AU606074B2 - Multi-function wrecker lift - Google Patents

Description

APPLICATION ACCEPTED AND AMENDMENTS All Q I w o To: The Commissioner of Patents 'COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

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606074 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SP E.C I. F I._CL.A T I ON

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-4 Application Number Lodged Complete Specification Lodged Accepted Published Priority This document contains the amendments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing.

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p~, Name of Applicant Address of Applicant Actual Inventor/s Address for Service STANLEY E. ZACKOVICH 1102 East First Street, Cle Elum Washington 98922, U.S.A.

STANLEY E. ZACKOVICH F.B. RICE CO., patent Attorneys, 28A Montague Street, Bhamain N.S.W. 2041 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: MULTI-FUNCTION WRECKER LIFT The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- Ijeclarant's STANLEY E. Z C OV H -1 F B. RICE CO PATENT ATTORNEYS 1 This form is suitable for any type of Pastent Application, No legnlisation requ Ired, FIrELD) OF I'NVENTION This invention relates to a mobile voliicle for lifti ug and towing other vehicles Such as automobiles and trucks, Lind more particularly to a mobil e vehicle for facil itaLing the transport of disabled or driverless vehicles in many different vehicle towing environiments.

PiR10R ART Various forms of vehicle towing eqUipnmnt heretofore have, been provided for attaching to and supporting disabled vehicles as well as driverless vehicles from tow trucks for the purpose of enabling the tow truck to transport the vehicle to a remote location. One form of tow truck including structural and operational features which are similar to some of the general aspects of the instant invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,334. However the wrecker or tow truck of the instant invention includes various structural features which particularly well adaptL to engage and lift various dif ferent types of disabled vehicles and which enable the tow truck operator to operate his vehicle's ongaging, lifting and anchoring structure with lit tle eff-ort aind in a minimum of time.

i: i I I s -2- SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention provides a multi-function wrecker including an elongated vehicle chassis for support from the ground having front and rear ends, an elongated upright support member including upper and lower sections telescoped with respect to each other for relative extendible and retractable movement, first pivot means mounting said upper section from said rear end of said I chassis fot pivotal motion relative thereto about a first horizontal axis extending transversely of said chassis and S *said upper section at an elevation spaced above portions of the chassis, said upper section extending downwardly below said axis, said support member is pivotal between a generally vertical lowered position and a raised inclined position with the lower section swung outwardly and upwardly from said vehicle rear end, a combined lift and tow arm having a base and free end, angularly displaceable second pivot means mounting said base end from a lower portion of said lower section for pivotal motion relative 20 thereto about a second horizontal axis extending transversely of said arm and lower section between first and, second limit positions with said arm disposed at generally ninety degrees relative to said support member in said first limit position and said free end of said arm 25 projecting outwardly of the rear end of said chassis when said arm is in said first limit position and said arm disposed to the rear of and generally paralleling said support member when said arm is in said I i 3 second limit position, the free end of said arm mounting a pair of lift means for engaging and lifting opposite side portions of a vehicle and spaced from the rear end of said chassis, first force means connected between said chassis and said upper section for swinging said support member between the lowered and raised position thereof, said first force means comprising an extensible cylinder connected to said support member at one end and to said chassis at the cylinder's extended distal end wherein said connections are positioned below said first pivot means.

The wrecker of this invention is preferably operable to quickly engage and lift a disabled or driverless vehicle preparatory to transport of that vehicle by the wrecker to a remote location.

15 Preferably, the wrecker is provided with vehicle engaging and lifting structure that may be readily adjusted to accommodate the size and type of disabled or driverless vehicle to be lifted and transported.

The wrecker of the present invention is preferably 20 provided with a vehicle engaging and lifting structure A that may be readily operated by the operator of the wrecker in a minimum amount of time to engage and lift a disabled or driverless vehicle.

Preferably, the wrecker may be operated to engage and lift a disabled or driverless vehicle even when that vehicle is disposed in a close parallel-to-curb parked situation.

The wrecker may be provided with a vehicle engaging and lifting structure also operative to establish a pair 30 of "stiff legs".

