Patent ID: 7410149

Claim:
A three stage jack stand for use with a power unit, comprising a rectangular base plate; a first stage tubular housing having a forward side, a rearward side, a left and right side, an upper end and a lower end, with the lower end attached to said base plate and said housing extending vertically therefrom; a second stage “U” shaped ratchet shaft having a back side, left side, right side, an upper end and a lower end, with ratchet teeth on the forward edges of the sides, telescopically inserted within said housing and extendable and retractable therein; an upper base secured to the upper end of said ratchet shaft having a front side, a left side, a right side, and having a vertical cylindrical opening therein; a third stage tubular shaft having an upper end, a lower end, a front side, a left side and a right side, and having ratchet teeth in the left and right sides thereof; and is telescopically positioned within the opening in said upper base and extendable and retractable therein; a lift collar mounted on the upper end of said third stage tubular shaft; a pair of lower pawls interconnected by a lateral pin, pivotally attached to the forward side at the upper end of said housing; with each lower pawl adapted to be engagable with a respective tooth on the forward edges of said second stage ratchet shaft; a pair of upper dogs, each pivotally mounded in the sides of said upper base, having an upper end and a lower end, with the upper ends adapted to be engagable with a respective tooth of said third stage tubular shaft; an elastic spring having an up end attached to the upper base end and a down end attached to the upper dogs for biasing the upper ends into engagement with said tubular shaft, and with the lower ends having inclined outer sides for slidable engagement within the upper end of said tubular housing for rotating the upper ends of said dogs into disengagement with the ratchet teeth of said tubular shaft when said upper end of said second stage shaft is positioned within said tubular housing; an actuator spring secured to said lateral pin forming a handle for rotating said lower pawls into engagement with the teeth of said second stage ratchet shaft, and further for rotating said lower pawls into disengagement from the teeth of said ratchet shaft.