GB677437A - A new or improved appliance for salvaging damaged motor road vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

677,437. Road vehicles. HARVEY FROST & CO., Ltd. Aug. 28, 1950 [Sept. 1, 1949; March 2, 1950], Nos. 22727/49 and 5352/50. Class 108(i) A motor vehicle salvaging appliance particularly for use with vehicles having independent wheel suspension, comprises a wheeled carriage 1, Figs. 1, 5, adapted to be positioned below the raised vehicle and between a pair (e.g. the front pair) of vehicle wheels, the carriage having a wheel cradling unit 8 projecting beyond each end of the carriage for receiving two vehicle wheels and supporting them above the road surface so that the vehicle may be towed by a length adjustable draw bar 4. Upon the base frame 2 is provided a superstructure 6 of channel section girders having a turntable type of connection 7 with the frame. The cradle unit 8 is mounted upon the superstructure 6 and comprises beams 9, 10, extending at right angles across the superstructure and secured adjustably along it by clamping plates 11, 12. Cradle beams 14, 15, of channel section are fixed to the beams 9, 10, with their channels facing upwardly, and have portions 18, 19, which guide carrier bars 21-24 welded to U-shaped wheel bearers 26. The bearers are strapped together in pairs by bars 27, 28, and are adjustable in the guides 18. 19, to different wheel track widths. To retain the wheels in the bearers, chains 29, Fig. 5, are provided to engage over the wheels and fasten to S-shaped levers 35 and slots 30 in lugs 31. When the vehicle tyres are absent or deflated, one or more arcuate packing blocks 36 of aluminium, having locating lugs 37 are provided for introduction between the bars 28 and the respective wheel rims. A modification described in the first Provisional Specification has the superstructure 6 carrying four brackets upwardly and outwardly directed, forming the four corners of an inverted truncated pyramid, the upper ends of each bracket being provided with an axially bored boss, these bosses being arranged in pairs, horizontally to support circular cross section bars. The bars support the vehicle wheels between parallel spaced locating plates adjustable along the bars. and a pair of auxiliary adjustable cradles anchored by spring links to the main cradle are provided to engage the upper parts of the wheels. The brackets may be adjustable upon the carriage parallel to the axis of the wheels of the carriage, and the fore and aft spacing of the bars may also be adjusted. A modification described in the second Provisional Specification where U-shaped bearers are not provided, has the vehicle wheels resting directly on the parallel bars. The bars need not be longitudinally adjustable but means would preferably be provided for holding the wheels against movement along the bars.