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A towing device, adapted to be mounted to a chassis of a vehicle, features a bi-planar rotation mechanism which allows a telescoping beam to dynamically pivot about two orthogonal axes. The towing device includes a sub-frame mounted to the chassis. An underframe is pivotally attached to the sub-fram

A towing device, adapted to be mounted to a chassis of a vehicle, features a bi-planar rotation mechanism which allows a telescoping beam to dynamically pivot about two orthogonal axes. The towing device includes a sub-frame mounted to the chassis. An underframe is pivotally attached to the sub-frame to move between a retracted position, adjacent to the sub-frame, and an extended position, distal from the sub-frame. The telescoping beam extends from the underframe and terminates in a carriage, which is adapted to support the wheels of a towed vehicle. In this fashion, the telescoping beam allows the towed vehicle to dynamically pivot about two orthogonal axes which avoids "high centering" of the towing vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A device for towing vehicles having wheels, said device adapted to be mounted onto a vehicle having a chassis with a longitudinal axis, said device comprising:a sub-frame having a pair of spaced-apart parallel L-braces for mounting said sub-frame to said chassis, wherein a portion

[ We claim:] [1.] A device for towing vehicles having wheels, said device adapted to be mounted onto a vehicle having a chassis with a longitudinal axis, said device comprising:a sub-frame having a pair of spaced-apart parallel L-braces for mounting said sub-frame to said chassis, wherein a portion of each of the L-braces forms a headstock, said sub-framre having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said chassis,an underframed pivotally coupled to said sub-frame to rotate about a first axis, said first axis being transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sub-frame, said underframe including a pair of trunnions, each connected to one of the headstocks of the sub-frame, said underframe also including two lever arms extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sub-frame, and further including a girder extending between said lever arms and pivotally mounted thereto to rotate about a second axis which extends transverse to said longitudinal axis of the sub-frame, and further including a bearing member extending between the lever arms, parallel to said girder and positioned between said tunnions and said girder,a telescoping beam pivotally connected to said girder to rotate about a third axis, with said third axis extending traverse to said second axis, said beam including a housing and a shaft, said housing having first and second journal portions on opposing sides of the beam, said first journal portion being on a first surface of the housing and resting against said girder at the third axis and said second journal portion being on a top surface of the housing and resting against the bearing member to form a bi-planar rotation mechanism,a carriage coupled to said beam, with said carriage adapted to support said wheels, anda retraction mechanism, attached between sub-frame and said underframe, said retraction mechanism including a pair of spaced-apart bearing boxes attached to said sub-frame and a pair of spaced-apart journals having opposed ends, each of said bearing boxes having a length, with one end of each of said journals being disposed within a bearing box and having leans for moving along said length of said bearing box, and the opposing end of each of said journals being coupled to one of said lever arms of said underframe.