Adapter Tool for Jackstand

Abstract

A jackstand adapter tool attaches onto a square-drive power driver, so that the tool and driver can be used in the field for winding and unwinding the threaded rod of a jackstand. The tool engages the radial lift handles that protrude from the top part of threaded rod. The adapter may be a generally cylindrical member that fits over the top end of the rod (with its top plate removed) with opposed recesses at a lower edge to engage the lift handles.

Claims

1. A jackstand adapter for winding and unwinding a jackstand of the type in which a male threaded rod is threadably fitted into a female threaded post that is supported on a bottom footing, and in which a transverse horizontal rod protrudes from the threaded rod at or near a top end thereof; the jackstand adapter comprising a fitting configured to fit over the top end of said threaded rod and engage said transverse horizontal rod, and said fitting having a receptacle formed at an upper end thereof to receive a drive member of a power driver tool.

2. The jackstand adapter of claim 1, wherein said fitting is in the form of a rigid tube having a plurality of cutouts at a lower open end thereof configured to engage said transverse horizontal rod.

3. The jackstand adapter of claim 2 wherein the receptacle on said fitting includes a square socket adapted to receive a square drive plug of said power driver tool.

4. The jackstand adapter of claim 3 wherein said rigid tube has an inside diameter of substantially three inches.

5. The jackstand adapter of claim 2 wherein said plurality of cutouts includes a pair of cutouts disposed diametrically opposite one another at said lower open end, and each having a diameter of substantially one inch.

6. The jackstand adapter of claim 2 wherein said receptacle is in the form of a square aperture of substantially ¾ inch by ¾ inch, and a depth of substantially ½ inch.

7. The jackstand adapter of claim 1 wherein said fitting is in the form of a steel cylindrical tube.

8. A method of preparing a jackstand for installation by winding and unwinding a jackstand, the latter being of the type in which a male threaded rod is threadably fitted into a female threaded post that is supported on a bottom footing, and in which one or more transverse horizontal rods protrudes from the threaded rod at or near a top end thereof; the method comprising a. placing a jackstand adapter tool onto a drive member of a hand-held power driver tool; b. placing the jackstand adapter tool over the top end of the threaded rod such that the jackstand adapter tool engages the one or more transverse horizontal rods of the threaded rod; and c. actuating said hand-held power driver tool to rotate said jackstand adapter tool and the threaded rod with which is engaged alternately so as to raise and lower the jackstand threaded rod with respect to the associated female threaded post; and wherein the jackstand adapter tool comprises a fitting configured to fit over the top end of said threaded rod and engage said one or more transverse horizontal rods, and said fitting having a receptacle formed at an upper end thereof to receive a drive member of said power driver tool.

9. The method of preparing a jackstand according to claim 8, wherein said fitting is in the form of a rigid tube having a plurality of cutouts at a lower open end thereof configured to engage said one or more transverse horizontal rods.

10. The method of preparing a jackstand according to claim 9 wherein the receptacle on said fitting includes a square socket adapted to receive a square drive plug of said power driver tool.

11. The method of preparing a jackstand according to claim 9 wherein said rigid tube has an inside diameter of substantially three inches.

12. The method of preparing a jackstand according to claim 9 wherein said plurality of cutouts includes a pair of cutouts disposed diametrically opposite one another at said lower open end, and each having a diameter of substantially one inch.

13. The method of preparing a jackstand according to claim 8 wherein said receptacle is in the form of a socket with a square aperture of substantially ¾ inch by ¾ inch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical jack stand on which the adapter of this invention may be applied.

[0012] FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are a perspective view, elevation, top plan and bottom plan view, respectively, of an adapter according to an embodiment of this invention.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective of jack stand on which the adapter of this embodiment may be employed.

[0014] FIG. 7 is an assembly view showing placement of the adapter on the jack stand.

