Jack

Claim 2

A jack of the type to raise, lower and support a load comprising a portion of a structure such as a mobile home or like unit, said jack comprising an elongate hollow body having a side wall, top end and a bottom end, an elongated jack stem mounted within said body for movement axially thereof to be projected from and retracted in said body by way of its bottom end, means for moving said stem between said retracted and projected positions, insert means, said body being formed to receive said insert means in the said side wall thereof, to project therein in a sense transverse thereto, said insert means having in connection therewith means whereby to connect the same to the structure to be supported by said jack, said body being established by means of said insert means and said jack stem in a load accommodating position, wherein the load of the supported structure is applied thereto by way of the portion of said insert means which lies within the limits of its side wall, whereby to cause the stress of said load to be distributed in a sense longitudinally of said body side wall.

Claim 3

A jack as in claim 1 characterized by said insert means including key-like portions projected within the limits of said body side wall at diametrically opposite positions thereon.

Claim 4

A jack as in claim 1 characterized by key means bridging said hollow body adjacent its top end releasably lodged therein to have portions thereof project within diametrically opposite portions of said hollow body side wall and a jack screw constituting the means for moving said stem being suspended from and having one end thereof projected through said key means and screw portions thereof in threaded engagement with and projected internally of said jack stem, said jack screw being operable to project and retract said jack stem in reference to said hollow body, and means interrelating said hollow body and said jack stem to prevent rotation of said jack stem with said jack screw.

Claim 5

A jack as in claim 3 characterized by means defining a channel in the inner wall of said body and said jack stem including an outer tube-like portion having a bead thereon moving in said channel to provide said means to prevent rotation of said jack stem with said jack screw.

Claim 6

A jack as in claim 3 characterized by thrust means interposed between a shoulder on said jack screw and said key means.

Claim 7

A jack as in claim 1 wherein said body side wall is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed slots to receive said insert means and said insert means includes plate-like key portions which are projeCted in each slot to abut a portion of the body side wall, within the transverse limits thereof, to transmit the supported load to said body side wall.

Claim 8

Jack apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said insert means comprises a pair of key elements and said body side wall is formed with diametrically opposite slots accommodating the projection therein of a portion of a respective one of said key elements, and plate means in combination with said insert means having an aperture accommodating the projection therethrough of said hollow body, said plate means being formed to mount to and bridge a space between relatively displaced portions of the structure to be supported and to mount said key elements in connection therewith to dispose said hollow body in an essentially right angle relation thereto by virtue of the projection of said key elements in said body slots.

Claim 9

A jack structure as set forth in claim 7 characterized by said plate means mounting a tongue element to extend inwardly of its said aperture to position in abutting relation to a portion of one of said key elements which projects into one of said body slots.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 characterized by said plate aperture having a greater cross sectional area than said hollow body and at least the other of said key elements being removably secured to said plate whereby said hollow body may be inserted through said aperture and said first key engaged in its respective slot and the jack established in the desired position by application of the second key to said plate means to project in the other said slot.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 characterized by said plate means including means in connection therewith which will nest precisely within an open area of the structure to which the jack is affixed and predetermine the position at which the jack is to be established in use.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 for application to the A-frame of a mobile structure such as a mobile home and the means which establishes the position of said jack having a configuration producing thereon convergent sides for precisely nesting in the A-frame and precisely insuring the proper application of the plate means and said jack to said structure.

Claim 13

A jack as in claim 1 characterized by diametrically opposite slots formed in the said side wall of said hollow body one of which accommodates the end of a first key constituting a portion of said insert means configured and positioned to form a continuation of the inside surface of said body and a second key constituting another portion of said insert means projects into the opposite slot to intersect the wall of said body, and both said keys being adapted to be secured to spaced portions of the structure to be supported by said jack whereby the load of the supported structure is specifically directed through the wall of said hollow body in use of the jack, and at least one of said keys having a releasable mount to facilitate the application of the jack to and the release thereof from a supported structure.

