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A skate for a wheel assembly of a motor vehicle is used to maneuver the vehicle in confined spaces. The wheel skate has a U-shaped frame fitted to the wheel assembly by adjusting the width of the expandable/contractible frame until the unit is wide enough to position a plurality of rollers in engage

A skate for a wheel assembly of a motor vehicle is used to maneuver the vehicle in confined spaces. The wheel skate has a U-shaped frame fitted to the wheel assembly by adjusting the width of the expandable/contractible frame until the unit is wide enough to position a plurality of rollers in engagement with opposing sides of the tire of the wheel assembly. A foot pedal lever is operated to contract the frame assembly and raise the tire clear of the garage floor. A locking knob drops into a hole in the frame assembly to lock the position of the frame assembly. A fork drives the frame assembly together. The locking knob does not move into the following hole until the fork is moved into another hole. The device is used in pairs which are attached to either the front or back wheels in order to swing one end of the vehicle around.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for maneuvering a vehicle having a wheel assembly, the apparatus comprising: an adjustable frame assembly adapted to be fitted to the wheel assembly, the frame assembly having first and second frame members telescopically connected to each other, the second

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for maneuvering a vehicle having a wheel assembly, the apparatus comprising: an adjustable frame assembly adapted to be fitted to the wheel assembly, the frame assembly having first and second frame members telescopically connected to each other, the second frame member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes, a lever connected to the first frame member, the lever having a lower end pivotally connected to a plate member, the plate member having at least one finger extending into one of the holes in the second frame member and engaging the second frame member upon operation of the lever to move the second frame member toward the first frame member, the first and second frame members each having an arm, each arm having a plurality of rollers moveable into engagement with the wheel assembly when the first and second frame members are contracted, a locking member having an upright pin extending through aligned holes in the first and second frame members operable to lock the position of the frame assembly, the pin engaging a flange between the longitudinally spaced holes in the second frame member whereby the pin is moved in an upward direction when the second frame member is moved toward the first frame member, the pin moveable in a downward direction through a following hole in the second frame member to relock the position of the first and second frame members upon completion of the contraction movement when the following hole is moved into alignment with the pin. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including: a plurality of caster wheel assemblies connected to the frame assembly for supporting the frame assembly on a surface. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the lever is a foot pedal lever. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the frame assembly is a generally U-shaped frame adapted to be positioned adjacent opposite sides of the wheel assembly. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first and second frame members are generally linear frame members having outer ends attached to outwardly directed arms. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first frame member is a tubular rectangular shaped driving member, the second frame member being a tubular rectangular sliding member telescopically received by the first member to allow contraction and expansion of the frame assembly as desired. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 including: means located between the telescoping surfaces of the first and second frame members to reduce friction between the first and second frame members. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: the means located between the telescoping surfaces of the first and second frame members to reduce friction between the first and second frame members is one or more spring members. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: each arm has a roller assembly, the roller assembly having a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the roller assembly whereby the rollers rotate relative to the outer surface of the wheel assembly when the first and second frame members are contracted to raise the wheel assembly. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the roller assembly is mounted on an inwardly and upwardly inclined bracket whereby one of the rollers is located inwardly and downwardly from the arm and the other roller is positioned upwardly and in general vertical alignment with the arm. 11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the roller assembly is pivotally mounted to an inwardly and upwardly inclined bracket. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the pin is accommodated by an upwardly projecting sleeve surrounding the hole in the first frame member, the pin having a tab member, the top of the sleeve having a downwardly extending slot open to the top of the sleeve, the tab member accommodated by the slot when the pin is in the lock position. 13. The apparatus of claim 1 including: a pivotally mounted blocking member connected to the first frame member, the blocking member moveable between first and second positions to engage and disengage the lever. 14. An apparatus for maneuvering a motor vehicle in a confined space, the vehicle having one or more wheel assemblies, the apparatus comprising: a generally U-shaped frame assembly adapted to be positioned adjacent opposite sides one of the one or more wheel assemblies, the frame assembly having generally linear first and second frame members, each frame member having an outer end attached to an outwardly directed arm, the second frame member having a rectangular shaped inner end telescopically received by a rectangular shaped inner end in the first frame member, each arm having a pivotally mounted roller assembly, the roller assembly having a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the roller assembly, a lever connected to the the first frame member, the lever having a lower end pivotally connected to a plate member, the plate member having one or more fingers engaging the second frame member upon operation of the lever to move the second frame member toward the first frame member, the rollers moveable into engagement with and rotatable relative to an outer surface of the wheel assembly when the first and second frame members are contracted to raise the wheel assembly, each roller assembly being mounted on an inwardly and upwardly inclined bracket whereby one of the rollers is located inwardly and downwardly from the arm and the other roller is positioned upwardly and in general vertical alignment with the arm, the second frame member having a plurality of equally spaced holes open to the top surface of the second frame member, the first frame member having an opening aligned with one of the holes in the second frame member, a pin extending through the opening and aligned hole to lock the position of the first and second frame members relative to one another, the pin engaging a flange located between the holes in the second frame member whereby the pin is moved in an upward direction when the second frame member is moved toward the first frame member thereby forcing the pin out of the aligned hole to allow further contraction of the first and second frame members, the pin moveable downwardly into an adjacent hole located immediately inwardly from the aligned hole when the adjacent hole is moved into vertical alignment with the pin to relock the position of the first and second frame members, and a blocking member pivotally connected to the first frame member the blocking member moveable between first and second positions to engage and disengage the lever. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 including: means located between the telescoping surfaces of the first and second frame members to reduce friction between the first and second frame members. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the means located between the telescoping surfaces of the first and second frame members to reduce friction between the first and second frame members is one or more spring members. 17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: the pin is accommodated by an upwardly projecting sleeve surrounding the opening in the first frame member, the pin having a tab member, the top of the sleeve having a downwardly extending slot open to the top of the sleeve, the tab member accommodated by the slot when the pin is in the lock position.