Patent ID: 8348586

Claim:
A vehicle carrier for loading and unloading disabled vehicles, comprising: a motorized truck having an operator compartment and a primary vehicle frame with frame rails and rear wheels supported by a rear axle suspension; a subframe mounted to the vehicle frame of the vehicle carrier, the subframe: (a) comprising a second frame supported by the vehicle frame; (b) supporting a slidable platform mounted to the subframe which may be used to carry the disabled vehicles, the platform being slidable in a generally horizontal direction relative to the subframe; (c) having subframe rails interposed between the vehicle frame rails and the rear wheels of the vehicle frame; and (d) being tiltable relative to the vehicle frame chassis; and wherein the interposition of the subframe rails between the vehicle frame rails of and the rear wheels enables a lowered platform height and an increase in payload height in comparison to other vehicle carriers whose subframe rails are located above their vehicle frame rails.