US 5,350,271 AGranted

Automobile lifting and towing equipment

OwnerPeter J. Wellerinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system for securing the wheels of a vehicle to be towed to the cross-arm of a wheel-lift tow truck. This system is operated automatically. In the retracted position, it is compact against the cross-arm. When extended, it provides an effective retention system for securing the wheels. It allows for the use of a telescopic stinger and therefore minimizes the detrimental effect of a rearwardly suspended load on the weight distribution of the tow truck, since it can be retracted as far as space will allow to bring the towed vehicle as close as possible to the tow truck. This wheel-lift cross-arm system can be used with any stinger configuration and can be used on combination tow trucks having both recovery booms/sling systems and wheel-lift systems. It can be retrofitted to tow trucks already in use and can be used as part of a conversion system for pickup trucks and other trucks with existing beds.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An automotive vehicle lifting and towing apparatus for a tow truck, comprising:

(a) a rearwardly extending boom;
(b) means, coupled to the boom, for positioning the boom near the ground to lift a vehicle;
(c) a cross-arm pivotally connected to the boom;
(d) one or more wheel retainers for lifting the vehicle, wherein the wheel retainers are coupled to the cross-arm using link means attached at pivot points on both the wheel retainers and the cross-arm by pins about which the link means may rotate;
and
(e) power means for extending and retracting the wheel retainers by rotating the link means about the pivot points, so that the wheel retainers and the wheel retainer pivot points swing in an arc when being extended that prevents the wheel retainers from entering a space occupied by the vehicle's tires, wherein the wheel retainers when extended are substantially parallel tot he cross-arm and positioned behind the vehicle's tires at a distance from the cross-arm so that the vehicle's tires are retained therebetween, wherein the wheel retainers when retracted are in a folded position substantially parallel to and nestled compactly against and adjacent the cross-arm, and wherein the wheel retainers are in substantially the same parallel orientation with respect to the cross-arm when in both the extended and retracted positions.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.