Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02844153 2014-02-25
TRAILER JACK PLUNGER PIN RELEASE LEVER SYSTEM
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to trailer jacks. More
particularly, the
present invention relates to improved lever system for assisting the release
of plunger pins on trailer
jacks such as may be used, for example, on construction trailers, livestock
trailers, goose-neck
trailers, horse trailers and heavy duty utility trailers.
Background
100021 Trailer jacks are used to lift and/or hold a portion of a trailer
at a desired height. The
trailer jack may be used, for example, to allow the trailer to be unhitched
from a towing vehicle.
Likewise, the trailer jack may be used to stabilize the trailer during
loading, unloading or other use of
the trailer.
[0003] Conventional trailer jacks typically include an upper/outer tubing
member and a
middle/inner tubing member which can be adjusted to telescope in or out of the
upper/outer tubing
member via a crank or some other structure which allows for fine adjustment of
the trailer jack.
[0004] Gross adjustment of the trailer jack is provided by a lower/
innermost tubing member
which slides relative to the middle/inner tubing member. One or both of the
middle/inner tubing
member and the lower/innermost tubing member typically have a plurality of
holes through which a
pin can be advanced to hold the lower/innermost tubing member relative to the
middle/inner tubing
member. Removing the pin from the hole allows the lower/innermost tubing
member to slide relative
to the middle/inner tubing member, thereby providing gross adjustment.
[0005] During travel, the lower/innermost tubing member is typically
retracted a substantial
amount into the middle/inner tube member and the pin is inserted into the
hole. This keeps the
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lower/innermost tubing member retracted and keeps it from coming into contact
with the roadway.
[0006] When the jack is needed to support the weight of part of the
trailer, the pin is removed
from the hole. This allows the lower/innermost tubing member to slide relative
to the inner tubing
member and into contact with the ground. (Often the lower/innermost tubing
member has a foot plate
attached thereto which actually rests on the ground and adds lateral
stability.) If the innermost tubing
member is attached to a biasing member such as a spring, the user will
typically press down on the foot
plate on the lower/innermost tubing member and counteract the biasing of the
spring until the foot plate
rests on the ground. The pin is then reinserted through a hole to hold the
position of the innermost
tubing member relative to the inner tube member. The fine adjust mechanism is
then used to extend or
retract the middle/inner tubing member relative to the outer-tubing member
until the desired height is
reached.
[0007] Once the trailer jack is no longer needed, the pin is pulled out
of the hole to allow the
lower/innermost tubing member to retract into the middle/inner tubing member.
This may be done by
manually lifting the lower/innermost tubing member or by allowing a biasing
member, such as a
spring, to do so. Once the lower/innermost tubing member is retracted, the pin
is again inserted to
hold the lower/innermost tubing member in the retracted position.
[0008] While jack significantly improve the usability of trailers, they
can be awkward to use.
The pins which are used to selectively hold the middle/inner tubing member and
the lower/innermost
tubing member relatively to one another are often spring loaded and can be
difficult to pull out for
some people. It can also be hard to both slide the pin out and lift up the
lower/innermost tubing
member. Additionally, the pin is usually located at a fairly low position and
may require a person to
get on their knees to crawl part way under the trailer in order to actuate the
pin. Thus, there is a need
for a lever system to facilitate release of the plunger pin in a more
comfortable position.
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Summary Of The Invention
[0009] The present invention provides a lever system to facilitate the
release of a pin on a
trailer jack. The device may include a lever, an attachment member for
attaching the lever to the pin,
and an engagement member for limiting movement of the lever such that pivoting
the upper end of the
lever away from the trailer jack moves the pin outwardly and facilitates
release of the innermost
tubing.
[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the engagement
member comprises a
plate which attaches to the housing or sleeve in which the pin slides.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
engagement member includes
one or more flanges attached to the lever to engage the housing or sleeve in
which the pin slides.
[0012] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the
lever includes an bent
portion so as to facilitate access of the pin from a location lateral from the
plane of movement of the
lever.
[0013] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the
lever includes a bottom
portion which limits the movement of the lever away from and toward the jack
when mounted thereon.
[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
attachment member passes
through the pin to thereby ensure that the lever cannot slide off of the pin.
