Panel jack

Abstract

A panel jack includes a clamp with opposing jaws spaced apart upon a frame or bar, and a jack mounted onto the clamp at the base of the jack, the shaft or piston of the jack attached to an elongated brace. The brace may turn about the longitudinal axis of the jack and the jack may turn about the longitudinal axis of the clamp in order for the device to be folded into either a storage position or operational position. When in use, the longitudinal axis of the brace is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the jack and the jack is attached proximate to the center of the brace so that force exerted by the jack upon the brace may be distributed generally evenly along the length of the brace.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A panel jack comprising:
 a clamp including an elongated frame having a first longitudinal axis, a proximate end and a distal end spaced apart from one another along said first longitudinal axis, a proximate jaw attached to said proximate end and a distal jaw attached to said distal end, said jaws spaced apart upon said frame a sufficient distance to receive a structural support member,   a jack having a second longitudinal axis, a base and a shaft, said shaft substantially parallel to said second longitudinal axis, said jack attached at said base thereof to said proximate end of said clamp, said shaft attached to an elongated brace having a third longitudinal axis,   whereby said clamp may be removably attached to said structural support member and said shaft may be extended to push said brace against a structural panel to move said structural panel along said structural support member.   
     
     
         2 . A panel jack as in  claim 1 , wherein the third longitudinal axis of said brace is substantially perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis of said jack and to the first longitudinal axis of said clamp. 
     
     
         3 . A panel jack as in  claim 1 , wherein said jack is attached proximate to the center of said brace so that force exerted by said jack upon said brace is distributed along the length of said brace. 
     
     
         4 . A panel jack as in  claim 1 , including a first axis of rotation about said first longitudinal axis and a second axis of rotation about said second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . A panel jack as in  claim 1 , wherein said brace includes contours that mate with the contours of an edge of said structural panel.