Kidde, Inc.

A & E Systems, Inc.

Reginald P Whittingham

Russell L Sterner

A leveling jack mounted on the frame of a vehicle with a horizontal stowed position and a vertical actuated position, including, a pair of telescoping tubular members, telescoping between open and closed position, a ball screw actuator including a ball member and a screw member supported within the tubular members and with one of the tubular members attached to the ball member for producing telescope movement of the one tubular member relative to the other tubular member in accordance with longitudinal movement of the ball member, a drive spindle coupled to the screw member for providing rotational movement of the screw member to produce longitudinal movement of the ball member, a motor and associated gear train coupled to the drive spindle and with the gear train providing a substantial reduction of speed of rotation of the drive spindle, an outer housing for mounting on the frame of the vehicle and with the tubular members, ballscrew actuator, drive spindle and motor and gear train forming a pivotable portion of the leveling jack all pivotable around a first pivot point within the outer housing between the horizontal and vertical positions, and a bracket pivotablly mounted to the outer housing at a second pivot point off center to the first pivot point and with the bracket actuated when the tubular members are telescoped to the closed position to provide rotation of the pivotable portion of the leveling jack from the vertical position to the horizontal position.

Vehicle jack

A massive crane luffing jib is held and loaded under compression atop the main crane boom such as a hydraulically extensible and retractable telescopic boom whose sections may be locked for safety. The luffing jib is pivoted to an adapter atop the boom to enable swinging the jib to a stowed position close to and along the front side of the boom. First, second and third masts are pivotally attached to the jib base section. The second and third masts are connected by foldable tension links. An upper foldable ladder in the pendant line between the point of the jib and bridle assembly forms a hard connection between the first and second masts. A lower foldable ladder including a gooseneck forms a hard connection between the second and third masts following automatic coupling of the gooseneck with the third mast after the tension link becomes fully extended. A safety backstop or stay connected between the luffing jib and the adapter on which it is mounted prevents rearward tipping over of the jib and activates a safety control switch operating mechanism. The several masts, tension links, folding ladders and backstays fold compactly onto the base section of the luffing jib for easy storage and transport without separation and misarrangement of parts. A bridle storage and lifting arrangement is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Orange, CA, United States of America

Reginald P Whittingham