[0015] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the
attachment member forms a
lever point about which the lever pivots.
[0016] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the lever
and the engagement
member are formed from a single piece of material.
[0017] In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, the
lever system may include a
vertical bar having a top end and a bottom end including a lever hole, an
optional grip handle attached
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to the top end of the vertical bar, an attachment member in the form of a bolt
designed to attach the
vertical bar to a plunger pin of the trailer jack, and an engagement member
which may include a sleeve
bolt designed to be inserted through a bottom portion of a sleeve of the
trailer jack, a bracket plate
having a slot designed to be attached to the bottom portion of the sleeve and
a pair of U-bolts designed
to be positioned on a top portion of the sleeve.
[0018] It will be appreciated that each of the aforementioned aspects of
the invention as
individual aspects and some aspects may be present in some embodiments made in
accordance with the
principles of the present invention, but no aspect discussed herein is
required except as set forth in the
individual claims.
[0019] The lever system may allow a user to easily release the plunger
pin on the trailer jack
in standing position with minimum physical effort.
[0020] The present invention may also include a member for using an
improved lever system
to release the plunger pin of the trailer jack.
[0021] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the method may
include attaching the
lever the curved end of the plunger pin by drilling a hole through the plunger
pin and inserting a bolt
through the hole to engage the lever.
[0022] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the method may
include inserting a
sleeve bolt is inserted through the bottom portion of a sleeve surrounding the
pin. From a standing
position the vertical bar is then bar is the pulled away from the jack at the
top, while the bottom end
pushes against the pivot bolt and at the bottom portion of the sleeve so as to
force the plunger pin to
move outwardly.
[0023] Alternatively, the method may include using one or more flanges or
projections
attached to the bottom of the lever to engage the sleeve surrounding the pin
to thereby force the pin
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outwardly when the upper end of the handle is pulled away from the jack.
[0024] The present invention provides a simple, convenient and improved
lever system
for assisting the release of plunger pins on jacks, including heavy duty
square trailer jacks.
The lever system may require only minimum physical effort to be applied by the
user to
release the plunger pin from the trailer jacks. The lever system may also
allow the user to
easily push the foot plate of trailer jacks from standing position and hence
provides a strain-
free ease of use to the user. The lever system may also be easily assembled by
the user.
[0025] These and other aspects of the present disclosure are realized in
an lever system
as shown and described in the following figures and related description.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
[0026] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and
described in reference
to the numbered drawings wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of a lever system
attached to a trailer jack in
accordance with one aspect of the present invention;
100281 FIG. 2 illustrates a side perspective view of a lever system
attached to the trailer jack
in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a lever system in accordance with
one aspect of the
invention as shown in FIGs. 1 and 2;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of another lever in accordance
with another aspect of
the present invention;
100311 FIGs. 5A and 5B shows side and end views of various configurations
of lever systems
made in accordance with principles of the present invention;
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[0032] FIG. 6 shows a front view of an alternate lever made in accordance
with the
principles of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 7 shows a front view of an alternate lever made in accordance
with the
present invention;
[0034] FIG. 8 shows a front of an alternative lever in accordance with
the principles of
the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 9 shows an alternate attachment mechanism in accordance with
principles
of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 10A shows a front view of an alternate configuration of a
lever
mechanism in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 10B shows a close-up of the lower end of the lever;
[0038] FIG. 10C shows a close-up view of a clamp portion of the lever
mechanism of
FIG. 10A being attached to a pin;
[0039] FIG. 11 shows an alternate configuration of a bracket plate as may
be used with
the present invention; and
[0040] FIG. 12 shows a side view of a different configuration wherein a
pivot bolt
sleeve is welded to the pin.
[0041] It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not
limiting of the
scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The
embodiments shown
accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated
that it is not possible
to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure,
and as such,
multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of
the invention in
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greater clarity. Similarly, not every embodiment need accomplish all
advantages of the
present invention.
Detailed Description
[0042] The following description includes various representative
embodiments and
specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present
disclosure. The
skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods and devices
described below can be
practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used
for purposes other
than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in
conjunction with
products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the
present disclosure.
