Vehicle lifting system and method
OwnerCharles J. Kuhninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle lifting system includes two pneumatic jacks each equipped with a detachable adapter for engaging a vehicle tire to lift the vehicle by its tires. The adapter has a fork with two arms that support the tire at two points on its circumference, on opposite sides of the tire's axis of rotation. The system also includes an air source connected to the jacks by a T-joint and separate air lines so that the jacks lift in unison. In another embodiment, the adapter is a receptacle for holding an end of a rigid lifter bar. Each jack is positioned on an opposite side of the vehicle with the lifter bar under the vehicle frame and extending between the jacks. The bar is equipped with body clamps to prevent the vehicle body from slipping during lifting.
Claims9
A system for lifting a vehicle, the vehicle having opposite sides with corresponding lifting points at essentially a same level on an underside of the vehicle, the system comprising:
- two jacks, each jack comprising a cylinder having a movable piston and a piston rod connected to the piston and adapted for vertical linear travel from the cylinder in response to fluid pressure applied to the piston inside the cylinder;
- a carriage to follow travel of the piston rod on each jack;
- lifting means connected to each carriage for releasably engaging a corresponding one of the lifting points on the underside of the vehicle;
- and
- a fluid pressure supply system adapted for connection to a fluid pressure source and having a fluid pressure distributing T-joint with an inlet for connection to a fluid pressure supply line from the fluid pressure source, and a pair of fluid pressure distribution lines connected to outlets of the T-joint for simultaneously uniformly distributing fluid pressure from the pressure source directly to the cylinders of the two jacks so the pistons and piston rods thereof are uniformly lifted to equally and simultaneously raise the carriages and their corresponding lifting means, thereby equally raising the vehicle from the lifting points thereon.
A system for lifting a vehicle, the vehicle having a pair of tires extending parallel to each other along opposite sides of the vehicle, said tires being aligned on a common axis of rotation extending across a width of the vehicle, the system comprising:
- two pneumatic jacks, each jack comprising a pneumatic cylinder having a movable piston and a piston rod connected to the piston and adapted for vertical linear travel from the cylinder in response to air pressure applied to the piston inside the cylinder;
- a carriage to follow travel of the piston rod on each jack;
- lifting means connected to each carriage, each lifting means comprising a separate fork with a pair of lifting arms spaced apart by a distance shorter than a diameter of the vehicle tire so the arms of each fork releasably engage a corresponding one of the tires on an underside thereof and on opposite sides of the tire's axis of rotation;
- and
- a pneumatic pressure supply system adapted for connection to a source of air under pressure and having a pneumatic pressure distributing t-joint with an inlet for connection to an air pressure supply line from the air pressure source, and a pair of air pressure distribution lines connected to outlets of the T-joint for simultaneously uniformly distributing air under pressure from the air pressure source directly to the cylinders of the two jacks so the pistons and piston rods thereof are uniformly lifted to equally and simultaneously raise the carriages and their corresponding lifting arms, thereby equally raising the vehicle from balanced lifting pressure applied from the lifting arms equally to the underside of the tires.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.