Automobile lift and tow hoist

Claim 1

A hoist for lifting and towing an automobile using a tow truck or similar towing vehicle, said hoist comprising: a frame work including a base adapted to be mounted on a vehicle bed and laterally spaced upstanding frame members mounted to the base and projecting upwardly therefrom; a Z-shaped support structure including: a generally vertical standard; a generally horizontal upper leg having a front end hinged to said frame members by an upper, front transverse, horizontal-axis hinge member, and a rear end secured to said generally vertical standard, which is adapted to be disposed adjacent but to the rear of the vehicle bed on which the framework is mounted in use, at an upper site on said standard; and a lower leg having a front end mounted to said standard at a lower site which is arranged to be located, in use, adjacent but above a ground surface on which the towing vehicle may run, said upper site being disposed to be located, in use, above said vehicle bed, and said lower site being disposed to be located, in use, below said vehicle bed; said lower leg being joined at said front end thereof to said standard at said lower site by a lower, rear transverse, horizontal-axis hinge member; and said lower leg being provided at a rear end thereof with left and right, upwardly arcuate cradle means disposed for supporting left and right wheels of an end of a vehicle which is to be towed; and means for separately power-articulating said upper, front and lower, rear hinge means respectively for raising and lowering said standard and for moving said cradles between a lowered position of use, in which said lower leg is approximately horizontal and projects rearwardly, and a stowed position, in which said lower leg is approximately vertical and projects upwardly from said lower site on said standard; said upper, front transverse, horizontal-axis hinge member comprising a pipe hinge made of coaxial inner and outer steel pipes restrained against axial movement, the inner pipe thereof being secured to said frame members, and the outer pipe thereof having the front end of said upper leg secured thereof; said upper leg comprising a pair of laterally spaced adjacent beams each separately secured to said outer pipe of said front transverse, horizontal-axis hinge member and to said standard; said lower, rear transverse, horizontal-axis hinge member comprising a pipe hinge made of coaxial inner and outer steel pipes restrained against axial movement, one of the pipes thereof being secured to said standard and the other of the pipes thereof being secured to said lower leg.