[0043] Reference in the specification to "one configuration," "one
embodiment" "one
aspect" or "a configuration," "an embodiment" or "an aspect" means that a
particular feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the configuration
may be included in
at least one configuration and not that any particular configuration is
required to have a
particular feature, structure or characteristic described herein. The
appearances of the phrase
"in one configuration" or similar phrases in various places in the
specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same configuration, and may not necessarily
limit the inclusion
of a particular element of the invention to a single configuration, rather the
element may be
included in other or all configurations discussed herein. Thus it will be
appreciated that the
claims are not intended to be limited by the representative configurations
shown herein.
Rather, the various representative configurations are simply provided to help
one of ordinary
skill in the art to practice the inventive concepts claimed herein.
[0044] The invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in
reference
to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to
practice the present
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invention. The drawings and descriptions are intended to be exemplary of
various aspects of
the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims.
Furthermore,
it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in
isolation and the
elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other
figures.
[0045] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or
characteristics of
configurations of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one
or more
configurations. In the following description, numerous specific details are
provided, such as
examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may be used, to provide
a thorough
understanding of configurations of the invention. One skilled in the relevant
art will
recognize, however, that configurations of the invention may be practiced
without one or more
of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so
forth. In other
instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or
described in detail
to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
[0046] Prior to discussing particular configurations, it should be
understood that the
present invention is not limited to any particular structures, process steps,
or materials
discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include equivalents thereof
as would be
recognized by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art. More specifically,
the invention is
defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be understood
that terminology
contained herein is used for the purpose of describing particular aspects of
the invention only
and is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or configurations
shown unless
expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the discussion of any particular aspect
of the invention
is not to be understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be
present apart from
an express inclusion of the aspect in the claims.
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CA 02844153 2014-02-25
[0047] It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and
the appended
claims, singular forms such as "a," "an," and "the" may include the plural
unless the context
clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a spring" may
include one or
more of such springs, and reference to "the layer" may include reference to
one or more of
such layers.
[0048] As used herein, the term "substantially" refers to the complete or
nearly
complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state,
structure, item, or result
to function as indicated. For example, an object that is "substantially"
enclosed would mean
that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed.
The exact
allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases
depend on the
specific context, such that enclosing the nearly all of the length of a lumen
would be
substantially enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the
lumen had a slit or
channel formed along a portion thereof. The use of "substantially" is equally
applicable when
used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack
of an action,
characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example,
structure which is
"substantially free of' a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so
nearly completely
lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it
completely lacked a bottom.
[0049] As used herein, the term "about" is used to provide flexibility to
a numerical
range endpoint by providing that a given value may be "a little above" or "a
little below" the
endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.
[0050] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements,
compositional
elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience.
However,
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these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is
individually identified as a
separate and unique member.
[0051] Concentrations, amounts, proportions and other numerical data may
be
expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that
such a range
format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be
interpreted flexibly to
include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the
range, but also to
include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within
that range as if
each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration,
a numerical range
of "about 1 to about 5" should be interpreted to include not only the
explicitly recited values
of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges
within the indicated
range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2,
3, and 4 and
sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3,
4, and 5,
individually. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one
numerical value as a
minimum or a maximum. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply
regardless of the
breadth of the range or the characteristics being described.
[0052] Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a top perspective view of
trailer jack 12
having a lever system, generally indicated at 10, attached thereto in
accordance with the
present invention. The trailer jack 12 includes an upper/outer tubing member
9, a
middle/inner tubing member 11, and a lower/innermost tubing member 13. (While
this is
conventional arrangement for a trailer jack, it will be appreciated that which
tubing member is
on the inside could be modified). While an adjustment mechanism such as a
crank arm is
typically provided to move the middle/inner tubing member 11 with respect to
the upper/outer
tubing member 9, such as been omitted from FIG. 1 in order to focus on the
lever system.
