Motor vehicle parking mechanism

Claim 1

A mechanism for supporting a spare wheel and tire for enabling directional change of a motor vehicle by lifting one end thereof, comprising a support assembly including a main leg frame and axle support means pivotally coupled together for relative pivotal movement about an axis parallel to an axle of the vehicle, a spare wheel rotatably attached to the main leg frame for rotation about an axis disposed centrally of the vehicle and perpendicular to said axle of the vehicle, wherein said axle support means comprises a curved member for pivotal movement to hook under said axle of the motor vehicle, and said main leg frame is pivotally attached to the motor vehicle for pivotal movement about an axis disposed parallel to said axle of the vehicle and inwardly thereof, extendable piston-cylinder means having one end pivotally attached to said curved member of said axle support means at a pivotal axis which is offset from the axis of the pivotal connection between said main leg frame and said curved member, and said piston-cylinder means having its other end pivotally attached to said motor vehicle along a pivotal axis disposed above said axle, wherein said pistoncylinder means retracts to position the support assembly and spare wheel upwardly within the body of the motor vehicle, and extends to pivotally swing the support assembly downwardly so that the tire engages the ground and the axle support means hooks under the axle with said piston-cylinder means disposed in a substantially vertical position, whereupon further extension thereof causes a separation between the main leg frame and said connection between the piston-cylinder means and the motor vehicle, thereby jacking said one end of the vehicle upwardly while the curved member of said axle support means holds said axle in a stationary relation with respect to the raised motor vehicle.