Vehicle lifting and towing trailer

Claim 2

In a vehicle lifting and towing trailer including a horizontal main frame having forward and rear ends, a pair of transversely-spaced road-engaging wheels pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof, means on said main frame adjacent said forward end thereof for towing said trailer, a lifting frame comprising a pair of elongated, transversely-spaced, parallel rails between said wheels and having forward and rear ends, said rails being secured to said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof and being inclined forwardly and upwardly from said rear ends to said forward ends, means on said main frame thereof for supporting said rails adjacent said forward ends thereof, a pair of lifting carriages slideably mounted on said rails for movement between said ends thereof, and means for removably connecting a part of a vehicle to be lifted and towed to said carriages; the improvement comprising means acting independently on each of said carriages, respectively, for moving the same toward said forward ends of said rails thereby to lift a vehicle and including means for equalizing the load on said carriages, said moving and equalizing means comprising a pair of hydraulic rams respectively acting upon said carriage, and a common hydraulic pump coupled to both of said rams, each of said rails being a hollow member having the respective ram therein.

Claim 3

In a vehicle lifting and towing trailer including a horizontal main frame having forward and rear ends, a pair of transversely-spaced road-engaging wheels pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof, means on said main frame adjacent said forward end thereof for towing said trailer, a lifting frame comprising a pair of elongated, transversely-spaced, parallel rails between said wheels and having forward and rear ends, said rails being secured to said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof and being inclined forwardly and upwardly from said rear ends to said forward ends, means on said main frame thereof for supporting said rails adjacent said forward ends thereof, a pair of lifting carriages slideably mounted on said rails for movement between said ends thereof, and means for removably connecting a part of a vehicle to be lifted and towed to said carriages; the improvement comprising means acting independently on each of said carriages, respectively, for moving the same toward said forward ends of said rails thereby to lift a vehicle and including means for equalizing the load on said carriages, said moving and equalizing means comprising a pair of hydraulic rams respectively acting upon said carriage, and a common hydraulic pump coupled to both of said rams, each of said rails being a hollow member having the respective ram therein.

Claim 4

In a vehicle lifting and towing trailer including a horizontal main frame having forward and rear ends, a pair of transversely-spaced road-engaging wheels pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof, means on said main frame adjacent said forward end thereof for towing said trailer, a lifting frame comprising a pair of elongated, transversely-spaced, parallel rails between said wheels and having forward and rear ends, said rails being secured to said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof and being inclined forwardly and upwardly from said rear ends to said forward ends, means on said main frame thereof for supporting said rails adjacent said forward ends thereof, a pair of lifting carriages slideably mounted on said rails for movement between said ends thereof, and means for removably connecting a part of a vehicle to be lifted and towed to said carriages; the improvement comprising means acting independently on each of said carriages, respectively, for moving the same toward said forward ends of said rails thereby to lift a vehicle and including means for equalizing the load on said carriages, said moving and equalizing means comprising a pair of hydraulic rams respectively acting upon said carriage, and a common hydraulic pump coupled to both of said rams, each of said rails being a hollow member having the respective ram therein.

Claim 5

The trailer of claim 1 wherein each of said rams comprises an elongated, rigid conduit having forward and rear ends and being secured adjacent its rear end to the respective member adjacent its rear end, a piston secured to said conduit at its forward end, a cylinder having an open rear end and closed forward end and having said forward end of said conduit and piston therein, said forward end of said cylinder extending out of the forward end of the respective member, means for connecting the forward end of said cylinder to the respective carriage for moving the same in response to extension and retraction of said cylinder, and a hydraulic line coupling said rear end of said conduit to said pump.

Claim 6

The trailer of claim 2 whereIn said last-named connecting means comprises a pair of links on opposite sides of the respective member.

Claim 7

The trailer of claim 2 further comprising a selectively actuable shut-off valve in each of said hydraulic lines.

Claim 8

The trailer of claim 2 further comprising a support member longitudinally pivotally mounted on each of said carriages for conforming to the shape of a vehicle bumper engaged thereby.

Claim 9

The trailer of claim 5 further comprising a pair of safety chains respectively connected to said carriages, and means on said lifting frame adjacent said forward end thereof for respectively removably attaching said chains thereby to retain said carriages in an elevated position for towing a vehicle.

Claim 10

The trailer of claim 1 further comprising a support member longitudinally pivotally mounted on each of said carriages for conforming to the shape of a vehicle bumper engaged thereby.

Claim 11

The trailer of claim 7 wherein said connecting means includes a pair of elongated, flexible belts respectively attached to said carriages and overlying said support members.

Claim 12

The trailer of claim 1 further comprising a pair of safety chains respectively connected to said carriages, and means on said lifting frame adjacent said forward end thereof for respectively removably attaching said chains thereby to retain said carriages in an elevated position for towing a vehicle.

Claim 13

In a vehicle lifting and towing trailer including a horizontal main frame having forward and rear ends, a pair of transversely-spaced road-engaging wheels pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof, means on said main frame adjacent said forward end thereof for towing said trailer, a lifting frame comprising a pair of elongated, transversely-spaced, parallel rails between said wheels and having forward and rear ends, said rails being secured to said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof and being inclined forwardly and upwardly from said rear ends to said forward ends, means on said main frame thereof for supporting said rails adjacent said forward ends thereof, a pair of lifting carriages slideably mounted on said rails for movement between said ends thereof, and means for removably connecting a part of a vehicle to be lifted and towed to said carriages; the improvement comprising means acting independently on each of said carriages, respectively, for moving the same toward said forward ends of said rails thereby to lift a vehicle and including means for equalizing the load on said carriages, said equalizing means comprising a cable having one end connected to said lifting frame adjacent said forward end thereof, said cable passing over pulleys respectively connected to said carriages and at least one pulley connected to said lifting frame adjacent said forward end thereof, the other end of said cable being connected to a winch.

Claim 14

In a vehicle lifting and towing trailer including a horizontal main frame having forward and rear ends, a pair of transversely-spaced road-engaging wheels pivotally mounted on said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof, means on said main frame adjacent said forward end thereof for towing said trailer, a lifting frame comprising a pair of elongated, transversely-spaced, parallel rails between said wheels and having forward and rear ends, said rails being secured to said main frame adjacent said rear end thereof and being inclined forwardly and upwardly from said rear ends to said forward ends, means on said main frame thereof for supporting said rails adjacent said forward ends thereof, a pair of lifting carriages slideably mounted on said rails for movement between said ends thereof, and means for removably connecting a part of a vehicle to be lifted and towed to said carriages; the improvement comprising means acting independently on each of said carriages, respectively, for moving the same toward said forward ends of said rails thereby to lift a vehicle and including means for equalizing the load on said carriages, said equalizing means comprising a cable having one end connected to said lifting frame adjacent said forward end thereof, said cable passing over pulleys respectively connected to said carriages and at least one pulley connected to said lifting frame adjacent said forward end thereof, the other end of said cable being connected to a winch.

Claim 15

The trailer of claim 10 further comprising a support member longitudinally pivotally mounted on each of said carriages for conforming to the shape of a vehicle bumper engaged thereby.