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US 8,162,289 B2Granted
Modular jack apparatus for lifting floors and other structures
OwnerHoward L. McCalebinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus which is positionable between a structure to be lifted and an underlying support surface for lifting the structure utilizes a bottom plate and a cap between which a spacer member, such as a piece of tubing, is positionable and a threaded rod which is threadably received by an internally-threaded opening in the cap. By rotating the threaded rod within the cap, the threaded rod moves lengthwise relative to the cap. Therefore, by positioning the apparatus between a structure to be lifted and an underlying support surface and then rotating the threaded rod within the cap, the bottom plate and the threaded rod act between the structure to be lifted and the underlying support surface to lift the structure.
Claims17
An apparatus for use with an elongated spacer member having two opposite ends for lifting a structure above an underlying support surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a base which is adapted to act against the underlying support surface during a lifting operation performed with the apparatus and which defines an upwardly-opening recess which is sized to nestingly accept one end of the two opposite ends of the elongated spacer member inserted endwise therein;
- a cap associated with the base defining a threaded opening whose longitudinal axis is oriented substantially normal to the underlying support surface and which defines a downwardly-opening recess which is sized to nestingly accept the other end of the two opposite ends of the elongated spacer member inserted endwise therein;
- and
- a threaded rod which is threadably received by the threaded opening and which has an extending end which extends out of the threaded opening for acting against the structure desired to be lifted with the apparatus so that by inserting one end of the two opposite ends of the elongated spacer endwise into the upwardly-opening recess of the base and inserting the other end of the two opposite ends of the elongated spacer member endwise into the downwardly-opening recess of the cap and then positioning the apparatus between the underlying support surface and the structure desired to be lifted so that the base is permitted to act against the underlying support surface and the extending end of the threaded rod is directed toward the structure desired to be lifted and subsequently rotating the threaded rod within the threaded opening so that the threaded rod moves axially therealong, the base, the spacer member, the cap and the threaded rod act between the structure to be lifted and the underlying support surface to lift the structure, and
- so that by selecting a spacer member of appropriate length, the apparatus can be used to lift a structure above an underlying support surface, no matter the height between the structure and the underlying support surface.
2 more elements
An apparatus which is positionable between a structure to be lifted and an underlying support surface for lifting the structure, the apparatus comprising:
- a base for acting against the underlying support surface during a lifting operation performed with the apparatus and which defines an upwardly-opening recess;
- a cap having a body which defines an internally-threaded opening having a longitudinal axis and a downwardly-opening recess;
- an elongated spacer member having two opposite ends and a longitudinal axis and which is positionable upon the base so that one end of the two opposite ends of the base is nestingly accepted by the upwardly-opening recess of the base and so that the longitudinal axis of the base is arranged substantially normal to the base, and the cap being positionable upon the spacer member so that the other end of the two opposite ends of the spacer member is nestingly accepted by the downwardly-opening recess of the cap and so that the longitudinal axis of the internally-threaded opening is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the spacer member;
- and
- a threaded rod which is threadably received by the internally-threaded opening of the cap and which has an extending end which extends out of the internally-threaded opening for acting against the structure desired to be lifted with the apparatus so that by rotating the threaded rod within the cap, the extending end of the threaded rod moves lengthwise relative to the cap so that by positioning the apparatus between a structure to be lifted and an underlying support surface so that the base is permitted to act against the underlying support surface and the extending end of the threaded rod is directed toward the structure desired to be lifted and subsequently rotating the threaded rod within the internally-threaded opening of the cap, the base and the threaded rod act between the structure to be lifted and the underlying support surface to lift the structure, and
- so that by selecting a spacer member of appropriate length, the apparatus can be used to lift a structure above an underlying support surface, no matter the height between the structure and the underlying support surface.
3 more elements
An apparatus which is positionable between a structure to be lifted and an underlying support surface for lifting the structure, the apparatus comprising:
- a base for acting against the underlying support surface during a lifting operation performed with the apparatus, the base having a plate portion for overlying the underlying support surface and a body portion which is integrally joined to the plate portion and which defines an upwardly-opening recess which opens upwardly when the plate portion is positioned in overlying relationship with the underlying support surface;
- a cap having a body which defines an internally-threaded opening having a longitudinal axis and further defining a downwardly-opening recess which opens downwardly when the'cap is arranged between the structure and the underlying support surface for purposes of lifting the structure;
- an elongated spacer member having two opposite ends and a longitudinal axis and which is positionable upon the base so that one end of the two opposite ends of the spacer member is nestingly accepted by the upwardly-opening recess of the body of the base and the longitudinal axis of the base is arranged substantially normal to the plate portion of the base, and the cap is positionable upon the spacer member so that the other end of the two opposite ends of the spacer member is nestingly accepted by the downwardly-opening recess of the body of the cap and so that the longitudinal axis of the internally-threaded opening is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the spacer member;
- a threaded rod which is threadably received by the internally-threaded opening of the cap and which has an extending end which extends out of the internally-threaded opening for acting against the structure desired to be lifted with the apparatus so that by rotating the threaded rod within the cap, the extending end of the threaded rod moves lengthwise relative to the cap so that by positioning the apparatus between a structure to be lifted and an underlying support surface so that the base is permitted to act against the underlying support surface and the extending end of the threaded rod is directed toward the structure desired to be lifted and subsequently rotating the threaded rod within the internally-threaded opening of the cap, the base and the threaded rod act between the structure to be lifted and the underlying support surface to lift the structure;
- and
- a top plate which is positionable against the support structure desired to be lifted by the apparatus, and the top plate defines a surface against which the extending end of the threaded rod is adapted to act so that during a lifting operation performed with the apparatus, the top plate is positioned between the extending end of the threaded rod and the support structure, and
- so that by selecting a spacer member of appropriate length, the apparatus can be used to lift a structure above an underlying support surface, no matter the height between the structure and the underlying surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.