Leverage Tool for a Crank Assembly of a Radar System

• US 20100237300A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Robledo, Jaime
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 254/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 13/00 Common constructional features or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 3/16 actuated through bevel-wheel gearings
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/087 retractable; Flush control knobs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53896 having lever operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20744 Hand crank

Abstract

An apparatus may comprise a lever operable to rotate a crank arm. The apparatus may further comprise a slotted member affixed to an end of the lever. The slotted member may be operable to clip around a first handle of the crank arm. The apparatus may further comprise an alignment member affixed to the lever. The alignment member may comprise a hole that receives a second handle of the crank arm. The apparatus may further comprise a third handle affixed to the lever such that a force applied to the third handle causes the lever to rotate. The rotation of the lever may cause the crank arm to rotate in a particular plane. The third handle may be offset from the particular plane.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a lever operable to rotate a crank arm;

a slotted member affixed to an end of the lever, the slotted member operable to clip around a first handle of the crank arm;

an alignment member affixed to the lever, the alignment member comprising a hole operable to receive a second handle of the crank arm; and

a third handle affixed to the lever such that a force applied to the third handle causes the lever to rotate, the rotation of the lever causing the crank arm to rotate in a particular plane, the third handle being offset from the particular plane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the alignment member is affixed to the lever between the slotted member and the third handle; and

the lever is a strip of material that is angled between the alignment member and the third handle such that the third handle is offset from the particular plane by at least five centimeters.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the lever is a strip of aluminum; and

the third handle comprises a metal tube having an axis perpendicular to a surface of the lever, the metal tube configured to rotate independently from the lever.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the lever is strip of material comprising at least two prongs at the first end of the lever; and

the slotted member is a polymer sleeve that is affixed to the at least two prongs, the polymer sleeve preventing direct contact between the lever and the first handle of the crank arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slotted member comprises at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyoxymethylene, and nylon plastic.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force applied to the third handle causes the lever to rotate about an axis between the slotted member and the alignment member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first handle of the crank arm comprises:

a stem that is perpendicular to the crank arm, the stem having a first diameter; and

a cap that is perpendicular to the stem, the cap having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the slotted member comprises a slot that clips around the stem of the first handle, the slot having a width that is greater than the first diameter of the stem but less than the second diameter of the cap.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the second handle is a cylindrical member that is perpendicular to the crank arm, the second handle having a first diameter;

the alignment member comprises;

a first polymer block affixed to a first surface of the lever; and

a second polymer block affixed to a second surface of the metal strip, the second polymer block affixed to the metal strip directly opposite from the first polymer block; and

the hole is formed through the first polymer block, the lever, and the second polymer block, the hole having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter of the second handle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alignment member comprises at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyoxymethylene, and nylon plastic.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lever is secured to the crank arm by only clipping the slotted member around the first handle and inserting the second handle in the hole in the alignment member.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the rotation of the crank arm actuates a jack that moves at least one object; and

the lever is longer than the crank arm such that the lever provides greater leverage than the crank arm.

13. A method, comprising:

forming a lever that is angled such that a first section of the lever is offset from a second section of the lever;

affixing a slotted member to an end of the first section of the lever, the slotted member comprising a slot operable to clip around a first handle of a crank arm;

affixing an alignment member to the first section of the lever, the alignment member comprising a hole operable to receive a second handle of the crank arm; and

affixing a third handle to the second section of the lever, the third handle comprising a cylindrical member that is perpendicular to the second section of the lever and that rotates independently from the lever.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming at least two prongs in the end of the first section of the lever, and wherein affixing the slotted member to the end of the first section of the lever comprises inserting the slotted member between the at least two prongs.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the first handle of the crank arm comprises;

a stem that is perpendicular to the crank arm, the stem having a first diameter; and

a cap that is perpendicular to the stem, the cap having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter; and

the slotted member comprises a slot having a width that is greater than the first diameter of the stem but less than the second diameter of the cap.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the second handle is a cylindrical member that is perpendicular to the crank arm, the second handle having a first diameter; and

the hole in the alignment member has a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter of the second handle.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the slotted member and the alignment member comprise at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyoxymethylene, and nylon plastic.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the lever comprises an anodized strip of aluminum and the third handle comprises a knurled tube that rotates relative to the lever.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the lever is angled such that rotation of the lever about a crank axis causes the slotted member to rotate in a first plane and causes the third handle to rotate in a second plane that is offset from the first plane by at least five centimeters.

20. A system, comprising:

a jack comprising a crank arm, the jack operable to move one or more objects;

a first handle affixed to a first end of the crank arm, the first handle comprising a stem and a cap perpendicular to the stem;

a second handle affixed to a second end of the crank arm;

a leverage tool operable to interface with the first handle and the second handle, the leverage tool comprising;

a lever that is angled such that a first section of the lever is offset from a second section of the lever;

a slotted member affixed to an end of the first section of the lever, the slotted member operable to clip around the stem of the first handle of the crank arm;

an alignment member affixed to the first section of the lever, the alignment member comprising a hole operable to encircle the second handle of the crank arm; and

a third handle affixed to the second section of the lever such that a force applied to the third handle causes the lever to rotate, the rotation of the lever causing the crank arm to rotate.