardrop-shaped hole. The general shape of a teardrop includes a narrow area and a wide area. 
     Moving the locking disc horizontally along the cap such that the shaft aligns with the wide area of the teardrop-shaped hole allows for the shaft height to be adjusted. After the shaft is raised to the desired height, the locking disc is moved horizontally across the cap so that the shaft recess corresponding to the desired height is aligned with the narrow area of the teardrop-shaped hole. 
     One benefit of the locking disc is the ability of the shaft to rotate a full 360 degrees without causing a decrease in height. 
     Next, the garbage disposal unit is placed upon the support arms. Then, the user inflates the air bladder to raise the garbage disposal unit up to the garbage disposal attachment point. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosed device can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of a first embodiment of a garbage disposal jack. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the telescoping relationship between the inner and outer tubes in the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a fully constructed garbage disposal jack of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top perspective view showing the locking slot and the through slot in the cap of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates height adjustment of the first embodiment using the first locking pin. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the first locking pin engaging the locking slot of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates height adjustment of the first embodiment using the second locking pin. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the second locking pin engaging the locking slot of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates height adjustment of the first embodiment using the air bladder. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a second embodiment of a garbage disposal jack utilizing a locking disc. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the locking disc maintaining the height of the shaft and support arms in the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a third embodiment of the garbage disposal jack where the air bladder is inflated by an electric motor. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the device, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exploded view of the component parts of the garbage disposal jack is shown. The garbage disposal jack  1  is comprised of an outer tube  4  affixed to a base  2 . The outer tube  4  is hollow allowing an inner tube  6 , or a series of inner tubes (not shown), to fit inside. A cap  8  tops the tubes and has a hole allowing a shaft  10  to pass through the cap  8 , and the bottom of the shaft is inside the inner tube  6 . The shaft  10  has a flat bottom portion  34  that has smaller diameter than the hollow inside of the inner tube  6 . By having the flat bottom portion  34  nearly as wide at the hollow inside of the inner tube  6 , the shaft  10  remains perpendicular to the base  2 . 
     Opposite the flat bottom portion  34 , the shaft  10  has perpendicularly affixed support arms  12 . The support arms  12  are configured to hold a garbage disposal unit. The shaft  10  also has a plurality of locking pins  26 ,  28  (not shown). Optionally, the support arms  12  have friction members  14  on the tips to prevent sliding of the garbage disposal unit. 
     Attached to the outer tube  4  is an air tube  18  and air pump  16 . The air tube  18  terminates in a nozzle  20  that is configured to pass through a hole in the outer tube  4  near the base  2 . The nozzle  20  is attached to an air bladder  22  located inside the hollow space of the outer tube  4 . The inner tube  6  rests atop the air bladder  22  and rises when the air bladder  22  is inflated. 
     The garbage disposal jack  1  further includes a pressure release valve  24  that allows for fine adjustment after inflation. The fine adjustment created by the combination of an air bladder  22  and a release valve  24  makes it easy to use the garbage disposal jack  1  over a wide range of incremental heights. 
       FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the inner tube  6  and outer tube  4  with the cap  8  and shaft  10  removed.  FIG. 2  shows the telescoping relationship between the inner tube  6  and the outer tube  4 . When the air bladder is completely deflated the tops of both the inner tube  6  and the outer tube  4  are aligned. 
       FIG. 3  shows the garbage disposal jack  1  when the component parts are combined into the first embodiment. The inner tube  6  is situated inside the outer tube  4 . The shaft  10  passes through the cap  8 . The flat bottom portion  34  slides into the inner tube  6 . And the cap  8  is attached on top of the inner and outer tubes. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a top perspective view of the garbage disposal jack  1  shows a unique feature of the cap  8  of the first embodiment. In the opening through which the shaft  10  passes are a through slot  30  and locking slot  32 . Shown in  FIG. 4  is the first locking pin  26  engaged with, or resting in, the locking slot  32 . 
     Generally, the locking pins  26 / 28  and locking slot  32  allow for variations in the starting height of the garbage disposal jack  1 . A plurality of locking pins can be spaced along the shaft  10  at various increments. The greater the number of locking pins on the shaft  10 , the more starting heights on the garbage disposal jack  1 . Adjusting the starting height is discussed below. 