CA 02844153 2014-02-25
[0053] The lower/innermost tubing member 13 also moves relative to the
middle/inner
tubing member 11. The lower/innermost tubing member 13 may, for example,
include a
plurality of holes 15. A pin, such as plunger pin 26, selectively engages the
holes to control
extension of the lower/innermost tubing member 13. With the pin 26 removed,
the
lower/innermost tubing member can either slide downwardly under its own
weight, or can be
pulled upwardly by a spring or other biasing member. If no biasing member is
present, the
user must lift the lower/innermost tubing member 13 upwardly when moving the
trailer. If a
biasing member is included, the lower/innermost tubing member 13 will move
upwardly on its
own, and the user must typically place a downward force on a foot plate 42 to
extend the
lower/innermost tube.
[0054] The improved lever system 10 may include a lever 14 (shown as a
generally
vertical bar) having a top end 16 and a bottom end 18. Disposed along the
lever 14 may be a
lever hole 20, a grip handle 22 attached at or adjacent the top end 16 of the
lever, and a bolt 24
or other pivot designed to attach the lever 14 to the plunger pin 26 of the
trailer jack 12. The
lever system 10 may also include a sleeve bolt 28 designed to be inserted
through a bottom
portion 30 of a sleeve 32 which holds the plunder pin 26 of the trailer jack
12, a bracket plate
34 having a slot 36 designed to be attached to a bottom portion of the sleeve
30 and a pair of
U-bolts 38 designed to be positioned on a top portion of the sleeve 40.
100551 The lever system 10 allows a user to easily release the plunger
pin 26 on the
trailer jack 12 in standing position with minimum physical effort. This is
done by pulling on
an upper end 16 of the lever 14 away from the trailer jack 12. As the lever 14
rotates about
the bolt 24 or other pivot, the lower portion 18 of the lever engages the
sleeve 40 or structures
attached thereto, thereby causing the lever 14 to slide the plunger pin 26
away from the jack
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12, thereby removing the plunger pin 26 from a hole 15 in which it was
positioned. Thus, in
turn, releases the lower/innermost tubing member 13 for movement relative to
the
middle/inner tubing member 11.
[0056] Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown a side perspective view of
the improved
lever system 10 attached to the trailer jack 12 in accordance with one aspect
of the present
invention. The plunger pin 26 includes a drilled hole (not shown) which allows
a pivot bolt or
other attachment member which allows pivoting (e.g. conventional bolt, rivet
or other pivot -
collectively refered to herein as a pivot bolt) 24, to be inserted through the
drilled hole. (The
hole in the plunger pin could be formed in the pin during manufacture or could
be added later
as an aftermarket modification to facilitate use of the lever system 10.
[0057] The pivot bolt 24, or other pivot point, is allowed to pass
through the lever hole
18 (Fig. 3) and then through the drilled hole (not shown) in the plunger pin
26 to firmly secure
the lever 14 to the trailer jack 12. As long as the pivot bolt 24 or other
pivot pin passes
through the plunger pin, the lever 14 will remain on the plunger pin 26 and
attached to the
trailer jack 12.
[0058] In one configuration, the pair of U-bolts 38 may be kept on the
top portion of
the sleeve 40 and nuts 48 are positioned on the bottom portion of the bolt
(not shown) on the
opposing side of the bracket plate 34. The lever bar 14 is then taken
separately and pulled on
so that the pivot bolt 24 will hold onto the plunger pin 26. The lever 14
forcefully engaging at
the back of a front portion 34a of the bracket plate 34, and/or against a
sleeve bolt 28
extending though the sleeve 40, forces the plunger pin 26 to move outward. The
bracket plate
34 may continue with a rearward section 34h which limits rearward (i.e. away
from the trailer
jack 12) movement of the bottom 18 of the lever 14 to prevent the upper end 16
of the lever 14
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CA 02844153 2014-02-25
from falling forward into the trailer jack 12.
[0059] A method for using the improved lever system 10 to release the
plunger pin 26
of the trailer jack 12 may be initiated by attaching the generally vertical
lever 14 to the curved
end (not shown) of the plunger pin 26. The plunger pin 26 may then be drilled
directly through
a central part of the curved portion to form the drilled hole (not shown). The
lever system 10
may be attached by inserting the pivot bolt 24 through a lever hole 20 in the
lever 14 and into
a hole (not shown) which can be formed or drilled into the plunger pin 26.
This leaves the
lever 14 to pivot about the pivot bolt 24 (or the like).
