Patent ID: 6772997
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: B60P,B60S,B66F,G01M

Abstract:
Self-propelled apparatus for vertically lifting and servicing cars and moving them along the ground and into and out of a carrier vehicle, which apparatus comprisesa rectangular, rigid platform which when free-standing is capable of supporting a car by its tires in either an elevated, horizontal position or a lowered, horizontal, ground position, which platform comprises at least one access opening permitting access to the undercarriage of the car through the platform when the platform is in an elevated horizontal position, four extendible legs for supporting the platform at varying distances from the ground, and a force-multiplying mechanism for extending and retracting the legs so as to move the platform and a car supported by the platform to a fully elevated horizontal position and to a fully lowered horizontal position, a crawler separate from the platform, which crawler comprises at least four wheels, at least one motor for driving the wheels and thereby propelling the crawler along the ground, a steering mechanism, operator controls for actuating the motor and the steering mechanism, and a support surface for engaging and supporting the platform in a piggyback position on the crawler, the crawler being adapted to be propelled by the wheels to a position beneath the at-least-partially elevated platform wherein the platform straddles the crawler, so that the legs of the platform may then be retracted until the platform is in the piggyback position, the piggybacked platform and crawler being adapted to be propelled by the wheels along the ground and into and out of a carrier vehicle, with the platform carrying the car, the platform and crawler being shaped and dimensioned so that, in the piggybacked position with the platform supporting the car, they may be driven by an operator into a carrier vehicle having an interior length, width, and height of 636, 102, and 162 inches, respectively.