Drive-away method and apparatus for transporting automotive vehicles

Claim 1

IN A DRIVE-AWAY TYPE AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE TRANSPORTING DEVICE: A TRUCK HAVING A DRIVER''S CAB AT ITS FRONT PORTION, A BODILESS CHASSIS PORTION BEHIND THE CAB, AND BUMPER ATTACHING MEANS AT THE EXTREME FRONT OF THE CHASSIS; AND DISMOUNTABLE SUPERSTRUCTURE ON THE FRONT PORTION OF THE TRUCK FOR SUPPORTING AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE IN A TRANSSIT POSITION OVER THE CAB OF THE TRUCK, SAID SUPERSTRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINAL BEAMS EXTENDING REARWARDLY OVER AND BEYOND THE CAB FROM THE EXTREME FRONT OF THE TRUCK AND SPACED LATERALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER A DISTANCE TO HAVE SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE ON THE SUPERSTRUCTURE, UPRIGHT FRONT AND REAR FRAMES DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO AND SUPPORTING THE FORE AND AFT END PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF SAID LONGITUDINAL BEAMS AND INCLUDING A LOWER TRANSVERSE BEAM ON THE FRONT FRAME DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BUMPER ATTACHING MEANS, A LOWER TRANSVERSE BEAM ON THE REAR FRAME RESTING UPON AND DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE TRUCK CHASSIS AT A LOCATION BEHIND THE DRIVER''S CAB, EACH OF SAID FRAMES FURTHER INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT POSTS HAVING THEIR LOWER ENDS ADJACENT TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID TRANSVERSE BEAM OF THE FRAME, AN UPPER TRANSVERSE BEAM HAVING ITS OPPOSITE ENDS PROJECTING BEYOND THE LONGITUDINAL BEAMS AND ADJACENT TO THE TOPS OF SAID POSTS, AND BRACKETS RIGIDLY JOINING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE POSTS AND SAID TRANSVERSE BEAMS, EACH OF SAID BRACKETS COMPRISING A FIRST BRACKET SECTION SHAPED TO EMBRACINGLY ENGAGE ONE END PORTION OF ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSE BEAMS AND TO WHICH THE LATTER IS DETACHABLY CONNECTED, AND A SECOND BRACKET SECTION FIXED SUBSTANTIALLY AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE FIRST BRACKET SECTION AND SHAPED TO EMBRACINGLY ENGAGED AN END PORTION OF THE ADJACENT POST, AND TO WHICH THE LATTER IS DETACHABLY CONNECTED.