Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1050003
~ his in~ention relates to a cross-pin for use in
combination with an adjusta~le jac~-post, such as is used in
the building construction industry for support of beams.
Jack-posts are well known in the construction
industry and such conventional posts employ a ~ertical member
with a horizontal base portion at one end and a horizontal cap -
portion at the other end. The vertical member of conventional ~ ~
jack-posts comprises inner and outer hollow telescoping metal ~ -
cylinders, a fine adjustment threaded screw portion connecting
the top of the inner telescopic member to the cap portion, and
a cross-pin member which is passed through one of a series of
diametrically opposite transverse holes in the inner telescopic
member and which rests upon the upper edge of the outer telescopic
member, to provide a coarse adjustment means for the jac~-post.
Cross-pin members of the type known in the industry
are commonly of a cylindrical shape with two transverse slots
cut in them to a depth approximating one-half the diameter of
the cylinder, the slots being spaced apart a distance approximately
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equal to the diameter of the outer telescopic member, which slots
fit over the upper edge of s~ d outer telescopic member, and serve
as a key means to pre~ent the cross-pin from being remo~ed from the
erected jack-post. To form such a cross-pin member, it is neces-
sary to machine cut the slots, which is a relatively expensive
process and one which i~ wasteful of the material from which the
pin is formed.
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This i~vention provides an elongated cross-pin having
three por~ions along its length, said three portions haYing a
common planar base, the first portion including one end of the
cross-pin and being shaped generally as a segment of a circle - :
~ in transverse cross-section, the second portion being generally
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10501~03
rectangular in transverse cross-section and the third pDrtion
including the other end o~ the cross-pin and being shaped generally
as a segment of a circle in transverse cross-section, the arc of
each of said segments subtending an angle of less than 180, and
said second portion extending a greater distance from said base
for a portion of its width than said first or third portions.
A further embodiment of the invention provides an
elongated cross-pin having three intermediate portions between
end portions at the axial extremuties of the cross-pin, said
end portions adjoining first and third intermediate portions
respectively wherein the base of each end portion projects radially
outwardly from the co~mon planar base of its adjoining portion.
The invention will appear more fully in the course
of the following description. Referring now to the drawings
which illustrate an embodiment of the in~ention, in which like
re~erence numbers designate similar parts in the several views,
FIGURE l is an elevation partially in section of a
conventional jack-post showing the cross-pin o~ one embodiment
of the invention;
FIGURE 2 is the transYerse elevation of a portion
of the jack-post shown in Figure 1;
FIGURE 3 is an enlargement of the cross-pin shown
in Figure l;
FIGURE 4 is a cross-section of the cross-pin shown
in Figure 3, with the periphery of a transverse aperture of
the inner telescopic member shown in phantom;
FIGURE 5 is an elevation partially in section of a
portion of a conventional jack-post showing tha cross-pin
of a further e~bodime~t of the invention;
~IGURB 6 is the transverse elevation of the portion
of the jack-post shown in Figure 5;
FIGURE 7 is an enlargement of the cross-pin shown -
in Figure 5; and
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FIGURE 8 is a cross-section of the cross-pin shown
in Figure 5, with the periphery of the transverse aperture :
of the inner telescopic member shown in phantom.
As may best be seen in ~igure 1, a jack-post -
commonly comprises an outer hollow cylindrical member 1, an
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inner hollow cylindrical member 2 which telescopes within outer
member 1, a base member 3, a cap plate mem~er 4, a fine adjust-
ment threaded member 5 connecting the top of inner telescoping
member 2 and the cap plate 4 and a cross-pin 6 which passes .
through diametrically opp~site transverse apertures 7 in the : :
inner telescopic member 2 to provide a coarse height adjustment.
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The cross-pin of one embodiment of this invention is
formed from a suitable.length of rectangular metal bar stock, ~. .. ...
the length of the cross-pin being sufficiently long~r than the
diameter of the.outer telescopic member 1 t~ provide proper
bearing.surfaces between cross-pin and outer telescopic member 1.