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3a The wrecker of the present invention is preferably arranged to conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other features and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of $fee I o *of J 6:060 If L construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout: Figure 1 is a partial rear isometric view of a wrecker incorporating the lift mechanism of the instant invention; Figure 2 is a partial side elevational view of the rear S 10 of the wrecker of Figure 1, as seen from the left side 9 thereof, and with the lift mechanism shown in alternate positions, the body of the wrecker being removed; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the lift arm structure of go* the lift with one side portion of the vehicle wheel engaging and lifting structure being broken away; Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view tllustrating the manner in which the lift arm structure may be pivoted from a generally horizontal rearwardly projecting position toward an upwardly inclined retracted 20 position; oo0 Figure 5 is a partial vertical section view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line of Figure 4; Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation view 2 of one of the vehicle wheel engaging and lift arms illustrating the locking mechanism thereof; Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the section line 7-7 of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a fragmentary isometric view of the assemblage il: portion of th, Lustrated in Figures 5 and 6, with a inear-wall e support sleeve broken away and illustrated in ee C.

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se',:tion Figure 9 is an expanded fragmentary elevational view of the pivot connection between the rear end of the lift arm and the cross beam pivotally mounted on the rear end of the lift arm, parts of the lift arm rear end and cross beam being illustrated in vertical section; Figure 10 is a bottom plan view of the pivot connection 10 between the lift arm rear end and cross-beam illustrating the manner in which the cross-beam may be locked in a position disposed normal to the lift arm; Figure 11 is a fragmentary isometri,.z view illustrating the manner in which the wrecker lift may be used to support the front end of a disabled or driverless vehicle; Figure 12 is a partial orthographic view of a modified form of the lift to be used in conjunction with a crane cable and wherein the lift is provided with opposed downwardly and outwardly incitined "stiff legs" when the lift is; in its 20 raised inoperative position; and Figure 13 is a partial orthographic view illustrating another form of vehicle engaging and lifting structure which may be removably supported from the rear cross beam pivotally mounted from the raar of the lift arm.

DETAILED DESCRIP'TION OF THE, INVENTION Referring now more splifiaally to tlhn drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of wheeled wrecker chassis including a rear end 12 an-d on L_ opposite front end (not shown). A lift assembly, referred to in general by the reference numeral 14, is supported from the chassis rear end 12 and includes a stationary mount 16 from which an elongated upright support member 18 is pivotally mounted as at 20 for oscillation about a horizontal transverse axis at an elevation spaced appreciably above the lower peripheral portions of the wrecker chassis rear wheels 21 which contact the ground and support the cihassis therefrom. The support member 18 includes upper and lower I 10 end sections 22 and 24 and the lower end section 24 is downwardly extendible and upwardly retractable relative to

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the upper end section 22 by means of an hydraulic cylinder (not shown) enclosed within the upper end section 22.

An elongated lift arm referred to in general by the reference numeral 26 is provided and includes front and rear base and free ends 28 and 30. The base end 28 is pivotally mounted from the lower end of the lower end section 24 as at 32 for oscillation about a horizontal transverse axis extending transversely of the lift arm 26 and the lower end section 24. Further, an hydraulic cylinder 34, enclosed within the tubular lower end section 24, is operatively connected to the base end 28 of the lift arm 26 through an arcuate link 36 and is operative to selectively angularly displace the lift arm 26 relati 'e to the lower end section 24 of the support member 18. The cylinder 34 is operative to y pivot the lift arm 26 between a position defining an included angle of slightly more that 90 degrees relative to the support member 18 and a position substantially paralleling the support member 18, the lower end of the upper end section and the base end of the lift arm 26 including matching beveled abutments 38 and 40 which engage each other when the lower end section 24 is fully upwardly retracted relative to the upper and section 22 and define a "working" angulation of the lift arm 26 relative to the support member 18 wherein the included angle defined between the support member 18 and the lift arm assembly 26 is substantially 90 degrees.

The lift arm assembly 26 includes an interior hydraulic cylinder (not shown) wherein the free end 30 may be 10 selectively extended and retracted relative to the base end 28, as desired. Further, an hydraulic cylinder 42 is operatively pivotally connected with an underside portion of the chassis 10 as at 44 and to an anchor bracket carried by the lower end of the upper end section 22 as at 46 and is operative to angularly displace the support member 18 between .e the solid and phantom line positions thereof illustrated in Figure 2.

