A vehicle recovery tool is used to tow disabled vehicles. The recovery tool includes a structural member that is mounted on an axle assembly including wheels. The structural member is configured to be coupled to or engage a vehicle to be towed that is positioned behind the recovery tool and to be co
A vehicle recovery tool is used to tow disabled vehicles. The recovery tool includes a structural member that is mounted on an axle assembly including wheels. The structural member is configured to be coupled to or engage a vehicle to be towed that is positioned behind the recovery tool and to be coupled to or engage a towing vehicle positioned in front of the vehicle. A linear actuator is used to lift the structural member as well as the vehicle to be towed to a raised position. With the structural member in the raised position, the linear actuator further positions the structural member into a locked position in which the load of the vehicle being towed is supported by a control linkage against a stop, preferably on the axle assembly.
대표청구항▼
1. A trailing axle arrangement for towing vehicles comprising: an axle assembly including wheels mounted on an axle;a structural member operable to engage a towing vehicle and engage a vehicle to be towed;a linear actuator, directly coupled to the axle assembly and coupled to the structural member,
1. A trailing axle arrangement for towing vehicles comprising: an axle assembly including wheels mounted on an axle;a structural member operable to engage a towing vehicle and engage a vehicle to be towed;a linear actuator, directly coupled to the axle assembly and coupled to the structural member, configured to lift a portion of the structural member with respect to the axle assembly so as to raise a portion of the vehicle to be towed; anda control linkage coupled to the axle assembly and the structural member, the control linkage being configured to move in connection with the linear actuator from an idle position to a static locked position in which the structural member is raised and is supported by the control linkage against a stop. 2. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control linkage is connected to the structural member at a body connection pivot, wherein actuation of the linear actuator moves the structural member through a range of positions, and wherein a highest position of the body connection pivot corresponds to an intermediate position of the linear actuator. 3. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the furthest extension of the linear actuator corresponds to the static locked position of the control linkage. 4. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the structural member includes a front portion disposed in front of the axle and a rear portion disposed behind the axle, the structural member including a first engagement section on the front portion for engagement with the towing vehicle and a second engagement section on the rear portion for engagement with the vehicle to be towed. 5. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the structural member is a single fabrication. 6. A trailing axle arrangement for towing vehicles comprising: an axle assembly including wheels mounted on an axle;a structural member comprising a front portion disposed in front of the axle and a rear portion disposed behind the axle, the structural member including a first engagement section on the front portion for engagement with a towing vehicle and a second engagement section on the rear portion for engagement with a vehicle to be towed;a hydraulic cylinder, directly coupled to the axle assembly and coupled to the structural member, being configured to lift at least the rear portion of the structural member with respect to the axle assembly to a raised position; anda control linkage coupled to the axle assembly and the structural member, the control linkage having an idle position when the structural member is lowered with respect to the axle assembly and a supporting position operable to support a load carried by the structural member when the structural member is in the raised position. 7. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the control linkage supports the load against a stop. 8. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the load that is supported by the control linkage is a portion of a total vertical load carried by the structural member. 9. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the control linkage includes first and second links connected by a central pivot. 10. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the first and second links are disposed at an acute angle when the control linkage is in the idle position, and wherein the first and second links extend in substantially opposite directions when the control linkage is in the supporting position. 11. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the central pivot moves through an are as the structural member is raised and lowered, the arc including: a top dead center position,a first end that corresponds to the idle position of the control linkage, anda second end that corresponds to the supporting position of the control linkage,the control linkage being configured such that the central pivot passes through the top dead center position as the control linkage is moved from the idle position to the supporting position and the control linkage is supported by a stop when the central pivot reaches the second end of the arc. 12. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the control linkage is connected to the structural member at a body connection pivot, wherein actuation of the hydraulic cylinder moves the structural member through a range of positions, and wherein a highest position of the body connection pivot occurs when the first and second links are aligned and corresponds to an intermediate position of the hydraulic cylinder. 13. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein a body connection pivot is disposed on an upper end of the first link, and wherein the first link also includes a lateral arm comprising a cylinder pivot where the first link is coupled to an upper end of the hydraulic cylinder. 14. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the lateral arm of the first link enables the extension of the hydraulic cylinder to move the first and second links through a position in which the first and second links are aligned to a static locked position. 15. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the control linkage is configured such that retraction of the hydraulic cylinder from the extended position causes the first and second links to move back through the aligned position toward the idle position. 16. A method of towing a vehicle comprising: arranging a recovery tool, which includes an axle assembly, between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle so that one section of the recovery tool engages the towing vehicle and another section is positioned to engage the towed vehicle;extending a hydraulic cylinder whose opposite ends are directly coupled to the axle assembly and a structural member of the recovery tool so as to support a weight of the towed vehicle at the axle assembly as the hydraulic cylinder extends, causing the other section of the recovery tool to engage a portion of the disabled vehicle and lift it from a ground surface; andtransferring at least a part of the weight of the disabled vehicle to the axle assembly by way of a mechanical linkage connected between the structural member and the axle assembly when the hydraulic cylinder is fully extended so that the hydraulic cylinder is substantially relieved of the weight of the disabled vehicle. 