[0060] A sleeve bolt 28 may then be inserted through the bottom portion of
the sleeve
40 and/or the bracket 34 can be positioned so that it has an engagement edge
near the outer
end of the sleeve. The lever 14 may then pulled away from the trailer jack 12
at the top end
16 of the lever, while the bottom end 18 pivots about the pivot bolt 24 (or
other pivot
structure) and at the bottom portion of the sleeve 40 so as to force the
plunger pin 26 to move
outward. A foot plate 42 of the trailer jack 12 can be pushed down by placing
a foot on it or
can be pulled up by simply pulling the lever system 10 to make the trailer
jack 10 returns to
the original position with very little effort if it is spring loaded. FIG. 2
shows a hook 46 and a
handle 43 which can be used to attach a spring to facilitate auto-retraction,
as it is easier to
push the lower/innermost tubing member down with one's foot.
[0061] If the trailer jack 12 does not include a spring or other biasing
member, pulling
the lever will release the lower/innermost tubing member 13 and allow it to
slide to the
ground. To retract the lower/innermost tubing member 13, the user can lift up
on a handle 43
with a hand or foot to return the lower/innermost tubing member to its
retracted position.
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CA 02844153 2014-02-25
[0062] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the improved lever system
10 of the
present invention. The bar which forms the lever 14 of the lever system 10 can
be a one inch
square bar tubing steel. The slot 20 formed in the lower end is intersected by
the bolt 24
which serves as the attachment member for attaching the lever to the pin 26.
Depending on
its size, the slot 20 in the lever 14 can allow movement of the pin 26,
outwardly, but will
engage the end of the pin 26 to prevent the lever 14 from falling too far
forwardly.
[0063] The pivot bolt 24 and the sleeve bolt 28 may be, for example, 1/4
inch in
diameter. The pair of nuts 48 and U-bolts 38 may be used to attach the plate
34 to the sleeve
40 (not shown in FIG. 3). This can be by the plate 34 resting on the inside of
the nuts, or the
plate 34 could have holes formed therein so that the U-bolts pass through the
plate. The pair
of U-bolts 38 may be kept on the top portion of the sleeve 40 and nuts 48 are
positioned on the
bottom portion of the bolt (not shown) through the bracket plate 34.
[0064] A grip handle 22 may be used to provide easier gripping to the
user. The lever
system 10 may also include an optional spring 44 that can be used with jacks
that are not
already spring loaded. Springs can be easily added to the outside of the jack
12 by attaching
one end of the spring 44 to a J-hook 46 of the jack 12 and other end to the
handle 43 or a hole
in the foot plate 42 (FIG. 2). The spring 44 makes the setting and releasing
of the trailer jack
12 much easier. For some trailer jacks, the sleeve may be too short and hence
there will be no
space for the lever system 10 to work against effectively. In such cases, the
bracket plate 34
can be attached with U bolts or welded to the bottom portion of that sleeve
which will create a
place for the lever system 10 to push against.
[0065] FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the vertical bar
shown in
FIG.1 which forms the lever 60. The lever 60 functions in the same manner as
lever
14
CA 02844153 2014-02-25
14. However, due to the bends 62 in the lever 60, the upper end 16 and the
lower end
18 are offset from one another. This allows the upper end 16 to be placed in a
more
convenient location or for the lever to be used when some structure (such as
the tongue
of the trailer) prevents a generally straight lever from being used. While
using this
lever 60, the tedious task of releasing or setting the horse trailers can be
accomplished
easily without having to bend down on knees or exerting energy to release the
plunger
pin.
[0066] It will be appreciated that the present invention is particularly
useful
with heavy duty square trailer jacks, but it may be used with other jacks as
well. The
lever system 10 of the present invention provides a simple, convenient and
improved
lever tool for assisting the release of plunger pins on heavy duty square
trailer jacks.
The tool requires only minimum physical effort to be applied by the user to
release the
plunger pin from the trailer jacks. The lever system 10 also allows the user
to easily
push the foot plate 42 of trailer jacks from standing position and hence
provides a
strain-free ease of use to the user. The lever system 10 can be easily
assembled by the
user. The lever system 10 can be made of a light-weight material. Alternately,
the lever
system 10 can be made of steel or a variety of other materials.
