Tow truck wheel restraint and methods of using same
OwnerRobert S. Kurzka, John Pembertoninventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provide a restraint in the form of an attachment for connection to a free end of an angled arm body of a self loading, style tow truck wheel lift with the attachment being positioned adjacent to a lower, outer side wall of a wheel suspected of being unstable. A damaged ball joint or axle can allow an unstable wheel to pivot outwardly at its lower side wall, and in some cases, to collapse. The wheel keeper attachment restrains the wheel from such pivoting thereby allowing a successful lifting and towing of the vehicle front end.
Claims16
A wheel restraint attachment for use with a self loading style, wheel lift mechanism of a tow-truck for restraining a lower portion of a towed vehicle's wheel against outward pivoting, the restraint attachment comprising:
- an angled body for attachment and detachment from a free end of a lifting arm of the pincer style, wheel lift mechanism;
- an attachment portion on the angled body for attaching to the free end of a wheel lift arm which extends outwardly from the towed vehicle;
- a wheel engagement portion on the angled body extending at angle to the attachment portion for being positioned adjacent to an exterior sidewall of the wheel to prevent its bottom portion from pivoting outwardly away from the vehicle, the wheel engagement portion being elongated to extend along the exterior surface of the towed vehicle's wheel side wall;
- and
- a connecting device for detachably attaching the angled body to the free end of the lift arm to allow the wheel engagement portion to be positioned in its wheel lifting position.
A method of lifting a vehicle having at least one unstable wheel with a self loading, tow truck wheel lift mechanism having a pair of angled wheel lift arms pivotally mounted on a cross arm with the lift arms being pivotable into vehicle wheel lift positions at which the lift arms are positioned interiorly between the wheels to be lifted, the method comprising:
- positioning the angled lift arms between the wheels and pivoting them to bring wheel support portions on the angled lift arms into position to lift;
- and
- attaching an angled body to the free end of at least one of the wheel lift arms to restrain the associated wheel against turning a lower side of the wheel outwardly to an extent that prevents lifting and towing of the vehicle by the tow truck lifting mechanism.
A self loading, wheel lift towing apparatus comprising:
- a cross beam for extending across spaced, front wheels of a vehicle;
- first and second wheel support members carried on the cross beam;
- pivotal mounts for the wheel support members to allow pivoting of the wheel support members from a non-wheel lifting position to a wheel lifting position between the wheels of the vehicle;
- and
- at least one angled body for attaching to a free end of at least one of the wheel support members and for engaging an unstable wheel by preventing a lower portion of at least one unstable wheel of the vehicle from moving outwardly and an upper portion of the wheel from moving inwardly after wheel capture position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.