Manually-operable hydraulic stabilizing system

Abstract

A stabilizing system includes a plurality of jacks, each operated by a corresponding hydraulic actuator. A hydraulic fluid transfer pump supplies hydraulic fluid to and receives hydraulic fluid from one or more pressure chambers of the actuator. A pilot-operated check or directional valve may be provided in fluid communication with one or more of the pressure chambers and configured to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the pressure chamber. A directional control valve may connect the pump output with the jacks via respective pilot-operated directional valves. The directional control valve may include a plurality of switch positions respectively connecting the pump output with pairs of the jacks.

1 . A method of operating a hydraulic stabilizing system including at least four hydraulic stabilizing jacks being a left front jack, a right front jack, a left rear jack, and a right rear jack, the method comprising:
 (a) setting a position of a directional control valve;   (b) activating a fluid transfer pump; and   (c) driving at least two of the at least four hydraulic stabilizing jacks via output from the fluid transfer pump,   wherein the directional control valve includes a plurality of switch positions respectively connecting the fluid transfer pump with pairs of the hydraulic stabilizing jacks, and wherein step (c) is practiced by driving one of the pairs of the hydraulic stabilizing jacks according to the position of the directional control valve.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (a) is practiced by setting the position of the directional control valve as one of (1) a front jacks positions connecting the output of the fluid transfer pump with the left front jack and the right front jack, (2) a rear jacks position connecting the output of the fluid transfer pump with the left rear jack and the right rear jack, (3) a left jacks position connecting the output of the fluid transfer pump with the left front jack and the left rear jack, and (4) a right jacks position connecting the output of the fluid transfer pump with the right front jack and the right rear jack. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein step (a) is practiced by setting the position of the directional control valve as (5) an all jacks position connecting the output of the fluid transfer pump with the left front jack, the right front jack, the left rear jack, and the right rear jack. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (c) is practiced by driving the hydraulic stabilizing jacks via respective pilot-operated directional valves interposed between the directional control valve and the hydraulic stabilizing jacks. 
     
     
         5 . A method of assembling and operating a hydraulic stabilizing system, the method comprising:
 (a) securing a plurality of hydraulic stabilizing jacks to each of a left front jack, a right front jack, a left rear jack, and a right rear jack, each of the jacks having an actuator including an actuator cylinder, an actuator piston slidingly engaged with the actuator cylinder and cooperating with the actuator cylinder to define an actuator extend chamber and an actuator retract chamber, and an actuator piston rod connected to the actuator piston and selectively extendable from and retractable into the actuator cylinder;   (b) connecting a hydraulic line to a fluid transfer pump, wherein the hydraulic line receives output from the pump;   (c) connecting a directional control valve to the hydraulic line;   (d) connecting the output of the pump with one of the actuator retract chamber and the actuator extend chamber of the actuators via respective pilot-operated directional valves of the actuators; and   (e) positioning the directional control valve among a plurality of switch positions to respectively connect the output of the pump with pairs of the actuators.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein step (e) comprises selectively positioning the directional control valve among (1) a front jacks positions connecting the output of the pump with the left front jack and the right front jack, (2) a rear jacks position connecting the output of the pump with the left rear jack and the right rear jack, (3) a left jacks position connecting the output of the pump with the left front jack and the left rear jack, and (4) a right jacks position connecting the output of the pump with the right front jack and the right rear jack. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein step (e) further comprises selectively positioning the direction control valve to an all jacks position connecting the output of the pump with the left front jack, the right front jack, the left rear jack, and the right rear jack. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein step (e) is practiced via a user-operated actuator. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising connecting an accumulator to the actuator retract chambers to act as a spring return for the jacks. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising interposing isolated check valves or pilot-operated directional valves between the directional control valve and the jacks. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising selectively enabling and disabling flow between the output of the pump and the one of the actuator retract chamber and the actuator extend chamber of the actuators by the isolated check valves or pilot-operated directional valves. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising selectively relieving fluid from the hydraulic line via a pressure relief valve. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising biasing the actuator piston of the actuators from the one of the actuator retract chamber and the actuator extend chamber of the actuators toward the other of the actuator retract chamber and the actuator extend chamber. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising biasing the actuator piston of the actuators from the other of the actuator retract chamber and the actuator extend chamber of the actuators toward the one of the actuator retract chamber and the actuator extend chamber. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operating a hydraulic stabilizing system in a vehicle including four corners, the hydraulic stabilizing system having four hydraulic stabilizing jacks, one for each of the four corners, the method comprising:
 (a) defining pairs of the hydraulic stabilizing jacks as a front pair, a rear pair, a left pair, and a right pair;   (b) setting a position of a directional control valve;   (c) activating a fluid transfer pump; and   (d) driving at least one pair of the hydraulic stabilizing jacks via output from the fluid transfer pump,   wherein the directional control valve includes a plurality of switch positions respectively connecting the fluid transfer pump with the pairs of the hydraulic stabilizing jacks, and wherein step (d) is practiced by driving one of the pairs of the hydraulic stabilizing jacks according to the position of the directional control valve.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein step (b) is practiced by setting the position of the directional control valve as an all jacks position connecting the output of the fluid transfer pump with all of the four hydraulic stabilizing jacks. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein step (d) is practiced by driving the hydraulic stabilizing jacks via respective pilot-operated directional valves interposed between the directional control valve and the hydraulic stabilizing jacks.