While the exertion of a force can be brought about by involving driven equipment, often such equipment is of a manually manipulable kind.

(3) FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a manually operable force-exerting device amongst other employable for lifting purposes. It is thus useful in jacking vehicles or any other load and can be used in appropriate multiples to lift and lower containers or the like. Although useful in performing a lifting function the invention, as suitably adapted, can also be used to displace items in other directions. While useful in performing a lifting function its application is not limited thereto but finds further application where a force is desired to be stationarily exerted.

(4) PRIOR ART DESCRIPTION Manually manipulable force exerting equipment is commonly known in the art, whether for lifting or moving purposes or for exertion of force on a stationary position. When used for lifting or otherwise item displacing purposes the devices known to the applicants, where such displacement involves the movement of a displacer along a carrier, involves the movement of the manipulating equipment as well. In the case of a lifting action release is often uncontrolled involving a dangerous situation for the user as well as the possibility of lifted item damage.

Such known equipment is also designed to perform a singular function only. It is, amongst others an object of this invention to address these issues.

(5) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings Figure 1 shows a manually operable force-exerting device, according to the invention, in the form of a jack, in side elevation, Figure 2 shows the device along arrow A in figure 1 however omitting the jacking lip providing member of the urging member, forming part of the jack, Figure 3 shows the use of the handle forming part of the displacing mechanism of the jack, Figure 4 shows in three-dimensional disassembled view the urging member of the device as constituted from a runner and the jacking lip providing member, Figure 5 shows the device as fitted with a force exerting position transferring member in the form of a post for exerting a force beyond the outer position of displacement of the runner along the carrier, Figure 6 shows guide means employable in conjunction with the post of figure 5, as releasably attachable to the carrier, in plan view, Figure 7 diagrammatically shows the device as adapted for use as a winch, in side elevation, and Figure 8 diagrammatically shows the device as adapted for use as a container manipulator for lifting or removing containers onto or from load carrying vehicles.

(6) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings a manually operable force-exerting device is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The device 10 comprises an urging member in the form of a runner 12 that runably engages with a carrier in the form of a rectangularly profiled runner guide 16, and a manually manipulable urging member displacing mechanism 18 fitted in a fixed relationship to the runner guide 16. The mechanism 18 cooperates with the runner 12 in causing its displacement in its direction of force exertion via linking means in the form of a belt 20 (shown in broken lines in figure 2) extending sling-fashion from the mechanism 18 along the

runner 12 to a belt free end anchor 22. In the case of the figure 8 embodiment the linking means can alternatively be in the form of a cable 21. The guide 16 is constituted from a runner engaging section 16.1 and an urging member displacing mechanism carrying section 16.2 bolted to one another, as more clearly shown in figures 1 to 3.

Referring more particularly to figures 1 to 5 and figure 7 the urging member displacing mechanism 18, as in the form of a ratchet facility 18.1, incorporates a drum (not shown) onto which the belt 20 is releasably rollable. When the device 10 is thus used to exert a force that is brought about by a shortening of the length of the belt 20 in response to reciprocation of the handle 24 of the facility 18.1, the belt 20 becomes progressively rolled onto the drum. The facility 18.1 is also fitted with a release mechanism (not shown in detail) that permits the controlled unwinding of the belt 20 from the drum under the action of a force that remains once the runner 12 is caused to be lowered as, for example, when using the device 10 as a jack, as discussed below. The release mechanism thus enables the controlled lowering of an item such as a jacked vehicle. Although not in any way limiting the facility 18.1 to such equipment it can typically be in the form of an ABS ratchet manufactured by the German firm SpanSet.

Referring more particularly to figure 4 the body portion 12.1 of the runner 12 is formed from opposing side plates 24 suitably spaced by spacers 26 and fitted with a roller layout 27 comprising set of gap spanning rollers 28 and caged rollers 30 fitted to emerge from the inner faces of the side plates 24. The runner 12 thus engages rollably on all sides with the section 16.1 of the carrier 16 promoting its smooth displacement there along. The runner 12 is also fitted with a guide roller 32 below which the belt 20 passes. The task performed by the caged rollers 30 can also be performed by lubricating strips (not shown) fitted along the inner walls of the side-plates 24. The runner 12 also incorporates a force exerting lip providing member 34 that engages releasably with the runner 12 by means of a locking pin (not shown) passing along registering apertures 36 in the runner 12 and the member 34. The apertures 36 come into registration once the backing plate 42 of the member 34 lies flush against the edges 24.1 of the side plates 24 thus ensuring a firm engagement of the member 34 and the runner 12.

