Patent ID: 7513069

Claim:
A snow plow jack stand configured to mount to a substantially horizontal hitch frame brace to maintain the hitch frame at the proper vertical position with respect to the ground, the jack stand comprising: a bracket having a mounting end configured to secure to the horizontal hitch frame brace and a support end comprising upper and lower horizontally oriented, spaced apart plates, and a substantially vertical plate connecting the upper and lower plates, wherein each of the upper and lower plates include an opening formed therein, the upper and lower openings are positioned to axially align with each other, and wherein the vertical plate includes a vertically oriented aperture formed therein; a plurality of locking plates, each locking plate including a lip extending from a first edge thereof, a tab extending from an opposite edge thereof, and an opening having perimetral side edges formed therebetween, the plurality of locking plates configured to substantially overlie each other so that the openings of each locking plate are substantially axially aligned and such that the lips of each of the locking plates also substantially overlie each other; wherein the overlying lips of the plurality of locking plates are pivotally secured inside the aperture in the vertical plate of the bracket and positioned between the upper and lower plates thereof; a lower spring member having a first end, and second end and a spring opening, positioned between the upper and lower plates of the bracket underneath the plurality of locking plates; an upper spring member including a spring opening positioned on a top surface of the upper plate of the bracket; a substantially vertical, elongated shaft including a top end, perimetral side edges, and a bottom end, the bottom end of the elongated shaft extending through the spring opening of the upper spring, the upper opening of the upper plate of the bracket, each of the openings in the plurality of plates, the spring opening of the lower spring and the lower opening of the lower plate; the jack stand having a first lowered position, wherein the bottom end of the shaft is resting on the ground, wherein the lower spring pivots the tabbed ends of the plurality of locking plates upwardly at an angle, such that the perimetral side edges of the openings in each of the plurality of locking plates contact the perimetral side edges of the shaft and locks the bracket in place on the shaft the proper vertical position; and the jack stand also having a second raised position, wherein the lower spring is slightly compressed such that the tabbed ends of the plurality of locking plates pivots downward moving the perimetral side edges of the shaft out of contact with the perimetral side edges of the locking plates, permitting the bottom end of the vertical shaft to move out of contact with the ground.