The free end 30 of the lift arm 26 includes a cross beam 48 pivotally mounted thereon as at 50 through the utilization of a pivot pin 52, a threaded retainer 54 for the pivot pin 52 and a pair of combined thrust and journal bearings 56, see Figure 9. The pivot connection at 50 also includes a Cshaped tension plate 58 carried by the free end 30 and a coacting teflon tension disc 60 mounted from the cross beam 48 by a threaded stud 62, the tension disc and plate serving to frictionally retain the cross beam 48 in adjusted angular position. Furthermore, the cross beam is mounted from the free end 30 as at 50 through the utilization of upper and lower mounting plates 64 and 66 and the mounting plate 66 -il.1 11- r

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includes a locking tab 68 receivable in a locking notch formed in the underside of the base end 28 of the lift arm 26 whereby the cross beam 48 will be locked in position disposed normal to the longitudinal center line of the lift arm 26 when the free end 30 is fully retracted relative to the base end 28, see Figure The opposite ends of the cross beam 48 have mounting tubes 72 telescopingly engaged thereon and retainable in adjusted extended positions through the utilization of spring 10 biased detent elements 74 selectively receivable in longitudinally spaced apertures 76 formed in the mounting tubes 72, see Figures 6 and 7. In addition, the outer ends of the mounting tubes 72 include short parallel mounting sleeves 78 including internal upper and lower ratchet and support blocks 80 and 82. The long legs 84 of a pair of Lshaped lift arms 86 are longitudinally slidable through the sleeves 78 and include upper side rack-type ratchet teeth 88 thereon with which the ratchet blocks 80 are engageable to maintain the long legs 84 in adjusted longitudinally shifted positions when supported in cantilever fashion through the slee s 78. The long legs 84 extend rearwardly from the sleeves 78 and the mounting tubes 74 and have right angled and inwardly directed short legs 90 mounted on their rear ends, the inner ends of the short legs 90 including enlarged abutment flanges 92 mounted thereon, Further, the mounting tubes 72 include longitudinally spaced friction lugs 94 thereon and each of the mounting tubes 72 includes a spring biased and retractable locking shaft 96 which may be engaged under the rear end of the corresponding long legs 84 and ~rd

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4 4' oo 00 0O 0- 6 00e S O through an aperture 98 provided therefore in the outer side of the corresponding sleeve 78. When the locking shaft 96 is retracted by the attendant handle 98 against the biasing action of the spring 100 and retained in the lateral portion 102 of the slot through which the handle 98 is slidable, the rear ends of the long legs 84 adjacent the short legs 90 may be raised in order to disengage the ratchet teeth 88 from the ratchet bar 80, This will enable the long legs 84 to be shifted longitudinally through the sleeves 78 to the position 10 desired, Thereafter, the rear ends of the long legs 84 may be lowered in order to engage the ratchet blocks 60 with the ratchet teeth 88 to retain the long legs 84 in adjusted shifted positions. Thereafter, the handle 98 may be manually shifted to allow the locking shafts 96 to be received beneath the long loga 84 and thereby preventing the rear ends of the long legs 4 from being raised relative to the sleeves 78, When it is desired to engage and lift the front wheels 104 of a vehicle 106 in the manner illustrated in Figure 11, the lift assembly 14 is initially positioned as illustrated in solid lines in Figure 2 with the rear of the wrecker chassis 10 aligned with the front end of the vehicle 106, Thereafter, the free end 30 may be forcibly extended by the hydraulic cylinder (not shown) contained within the lift arm 26 in order to force the short legs 90 beneath and rearwardly of the front wheels t04. The lower rear and lower peripheral portions of the wheels 104 are thereby cradled between the short legs 90 and the mounting tubes 92 with the forward lower peripheral portions of the wheels 104 engaging the lugs 94 and the rear lower peripheral portions of the wheel 104 9 4- .9 9. o s*o# 9* 0o* t ol ofo it @0 o*o 9..

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disposed outwardly of the plates 92. Thereafter, the free end 30 may be retracted (or left in an extended position) and the lower end section 24 may be upwardly retracted relative to the upper end section 22 until the abutments 38 and 40 engage each other. This will cause the front wheels 104 of the vehicle 106 to be lifted above the ground and the cylinder 42 may thereafter be actuated to swing the support member 18 from the solid line position thereof illustrated in Figure 2 to the phantom line position of Figure 2.

