Abstract: A mechanical jack that is used with trailers that has a functional combination of several working gears as well as a drop leg feature is disclosed. The mechanical jack has a gearbox having gears that not only have the capacity to handle a relatively heavy load, but also have the ability to handle small and midsize loads while maintaining sufficient and commercially acceptable cranking speeds without excessive force required. The jack includes a crank or handle for use with the mechanical jack that assists in both effective raising and lowering of the jack, as well as efficient transition from one working gear to another. The jack may also utilize an electric motor as the source of input power to the jack.

Abstract: A mechanical jack that is used with trailers that has a functional combination of several working gears as well as a drop leg feature is disclosed. The mechanical jack has a gearbox having gears that not only have the capacity to handle a relatively heavy load, but also have the ability to handle small and midsize loads while maintaining sufficient and commercially acceptable cranking speeds without excessive force required. The jack includes a crank or handle for use with the mechanical jack that assists in both effective raising and lowering of the jack, as well as efficient transition from one working gear to another. The crank provides an efficient way to change from one operating gear of the jack to another, and facilitates operator use of the mechanical jack to which it is connected, in order to provide improved cranking and improved changing of one operating gear to another.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mechanical screw jack comprising: a housing; a mechanical jack stroke limiting nut connected to the housing, the nut having a nut wall, the wall defining an interior female threaded surface and an interior screw travel limiting surface located adjacent to the interior female threaded surface; and a mechanical jack screw having an externally threaded male surface for threadably engaging the interior female threaded surface of the mechanical jack stroke limiting nut and a disruption; wherein the unthreaded screw travel limiting surface is capable of interferingly engaging at least a portion of the disruption to prevent over travel of the threaded screw. A method of limiting screw travel in a mechanical screw jack is also disclosed. Advantageously, screw travel is limited such that a user can over torque the screw, such that the screw can travel with respect to the nut without damaging the threaded portion of the nut.

Abstract: A mechanical jack that is used with trailers that has a functional combination of several working gears as well as a drop leg feature is disclosed. The mechanical jack has a gearbox having gears that not only have the capacity to handle a relatively heavy load, but also have the ability to handle small and midsize loads while maintaining sufficient and commercially acceptable cranking speeds without excessive force required. The jack includes a crank or handle for use with the mechanical jack that assists in both effective raising and lowering of the jack, as well as efficient transition from one working gear to another. The crank provides an efficient way to change from one operating gear of the jack to another, and facilitates operator use of the mechanical jack to which it is connected, in order to provide improved cranking and improved changing of one operating gear to another.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mechanical screw jack comprising: a housing; a mechanical jack stroke limiting nut connected to the housing, the nut having a nut wall, the wall defining an interior female threaded surface and an interior screw travel limiting surface located adjacent to the interior female threaded surface; and a mechanical jack screw having an externally threaded male surface for threadably engaging the interior female threaded surface of the mechanical jack stroke limiting nut and a disruption; wherein the unthreaded screw travel limiting surface is capable of interferingly engaging at least a portion of the disruption to prevent over travel of the threaded screw. A method of limiting screw travel in a mechanical screw jack is also disclosed. Advantageously, screw travel is limited such that a user can over torque the screw, such that the screw can travel with respect to the nut without damaging the threaded portion of the nut.

Abstract: A venetian blind assembly has a tilt drum support with a base which has a three-segment zig-zag type slot through which two ladder legs extend and are offset sidewardly from one another, with the tilt drum interposed from front to back between the two legs. The slot holds the ladder legs apart to insure non-overlapping winding of the joined ladder legs on the tilt drum. The tilt drum is connected to a flexible cable that turns and extends vertically downwardly on the window stile. The flexible cable is positioned by a plastic guide which is fastened to the stile. The flexible cable has an extruded fitting crimped to it which has a D-shaped opening in it. The fitting receives a vertical control rod which has a D-shape. The fitting opening is substantially deeper than is required to insure a proper connection with the vertical control rod. Hence the same vertical control rod may be installed on windows that vary in height by several inches, with the excess length absorbed within the fitting opening.

Abstract: A venetian blind assembly has a tilt drum support with a base which has a three-segment zig-zag type slot through which two ladder legs extend and are offset sidewardly from one another, with the tilt drum interposed from front to back between the two legs. The slot holds the ladder legs apart to insure non-overlapping winding of the joined ladder legs on the tilt drum. The tilt drum is connected to a flexible cable that turns and extends vertically downwardly on the window stile. The flexible cable is positioned by a plastic guide which is fastened to the stile. The flexible cable has an extruded fitting crimped to it which has a D-shaped opening in it. The fitting receives a vertical control rod which has a D-shape. The fitting opening is substantially deeper than is required to insure a proper connection with the vertical control rod. Hence the same vertical control rod may be installed on windows that vary in height by several inches, with the excess length absorbed within the fitting opening.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for a wheel loader having an implement arranged for elevational and tilting movements relative to a frame of the loader. The hydraulic system includes selectively operable lifting and tilting circuitry for adjusting the position of the implement and a shock absorbing mechanism arranged in combination with the lift circuitry for allowing relative movement between the implement and the frame to provide a cushioning effect which reduces pitching of the loader. To inhibit inadvertent vertical displacement of the implement, the shock absorbing mechanism is responsive to an initial lifting action of the implement. In a preferred form of the invention, the shock absorbing mechanism is responsive to hydraulic conditions indicative of imminent tilting movement of the implement thereby eliminating inadvertent vertical displacement of the implement when the implement reaches a limit of its tilting travel.