Patent ID: 7673887
Filing Date: 2010-03-09
Classification: B62B

Abstract:
1. A self-loading tow dolly comprising: at least two wheels configured to rotate about a spindle, wherein each wheel rotates about its own spindle; structure that releasably attaches each spindle to a support bar in a manner that permits each wheel to move to and from a towed vehicle lowered position and a towed vehicle lifted position; at least a bracket rigidly attached to each support bar wherein the brackets are configured to receive axles and maintain the axles substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the support bars; a lift mechanism attached to at least one of the support bars and configured to move at least one of the wheels from to towed vehicle lowered position to the towed vehicle lifted position; a ratchet mechanism releasably attached to at least one of the spindle assemblies, the ratchet mechanism including a ratchet handle rigidly attached to a ratchet cam which in turn is attached to a ratchet plate, a ratchet assembly secured to the spindle, and a gear plate having gear teeth rigidly attached to a support bar; wherein the ratchet assembly is engaged by moving the ratchet handle in a manner sufficient to allow the ratchet cam to rotate causing the ratchet plate to engage the gear teeth of the gear plate thereby causing the spindle to interact with the gear plate to ratchet the tow dolly into a towed vehicle lifted position; a release mechanism, releasably attached to at least one of the support bars, the release mechanism configured to permit at least one of the wheels to move from the towed vehicle lifted position to the towed vehicle lowered position; and a locking mechanism releasably attached to at least one of the support bars and configured to engage the release lever to hold at least one of the wheels in the towed vehicle lifted position.