Abstract:
A dolly dropdown box drawer is disposed below a bed or a frame of a tow truck along each side of the truck near a driver&#39;s cab for the storage and safeguarding of a pair of towing dollies with one on each side of the truck. Each drawer pulls out laterally and then tilts and arcs downward at the front end of the drawer to provide ready and convenient access to a towing dolly at a level below waist level of a tow truck driver who desires to use the towing dolly during a recovery operation conducted regarding a motor vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates to a novel dolly dropdown box drawer mounted on a tow truck for the storage and securing of a towing dolly within the drawer. Preferably, a pair of drawers are attached to an underside of a bed or frame of the tow truck. Preferably, each dolly dropdown box drawer includes a lockable latching mechanism that is keyed to permit the locking of the drawer to secure the towing dolly stored within.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     An objective of this invention, a dolly dropdown box drawer, is to provide a novel and improved storage apparatus on a tow truck and to facilitate the usage of a pair of towing dollies by storing them lower on the tow truck than is customary in the art. A further object of the invention is to enclose each towing dolly within a dolly dropdown box drawer and thereby protect each towing dolly when not in use from pilferage, weather, road hazards, road debris, and other undesired influences.  
         [0006]     Another objective of the invention is to utilize space below a bed or frame of a tow truck that is currently underutilized. Another further object is to present a towing dolly in an open dolly dropdown box drawer advantageously in an orientation ready for use by a tow truck driver. Ergonometric advantages for a tow truck driver are promoted because with the instant dolly dropdown box drawer invention, the driver retrieves a towing dolly from a drawer below waist level rather than at or above waist level. The dolly dropdown box drawer presents a towing dolly in an appropriate orientation for ready use by the driver with a vehicle to be recovered or towed.  
         [0007]     The invention helps a tow truck driver safeguard his back and body from injury that in the absence of the invention might be caused by lifting a heavy towing dolly from an inconvenient location on a tow truck.  
         [0008]     The dolly dropdown box drawer is preferably made from steel and aluminum plate, angle iron, and rod stock together with appropriate mechanical fittings such as bolts, nuts, washers, bearings, bushings, locks, and rods. Other suitable materials could be substituted in place of steel and aluminum plate, angle iron, and rod stock without departing from the intended scope of the invention.  
         [0009]     Additional and various other objects and advantages attained by the invention will become more apparent as the specification is read and the accompanying figures are reviewed.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pair of dolly dropdown box drawers disposed under a bed structure of a tow truck;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a dolly dropdown box drawer in an open position with a towing dolly resting within a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a dolly dropdown box drawer;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective fragmentary view of a dolly dropdown box drawer in a closed position with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly nesting within a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a dolly dropdown box drawer in a partially open condition with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly translated laterally and outwardly from a closed position within a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a partial perspective fragmentary view of a drawer pull handle and a latching mechanism of a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly in an open position within a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is an interior view of a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly from above when a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly is in an open position and showing a latching mechanism and two shaped sliding rods;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is an interior, partial perspective view of a right end of a dolly dropdown box drawer with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly in an open position;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of a support end side wall of a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within in an open position with a right front track follower assembly resting in a right front track detent depression and a right rear track follower assembly at the top front of a front portion of a right rear track;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is an interior, partial perspective view of a right end of a dolly dropdown box drawer with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly tilting forward within a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame showing a right rear track follower assembly fully translated upwardly along a front portion of a right rear track;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a right end side elevation of a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within in a closed position;  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a right end side elevation of a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within translated laterally and outwardly to an intermediate position from a closed position and towards an open position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  is a right end side elevation of the dolly dropdown box drawer support frame with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within translated laterally and outwardly to a lateral detent depression position from a closed position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 15  is a partial right end side elevation of a dolly dropdown box drawer frame with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within translated laterally and outwardly to a lateral detent depression position from a closed position and with the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly rotating about the axis of a right front track follower assembly resting in a right front track detent depression and a right rear track follower assembly located within a front portion of a right rear track;  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  is a right end side elevation of a dolly dropdown box drawer in an open position showing a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame with a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly within translated laterally and outwardly to a lateral detent depression position from a closed position and with the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly rotating about the axis of a right front track follower assembly resting in a right front track detent depression and a right rear track follower assembly arced fully upwardly and forwardly along a front portion of a right rear track; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 17  is front elevation of a dolly dropdown box drawer in a closed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 17 , a tow truck  8  often is equipped with a pair of towing dollies  10  and the tow truck typically includes a bed structure  12  having an underside  14  located behind a driver&#39;s cab  16 , the present invention is a novel dolly dropdown box drawer  20  that is fastened preferably with nuts and bolts to the underside of the bed structure in proximity to the driver&#39;s cab, along the driver&#39;s side of the truck, and extending towards the rear of the truck. Preferably a second dolly dropdown box drawer  20  is fastened to the underside  14  of the bed structure  12  in proximity to the driver&#39;s cab  16 , along the passenger&#39;s side of the truck, and extending towards the rear of the truck to comprise a pair of drawers to receive, hold, and store a pair of towing dollies.  