[0067] Turning now to FIGs. 5A and 5B, there is shown a side view and an
end
view of lever systems which may be used in accordance with the principles of
the
present invention. Referring specifically to FIG. 5, there is shown a side
view of the
lever 14 which is attached at a pivot point to the pin 26 by an attachment
mechanism or
member in the form of a bolt 24. The bolt holds the lever 14 to the pin 26,
but allows
the lever 14 to pivot.
[0068] The lever system 10 also includes an engagement mechanism or
member
CA 02844153 2014-02-25
which is engaged by the lower end 18 of the lever 14. FIG. 5A shows three
different
engagement members which can be used individually. Alternatively, two or more
can
be used. In other words, pulling on the upper end 16 (FIG. 1 ¨ not shown in
FIG. 5A)
of the lever 14 in the direction indicated by arrow 70 causes the lower end 18
of the
lever to be advanced as indicated by arrow 72. Movement of the lower end is
stopped
by engagement with one of the engagement members. Thus, movement of the lower
end 18 may be stopped by engagement with the bracket plate 34 attached to the
bottom
of the sleeve 40 by the U-bolts 38. Likewise, movement of the lower end 18 may
be
stopped by engaged with the sleeve bolt 28 which extends between opposing
sides of
the sleeve.
[0069] Yet another engagement member which can be used includes an
protrusion, such as an abutment or flange 80 which can be attached to the
lever 14. The
flange 80 extends outwardly so as to engage the sides of the sleeve 40 about
the pin 26.
When the flange 80 engages the sleeve, the lower end 18 of the lever 14 can no
longer
advance.
[0070] Once the lower end 18 engages one or more of the engagement
members
(plate 34, bolt 28 or flange 80/sleeve 40), continued movement of the upper
end of the
lever in direction of arrow 70 causes everything above the lower end to move
in a
similar direction, including the bolt 24 which passes through the pin 26. This
causes
the pin 26 to move in direction of arrow 74 and causes the pin to disengage
the
lower/innermost tubing member 13 (FIG. 1), whereby allowing it to telescope
out or
retract into the middle/inner tubing member 11. The user need not get on his
or her
hands and knees to grab the pin 26. Rather, a simple pull on the upper end of
the lever
is sufficient.
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[0071] As shown in FIG. 5A, the abutment or flange 80 can be attached to
the
lever 14 by bolts, rivets 82 or other known attachment techniques including
welding.
The abutment or flange 82 may also include channels so that the distance they
protrude
from the lever can be adjusted for various types of sleeves 40.
[0072] FIG. 5B shows an end view of the configuration in FIG. 5A. As
indicated, the lower end 18 may engage the sleeve 40 view the plate 34, the
bolt 28 or
the abutment member or flange(s) 80 attached to the lever. This stops the
forward
movement of the lower end and causes the lever 14 to move the pin 26
rearwardly.
[0073] Additionally, FIG. 5B shows better how the longer end of the
curved
portion of the pin 26 ends below the end of the slot 20 in the lever. If the
upper end of
the lever 14 attempts to move too far toward the trailer jack 12, the lower
end 18 may
engage the pin 26 and prevent the lever from contacting the trailer jack. This
may help
prevent cosmetic damage to the lever and the trailer jack. It will also be
appreciated
that having a plate 34 with a slot as shown in FIGs. 1-3 can serve the same
function by
the back side of the plate 34b engaging the lower end 18 of the lever 14.
[0074] Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternate configuration
of a
lever 90 which may be used in accordance with the present invention. The lever
90 is
formed from a piece of tubular steel. However, it includes an upper end 16, a
lower
end 18 a hole 21 and slot 20 so as to function in a manner similar to lever 14
in FIGs. 1-
3 and 5A-5B. The lever 90 is also bent to facilitate use away from the center
plane of
the pin and lower end 18 of the lever.
[0075] Turning now to FIG. 7, there is shown an alternate configuration
of a
lever 92. The lever includes an upper end 16 and a lower end 18, along with
hole 21
for the bolt 24 (not show) to attach the lever to the pin 26 (not shown).
