Leveraging too for trailer latches
View Patent ↗A leveraging tool for helping urge open a shipping container or van trailer door latch has a shaft that has a pair of rings that receive a latch arm of the door latch and uses the lever action of the shaft to gain mechanical advantage in opening and closing the latch. The shaft is bent at either one location or optionally two locations to allow for proper clearance of a user's hands with respect to the door. The inner ring has a distal end facing outer edge that is diagonally tapered to allow the device to properly clear the latch in order to allow the rings to receive the latch.
1. A truck tool comprising:
a shaft member having a first end and a second end and having such that a first section is formed at the first end and has an upper surface and an opposing lower surface joined by a pair of side surfaces, the shaft member also having a second section formed at the second end, the second section oriented diagonally downwardly in the lower surface facing direction;
a first ring member attached to and extending upwardly from the upper surface of first section of the shaft member and located proximate the first end of the shaft member, the first ring member having a first opening; and
a second ring member attached to and extending upwardly from the upper surface of first section of the shaft member between the first ring member and the second end of the shaft member, the second ring member having an outer edge that faces the first ring member, the second ring member also having a second opening, the second opening aligned with the first opening of the first ring member such that a first central longitudinal axis that passes through the first opening and the second opening is parallel with a second central longitudinal axis that passes through the first section of the shaft member and such that the first opening and the second opening are each dimensioned to receive a latch arm of a latch of a truck trailer.
2. The truck tool as in claim 1 further comprising a handle encircling the shaft member proximate the second end.
3. The truck tool as in claim 2 wherein the second section of the shaft member is formed as a first sub-section and a second sub-section the first sub-section joining the first section and the second sub-section and wherein the second sub-section is bent upwardly in the upper surface facing direction relative to the first sub-section.
4. The truck tool as in claim 3 wherein the outer edge of the second ring is diagonally tapered toward the second end in proceeding up from the upper surface.
5. The truck tool as in claim 1 wherein the second section of the shaft member is formed as a first sub-section and a second sub-section the first sub-section joining the first section and the second sub-section and wherein the second sub-section is bent upwardly in the upper surface facing direction relative to the first sub-section.
6. The truck tool as in claim 1 wherein the outer edge of the second ring is diagonally tapered toward the second end in proceeding up from the upper surface.