Wheel retainer blade for wheel lift apparatus

Apparatus for use with wheel lift towing equipment for supporting the tires of a vehicle lifted and towed thereby, said apparatus comprising a transversely elongated tow bar adapted to be positioned beneath said vehicle, mounting means for carrying a cradle at a respective opposite end portion of said tow bar for supporting a respective tire of said vehicle, each of said cradles having front support means for supporting a front surface portion of the respective tire and rear support means for supporting a rear surface portion thereof, said rear support means including an elongated arm and a leg extending transversely to the arm, means for mounting said rear support means to a respective end portion of said tow bar such that said leg is spaced from said front support means, a foldable plate carried by said leg and selectively moveable at least between an operative position with an extremity thereof extending substantially upright for engaging the rear surface of the respective tire and a rearwardly extending position having said extremity extending in a direction generally opposed to said front support means, said plate including bracket means secured to a surface thereof facing oppositely from said front support means when said plate is in said operative position and facing downwardly when said plate is in said rearwardly extending position, said bracket means having en elongated slot, a rod carried on a rear surface of said leg and received with in said slot for mounting said plate, said rod being disposed at one end of said slot when said plate is in said operative position, and means for holding said plate in said operative position for providing support to the rear surface of said tire.

Apparatus for use with wheel lift towing equipment for supporting the tires of a vehicle lifted and towed thereby, said apparatus comprising a transversely elongated tow bar adapted to be positioned beneath said vehicle, mounting means for carrying a cradle at a respective opposite end portion of said tow bar for supporting a respective tire or said vehicle, each of said cradles having front support means for supporting a front surface portion of the respective tire and rear support means for supporting a rear surface portion thereof, said rear support means including an elongated arm and a leg extending transversely to the arm, means for mounting said rear support means to a respective end portion of said tow bar such that said leg is spaced from said front support means, a foldable plate carried by said leg and selectively moveable at least between an operative position with an extremity thereof extending substantially upright for engaging the rear surface of the respective tire and a rearwardly extending position having said extremity extending in a direction generally opposed to said front support means, wherein said plate is attached to said leg by a sliding hinge means, said sliding hinge means being defined by a rod carried by one of said plate and said leg and a bracket defining a slot for receiving said rod carried by the other of said plate and said leg, said rod being selectively relatively moveable within said slot to position said plate in and out of said operative position, and means for holding said plate in said operative position for providing support to the rear surface of said tire.