10 If the free end section 30, however, is left in an extended position, it will be necessary to provide some means whereby the cross beani 48 will be prevented against pivoting relative to the rear end section 30. If, on the other hand, the rear end section 30 is retracted fully, the locking tab 15 68 automatically seats in the notch 70 on the base end 28 and locks the cross beam 48 against angular displacement relative to the free end With attention now Invited more specifically to Figur( 12 of the drawings, it may be seen that the support moember 18 20 is provided with a pair of downwardly and outwardly inclined as well as hydraulic cylinder actuated, downwardly extendible stiff leg assemblies 110. The stiff leg assemblies 110 are used when the lift assembly 14 is not being used to support a vehicle in the manner illustrated in Figure 11, but when a winch (not shown) on the wrecker chassis 10 is beiag used to pull a disabled vehicle out of a ditch or from over c.

emb akment., With attention now invited to Figure 13, the nrh tubes 72 may be removed from the opposite ends o£ the croe& section for pivotal motion relative thereto about a second horizontal axis extending transversely of said arm and lower section between first and second limit positions with said armt disposed at generally ninety degrees relative to said support member in said first limit /2 6 0 so0* 00 S beams 48 and sleeve mounted lift brackets 112 may be mounted on the opposite ends of the cross beam 48 to accomplish lifting operations on a disabled vehicle other than that illustrated in Figure 11. Further, the cross beam 48, when the free end 30 is extended, may be angulated almost degrees to either side and a disabled vehicle may be rolled forwardly, or rearwardly, over the short legs 90 to position the wheels of such a disabled vehicle between the short legs and the mounting tubes 72. Thereafter, the cylinder 42 may be extended in order to cause the adjacent end of such a disabled vehicle to be lifted above the groutnd. Then the wrecker chassis 10 may be moved forwardly until the cross beam 48 is disposed normal to the lift arm 26 and the free end 30 then may be retracted in order to lock the cross beam 48 in the position thereof illustrated in Figure 11.

It is to be noted that once the vehicle 106 has been lifted in the manner il lustrated in Figure 11, suitable chainos or other means may be utilized to insure that the wheels remain cradled between the short legs 90 and the tubes 72, Further, the mounting tubes 72 may, of couirse, be extended or retracted as required by the width of the wheel track of the vehicle 106. Also, any suitable control console (not shown) may be provided on the wrecker chassis 10 for remote actuation of the various hydraulic cylinders including those incorporated in the stiff leg assemblies 110.

The foregoing is considered as Illustrative only of the principles of the Invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled 1 i, in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the invention.

having thusly described my invention, what i desire to protect by Letters Patent, and S 0

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Claims (10)

1. A multi-function wrecker including an elongated vehicle chassis foe support from the ground having front and rear ends, an elongated upright support member including upper and lower sections telescoped with respect to each other for relative extendible and retractable movement, first pivot means mounting said upper section from said rear end of said chassis for pivotal motion relative thereto about a first horizontal axis extending transversely of said chassis and said upper section at an elevation spaced above portions of the chassis, said upper section extending downwardly below said axis, said support member is pivotal between a generally vertical lowered position and a raised inclined position with the lower section swung outwardly and upwardly from said vehicle rear end, a combined lift and tow arm having a base and free end, angularly di:splaceable second pivot means mounting said base end from a lower portion of said lower section for pivotal motion relative thereto about a second horizontal axis extending transversely of said arm and lower section between first and second limit positions with said arm disposed at generally ninety degrees relative to said support member in said first limit position said free end of said arm projecting outwardly oi the rear end of said chassis when said arm is in said first limit position and said arm disposed to the rear of and generally paralleling said support member when said arm iS in said second limit position, the free end of said arm, mounting a pair of lift means for engaging and lifting opposite side portions of a vehicle and spaced from the rear end of said chassis, first force means connected between said chassis and i I 1 C S. C S 555 5 C S *CC S 5*t 'C S *55r S *s S. 5 C. C. S C. S 0e said upper section for swinging said support member between the lowered and raised position thereof, said first force means comprising an extensible cylinder connected to said support member at one end and to said chassis at the cylinder's extended distal end wherein said connections are positioned below said first pivot means.

2. The wrecker of Claim 1 including second force means connected between said support member lower section and said arm for swinging said arm between said first and second limit positions.

3. The wrecker of Claim 1 wherein the free end of said arm includes a horizontal cross beam mounted therefrom for limited pivotal motion relative thereto about a third axis disposed transverse to said arm and the longitudinal mid- portion of said beam and also transverse to said first and second axis, said lift means being carried by the opposite ends of said cross beam.

4. The wrecker of Claim 1 wherein said lift means included means operative to cradle the opposite side wheels of said vehicle end between front and rear lower peripheral portions of each of said opposite side wheels. The wrecker of Claim 1 wherein said arm comprises a motor extendible and retractable arm including relatively extendible front and rear end sections comprising said base and free ends. I' S

6. the wrecker of Claim 5 wherein the rear end of said arm includes a horizontal cross beam mounted therefrom for limited pivotal motion relative thereto about a third axis disposed transverse to said arm and the longitudinal nid- portion of said beam and also transverse to said first and second axis, said lift means being carried by the opposite ends of said cross beam, said cross beam and said front end j section including coacting means operative to releasably lock said cross beam in a position disposed generally normal to said arm against pivotal motion relative thereto about said third axis when said rear end section is fully retracted S..e relative to said front end sectien.