Claim 14

A jack as in claim 1 for application to the A-frame of a mobile unit such as a mobile home wherein the A-frame includes a pair of beams the free ends of which meet at an angle, characterized by said jack having in association therewith means whereby to connect the same to the A-frame including plate means arranged to span portions of said beams of said A-frame, said plate means having at a surface thereof a plate portion with convergent sides adapted to nest between the free ends of said beams which meet at an angle and thereby predetermine the position of said jack in precise reference to said A-frame, said plate means having an aperture therein and means defining a projection within said aperture at an edge portion thereof, said hollow body being adapted to be inserted through said aperture and having a side wall portion formed to define a recess within the wall of said body accommodating the projection on said plate and a diametrically opposite side portion of said hollow body being formed to receive within the wall thereof an edge portion of a key means which is releasably fixed to said plate means to position the said hollow body and maintain the required frame of reference of said jack to the supported structure in use.

Claim 15

Jack apparatus as in claim 13 characterized by said means to move said jack stem including a jack screw, a pair of slots being formed in said body adjacent the top end thereof having a plate-like element projected therethrough to bridge said top end and including therein an aperture through which the upper end of said jack screw projects, means on the upper end of said jack screw for rotation thereof and to suspend said jack screw in reference to said plate-like element, and the body of said jack stem having means thereon riding in a channel formed on the inner wall of said hollow body to prevent rotation of said stem and provide for axial movement thereof on rotation of said jack screw, and thrust means about said jack screw above said jack stem and below said plate-like element bridging the top end of said hollow body, and means on said jack screw containing said thrust means in reference to the plate-like element thereabove to transmit therethrough to said hollow body the forces involved in raising the structure supported by said jack through the medium of the projection of said jack stem.

Claim 16

A jack comprising an elongated hollow body having a top end and a bottom end, an elongated jack stem slidably mounted within said body for movement axially thereof to be projected from and retracted in said body by way of its bottom end, said jack stem being a further hollow body having a jack nut in the interior thereof, a jack screw extending through said jack nut and axially of said jack stem, said jack stem having means in association with a portion of the wall of said hollow body to prevent rotation thereof, a key extending transversely of said hollow body having peripheral portions thereof lodged in the wall thereof above said jack stem, said jack screw having an upper end passing through an opening in said key and means thereon to establish a fixed relation of said jack screw to said key whereby on projection of said jack stem the resultant load is directed through said stem and said jack screw to said key and thereby to the wall of said hollow body.

Claim 17

A jack comprising an elongated hollow body having a top end and a bottom end, an elongated jack stem slidably mounted within said body for movement axially thereof to be projected from and retracted in said body by way of its bottom end, said jack stem being a further hollow body having a jack nut in the interior thereof, a jack screw extending through said jack nut and axially of said jack stem, said jack stem having means in association with a portion of the wall of said hollow body to prevent rotation thereof, a key extending transversely of said hollow body having peripheral portions thereof lodged in the wall thereof above said jack stem, said jack screw having an upper end passing through an opening in said key and means thereon to establish a fixed relation of said jack screw to said key whereby on projection of said jack stem the resultant load is directed through said stem and said jack screw to said key and thereby to the wall of said hollow body.

Claim 18

The structure as set forth in claim 15 wherein a shoulder is formed on said jack screw below said key mounting in superposed relation a thrust washer and a thrust bearing confined thereby to said key and, to the opposite side of said key, said jack screw having fixed thereabout a collar to which is connected the operating handle for said jack screw.

Claim 19

The structure as set forth in claim 15 characterized by said jack stem comprising an outer tube, a jack nut mounted on the upper end of said outer tube and abutting the upper end of an inner tube fixed concentrically within the outer tube of said jack stem and said outer tube having a bead formed in the upper end thereof accommodated in a bead formed in the inner wall of said hollow body to prevent rotation of said jack stem.