17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the mechanical linkage includes first and second links connected by a central pivot, the first link being connected to the structural member at a body connection pivot and including, wherein the first and second links are aligned and the body connection pivot is disposed at a highest point when the control linkage is fully extended, andwherein the body connection pivot is below the highest point when the hydraulic cylinder is fully extended. 18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the first link includes a lateral arm comprising a cylinder pivot where the first link is coupled to an upper end of the hydraulic cylinder, and wherein the lateral arm of the first link enables the extension of the hydraulic cylinder to move the first and second links through the fully extended position of the mechanical linkage. 19. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the mechanical linkage is statically supported by an axle housing of the axle assembly when the mechanical linkage is in a static locked position. 20. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the structural member is coupled to the axle assembly at an axle assembly pivot such that extension of the hydraulic cylinder lifts a rear portion of the structural member with respect to a front portion of the structural member. 21. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the section of the recovery tool engaging the towing vehicle is disposed on a front end of the structural member and the other section of the recovery tool engaging the towed vehicle is disposed on a rear end of the structural member. 22. A trailing axle arrangement for towing vehicles comprising: an axle assembly including wheels mounted on an axle;a structural member operable to engage a towing vehicle and engage a vehicle to be towed;a linear actuator, directly coupled to the axle assembly and coupled to the structural member, configured to lift a portion of the structural member with respect to the axle assembly so as to raise a portion of the vehicle to be towed; andmeans for diverting from the linear actuator to a mechanical linkage at least part of a weight of the vehicle to be towed that is transferred to the structural member when a portion of the vehicle to be towed is raised, thereby relieving the linear actuator from supporting all of the weight communicated to the axle assembly when the portion of the vehicle to be towed is fully raised. 23. A trailing axle arrangement for towing vehicles comprising: an axle assembly including wheels mounted on an axle;a structural member operable to engage a towing vehicle and engage a vehicle to be towed;a linear actuator coupled to the axle assembly and to a body connection pivot of the structural member, the linear actuator configured to lift a portion of the structural member with respect to the axle assembly so as to raise a portion of the vehicle to be towed, wherein actuation of the linear actuator moves the structural member through a range of positions, and wherein the highest position of the body connection pivot corresponds to an intermediate position of the linear actuator; anda control linkage coupled to the axle assembly and the structural member, the control linkage being configured to move in connection with the linear actuator from an idle position to a static locked position in which the structural member is raised and is supported by the control linkage against a stop, wherein the static locked position of the control linkage corresponds to the furthest extension of the linear actuator. 24. A trailing axle arrangement for towing vehicles comprising: an axle assembly including wheels mounted on an axle;a structural member comprising a. front portion disposed in front of the axle and a rear portion disposed behind the axle, the structural member including a first engagement section on the front portion for engagement with a towing vehicle and a second engagement section on the rear portion for engagement with a vehicle to be towed;a hydraulic cylinder coupled to the axle assembly and the structural member and being configured to lift at least the rear portion of the structural member with respect to the axle assembly to a raised position; anda control linkage, comprising first and second links connected by a central pivot, wherein the control linkage is coupled to the axle assembly and a body connection pivot of the structural member, wherein the body connection pivot is disposed on an upper end of the first link, and wherein the first link also includes a lateral arm comprising a cylinder pivot where the first link is coupled to an upper end of the hydraulic cylinder,the control linkage having an idle position when the structural member is lowered with respect to the axle assembly and a supporting position operable to support a load carried by the structural member when the structural member is in the raised position. 25. A method of towing a vehicle comprising: arranging a recovery tool, which includes an axle assembly, between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle so that one section of the recovery tool engages the towing vehicle and another section is positioned to engage the towed vehicle;extending a hydraulic cylinder whose opposite ends are fastened to the axle assembly and a structural member of the recovery tool so as to support a weight of the towed vehicle at the axle assembly as the hydraulic cylinder extends, causing the other section of the recovery tool to engage a portion of the disabled vehicle and lift it from a ground surface;transferring at least a part of the weight of the disabled vehicle to the axle assembly by way of a mechanical linkage connected between the structural member and the axle assembly when the hydraulic cylinder is fully extended so that the hydraulic cylinder is substantially relieved of the weight of the disabled vehicle,wherein the mechanical linkage includes first and second links connected by a central pivot, the first link being connected to the structural member at a body connection pivot,wherein the first and second links are aligned and the body connection pivot is disposed at a highest point when the control linkage is fully extended, andwherein the body connection pivot is below the highest point when the hydraulic cylinder is frilly extended. 26. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the diverting means supports the weight against a stop. 27. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the control linkage is adapted in its static locked position to substantially relieve the linear actuator from supporting a weight of the vehicle communicated to the axle assembly when the portion of the vehicle to be towed is fully raised. 28. The trailing axle arrangement according to claim 24, wherein the control linkage is adapted in its supporting position to substantially relieve the hydraulic cylinder from supporting the load carried by the structural member and communicated to the axle assembly when the vehicle to be towed is fully raised. 29. The method recited in claim 25, wherein the structural member is coupled to the axle assembly at an axle assembly pivot such that extension of the hydraulic cylinder lifts a rear portion of the structural member with respect to a front portion of the structural member.
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