7. The wrecker of Claim 1 wherein said support member

9. includes opposite side downwardly and outwardly inclined and downwardly extendible stiff legs. 8. The wrecker of Claim 5 wherein the rear end of said arm includes a horizontal cross beam mounted therefrom for limited pivotal motion relative thereto about a third axis disposed transverse to said arm and the longitudinal mid- portion of said beam and also transverse to said first and second axis, said lift means being carried by the opposite ends of &said cross beam, said cross beam and said front end section including coacting means operative to releasably lock i said cross beam in a position disposed generally normal to said arm against pivotal motion relative thereto about said iMq ISI 1 f mt 604 9 I* C Ir *4 r C em C C Ce m *0 0 third axis when said rear end section is fully retracted relative to said front end section, said lift means including means operative to cradle the opposite side wheels of said vehicle end from front and lower rear peripheral positions of each of said opposite side whiels. 9. The wrecker of Claim 8 including second force means connected between said support member lower section and said arm for swinging said arm between said first and second limit positions.

10. The wrecker of Claim 1 wherein the free end of said arm includes a horizontal cross bean mounted therefrom for limited pivotal motion relative thereto about a third axis disposed transverse to said arm and the longitudinal mid- portion of said beam and also transverse to said first and second axis, said lift means being carried by the opposite ends of said cross beam, said lift means including support sleeves carried by the opposite ends of said cross beam and generally paralleling said arm when said cross beam is disposed normal to the latter, a pair of generally L-shaped lift members each including a pair of long and short legs disposed at generally ninety degrees relative to each other, said long legs being slidably received through said sleeves with said short legs projecting toward each other and opposing and generally paralleling adjacent ends of said beam, said long legs and sleeves including coacting means operative to releasably retain said long legs in adjusted shifted positions relative to said sleeves. I .16 illustrating the locking mechanism chereof; Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the section line 7-7 of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a fragmentary isometric view of the i 17

11. The wrecker of Claim 10 wherein said sleeves are supported from said cross beam ends for adjusted shifted positioning therealong.

12. The wrecker of claim 1, wherein the upright support member is mounted so that said upper end section is at an elevation spaced appreciably above the portions of said vehicle provided to support the latter from the ground and wherein there is provided a horizontal cross beam mounted on the rear end of said arm for limited pivotal motion relative thereto about a second axis disposed transverse to said arm and the longitudinal mid-portion of said beam iand also transverse to said first axis, a pair of generally parallel horizontal sleeves mounted from the opposite ends of said beam and generally paralleling said arm when said beam is disposed normal to said arm, said sleeves being mounted on said beam ends for adjustable j positioning therealong, said sleeves each including lift means for engaging and lifting opposite side portions of a .II o vehicle end registered with and spaced from the rear end F of said chassis, said lift means including means operative i. to cradle the opposite side wheels of said vehicle end, I said lift means including generally L-shaped lift members each including a pair of long and short legs disposed at generally ninety degrees relative to each other, said long legs being longitudinally shiftably received through said sleeves with said short legs projecting toward each other, ~i and said short legs and the adjacent portions of said beam being adapted to cradle lower peripheral portions of said wheels therebetween. VI A4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of wheeled wrecker chassis including a rear end 12 and an a s -K. sleeves mounted from the opposite ends of said beam nd generally paralleling said arm when said beam is disposed normal to said arm, said sleeves being mount on said beam ends for adjustable positioning therealon said sleeves each including lift means for engaging nd lifting opposite side portions of a vehicle end regi ered with and spaced from the rear end of said chassi said. lift means including means operative to cradle the,6pposite side wheels of said vehicle end, said lift mea including generally L-shaped lift members each incl ng a pair of long and short legs disposed at general ninety degrees relative to each other, Ssaid long legs b ng longitudinally shiftably received through said eeves with said short legs projecting toward each othernd opposing the opposite ends of said beam, said short 1 s and the opposing portions of said beam being ada ed to cradle lower peripheral portions of said wheels Dated this 25th day of August 1987 STANLEY E. ZACKOVICH .r Patent Attorneys for the Applicant F.B. RICE CO. s, 1 44 :.4 JVT,