US3841506A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tow trailer for vehicles
Assignee: REDY TOW Inc
•
Filing: 1972-11-10
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Granted: 1974-10-15
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Expires: 1992-11-10
Abstract
Abstract A tow trailer unit for easy coupling to the rear of a standard automobile or truck to hoist and support one end of a second vehicle. The unit has a main frame or chassis with a standard hitch at its front end, a pair of self tracking interconnected dirigible wheels suspended from its rear end, a lift frame pivoted at its rear end suspending belts and chains for anchoring to the front end of the second vehicle, and hoist mechanism for swinging the lift frame from a rearwardly extended lower position to an upright position. Support struts pivoted on the main frame connect with the lift frame in its upright position to cooperate with the main frame in forming a triangular fixed supporting frame for the second vehicle. The unit may include a cable winch mechanism, a detachable boom usable to provide a lifting derrick, and a supplemental wheeled frame attachment to project rearwardly from the main frame under the boom to provide support for the weight lifted by the boom.
Inventors
- 👤 W Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:40
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/12; B60P3/125; B60P3/127
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A self-contained independent tow trailer unit for coupling with a conventional automobile or truck vehicle to safely suspend and transport towed vehicles which comprises a main frame, a trailer hitch on the front end of the main frame, wheels on the rear end of the main frame supporting the frame above the ground, a lift frame pivoted on said main frame, a transversely extending cross member rigidly secured on the free end of said lift frame, slings suspended from the cross member of said lift frame for cradling a towed vehicle, anchor chains attached to said unit for locking said towed vehicle in said slings, means for swinging said lift frame from a lowered rearwardly extending position to an upright position on said main frame, and struts pivoted on said main frame rearwardly from the lift frame releasably receiving outer end portions of said cross member of the lift frame to cooperate with the lift frame and main frame in forming a rigid triangular structure locking the lift frame in fixed upright position on the main frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
A self-contained independent tow trailer unit for coupling with a conventional automobile or truck vehicle to safely suspend and transport towed vehicles which comprises a main frame, a trailer hitch on the front end of the main frame, wheels on the rear end of the main frame supporting the frame above the ground, a lift frame pivoted on said main frame, a transversely extending cross member rigidly secured on the free end of said lift frame, slings suspended from the cross member of said lift frame for cradling a towed vehicle, anchor chains attached to said unit for locking said towed vehicle in said slings, means for swinging said lift frame from a lowered rearwardly extending position to an upright position on said main frame, and struts pivoted on said main frame rearwardly from the lift frame releasably receiving outer end portions of said cross member of the lift frame to cooperate with the lift frame and main frame in forming a rigid triangular structure locking the lift frame in fixed upright position on the main frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
191 words
A self-contained self-tracking towing trailer unit for coupling to the rear end of a towing vehicle and for supporting one end of a towed vehicle which comprises a main triangularly shaped frame, a trailer hitch at an apex of said frame, dirigible wheels suspended from the other apices of the main frame, a tie rod connecting said dirigible wheels for co-movement, a lift frame pivoted on said main frame, a hydraulic jack for swinging said lift frame about its pivot mounting, a manually actuated pump on the main frame for operating the hydraulic jack, towed car slings suspended from the free end of the lift frame, chains cooperating with said slings and suspended from the lift frame for anchoring one end of a towed vehicle in the slings, and locking strut means pivoted on the main frame rearwardly from the pivoted end of the lift frame having free ends selectively and releasably receiving the free swinging end of the lift frame to support the lift frame and form with the lift frame and main frame a rigid triangular structure anchoring the lift frame in fixed upright position on the main frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
191 words
A self-contained self-tracking towing trailer unit for coupling to the rear end of a towing vehicle and for supporting one end of a towed vehicle which comprises a main triangularly shaped frame, a trailer hitch at an apex of said frame, dirigible wheels suspended from the other apices of the main frame, a tie rod connecting said dirigible wheels for co-movement, a lift frame pivoted on said main frame, a hydraulic jack for swinging said lift frame about its pivot mounting, a manually actuated pump on the main frame for operating the hydraulic jack, towed car slings suspended from the free end of the lift frame, chains cooperating with said slings and suspended from the lift frame for anchoring one end of a towed vehicle in the slings, and locking strut means pivoted on the main frame rearwardly from the pivoted end of the lift frame having free ends selectively and releasably receiving the free swinging end of the lift frame to support the lift frame and form with the lift frame and main frame a rigid triangular structure anchoring the lift frame in fixed upright position on the main frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
A trailer unit adapted to suspend one end of a towed vehicle and be towed from a conventional vehicle which comprises a two-wheeled chassis unit, a lift frame swingably mounted on said unit from a rearwardly extended lower position for anchoring one end of a towed vehicle to an upright position for cradling said end of the towed vehicle, and laterally spaced strut arms pivoted on the main frame in rearwardly spaced relation from the lift frame having free swinging ends with receptacles selectively and releasably receiving outer end portions of the free swinging end of the lift frame to cooperate therewith and with the frame to form a triangular rigid support for the towed vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