However, rather
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CA 02844153 2014-02-25
than a slot cut into tubing, the lever 92 is make from a single piece of metal
(or the like)
and is bent to form a channel, to provide both for engagement and a channel
20' for
movement of the pint 26.
[0076] FIG. 8 shows yet another configuration of a lever 94, wherein the
lever
is formed from a single, generally flat piece of metal which has been into a
shape
similar to that shown in FIG. 6. It will be appreciated that the
configurations shown in
FIGs. 7 and 8 could have the lower end of the piece of metal extend upwardly
sufficiently that the pivot bolt 24 can extend through the lever twice,
thereby forming a
structure more analogous to the slot 20 in FIG. 1.
[0077] Turning now to FIG.9, there is shown an alternate configuration of
the
present invention. The lever 92 is attached to the pin 26 by a clamping member
96 and
a bolt 24 extending through the hole 21 (FIG. 7) rather than drilling through
the pin
itself While such a configuration may be a little less secure, it is easier
for those not
comfortable with drilling through the pin 26.
[0078] In use, the lever 92 is pulled in the same manner discussed with
respect
to FIG. 5B. The lower end 18 of the lever 92 pivots in and engages the sleeve
pin 28 as
shown by arrow 72 in response to movement of the upper end of the lever in
direction
of arrow 70.. (The other engagement members ¨ plate 34 or abutment/flange 80 ¨
could also be used). Once the lower end 18 engages the engagement member (28,
34,
40/80), continued movement of the lever 92 in direction 70 causes the clamping
member 96 and pin 26 to move in the direction of arrow 74, thereby releasing
the pin
and allowing the lower/innermost tubing member 11 (FIG. 1) to slide in or out
of the
middle/inner tube.
[0079] Turning now to FIGs. 10A- 10C, there is shown an alternate
18
CA 02844153 2014-02-25
configuration of a lever, generally indicated at 100. The lever 100 may be
made from a
single piece of bent metal or other material, or may be tubular similar to
some of the
levers discussed above. The lever 10 has a lower end 18 which is bend or
formed to
make a channel for receiving a pin 26 (FIG. 10C). Unlike the configurations
wherein
the pivot point, such as a pivot bolt 24 (etc.), passes through the pin, the
pivot point
passes through a pivot sleeve 104.
[0080] The pivot sleeve 104 may extend completely around the pivot bolt
24 or
may cover only sufficient area to allow the two to rotate with respect to one
another.
The pivot sleeve 104 may be formed integrally with or attached to a clamping
member
106. The clamping member 106 may include opposing arms 108 which can be
clamped
toward one another by a clamping bolt 110. Thus, tightening the clamping bolt
110
draws the arms 108 toward each other and allows the clamping member 106 to be
secured to the pin 26 as shown in FIG. 10C. The lever 100 can then be
positioned so
that the pivot bolt 24 (etc.) can be extended through the lower portion 18 of
the lever
and the pivot sleeve 104 to thereby secure the lever to the pin 26. Once
attached, the
lever 100 will function in substantially the same way as the levers discussed
above.
However, it has the advantage that it does not require drilling, but creates a
much
stronger attachment than would a set screw or some other structure which
merely
engages a very small area on the pin.
[0081] Turning now to FIG. 11, there is shown a top view of a bracket
plate
114. The front portion 114a of the bracket plate is similar to the front
portion 34a of
the bracket plate 34 shown in FIG. 3. The back portion 114b includes arms 116,
but is
open back. Thus, the bracket plate 114 allows greater reward movement of the
lever,
but still provides lateral support to prevent the lever from tipping to either
side once the
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CA 02844153 2014-02-25
pin has been moved by rotating the lever.
[0083] Turning to FIG. 12, there is shown yet another configuration of
the
invention, Rather than having the pivot sleeve 104 clamped to the pin 26 as in
FIGs.
10A-10C, the pivot sleeve may be welded to the pin. The lever may be attached
in the
same manner as discussed regarding FIGs. 10A-10C. It will be appreciated that
welding the pivot sleeve 104 to the pin 26 may be advantageous over drilling a
hole in
the pin, as discussed in some of the configurations above, such as when the
pin is
relatively thin, or when the pin is made from a metal which is difficult to
drill through.