Referring again to figures 1 to 5 and 7 the facility 18.1 is situated on the opposite side of the runner guide 16 as that to which the member 34 is fitted to the body 12.1 of the runner 12 to limit interference between the operation of the runner 12 and the facility 18.1. To limit the force exerted by the belt 20 in causing the runner 12 to perform its force exerting action and

the opposing force acting on the force exerting lip providing member 34, once so exerting a force, from forming a couple, thus urging the runner 12 into exerting an unbalanced force on the guide 16, the belt 20 passes along the guide roller 32 on the same side as that to which the member 34 is fitted. To this effect the belt 20 thus passes through the section 16.2, over an upper guide roller 38 and thence below the runner mounted guide roller 32. This causes the section 20.1 of the belt 20 extending between the roller 38 and the anchor 22 to be at least substantially parallel to the axis 40 of the carrier 16. In addition the span of the section 20.1 of the belt 20 also lies closely adjacent the central line of force exertion 42 of the member 34.

Referring more specifically to figures 1 to 3 and in an embodiment the force exerting lip providing member 34 serves the function of jacking lip providing member when the device 10 is used as jack involving displacement of the runner 12 in the direction of arrow 44. To this effect the lip 34.1 of the member 34 is simply positioned below or into the lifting position of a vehicle that is thereafter jacked in response to the operation of the ratchet facility 18.1. It will be appreciated that the lip 34.1 is only shown diagrammatically and will be adapted for the specific application. When using the device 10 to exert a force in which its one end is required to seat against a base, such as in the case of a jack, the guide 16 is naturally fitted with a pedestal 46 that can also be releasably secured to the guide 16.

In a development of the figures 1 to 3 embodiment and referring in addition to figures 5 and 6 the device 10 is supplementable with a force exerting position transferring member in the form of a post 48 that is releasably engaged with the lip 34.1 of the member 34 by means of a locking pin (not shown) that passes along registering apertures 50 in the lip 14.1 and legs 52 forming part of the post 48 that fit straddlably onto the lip 34.1. The post 48 is constrained to be displaced in parallel with the axis 40 of the guide 26 by passing along a post guide 56 formed with a post engaging aperture 58 and a carrier engaging aperture 60. The post guide 56 is releasably fitted to the upper end of the carrier 16 by being simply bolted thereto.

Supplementation of the member 34 with the post 48 is useful in the case where force exertion is desired to be done at a high elevation location. When so supplemented the device 10 can even be used as a permanent support such as a prop.

Although the post 48 is shown in figure 5 as being releasably fitted to the member 34 it can naturally also form an integral part of the runner 12.

As yet a further development of the figures 1 to 3 embodiment while referring specifically to figure 7 the device 10 can also serve as a winch. Adaptation of the device for such purpose involves as first step the removal of the pedestal 46. In using the device 10 as winch the runner 12 must thus exert a drawing or pulling force via a cord conventionally in the form of a winch belt 62. The belt 62, as presenting a leading end securing loop, is thus secured to the member 34 via a securing lug extending between an apertures set 64 in the member 34.

Stabilisation of the device 10 in exerting a pulling force via the belt 62 is achieved via a guide 66 that is releasably fitted to the end of the carrier 16 and along which the belt 62 is threaded.

When so used as winch the end of the guide 16 remote from that from which the belt 62 trails must necessarily be properly anchored. To this effect the outer end of the guide section 16.2 is fitted with an anchoring lug 68 used for securing an anchoring belt 70 to the guide 16 and of which the other end is suitably anchorable. Winching is achieved by simply operating the facility 18 once the belts 62 and 70 are appropriately secured.

In a final embodiment and referring to figure 8 the device 10 is adapted for the lifting and lowering of containers thus serving as container manipulator. To this end the runner 12 extends laterally from the position of carrier engagement by incorporating an engagement beam 72 secured to the body 12.1 of the runner 12 with the beam 72 presenting locations of load securing 74 at its opposite ends. The locations 74 are in the form of a conventional bracket facility including an overhead catch 76 and a bolting member 78 used for securely engaging a shipping container 80. The beam 72 is naturally of adequate length while the runner 12 is to a suitable extent displaceable along the guide 16 to also enable location of the lower load securing position 74.1 on the ground for suitable container engagement.

As the mass involved is normally substantial while a plurality of devices 10, positioned at the various corners of a container desired to be manipulated, are used, the cable 21 of the device 10 of this embodiment is convoluted a number of times along the guide 16 to obtain the desired leverage. The cable 21 consequently extends between its anchor 22 and the mechanism 18 via pulleys 82 on either side of the runner 12 and along an overhead pulley cluster 84. Although the mechanism 18 can also be in the form of the facility 18.1 as discussed above, a more robust mechanism 18 will often be required such as a conventional winch type reel 86 incorporating a locking facility and a controlled releasing mechanism to enable the controlled lowering of a container.

It will be appreciated that the figure 8 embodiment is subject to variation such as a smaller distance between the locations of load securing 74 and different securing layouts depending on the kind of load desired to be lifted.

While the device is described with reference to the specific applications of jack, winch, prop or high lifting equipment and container manipulator it will be appreciated that it can be used under all appropriate circumstances where force exertion is required and especially where relaxing of such force must take place under controlled circumstances. The device need not be used in the vertical position only, as clearly shown in the winch application and even not when used as winch.

It is an advantage of the invention as specifically described that force-exerting equipment is provided that is manually operable from a fixed position while the relaxation of force exerted can be done in a controlled fashion.