Abstract: Wheel cradles for a wheel lift towing system are quickly and easily coupled to or uncoupled from opposing ends of a cross arm assembly associated with a towing vehicle. The cradles are coupled to the cross arm by sliding the cradles laterally in a substantially horizontal plane from outside the ends of the cross arm. Such lateral insertion facilitates coupling of the wheel cradles to the cross arm in situations of difficult access to the towed vehicle's wheels, for example, when the towed vehicle is positioned with two of its wheels abutting a curb. An arrangement for coupling a back-up safety line, such as a safety chain, between the towing and towed vehicles provides additional protection against accidental dislodgement of the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle.

Abstract: Safety chain latches remove slack from safety chains attached between towing and towed vehicles in a towing system. In one embodiment, a pivotable retainer element is removably coupled to a remaining portion of the latch body for enabling release of a latched safety line independently of the open or closed position of the retainer element.

Abstract: A carrier vehicle, for carrying at least one vehicle on a carrier bed which is slidable and tiltable relative to the carrier vehicle's frame, includes a tilt lock-out arrangement for preventing actuation of the carrier vehicle's tilt cylinders whenever the moveable carrier bed is locked in a stowed, or vehicle carrying position. The lock-out arrangement features a contactless sensor element which determines the slidable position of the movable carrier bed and inhibits hydraulic activation of the tilt cylinders to raise or lower the carrier bed unless the carrier bed has first been slid rearwardly to clear a mechanical hold-down element. Similarly, the contactless sensor element inhibits hydraulic actuation of the tilt cylinder to lower the carrier bed unless the bed has cleared the hold-down element.

Abstract: Wheel cradles for a wheel lift towing system are quickly and easily coupled to or uncoupled from opposing ends of a cross arm assembly associated with a towing vehicle. The cradles are coupled to the cross arm by sliding the cradles laterally in a substantially horizontal plane from outside the ends of the cross arm. Such lateral insertion facilitates coupling of the wheel cradles to the cross arm in situations of difficult access to the towed vehicle's wheels, for example, when the towed vehicle is positioned with two of its wheels abutting a curb. An arrangement for coupling a back-up safety line, such as a safety chain, between the towing and towed vehicles provides additional protection against accidental dislodgement of the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle.

Abstract: Wheel cradles for a wheel lift towing system are quickly and easily coupled to or uncoupled from opposing ends of a cross arm assembly associated with a towing vehicle. The cradles are coupled to the cross arm by sliding the cradles laterally in a substantially horizontal plane from outside the ends of the cross arm. Such lateral insertion facilitates coupling of the wheel cradles to the cross arm in situations of difficult access to the towed vehicle's wheels, for example, when the towed vehicle is positioned with two of its wheels abutting a curb. An arrangement for coupling a back-up safety line, such as a safety chain, between the towing and towed vehicles provides additional protection against accidental dislodgement of the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle.

Abstract: Wheel cradles for a wheel lift towing system are quickly and easily coupled to or uncoupled from opposing ends of a cross arm assembly associated with a towing vehicle. The cradles are coupled to the cross arm by sliding the cradles laterally inward in a substantially horizontal plane from outside the ends of the cross arm. Such lateral insertion facilitates coupling of the wheel cradles to the cross arm in situations of difficult access to the towed vehicles wheels. The cradles are decoupled from the cross arm by sliding the cradles laterally outward in a substantially horizontal plane following concurrent rotation of a pivotable latching member and depressible plunger release mechanism. Such concurrent actuation prevents premature decoupling of the wheel cradles during operation of the towing vehicle.

Abstract: A wheel cradling assembly includes a self-locking and self-unlocking actuator assembly associated with each of four dolly wheels, each actuator assembly having a roll-over pivot gear for moving an associated dolly wheel spindle between released and actuated positions. A gear lock either allows or prohibits rotational motion of the roll-over pivot gear in accordance with the pivotable position of the gear lock, and a spindle retainer automatically engages and releasably locks the dolly wheel spindle whenever the spindle is moved to the actuated position by the gear. The dolly assembly also includes a pair of cross arm assemblies extending transversely between a pair of dolly wheel carrying base assemblies for surrounding a pair of coaxial wheels of a towed vehicle.

Abstract: A wheel lift tow assembly 28 is mounted to the frame at the rear of a tow truck 20 and is movable vertically by a power cylinder 60 connected between the frame of the tow truck and the tow assembly. The tow assembly includes a telecopic tow bar 35 that is distended and retracted by a power cylinder 65, and a cross arm 36 which is pivotably mounted intermediate its ends about an upwardly extending axis 89 to the rear portion of the telescopic tow bar. Sleeve members 92, 93 are slidably mounted about the opposite ends of the cross arm, and L-shaped wheel cradles 37, 38 are releasably connected to the sleeve members.

Abstract: A wheel lift tow assembly 28 is mounted to the frame at the rear of a tow truck 20 and is movable vertically by a power cylinder 60 connected between the frame of the tow truck and the tow assembly. The tow assembly includes a telescopic tow bar 35 that is distended and retracted by a power cylinder 65, and a cross arm 36 which is pivotably mounted intermediate its ends about an upwardly extending axis 89 to the rear portion of the telescopic tow bar. Sleeve members 92, 93 are slidably mounted about the opposite ends of the cross arm, and L-shaped wheel cradles 37, 38 are releasably connected to the sleeve members.