Patent ID: 8011873

Claim:
A towing device for attachment to a towing vehicle for lifting and towing a towed vehicle, comprising: an attachment assembly adapted to be mounted to the towing vehicle; a boom assembly having a longitudinal boom axis and being pivotally connected to the attachment assembly for pivotal movement about a first pivotal axis from a lowered position wherein the longitudinal boom axis extends away from the attachment assembly to a stowed position wherein the boom axis is upstanding; a two stage fluid cylinder connected to the attachment assembly and comprising a large cylinder, a large piston movable in the large cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position, a small cylinder rigidly attached to the large piston, a small piston movable within the small cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position; the small piston being connected to the boom assembly at a second pivotal axis; the large piston exerting more force and being slower than the small piston.