Vehicle alignment apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for the repair of damaged vehicle body structure which apparatus is adapted for securing to the vehicle body or frame and supports force-applying apparatus and also supports measuring apparatus to permit concurrently the repair of damaged parts and the making of measurements relative to selected datum points, and being further adapted to render the damaged vehicle movable, said apparatus comprising: vehicle support means including detachably connectable first frame means and second frame means, said first frame means including a plurality of first beams and a plurality of clamping means for clamping said first beams to a part of the vehicle body or frame in horizontal parallel spaced relationship to each other transversely of the vehicle's longitudinal axis when said vehicle is raised at least at one end thereof above a supporting surface such as a floor, first roller means comprising rollers at spaced locations along each of said first beams for supporting said first beams at a first predetermined height above the supporting surface, second frame means including a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal beams each having a length at least equal to that of the vehicle body, second roller means at spaced locations along said second frame means for supporting said second frame means at a second predetermined height above said supporting surface which is so related to said first predetermined height as to permit the rolling insertion of said second frame means under said first frame means when said vehicle and first frame means are lowered to said supporting surface while said first frame means supports thereon a vehicle body, said rollers of said first frame means being sufficiently spaced along said first beams to avoid interference with said second frame means at the time of its insertion under said first frame means, means for detachably securing said first frame means to said second frame means at each point of intersection of each said first beam with each said longitudinal beam, and force applying means detachably supported on said vehicle support means for application of a force to a structural part of the vehicle for restoring said part to its original configuration.