Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Vektek, Inc.

Gray Automtive Products, Company

Joseph L Gray

Raymond C Chan

Nick J Karras

James J Gray

A clamping sleeve is of generally cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and comprises an upper crown, a lower crown, and a tubular sidewall. The upper crown is positioned at an upper end of the clamping sleeve. The lower crown is positioned at a lower end of the clamping sleeve. The tubular sidewall is positioned between the upper and lower crown and includes one or more corrugations that utilize spring like principles such that pressure applied to the external surface of the tubular sidewall circumferentially flexes the clamping sleeve in order to reduce the diameter of the clamping sleeve and apply a clamping force to an object within the clamping sleeve. The clamping sleeve may be utilized in a work support that includes a plunger positioned within the clamping sleeve, wherein a pressurized flowable medium provides pressure to the exterior of the tubular sidewall thereby causing the clamping sleeve to apply a clamping force to the plunger.

Clamping sleeve

A multiple axle lift system having a column mechanism and a carriage assembly is provided. The column mechanism has a base member with a central support member extending therefrom. The carriage assembly is slidably connected to the column mechanism and includes a centerline, a first lift pad assembly with a first lift pad for engaging a vehicle tire and a second lift pad assembly with a second lift pad for engaging a vehicle tire. The first and second lift pads are configured to face away from the centerline.

Multiple axle lift system and method

A low cost, tiltable vehicle support stand is provided which is inherently stable in use and is designed to develop a righting moment during vehicle setup operations so that a vehicle can be quickly and easily elevated to facilitate work theroen. The preferred support stand includes a relatively wide base having an elongated, transversely extending beam secured thereto; a pair of padded vehicle-engaging members are shiftably mounted on the beam and are spaced apart a distance greater than the effective width of the base. In this manner the center of gravity of a supported vehicle lies in a plane which passes between the lateral side margins of the base, even in the event that the stand or vehicle-engaging members are located asymmetrically relative to the underside of the vehicle. This stand configuration also ensures that the vehicle and stand will right themselves during initial setup, which generally involves sideways elevation and tilting of the vehicle, placing a pair of the support stands beneath the vehicle in a similarly tilted orientation, and lowering the vehicle to effect reverse tilting of the vehicle and stands until the same are righted and the vehicle is elevated.

Tiltable support stand for vehicles

A low cost, tiltable vehicle support stand is provided which is inherently stable in use and is designed to develop a righting moment during vehicle setup operations so that a vehicle can be quickly and easily elevated to facilitate work thereon. The preferred support stand includes a relatively wide base having an elongated, transversely extending beam secured thereto; a pair of padded vehicle-engaging members are shiftably mounted on the beam and are spaced apart a distance greater than the effective width of the base. In this manner the center of gravity of a supported vehicle lies in a plane which passes between the lateral side margins of the base, even in the event that the stand or vehicle-engaging members are located asymmetrically relative to the underside of the vehicle. This stand configuration also ensures that the vehicle and stand will right themselves during initial setup, which genrally involves sideways elevation and tilting of the vehicle, placing a pair of the support stands beneath the vehicle in a similarly tilted orientation, and lowering the vehicle to effect reverse tilting of the vehicle and stands until the same are righted and the vehicle is elevated.

Method of elevating a four wheel vehicle utilizing a tiltable support

A jack assembly for side lifting of four wheel vehicles into tilted disposition is disclosed wherein elongated, rectilinear lifting arm means is provided which is of a length to extend substantially across the track dimension of the vehicle when the arm means is inserted under the vehicle from one side thereof. Extensible fluid actuated means is operably connected to the normally outboard end of the lifting arm means for swinging the arm means through an arcuate displacement to engage and lift one side of the car as the arm means pivots about the inboard end thereof which rests on the ground. The jack is especially useful for raising one side of smaller unibody automobiles without damage to the body or operating components.

Side lift jack for unibody automobiles

The flat, load-carrying head of the jack may be adapted through a set of special adapter components for lifting, lowering and transporting irregularly-shaped objects such as heavy, unwieldy truck transmissions, differentials and power dividers notwithstanding their incompatibility with the flat surface of the platform. The components may be independently adjusted in a multiplicity of directions totally by hand and may be arranged in a variety of relationships such as to accommodate virtually any configuration presented by the particular object being handled and to do so relatively quickly without the use of special hand tools, certain of the components being especially suited for providing a low profile to the supporting head and the particular object being supported so as to facilitate manipulation of the jack in close quarters and under low overhead obstructions.

Jack assembly for truck transmissions, differentials and power dividers

By locking one caster wheel of a four-wheel jack against swivelling without inhibiting its ability to roll freely along a supporting surface, and by then steering an oppositely trailing or leading caster wheel with a tow bar or other suitable handle, the jack can be readily steered into tight places and under low overhanging structures even with relatively heavy loads supported thereon as the two remaining caster wheels become effective 'slaves' to their respective, most laterally adjacent locked or steered wheels. The tow bar for the steered wheel and the lock for the locked wheel are readily attached to and removed from their respective wheels without the aid of tools or special fasteners.

Swivel lock and tow bar assembly for four-wheel caster jack assembly

Anti-binding structure for jacks is provided which eliminates load-induced binding between an extended jack lift post and the guide structure therefor, so as to facilitate smooth jack operation. The jack of the invention preferably includes a rectangular or sqaure cross section lift post and a plurality of elongated, transversely U-shaped bearing channels respectively disposed between the planar post faces and the upper guide plate of the jack; the channels are each mounted for limited rocking movement about respective axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the jack post so that any load-induced canting or deflection of the post can be safely accommodated without binding or galling thereof.

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MO, United States of America

Joseph L Gray