US2622845A - Spring jack - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1952 J. c. HOLMES 2,622,845

SPRING JACK Fild Oct. 17, 1949 I N VEN TOR. (fa luv flflolmes Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING JACK John Curtis Holmes, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application October 17, 1949, Serial No. 121,704

6 Claims. (01. 254-100) This invention relates to tools and more particularly to a tool in the nature of a special jack by means of which the load of a vehicle may be lifted from the spring shackles to permit their removal and repair.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of simple construction which can be readily applied and which will effectively relieve the spring shackles of the vehicle load to permit the removal of the shackle bolts and the shackles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character indicated which is applicable to both the front and rear ends of a vehicle spring and to various types of spring supports a commonly used in automobiles now on the market.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the improved tool applied to a spring;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly broken away to illustrate details of construction, and indicating the range of angular adjustment of the tool;

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly broken away showing the tool applied to a spring and indicating in dotted lines the application of a tool where the frame is oifset with respect to the spring; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the clamping bracket with the rocking and sliding members in cross section in their neutral position.

In removing spring shackles the general practice is to either jack or lift with a hoist chain the vehicle body until the load is entirely free from the springs, then by blocking up the body the shackle bolts can be removed. However, this requires a rather delicate adjustment to avoid also lifting the weight of the wheels and axle, and also to prevent any twisting of the body and frame members with respect to the wheels.

In accordance with the present invention a simple tool is provided which can be readily applied to the spring and which by engagement of an adjustable member lifts the load of the vehicle body from the spring, thereby permitting the ready removal of the spring shackle.

The tool comprises a clamping bracket indicated generally by the numeral I, which is preferably of cast or forged construction having on one face spaced clamping jaws 2 and 3, the clamping jaw 2 being preferably formed with a cut-out portion 21 in its inner face defining spaced end ribs 25 to assure an effective seat on the spring leaf, and the lower clamping jaw 3 being provided with a threaded orifice 4 to accommodate a clamping bolt 5 directed toward the opposite clamping jaw 2, by means of which the bracket I can be rigidly associated with the spring S of the vehicle.

On its opposite face clamp I is provided with spaced lugs 6-45, the inner faces of which are convexly curved as at '1 to constitute abutment shoulders to limit the oscillation of a rocking jack member I6.

Each of the abutment lugs 6-6 is provided with a threaded orifice I0 to accommodate bolts II by means of which a cover plate I2 is secured upon and bridging the abutment lugs 6-6.

Within the space defined by the abutment lugs 66, the medial portion of the clamp I and the bridge plate I2, is pivotally positioned the tubular rocking member I6 forming the jack for engaging the automobile frame herein illustrated in its preferable rectangular form, in the lower end of which rocking member I6 is welded or otherwise secured a nut I! having a threaded orifice to accommodate a jack screw I9 having on its outer end a handle 20 by means of which it can be readily turned.

Within the bore of the tubular rocking member I6 is slidably positioned the shank or jack stem 23 of the frame-engaging member, the shank 23 having its inner end provided With a short bore having at its end a hardened conical seat 22 to engage the conical hardened end 2| of the jack screw I9.

Upon one face of the rocking member I6 is a circular detent adapted to receive the pivot head I5 formed on a rivet extending through the medial portion 9 of the clamp I and headed as at It on the imier face of said part.

By means of the construction thus far described it will be apparent that the rocking jack member l6 when positioned between the abutment lugs 66 and with the pivot head IS inserted in the complementary detent in the inner wall of said rocking jack member, the rocking jack member can be oscillated with respect to the clamping bracket, as is well illustrated in Figure 2.

On the upper end of the sliding jack stem 23 is an oifset head 24 carrying an outwardly directed spur 25 adapted to contact the under face of the frame of the vehicle adjacent the spring shackle S. By reason of this offset head 24 it will be apparent that the jack stem 23 can, if desired, be removed and reversed 180 where desired, and in cases where the frame member F of the vehicle is offset with respect to the spring S, as is the case in connection with some automobiles on the market. This arrangement of the device is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3.

By reason, of the oscillation permitted in the jack, the device can be applied to either the forward or rear end of the spring as desired, in each case taking the thrust of the load at an angle to the vertical and thus preventing any shiftingof the body of the vehicle as the load is applied.

Various modifications in the structural features of the device will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Tool forrelieving load from spring shackles comprising, a U-shaped bracket clamp, a jack member pivotally mounted for rocking movement on the medial portion of the clamp opposite the face from which the legs of the U extend, a jack stem axially slidable in the pivoted jack member, means for axially displacing said jack stem with respect to the pivoted member, and abutment means on said clamp for engaging said pivoted jack member and supporting the same in oppositely inclined positions relative to the principal axis of said clamp.

2. Tool for relieving load from spring shackles comprising a U-shaped bracket clamp, a member pivotally mounted for rocking movement on themedial portion of the clamp opposite the face from which the legs of the U extend, a second member axially slidable in the pivoted member, and: means for axially displacing said second member with respect to the pivoted member, the bracket clamp being formed with spaced, opposed jaws on one side, a set screw operable through one of said jaws toward the other, and spaced lugs on the opposite side, the confronting faces of said lugs being convex to define an intermediate passage with flaring ends, and a strap bridging the outer faces of said lugs to form a closure for said passage.

3. Tool as specified in claim 1 in which the pivoted jack member has parallel opposed faces and iii bore having a threaded orifice, a jack screw operable in said orifice, and the jack stem is square in cross section having one end formed with an angularly offset portion and the other end formed with a bearing against which the jack screw engages.

5. Tool for relieving load from spring shackles comprising a bracket clamp having on one side spaced jaws, and on the opposite side spaced lugs with confronting faces. angularly disposed to constitute abutments, a pivot head positioned intermediate said lugs, a rocking member having a depression in one face to engage the pivot head, a strap bridging the lugs to retain the rocking member in rocking relationship with the clamp, an axial bore extending from one end of the rocking member, abridge closing said bore at the opposite end formed with a threaded orifice, a second member axially slidable but not rotatable in the bore of the rocking member, said second member having. one end. offset and provided with an outwardly directed spur, and its other end formed with a bearing and a screw operable. in the threaded orifice of the bridge in the. bore arranged to engage the bearing in the end of said second member.

6. Tool for relieving load from spring shackles comprising, a U-shaped bracket clamp having on one face opposed clamping jaws, adapted to embrace and engage the vehicle spring adjacent a shackle and on its other face guiding means for a rocking jack member, a rocking, jack member pivotally mounted on the clamp, said rocking jack member having an axial bore of rectangular cross section bridged at one end, a frame engaging member comprising a jack stem of rectangular cross section slidable in said boreand an offset head, said jack stem and bore shaped and sized to permit reversal of the head 180 as desired, jack screw means interposed between the bridge at the end of the. bore and the inner end of the jack stem whereby said jack stem may be expelled axially from said rocking member to lift the vehicle frame from the spring, and abutment means on said clamp for engaging said pivoted jack member and supporting the same in oppositely inclined positions relative to the principal axis of said clamp.

JOHN CURTIS HOLMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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