     Now turning to a discussion of adjusting the height of the garbage disposal jack  1  using the locking pins  26 / 28 , the through slot  30 , and the locking slot  32 . 
       FIG. 5  shows how one adjusts the height of the shaft  10  using the locking pins  26 / 28 . The shaft  10  is lifted by the user. The shaft  10  can be elevated to a higher starting point by aligning the first locking pin  26  with the through slot  30 . To secure the shaft  10  using the first locking pin  26  and cap  8 , lift up (arrow A) and twist the shaft  10  ninety degrees (arrow B) in either direction. This aligns the first locking pin  26  with the locking slot  32 . 
     Now turning to  FIG. 6  where setting the starting height of the first embodiment is completed. With the first locking pin  26  aligned with the locking slot  32 , the shaft  10  is lowered until the first locking pin  26  rest in the locking slot  32  (arrow C). 
       FIG. 7  shows the next upward adjustment of the starting height of the first embodiment. First, the shaft  10  is lifted to disengage the first locking pin  26  from the locking slot  32  (arrow D). Next, the shaft  10  is turned ninety degrees to align the second locking pin  28  (not shown) with through slot  30  (arrow E). After the second locking pin  28  is clear of the cap  8 , the second locking pin  28  is aligned with the locking slot  32  by twisting the shaft  10  ninety degrees in either direction. Finally,  FIG. 8  shows how the shaft  10  is lowered until the second locking pin  28  rests in the locking slot  32  (arrow F). 
     In  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the first embodiment of the device is shown with only two locking pins. This is for the purpose of explanation of the device and is not intended to limit the number of locking pins that can be present on the shaft. 
     Now turning to a discussion of adjusting the height of the garbage disposal jack  1  using the air bladder  22 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the air bladder adjustment of the garbage disposal unit. After setting the desired starting height of the locking pins, the air bladder  22  is inflated to provide fine adjustment of the height (arrow G). In  FIG. 9 , the second locking pin  28  is engaged in the locking slot  32  but the air bladder adjustment is performed the same way whether the shaft  10  is completely lowered or set at the first locking pin  26  or any subsequent locking pin. The air bladder  22  controls the telescoping relationship of the inner and outer tubes. Inflating the bladder  22  extends inner tube  6  outward and upward from outer tube  4 . 
     The air bladder  22  is inflated by the air pump  16 . The air pump  16  inflates the air bladder  22  by injecting air through the air tube  18 , then air passes through the nozzle  20  into the bladder. The air pump  16  also has a release valve  24 . The release valve  24  allows the air bladder  22  to be slowly deflated by releasing air from inside the bladder in a controlled manner. Utilizing the air bladder  22  and release valve  24  provides a wide range of heights over which the garbage disposal jack  1  is useful. 
     Now turning to a discussion of the second embodiment.  FIG. 10  illustrates the starting height adjustment of the second embodiment of the garbage disposal jack  1 . In the second embodiment, a locking disc  36  and recess  38  are used, instead of locking pins  26 / 28  and a locking slot  32 , to secure the height of the shaft  10  and support arms  12 . 
     The locking disc  36  has a teardrop-shaped hole  37  that fits around the shaft  10  and rests upon the cap  8 . The shaft  10  passes through the wide area of the teardrop-shaped hole  37 . 
     In the second embodiment, the shaft  10  has at least one recess  38 . The width of the locking disc  36  is sized to fit in the recesses when the narrow area of the teardrop-shaped hole  37  in the locking disc  36  is moved into locking position. 
     Turning to  FIG. 11 , the shaft  10  is locked in place by sliding the locking disc  36  horizontally across the cap  8  until the recess  38  of the shaft  10  engages the narrow area of the teardrop-shaped hole  37  in the locking disc  36 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a third embodiment of the garbage disposal jack where the air bladder is inflated by an electric motor. 
     A manual air pump  16  is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 11  and an electric motor  40  is shown in  FIG. 12 . However, the air bladder inflation may be performed by any suitable manual or automated mechanism. 
     Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
     It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the device or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.