Jack for carrying and installing mine panels
AssigneeKennedy Metal Products & Buildings, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Kennedy, John Kennedy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A jack includes a base, a guide extending from the base, and an extensible member having an extensible fit with the guide and extending from the guide to have a free end. A support is located at the free end of the extensible member. An actuator is capable of extending the extensible member. The guide and extensible member have portions which are laterally offset with respect to the base and the support such that when the support is in pressure engagement with a panel, the laterally offset portions are disposed adjacent one side of the panel to leave an area between opposite sides of the panel substantially unobstructed.
Claims42
A jack for installing in a mine a plurality of elongate extensible panels adapted to extend in side-by-side relation, each panel comprising a lower panel member of the panel and an upper member of the panel, each of said lower and upper panel members of a panel being a sheet metal member having a web and first and second flanges along opposite sides of the web, one of said panel members having a telescoping sliding fit relative to the other panel member with the webs of the panel members generally face-to-face, the upper panel member of each panel having an end piece at its upper end and the lower panel member of each panel having an end piece at its lower end, said jack comprising:
- a base adapted to engage a first end piece of one of the upper and lower panel members;
- a guide extending from the base;
- an extensible member having an extensible fit with the guide and extending from the guide to have a free end;
- a support at the free end of the extensible member adapted to engage a second end piece of the upper and lower panel members;
- and
- an actuator for extending the extensible member to move the support into pressure engagement with the second end piece;
- said guide and extensible member having portions which are laterally offset with respect to said base and said support such that when the support is in pressure engagement with the second end piece, said laterally offset portions are disposed adjacent one side of the panel to leave an area between opposite sides of the panel substantially unobstructed.
A jack for installing in a mine a plurality of elongate extensible panels adapted to extend in side-by-side relation, each panel comprising a lower panel member of the panel and an upper member of the panel, each of said lower and upper panel members of a panel being a sheet metal member generally of channel shape in cross section having a web and first and second flanges at opposite sides of the web, one of said panel members having a telescoping sliding fit inside the other panel member with the webs of the panel members generally face-to-face, the upper panel member of each panel having an end piece at its upper end and the lower panel member of each panel having an end piece at its lower end, said jack comprising:
- a base adapted to engage a first end piece of one of the upper and lower panel members;
- a guide extending from the base;
- an extensible member having an extensible fit with the guide and extending from the guide to have a free end;
- a support at the free end of the extensible member adapted to engage a second end piece of the upper and lower panel members;
- a mechanical actuator for extending the extensible member to move the support into pressure engagement with the second end piece;
- said mechanical actuator comprising:
- a first gripping mechanism movable up and down relative to said extensible member,
- a second gripping mechanism on the guide;
- a lever device mounted on said guide for movement through an extension stroke to raise said first gripping mechanism and through a retraction stroke to lower the first gripping mechanism, said first gripping mechanism being operable to grip the extensible member during an extension stroke of the lever device thereby to extend the extensible member relative to the guide and to release the extensible member during a retraction stroke, and said second gripping mechanism being operable to hold the extensible member against retraction relative to the guide as the lever device is moved through a retraction stroke prior to the next extension stroke, and a release mechanism for releasing said gripping system to permit retraction of the extensible member relative to said guide without moving said lever device through a series of strokes.
A jack for installing in a mine a plurality of elongate extensible panels adapted to extend in side-by-side relation, each panel comprising a lower panel member of the panel and an upper member of the panel, each of said lower and upper panel members of a panel being a sheet metal member having a web and first and second flanges along opposite sides of the web, one of said panel members having a telescoping sliding fit relative to the other panel member with the webs of the panel members generally face-to-face, the upper panel member of each panel having an end piece at its upper end and the lower panel member of each panel having an end piece at its lower end, said jack comprising:
- a base adapted to engage a first end piece of one of the upper and lower panel members;
- a guide extending from the base;
- an extensible member having an extensible fit with the guide and extending from the guide to have a free end;
- a support at the free end of the extensible member adapted to engage a second end piece of the upper and lower panel members;
- an actuator for extending the extensible member to move the support into pressure engagement with the second end piece;
- and
- a handle on the guide engageable with the panel when the support and base of the jack are positioned adjacent respective end pieces to facilitate transport and handling of the jack and the panel as a unit.
A method of using an extensible jack to carry elongate panels used to make a mine ventilation structure, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) securing the jack to one of said panels at a first location,
- b) grasping a handle on the jack,
- c) manually lifting the jack and the panel secured thereto using said handle,
- d) carrying the jack and panel to a second location for installation of the panel at said second location, and
- e) repeating steps a-d for a second panel.
A method of using a jack to extend an extensible panel to make a mine ventilation structure, said jack being of the type comprising an extensible member and a mechanical actuator comprising a lever device for extending the extensible member, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) bringing opposite ends of the jack into engagement with opposite ends of the panel,
- b) moving the lever device through a first range of movement to extend the jack and the panel at a first relatively high speed and low force, and
- c) moving the lever device through a second range of movement different from said first range to extend the jack and the panel at a second relatively low speed and high force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.