Patent ID: 7153082
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
1. A wheel lift tow device of a tow truck to tow a front wheel drive vehicle having wheels that each have a tire comprising: a centrally located extendable support beam having a free end to which is attached a cross bar, said support beam attached to said cross bar at a location between free ends of said cross bar, a yoke at said location comprising upper and lower cover plates enclosing said location, said cross bar having a pair of slider arms extending outwardly from the free ends of said cross bar and said slider arms being automatically and hydraulically telescoping laterally relative to the free ends of said cross bar, each slider arm having a forwardly directed portion adapted to engage corresponding under sides of a pair of wheels on the vehicle to be towed, a swivel arm scoop claw extending in a forwardly direction from each of said slider arms, each said swivel arm scoop claw being mounted on and rotatable about respective pivots on said laterally movable slider arms so that said swivel arm scoop claws may be moved laterally in opposite directions to adjust the distance between said swivel arm scoop claws and may be pivoted so as to engage the undersides of the pair of wheels on sides opposite front that engaged by the forwardly directed portions of said slider arms, thereby cradling the pair of wheels for lifting said vehicle, a hydraulic cylinder for powering each of said laterally movable slider arms outwardly after rotation of said claws into deployed positions with each claw engaging a tire, said claws being independently positioned, said hydraulic cylinders being employed to rotate the claws into filly deployed positions after the forwardly directed portions are placed into contact with one side of the tire, wherein upon being fully deployed, said rotatable claws come into contact with brackets which extend forwardly from said arms, wherein further continued rotation of said claws against said brackets causes said slider arms to move outwardly until said rotatable claws make contact with the other side of the tire, and said forwardly directed portion of each of said slider arms being dimensioned so as to provide separation between said hydraulic cylinder and drive machinery of the front wheel drive vehicle.