Hydraulic hoist for tow trucks

Claim 1

A HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED HOIST FOR USE ON A TRUCK COMPRISING: LIFT ARM MEANS, SAID ARM MEANS HAVING A LOAD ATTACHMENT MEANS SECURED THERETO ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF SAID ACTUATOR ATTACHMENT MEANS SECURED THERETO ADJACENT THE OTHER END THEREOF; AN ELONGATED SUPPORT FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART SIDE MEMBERS; PIVOT MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID SIDE MEMBERS AT THE REARWARD END THEREOF IN SUPPORTING RELATION WITH SAID ARM AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF; A DOUBLE ACTING HYDRAULICALLY OPERABLE PISTON AND CYLINDER ACTUATOR EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT FRAME SIDE MEMBERS AND HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY ATTACHED AT THE FORWARD END OF SAID SUPPORT FRAME; MEANS TO SELECTIVELY PROVIDE FLUID PRESSURE TO SAID ACTUATOR, SAID ACTUATOR AND ACTUATOR ATTACHING MEANS ENABLING SAID ARM MEANS TO BE ROTATED TO A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SUPPORT FRAME WHEN SAID ACTUATOR IS IN A RETRACTED POSITION AND TO A POSITION IN CLOSE COEXTENSIVE RELATION WITH SAID SUPPORT FRAME WHEN SAID ACTUATOR IS IN AN EXTENDED POSITION, WHEREBY THE SPACE REQUIREMENT OF THE HOIST WHEN NOT IN USE IN REDUCED TO A MINIMUM.