Apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened

Claim 1

An apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened with a vehicle straightening device and attached to a horizontal support, the apparatus comprising: a detachable base; means for securely attaching the base to the support in a fixed spatial relationship with respect to the vehicle straightening device in any of a plurality of positions; clamping means for securely holding the vehicle to be straightened by clamping a vehicle portion, the clamping means including: a base plate; a fixed jaw permanently attached to an upper surface of the base plate; a movable jaw slidably movable along the top surface of the base plate with respect to the fixed jaw, the movable jaw having a plurality of threaded apertures and further comprising a plurality of set screws positioned in the threaded apertures and threadably extending through the movable jaw with distal ends engaging the fixed jaw such that the movable jaw is adjustable to a substantially parallel position with respect to the fixed jaw by threadably moving the set screws against the fixed jaw; and a plurality of threaded fasteners above the threaded apertures extending through both the movable and the fixed jaw such that the movable jaw is placed in a clamping position clamping a vehicle portion by tightening the threaded fasteners; first positioning means attached to said detachable base for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a first substantially vertical axis and for positioning the clamping means in a substantially vertical direction; and second positioning means for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a second substantially vertical axis spaced from the first vertical axis such that the clamping means is positionable about the second vertical axis for clamping the vehicle portion in a continuum of spatial positions.

Claim 2

An apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened with a vehicle straightening device and attached to a horizontal support, the apparatus comprising: a detachable base; means for securely attaching the base to the support in a fixed spatial relationship with respect to the vehicle straightening device in any of a plurality of positions; clamping means for securely holding the vehicle to be straightened by clamping a vehicle portion, the clamping means including: a base plate; a fixed jaw permanently attached to an upper surface of the base plate; a movable jaw slidably movable along the top surface of the base plate with respect to the fixed jaw, the movable jaw having a plurality of threaded apertures and further comprising a plurality of set screws positioned in the threaded apertures and threadably extending through the movable jaw with distal ends engaging the fixed jaw such that the movable jaw is adjustable to a substantially parallel position with respect to the fixed jaw by threadably moving the set screws against the fixed jaw; and a plurality of threaded fasteners above the threaded apertures extending through both the movable and the fixed jaw such that the movable jaw is placed in a clamping position clamping a vehicle portion by tightening the threaded fasteners; first positioning means attached to said detachable base for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a first substantially vertical axis and for positioning the clamping means in a substantially vertical direction; and second positioning means for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a second substantially vertical axis spaced from the first vertical axis such that the clamping means is positionable about the second vertical axis for clamping the vehicle portion in a continuum of spatial positions.

Claim 8

An apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened in combination with a vehicle straightening device having a substantially horizontal support with a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of apertures, the apparatus comprising: a detachable base attached to the support proximate the apertures; means for securely attaching the detachable base to the support in a plurality of positions the means for securely attaching the base including a plurality of rotatable members and a plurality of threaded rods attached to and rotatably extending through the base and threadably attached at a lower end to the rotatable members at an eccentric position with respect to the axis of the rotatable member so that the rotatable members when placed within appropriate apertures in the support rotate to a position at least partially beneath the support and move upwardly on further turning of the rods to securely engage the base against the support and wherein the support includes stop means on an underside of the support position to engage the rotatable members in a position with a substantial portion of the rotatable member under the support, the rotatable members being forced threadably upward along the rods securing the base against the support; clamping means for securely holding the vehicle to be straightened by clamping a portion of the vehicle; vertical positioning means attached to said base for positioning the clamping means in a substantially vertical direction from the base; horizontal positioning means for positioning the clamping means in a substantially horizontal direction from the base; a substantially rigid horizontal member connecting the vertical positioning means and the horizontal positioning means and having a first end and a second free end and being positionable in a vertical direction above the detachable base; first pivot means for pivoting the rigid member about a first vertical pivot axis above the base said horizontal member rigidly attached to the first pivot means at the first end; a second pivot means for pivoting the clamping means proximate the second free end of the rigid member about a second vertical pivot axis such that the clamping means is positionable for clamping the portion of the vehicle in a continuum of spatial positions.

Claim 9

An apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened in combination with a vehicle straightening device having a substantially horizontal support with a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of apertures, the apparatus comprising: a detachable base attached to the support proximate the apertures; means for securely attaching the detachable base to the support in a plurality of positions the means for securely attaching the base including a plurality of rotatable members and a plurality of threaded rods attached to and rotatably extending through the base and threadably attached at a lower end to the rotatable members at an eccentric position with respect to the axis of the rotatable member so that the rotatable members when placed within appropriate apertures in the support rotate to a position at least partially beneath the support and move upwardly on further turning of the rods to securely engage the base against the support and wherein the support includes stop means on an underside of the support position to engage the rotatable members in a position with a substantial portion of the rotatable member under the support, the rotatable members being forced threadably upward along the rods securing the base against the support; clamping means for securely holding the vehicle to be straightened by clamping a portion of the vehicle; vertical positioning means attached to said base for positioning the clamping means in a substantially vertical direction from the base; horizontal positioning means for positioning the clamping means in a substantially horizontal direction from the base; a substantially rigid horizontal member connecting the vertical positioning means and the horizontal positioning means and having a first end and a second free end and being positionable in a vertical direction above the detachable base; first pivot means for pivoting the rigid member about a first vertical pivot axis above the base said horizontal member rigidly attached to the first pivot means at the first end; a second pivot means for pivoting the clamping means proximate the second free end of the rigid member about a second vertical pivot axis such that the clamping means is positionable for clamping the portion of the vehicle in a continuum of spatial positions.

Claim 10

An apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened with a vehicle straightening device and attached to a horizontal support, the apparatus comprising: a base; means for securely attaching the base to the horizontal support; clamping means for securely holding the vehicle to be straightened; first positioning means for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a first substantially vertical and for positioning the clamping means in a substantially vertical direction, the first positioning means including a rigid substantially vertical support attached to the base at a lower end and a bracket surrounding the vertical support and being positionable in a pivotal and a stationary position, the bracket having discrete upper and lower frictionally engaging halves and upper and lower means for positioning the upper and lower halves, respectively, between a pivotal and a stationary position such that the first positioning means is securely held in a stationary position during straightening of the vehicle; second positioning means for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a second substantially vertical axis spaced from the first vertical axis such that the clamping means is pivotable about the second vertical axis and positionable in a substantially horizontal direction for clamping the vehicle portion in a continuum of spatial positions; and a rigid support having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixedly attached to the bracket and the second end supporting the clamping means and the second positioning means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for securing a vehicle to be straightened with a vehicle straightening device and attached to a horizontal support, the apparatus comprising: a base; means for securely attaching the base to the horizontal support; clamping means for securely holding the vehicle to be straightened; first positioning means for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a first substantially vertical and for positioning the clamping means in a substantially vertical direction, the first positioning means including a rigid substantially vertical support attached to the base at a lower end and a bracket surrounding the vertical support and being positionable in a pivotal and a stationary position, the bracket having discrete upper and lower frictionally engaging halves and upper and lower means for positioning the upper and lower halves, respectively, between a pivotal and a stationary position such that the first positioning means is securely held in a stationary position during straightening of the vehicle; second positioning means for pivotally positioning the clamping means about a second substantially vertical axis spaced from the first vertical axis such that the clamping means is pivotable about the second vertical axis and positionable in a substantially horizontal direction for clamping the vehicle portion in a continuum of spatial positions; and a rigid support having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixedly attached to the bracket and the second end supporting the clamping means and the second positioning means.