Jack with elevatable platform

A scissor jack comprising:

• a base with a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of struts connected together and to the base, said struts forming an arrangement of at least two end-to-end X's with a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base, certain of said struts being movable relative to one another whereby said X's will expand longitudinally and contract transverse thereto and will contract longitudinally and expand transverse thereto to apply a force in the transverse direction;
• and
• a power actuator, horizontally positioned and operably connected to selected struts to effect the extension in the transverse direction by applying force in the same longitudinal direction as the base.

A scissorjack comprising:

• a base with a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of struts connected together and to the base, said struts forming an arrangement of at least two end-to-end X's with a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base, certain of said struts being movable relative to one another whereby said X's will expand longitudinally and contract transverse thereto and will contract longitudinally and expand transverse thereto to apply a force in the transverse direction;
• and
• a power actuator, extending horizontally between pivot points of the end-to-end X's and operably connected to the pivot points of the end-to-end X's to effect the extension in the transverse direction by applying force in the same longitudinal direction as the base.

A scissor jack comprising:

• a base with a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of struts connected together and to the base, said struts forming an arrangement of at least two end-to-end X's with a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base, certain of said struts being movable relative to one another whereby said X's will expand longitudinally and contract transverse thereto and will contract longitudinally and expand transverse thereto to apply a force in the transverse direction;
• and
• a power actuator, extending horizontally between two moveable pivot points of the end-to-end X's to effect the extension in the transverse direction by applying force in the same longitudinal direction as the base.

A vehicle chassis straightening bench including a lift selectively movable between a lowered position and at least one elevated position, said lift including:

• a platform having an upwardly facing surface adapted to support a vehicle to be elevated;
• at least one jack positioned under the platform, said jack being operable to selectively elevate said platform and includes a base with a first set of struts pivotally mounted on said base operable to move between first and second positions, said struts of the first set each have first and second ends with the first ends being movable toward and away from one another during raising and lowering, respectively, of the jack, said first set of struts are oriented to form a generally V-shaped arrangement diverging away from the base;
• at least one second set of struts, said second set of struts being oriented to form a generally V-shaped arrangement diverging toward the base, each strut of the second set being pivotally connected to a respective strut of the first set to form a double X arrangement of bars with the X arrangements being in end-to-end relation, said first set of struts providing at least two ends each to apply an upwardly directed force to support the platform when elevated and the second set of struts providing at least two free ends each to apply a downwardly directed force to support the platform when elevated;
• axles which pivotally connect the first and second set of struts together;
• and
• a power actuator operably connected to at least two said axles, whereby retraction of the actuator elevates the platform and extension of the actuator lowers the platform.