Likewise, welding the pivot sleeve 104 to the pin 26 may be advantageous over
using a
clamping mechanism in some situations.
[0084] It will be appreciated that the present invention includes
numerous different
aspects and that the invention includes multiple elements which may or may not
be present in
any particular embodiment. For example, the invention may include a lever
system for
assisting in operation of a trailer jack having a plunger pin and a sleeve
disposed about the
plunger pin, wherein the lever system includes a lever having a top end and
bottom end, and a
lever hole adjacent the bottom end; a pivot structure (such as a bolt)
designed to attach the
lever to a plunger pin of the trailer jack, the bolt being inserted through
the lever hole to a
drilled hole of the plunger pin; and an engagement member engaging the sleeve
and the lower
end of the lever to limiting rotation of the lower end of the lever toward the
sleeve.
[0085] The lever system may also include: the engagement member being a
sleeve bolt
designed to be inserted through a bottom portion of a sleeve of the trailer
jack; a bracket plate
attachable to the sleeve; at least one U-bolt designed to be positioned on a
top portion of the
sleeve and hold the bracket plate to the sleeve; the bracket plate has a slot
formed therein for
CA 02844153 2014-02-25
receiving a portion of the lever; the engagement member forms an abutment
protruding from
the lever arm for engaging the sleeve; the abutment being slidable relative to
the sleeve; the
lever having a slot formed therein at the lower end, and wherein then the
lever is attached to
the plunger pin, the plunger pin extends through the slot; the lever being
bent; the lever being
formed from a single piece of flat material which has been bent to form a
channel at the lower
end; and/or the lever being attached to the plunger pin by a clamp, and
combinations thereof.
[0086] The attachment mechanism may include passing a bolt or other
attachment
member through the pin, clamping an attachment member to the pin, or welding
the
attachment member to the pin.
[0087] The invention also includes a trailer jack including a plurality
of tubing
members, as least one of the tubing members having holes and being slidable
relative to
another one of the plurality of tubing members; a plunger pin biased into
engagement with one
of the holes to selectively present the at least one of the tubing members
from sliding relative
to the other one of the plurality of tubing members; a sleeve disposed about
the plunger pin;
a lever attached to and pivotable relative to the plunger pin, the lever
having an upper end and
a lower end, the lower end pivoting toward the sleeve when the upper end is
pulled away from
the plurality of tubing members; and an engagement member disposed to contact
the sleeve,
the engagement member limiting advancement of the lower end of the lever
toward the sleeve.
[0088] The trailer jack may further include: the engagement member having
a plate
attachable to the sleeve; the engagement member having a bolt passing through
the sleeve; the
engagement member having a protrusion extending from the lever; the lever
being attached to
the plunger pin by a pivot structure extending through the plunger pin; and/or
the lever being
attached to the plunger pin by a clamp, or combinations thereof.
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[0089] The invention also includes a method of moving a plunger pin of a
trailer jack,
the method which includes: attaching a lever to a plunger pin so that the
lever has an upper
end, and a lower end, the lower end extending below a portion of the plunger
pin; rotating the
lever arm so that the upper end moves away from the trailer jack and the lower
end moves
toward the trailer jack; and engaging the lower end to limit rotation of the
lower end and
thereby move the plunger pin away from the trailer jack. The method may also
include
attaching the lever to the plunger pin includes drilling a hole in the plunger
pin and/or
engaging the lower end to limit rotation of the lower end by attaching an
engagement member
to a sleeve around the plunger pin. The lever may also be attached by a
clamping mechanism
or by a welding a structure to the pin and then passing a pivot structure,
such as a pivot bolt
through the lever and the structure.
[0090] Furthermore it will be appreciated that other inventions are
hereby
disclosed. While the present application shows several different
representative
configurations, the invention may be embodied in other forms without departure
from
the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments described
therefore are
to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Although
the present
invention has been described in terms of certain presently preferred
embodiments, other
embodiments that are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are also
within the
scope of the invention. For example, components of the lever system 10 can be
varied
in size, materials, shape, form, function, manner of operation and assembly in
accordance with the intended use. Accordingly, it is not intended that the
invention be
limited, except as by the appended claims.
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