         [0028]     The dolly dropdown box drawer  20  comprises a dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  supported within a dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24 .  
         [0029]     The dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  comprises a multiwalled drawer having spaced and opposed drawer side walls  26  and  28 , a drawer back wall  30  spaced from and partially opposed by a drawer front wall  32 , a drawer bottom wall  34  spaced from and partially opposed by a drawer top wall  36  depending from the drawer back wall.  
         [0030]     The dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24  preferably is made from one piece of rectangular steel plate that is formed with a brake into a pair of spaced and opposed support end side walls  38  and  40  connected by an intermediate top wall portion  42  and with the end side walls depending downward from the intermediate top wall portion.  
         [0031]     The dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  preferably includes a pair of spaced and opposed front track follower assemblies  44  and  46  that project from the drawer side walls  26  and  28  and are received within and cooperate with a pair of spaced and opposed front tracks  48  and  50  on the support end side walls  38  and  40 , respectively, with each front track located towards a lower edge and a front edge of a respective support end side wall.  
         [0032]     The dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  preferably includes a pair of spaced and opposed rear track follower assemblies  52  and  54  that project from the drawer side walls  26  and  28  and are received within and cooperate with a pair of spaced and opposed rear tracks  56  and  58  on the support end side walls  38  and  40 , respectively, with each rear track located towards a lower edge and a back edge of a respective support end side wall.  
         [0033]     The front track follower assemblies  44  and  46  are preferably located approximately at a midportion of the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  in proximity to the drawer back wall  30 . The front track follower assemblies  44  and  46  preferably are loosely received within the front tracks  48  and  50 , respectively, permitting the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  to move relative to the dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24 . The front tracks  48  and  50  are preferably rectangular in shape, thus permitting front track follower assemblies  44  and  46  to move (within front tracks  48  and  50 , respectively) forward from a closed position (see  FIGS. 1, 4 ,  12 , and  17 ) to an open position (see  FIGS. 2, 7 ,  9 ,  10 , and  16 ). Preferably, the front tracks  48  and  50  each has a front track detent depression  60  and  62  with each front track detent depression located towards a front edge of a respective support end side wall.  
         [0034]     The rear track follower assemblies  52  and  54  are preferably located at an end portion of the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  in proximity to the drawer back wall  30  and away from the midportion of the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly and the drawer bottom wall  34 . The rear track follower assemblies  52  and  54  preferably are loosely received within the rear tracks  56  and  58 , respectively, permitting the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  to move relative to the dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24 . The rear tracks  56  and  58  each has a rear portion  64  and  66  preferably each rectangular in shape that each transitions into a front portion  68  and  70  each arcuate in shape, thus permitting rear track follower assemblies  52  and  54  to move (within rear tracks  56  and  58 , respectively) forward from a closed position (see  FIGS. 1, 4 ,  12 , and  17 ) along rear portions  64  and  66  to an intermediate position (see  FIGS. 5,13 , and  14 ) and then to arc along front portions  68  and  70  upwardly and forwardly from the intermediate position (see  FIGS. 11 and 15 ) to an open position (see  FIGS. 2, 7 ,  9 ,  10 , and  16 ). Each rear portion  64  and  66  is linearly aligned with a front track  48  and  50  on a support end side walls  38  and  40 , respectively.  