A trailer unit adapted to suspend one end of a towed vehicle and be towed from a conventional vehicle which comprises a two-wheeled chassis unit, a lift frame swingably mounted on said unit from a rearwardly extended lower position for anchoring one end of a towed vehicle to an upright position for cradling said end of the towed vehicle, and laterally spaced strut arms pivoted on the main frame in rearwardly spaced relation from the lift frame having free swinging ends with receptacles selectively and releasably receiving outer end portions of the free swinging end of the lift frame to cooperate therewith and with the frame to form a triangular rigid support for the towed vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
A tow device for towed vehicles which comprises an independent trailer unit having a main chassis, a pair of support wheels, and a trailer hitch, lift mechanism on the main frame, winch mechanism on the main frame, a pair of strut arms swingable on the main frame, each having an open topped receptacle on the swinging end for receiving the lift mechanism in upright position on the main chassis for locking the lift mechanism, and sling means on the lift mechanism adapted to be anchored to one end of a car for cradling said end in a raised position on the unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
A tow device for towed vehicles which comprises an independent trailer unit having a main chassis, a pair of support wheels, and a trailer hitch, lift mechanism on the main frame, winch mechanism on the main frame, a pair of strut arms swingable on the main frame, each having an open topped receptacle on the swinging end for receiving the lift mechanism in upright position on the main chassis for locking the lift mechanism, and sling means on the lift mechanism adapted to be anchored to one end of a car for cradling said end in a raised position on the unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The trailer unit of claim 1 wherein the wheels on the rear end of the main frame are self-tracking dirigible wheels and a tie rod connects said dirigible means for co-turning movements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The unit of claim 1 including hooks on the struts for locking anchor chain lengths extending between towed vehicle engaging hooks and the strut hooks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein the lift frame has a first pair of hooks on the sides of the swinging end thereof and a second pair of hooks is provided on the slings and a safety chain extends therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein hooks for the anchor chains are provided on the sides of the struts near the strut pivots.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
135 words
A self-contained independent tow trailer unit for coupling with a conventional automobile or truck vehicle to safely suspend and transport towed vehicles which comprises a main frame, a trailer hitch on the front end of the main frame, wheels on the rear end of the main frame supporting the frame above the ground, a lift frame pivoted on said main frame, a boom pivoted on the swinging end of the lift frame, slings suspended from the lift frame for cradling a towed vehicle, anchor chains attached to said unit for locking said towed vehicle in said slings, means for swinging the lift frame from a lowered rearwardly extending position to an upright position, and struts swingable on the main frame releasably receiving said lift frame to lock the lift frame in a fixed, upright position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
135 words
A self-contained independent tow trailer unit for coupling with a conventional automobile or truck vehicle to safely suspend and transport towed vehicles which comprises a main frame, a trailer hitch on the front end of the main frame, wheels on the rear end of the main frame supporting the frame above the ground, a lift frame pivoted on said main frame, a boom pivoted on the swinging end of the lift frame, slings suspended from the lift frame for cradling a towed vehicle, anchor chains attached to said unit for locking said towed vehicle in said slings, means for swinging the lift frame from a lowered rearwardly extending position to an upright position, and struts swingable on the main frame releasably receiving said lift frame to lock the lift frame in a fixed, upright position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The unit of claim 9 including an auxiliary frame adapted to be extended rearwardly from the main frame to afford additional support for loads carried by said boom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The unit of claim 2 wherein the chains are anchored to the swinging end of the lift frame, to the free ends of the slings suspended from the lift frame and to the strut means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The unit of claim 3 wherein the two wheels are self-tracking.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
71 words
The tow device of claim 4 wherein the lift mechanism includes a swinging frame suspending the slings and a hydraulic jack for swinging the frame from a lowered rearwardly extending position to an upright position, and the open topped receptacles on the arms are in the free ends of the arms and receive the swinging end of the lift frame when it is in the upright position on the main chassis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The tow device of claim 4 wherein the lift mechanism includes a swinging frame with a support on the swinging end thereof adapted to selectively receive a cable sheave or a derrick boom, and said winch mechanism feeds a cable to said sheave.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
61 words
The tow trailer unit of claim 1 wherein the wheels are attached to the main frame through pivotal attachments allowing steering of the wheels and a steering linkage is attached between the wheels and the conventional automobile or truck vehicle to provide for positive steering of the wheels of the tow trailer unit in following the conventional automobile or truck vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-14 | 1978-04-15 | 1978-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-14 | 1982-04-15 | 1982-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-14 | 1986-04-15 | 1986-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |