Back to results
US 12,746,992 B2Granted
Foldable tow dolly
OwnerNathan Neuhausinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foldable tow dolly for towing cars and vehicles. The dolly can be folded when not used for easy transportation and storage. The dolly includes a center chassis between a pair of wheel platforms, wherein the wheel platforms are connected to the center chassis and secured using spring-loaded barrel locks. In an unfolded state, the center chassis is supported by an X-brace attachment and a pair of tongues are used for coupling and supporting the dolly to a vehicle for towing. In a folded state, the center chassis is folded upwards and the wheel platforms, after removing the barrel locks, articulate upwards (i.e., vertical) to fold the dolly. The tongues can be removed from the center chassis during folding of the dolly.
Claims20
A foldable vehicle tow dolly comprising:
- a vehicle tow dolly having a center chassis frame, a plurality of barrel locks, a first wheel platform and a second wheel platform, wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform are connected to opposing sides of said center chassis frame;
- wherein each wheel platform having a wheel proximal thereto for movement of said vehicle tow dolly over a road surface;
- wherein a first pair of barrel locks mounted to a first side of said center chassis frame and a second pair of barrel locks mounted to an opposing second side of said center chassis frame, further wherein said first pair of barrel locks selectively locks said first wheel platform at a first distance relative to said center chassis frame and said second pair of barrel locks selectively locks said second wheel platform at a second distance relative to said center chassis frame for securing said vehicle tow dolly in an unfolded position at a selected wheelbase corresponding to a towed vehicle;
- and
- further wherein said center chassis frame selectively and hingedly articulates from a folded to an unfolded orientation.
2 more elements
A foldable and transportable vehicle tow dolly comprising:
- a vehicle tow dolly having a center chassis frame, a plurality of locking pins, a first wheel platform and a second wheel platform, wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform are connected to opposing sides of said center chassis frame;
- wherein each wheel platform having a wheel proximal thereto for movement of said vehicle tow dolly over a road surface;
- wherein said tow dolly having an independent suspension, further wherein a first wheel having a first torsion axle attaching said first wheel to said first wheel platform and a second wheel having a second torsion axle attaching said second wheel to said second wheel platform;
- wherein a first pair of locking pins mounted to a first side of said center chassis frame and a second pair of locking pins mounted to an opposing second side of said center chassis frame, further wherein said first pair of locking pins selectively locks said first wheel platform at a first distance relative to said center chassis frame and said second pair of locking pins selectively locks said second wheel platform at a second distance relative to said center chassis frame for securing said vehicle tow dolly in an unfolded position at a selected wheelbase corresponding to a towed vehicle;
- wherein said center chassis frame selectively and hingedly articulates from a folded to an unfolded orientation;
- wherein said center chassis frame having a selectively removable X-brace attachment for providing stability to said center chassis frame during towing of a vehicle;
- and
- further wherein said center chassis frame having a selectively removable tongue portion extending from a center area for coupling to a tow vehicle's receiver hitch.
5 more elements
A method of folding and transporting a vehicle tow dolly, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a vehicle tow dolly having a center chassis frame, an X-brace attachment, a tongue portion, a plurality of locking pins, a first wheel platform and a second wheel platform, wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform are connected to opposing sides of said center chassis frame, and further wherein each wheel platform having a pair of casters and a wheel proximal thereto for movement of said vehicle tow dolly over a road surface;
- removing said X-brace attachment from said center chassis frame;
- removing said tongue portion from said center chassis frame;
- removing said wheels from said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform;
- releasing a first pair of locking pins mounted to a first side of said center chassis frame and articulating said first wheel platform to a generally vertical orientation;
- releasing a second pair of locking pins mounted to a second side of said center chassis frame and articulating said second wheel platform to a generally vertical orientation;
- and
- hingedly articulating said center chassis frame from a generally horizontal unfolded orientation to a generally vertical folded orientation.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.