US4010858A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and means for towing a vehicle
Assignee: Vicar Industries Inc
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Filing: 1975-07-14
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Granted: 1977-03-08
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Expires: 1995-07-14
Abstract
Abstract A means for towing a vehicle comprises a towing cushion which is positioned between the towing member and the body structure for preventing the member from engaging the body structure. The towing cushion comprises an elongated yieldable, compressible cushion member extending transversely of the vehicle between the vehicle body and the towing member. The method of the present invention comprises securing a towing member to the vehicle and placing the towing cushion between the towing member and the vehicle to prevent injury to the vehicle body during lifting of the cable.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl F. Mahnke, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:40
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S9/00; B60S9/22; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/12; B60P3/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
238 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said towing cushion comprising an elongated rigid member secured to said cushion member, said rigid member being below said cushion member and engaging said towing member, said rigid member in cross section having a horizontal web and a pair of upstanding legs which form a U-shape, said rigid member having handles secured to its opposite ends.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
238 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said towing cushion comprising an elongated rigid member secured to said cushion member, said rigid member being below said cushion member and engaging said towing member, said rigid member in cross section having a horizontal web and a pair of upstanding legs which form a U-shape, said rigid member having handles secured to its opposite ends.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said cushion member comprises an outer flexible wall and a flexible stuffing material enclosed within said flexible wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said cushion member is elongated and lies between the upstanding legs of said U-shaped rigid member, securing means fastening said opposite ends of said cushion member to the opposite ends of said rigid member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said cushion is pressed upwardly against said body structure by said towing member and is free from other means of securement to said vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said body structure is supported a predetermined distance above a supporting surface by said wheels, said cushion having a vertical thickness less than said predetermined distance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said handles comprise elongated tube members having bores extending longitudinally therethrough.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
217 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof, and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means; power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said cushion member comprising an elongated compressible outer member and an elongated compressible inner core extending along the longitudinal axis thereof, said outer member being compressible in response to less pressure than said inner core.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
217 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof, and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means; power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said cushion member comprising an elongated compressible outer member and an elongated compressible inner core extending along the longitudinal axis thereof, said outer member being compressible in response to less pressure than said inner core.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
224 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means; power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said towing cushion member comprising a plurality of pad members, at least two of said pad members being at opposite ends of said cushion member and being capable of compressing less than the remaining pad member in response to a predetermined pressure.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
224 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means; power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said towing cushion member comprising a plurality of pad members, at least two of said pad members being at opposite ends of said cushion member and being capable of compressing less than the remaining pad member in response to a predetermined pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device according to claim 8 wherein said two pad members compress approximately 9% in response to a 10 lb. psi load.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A device according to claim 8 wherein said two pad members comprise a pair of spaced apart pedestal pads positioned at opposite ends of said tow cushion in engagement with said rigid member, said remaining pad member resting on said pedestal pads and spanning the distance therebetween so as to form a space between said additional pad member and said rigid member.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
212 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means; power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said towing cushion comprising a rigid elongated base member, a pair of end cushions being mounted at opposite ends thereof and a middle cushion being mounted between said end cushions.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
212 words
A device of the kind described comprising, a vehicle comprising a chassis and a body structure mounted above said chassis having opposite ends and wheels adjacent said opposite ends, said body structure having opposite end portions extending beyond said ends of said chassis; boom means having one end above and adjacent one end of said body structure; at least one elongated flexible towing member having securing means on one end thereof, said securing means being detachably secured to said chassis adjacent one end thereof and said towing member extending from said point of attachment outwardly below and beyond said end portion of said body structure, and thence upwardly to said boom means; power means associated with said boom means and connected to said towing member for pulling said towing member upwardly to said boom means to cause lifting of said one end of said vehicle; a towing cushion positioned between said towing member and said body structure for preventing said towing member from engaging said body structure, said towing cushion comprising an elongated yieldably compressible cushion member extending transversely of said vehicle; said towing cushion comprising a rigid elongated base member, a pair of end cushions being mounted at opposite ends thereof and a middle cushion being mounted between said end cushions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 11 wherein said middle cushion is removable from said elongated base member, said end cushions being movably mounted to said base member for sliding movement along the length thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 12 wherein each of said end cushions and said middle cushion comprise a rigid channel member and a flexible pad mounted on the upper surface of said channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
A device according to claim 13 wherein said base member comprises an elongated track formed by a pair of slide flanges, said channel members of said end cushions having retaining flanges engaging said slide flanges positioned to prevent upward removal of said end cushions from said track while at the same time permitting sliding movement of said end cushions along said track.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-07 | 1980-09-06 | 1981-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-07 | 1984-09-06 | 1985-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-07 | 1988-09-06 | 1989-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |