Wheel lift with laterally movable, rotatable swivel arm wheel scoops
OwnerPablo Nolascoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel lift tow device for a tow truck includes a centrally located extendable support beam having a cross bar pivotably attached to it, so that it can be oriented obliquely for towing obliquely placed disabled cars, especially for front wheel drive vehicles. The telescoping slider arms of the cross bar provide lateral movement for a pair of swivel arm scoops, or claws, which cradle and lift a pair of wheels of the disabled vehicle. The swivel arm scoops are moved by slotted plates having slots accommodating respective piston rods of each respective hydraulic cylinder providing movement of the swivel arm scoop claws. The cylinders are laid parallel to each other and are covered on all four sides by a cover sleeve.
Claims8
In a wheel lift tow device of a tow truck to tow a front wheel drive vehicle having a centrally located extendable support beam having a free end to which is attached a cross bar,
- said support beam attached to said cross bar at a location between free ends of said cross bar,
- said cross bar having a pair of slider arms extending outwardly from the free ends of said cross bar and telescoping laterally relative to the free ends of said cross bar,
- each slider arm having a forwardly directed portion adapted to engage corresponding under sides of a pair of wheels on the vehicle to be towed,
- a swivel arm scoop claw extending in a forwardly direction from each of said slider arms,
- each said swivel arm scoop claw being mounted on and rotatable about respective pivots on said telescoping slider arms so that said swivel arm scoop claws may be moved laterally in opposite directions to adjust the distance between said swivel arm scoop claws and may be pivoted so as to engage the undersides of said pair of wheels on sides opposite from that engaged by the forwardly directed portions of said slider arms, thereby cradling said pair of wheels for lifting said vehicle, and a hydraulic cylinder for powering each of said claws,
- wherein the improvement comprises:
- said hydraulic cylinders being laid fixed and parallel to each other, and
- each said slider arm having a slotted plate accommodating a respective head of a pistol rod of each respective hydraulic cylinder.
A method of lifting one end of a four wheeled front wheel drive vehicle comprising the steps of:
- placing an end of a centrally located extendable support beam adjacent a front end of said vehicle to be lifted, said support beam having a free end to which is attached a cross bar, said support beam attached to said cross bar at a location between free ends of said cross bar, said cross bar having a pair of slider arms extending outwardly from the free ends of said cross bar and said slider arms telescoping laterally relative to respective free ends of said cross bar, each slider arm having a swivel arm scoop claw pivotally mounted at one end on said slider arm,
- using at least one hydraulic cylinder for advancing said cross bar until each said slider arm of said pair of slider arms makes contact with one side each of two adjacent tires on said vehicle,
- using said at least one hydraulic cylinder for rotating each of said swivel arm scoop claws until said swivel arm scoop claws extend on the side of said two adjacent wheels opposite that of said slider arm,
- using said at least one hydraulic cylinder for retracting said slider arms until said swivel arm scoop claws make contact with sides of the two adjacent wheels opposite that of contact made by said slider arm,
- providing a cover sleeve covering said hydraulic cylinders to insure separation of said hydraulic cylinders from drive machinery of said front wheel drive vehicle;
- and
- raising said support beam to lift one end of said vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.