[0015] FIG. 8 shows a workman with power driver employing the adapter of this invention.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the adapter of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] With reference to the Drawing Figures, a jack stand 10 is shown in FIG. 1, as being typical of the type that are used for supporting the frame of a trailer such as a residential trailer as employed for emergency housing following a hurricane, forest fire, or other event in which numerous people are displaced from their homes. The jack stand 10 has a vertical female-threaded post 12 with a male-threaded rod 14 engaged in its threads. The post 12 is supported on a base 16, here shown as having support gussets 18 that distribute the weight of the supported structure onto the base 16. A pair of lift handles 20 extend out horizontally from near the top of the rod 14. Conventionally, these are rotated, by hand, to raise or lower the threaded rod 14. A steel top plate or support cradle 22 is removably positioned at the top of the threaded rod, and this member serves to engage a beam or other support member of the frame of the supported trailer.

[0018] Normally, in a disaster response operation, there are four to six of these jack stands employed for supporting each trailer, and there may be a hundred or more trailers involved on which jack stands need to be installed. Prior to installation, each jack stand 10 needs to be prepared by lubricating it and raising and lowering the threaded rod several times. This is traditionally done by hand, and when done in the field this is often done in extreme weather and is an exhausting operation for those involved in installing the jack stands. To date, there has been no technique proposed for employing a power driver to raise and lower these jack stands.

[0019] In one preferred embodiment, as shown with reference to FIG. 2, as well as the elevation of FIG. 3 and further reference to plan views of FIGS. 4 and 5, the adapter 30 is configured to allow use of a power driver to connect, over the top of the threaded rod 14 to the two lift handles 20 and rapidly rotate the rod 14 in both directions to raise and lower it. The adapter is configured a socket drive head tool with a body 32 in the form of a steel tubular steel cylidrical member, here with an internal diameter of about three inches and a depth of about six inches, a closed top 34, and a socket member 36 formed at the center of the top 34. The socket member here has a square center aperture 38 that is ¾ inches by ¾ inches to one inch by one inch, so as to accommodate available square-drive power drivers. The adapter tool 30 has an open, circular bottom edge 40, with cutouts 42 disposed at intervals around the bottom edge. Here there are two cutouts at 180 degree intervals. These cutouts are favorably about one inch across and approximately that height, with a rounded top portion, as shown.

[0020] FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate details of this particular embodiment. With FIG. 3 being an elevation, and FIGS. 4 and 5 being top and bottom plan views, respectively. These show the placement of the drive socket 36 and lift-handle recesses or cutouts 42 in this one illustrated embodiment.

[0021] Each jack screw or jack stand 10 in turn is placed erect on its base 16 as shown in FIG. 6, and a lubricant may be injected via a grease fitting 13 (see FIG. 8) on the main post 12. Then, the top plate or cradle 22 is removed. This allow the adapter tool 30 to be positioned over the top end of the threaded rod 14, and with the cutouts 42 engaging the transverse lift handles 20, as shown in FIG. 7. (The adapter tool would be installed on the square drive plug of a power driver 50, although for the sake of simplicity that is not shown in FIG. 7.) A workman can then operate the power driver, as illustrated in FIG. 8, to raise and lower the threaded rod one or several times to prepare the jack screw for installation. Prior to installation the top or cradle 22 is replace on the upper end of the threaded rod 14.

[0022] One possible alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 9 as adapter 130, which is of open design which relieves some to much of the weight of the tool. Here the adapter has a top plate 134 of hexagonal shape, with two oppositely positioned horizontal side plates 132, 132, each with a recess 142 or cutout formed midways along its lower edge. A socket member 136 with a square drive aperture 130 is centered at the top of the top plate 134. Many other arrangements are also possible with variants of the jack screw adapter of the present invention.

[0023] The above described embodiments are configured for use with a square-drive power driver, as that equipment is widely available. However, the drive sockets used in adapter tools of this invention need not be limited only to those with square drive apertures, as many other configurations may be equivalent.

[0024] While the present invention has been described with reference to specific preferred embodiment(s), it should be understood that the invention is not limited to such precise embodiment(s). Rather, many modifications and variations would present themselves to persons skilled in the art without departure from the scope and spirit of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.