The rectangular metal bar stock from which the cross-pin 6 is
formed has a cross-section o~ suitable dimension in order to
permit the cross-pin to pass through the transverse apertures
7 of the inner.telescopic member ~ as may best be seen in
Figure 4. Referring to Figure 3,.by means of.a process involving
the.use.of a die and press or other suitable process which will
be evident to.one skilled in the art, each end of ~he cross-pin
6 is formed into an end portion 8 with an end face 9 of segmental
cross-sectio~.o~ each end of the cross-pin, the central ~.
portion 10 of the.cross~pin remaining rectangular in cross- .. .: -
section, thus forming a face 11 where the end portion 8 and the ~.
intermediate portion.10 join. The distance between the two
faces 11 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the .
inner telescopic.member.2 with which the pin is to be used.
In use, the cross-pin is inserted into the selected transverse ~ .
apertures 7. When the jacX-post is erected, the bottom surface
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~(~50003
12 of the cross-pin rests on the upper edge 13 of the outer
telescopic member 1, the peripheries of the selected transverse
apertures 7 contact the surfaces o~ end portions 8 of the cross-
pin 6, ana the central portion 10 of the cross-pin 6 extends
upwardly within inner telescopic member 2. Thus, as may be
seen from Figure 1, faces 11 prevent the cross-pin 6 from being
removed from the erected jack-post.
The rectangular shape o the central portion 10
of the cross-pin 6 is sized to fit into the diametrically opposed
transverse apertures 7 in the inner telescopic member 2. It
will therefore be apparent that the segmental cross-section of
end portions 8 will be somewhat less than a semi-circle. The
radius of the segmental cross-section of end portion 8, however,
should be only slightly less than the radius o~ the apertures 7.
Referring now to Figures 5 through 8 in which
like parts to.those shown in Figures 1 through 4 bear the same
numeric designation, a further embodiment of the invention is
illustrated. The cross-pin 6' of ~igures 7 and 8 is sim~lar
to the cross-pin illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, but in addition
contains a flange portion on each end of the cross-pin. Like
the cross-pin illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the cross-pin 6'
illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 has a central rectangular portion 10
and intermediote portions 8' of segmental cross-section. In
addition, there is-disposed at either end of the cross-pin 6' a -
flange portion 14, which is also of segmental cross-section.
Flange portions 14 are formed by means of a process involving the
use of a die and press or ~ther suitable process which will be
evident to one skilled in the art, whereby the extremities of -
a cross-pin, such as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 are sheared
downwards-relative to the cross-pin itselft thereby forming edges
lS which will depend below the upper edge 13 of the outer
telescopic member l when the cross-pin is positioned in the ~;
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10500~3
erected jack-post. The flange portion 14 may be sheared downwardly
relative to segmental.intermediate portion 8' by a displacement up
to one-third of the vertical dimension H of the intermediate
portion 8'.
The distance between edges 15 of depending flanges
14 is selected to be slightly greater than the outside dimension
of outer telescopic member 1. Thus, when the jack-post is
erected, the bottom surface 12' o~ the cross-pin rests on the
upper edge 13 of the outer telescopic member 1, the peripheries
of the transverse apertures 7 contact the curved sur~aces of the
intermediate portions 8', the central portion 10' of the cross-
pin 6' extends upwardly within inner telescopic member 2, and
flanges 14 depend below and bracket the upper edge 13 of outer
telescopic member 1. Thus, not only do the flanges 14 assist in
preventing the.cross-pin 6' ~rom being removed.from the erected
jack-post, but also they restrain the upper edge 13 of outer
telescopic member 1 from being displaced radially outwardly when
the jack-post is subjected to extreme compression, there~y in- . .
creasing the ultimate strength of the column.
. 20 While the foregoing has illustrated and described :: .
several embodiments of the inv~ntion, other embodiments may be . .
~. made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
:~ Metal bar stock of other than rectangular cross-section may be .
employed, and the portion 10 of the cross-pin may be stamped to ~ :.
provide a curved upper.surface if desired. Therefore, it is not ~ .
: desired to.rastrict the invention to.the particular formssof :: :
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constru¢tion illustrated and described but to.cover all
. modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended
claim~
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