         [0035]     When the dolly dropdown box drawer  20  is in a closed position, the drawer bottom wall  34  is substantially in a vertical plane and when the dolly dropdown box drawer  20  is in an open position, the drawer bottom wall  34  is substantially in a horizontal plane (see  FIG. 2,7 ,  9 , and  16 ). When a towing dolly  10  is within an open dolly dropdown box drawer  20 , the dolly rests on the inner surface of the drawer bottom wall  34 . When a towing dolly  10  is within a closed dolly dropdown box drawer  20 , the dolly rests on the inner surface of the drawer back wall  30 .  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 3  to  10 , and  12  to  17 , the dolly dropdown box drawer  20  can optionally be equipped with a selectively operable conventional latching mechanism  72 , having a latching handle mechanism  74  with the latching mechanism fastened to and through the bottom wall  34  in order to secure the drawer in the closed position. Preferably, the latching mechanism  72  includes a pair of shaped sliding rods  76  and  77  that are selectively actuated by the latching mechanism to move horizontally through a pair of rod apertures  78  in the drawer side walls  26  and  28 , respectively and into a pair of rod receiving apertures  80  predrilled in the support end side walls  38  and  40 , and thereby securing the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  within the dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24  when in the closed position. The shaped sliding rods  76  and  77  are shaped to allow horizontal movement of the rods by the latching mechanism  72  without physical interference with the movement of the rods by a towing dolly  10  resting in the drawer  20 .  
         [0037]     The dolly dropdown box drawer  20  can optionally include a drawer pull handle  82  (see FIGS.  1  to  6 , and  17 ) formed into the outer surface of the drawer bottom wall  34  to assist a driver in opening and closing the drawer.  
         [0038]     The dolly dropdown box drawer  20  can additionally include a pair of spaced and opposed dolly dropdown box drawer support frame end covers  84  that can each be removably fastened by at least one bolt  86  through at least one corresponding end cover aperture  87  to at least one bolt receiving aperture  88  on the support end side walls  38  and  40 , respectively.  
         [0039]     Preferably each front track follower assembly  44  and  46  comprises a capscrew  90  that extends through and rotatably retains a ball bearing assembly  92  on the capscrew with the capscrew engaging a front threaded bore  94  in each of the drawer side walls  26  and  28 , respectively.  
         [0040]     Preferably each rear track follower assembly  52  and  54  comprises a capscrew  96  that extends through and rotatably retains a ball bearing assembly  98  on the capscrew with the capscrew engaging a rear threaded bore  100  in each of the drawer side walls  26  and  28 , respectively.  
         [0041]     The ball bearing assemblies  92  and  98  make movement of the drawer  20  from a closed position to an open position and the reverse easier. The ball bearing assemblies  92  and  98  roll along respective front tracks  48  and  50  and rear tracks  56  and  58 .  
         [0042]     The physical configurations of the front tracks  48  and  50  and the rear tracks  56  and  58  on a respective support end side wall  38  and  40  cooperate to preclude the entry of the rear track follower assemblies  52  and  54  into the front portions  68  and  70  until the front track follower assemblies  44  and  46  descend into the front track detent depressions  60  and  62 .  
         [0043]     A double headed arrow a 1  in  FIG. 12  indicates the directions of lateral movement of the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  from a closed position to an intermediate position.  
         [0044]     A double headed arrow a 2  in  FIG. 15  indicates the directions of rotational movement of the dolly dropdown box drawer assembly  22  about the axis of the front track follower assemblies  42  and  44  from an intermediate position to an open position.  
         [0045]     The dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24  may further comprise a support frame back wall  102 , the frame back wall depending down from a rear edge of the intermediate top wall portion  42  and bridging between a pair of rear edges of the end side walls  38  and  40 .  
         [0046]     The dolly dropdown box drawer support frame  24  may further comprise a support frame bottom wall  104  preferably rectangular in shape, the frame bottom wall bridging between a pair of lower edges of the end side walls  38  and  40  and extending forward from the support frame back wall  102  towards a point on each end side wall just before the beginning of the front track detent depressions  60  and  62 .  
         [0047]     Preferably, the front tracks  48  and  50  and the rear tracks  56  and  58  are cut into the support end side walls  38  and  40  using a computer controlled plasma cutting table.  
         [0048]     Alternatively, the front track follower assemblies  44  and  46  may comprise a pair of spaced and opposed pins that project from the drawer side walls  26  and  28 .  
         [0049]     Alternatively, the rear track follower assemblies  52  and  54  may comprise a pair of spaced and opposed pins that project from the drawer side walls  26  and  28 .  
         [0050]     The preceding description and exposition of the invention is presented for purposes of illustration and enabling disclosure. It is neither intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications or variations in the invention in light of the above teachings that are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted to the breath to which they fairly, legitimately and equitably are entitled.