Abstract: A remote control device for providing air actuation of a hydraulic pump and having a remote control valve body with an air supply inlet at its bottom and first and second air ducts leading from the air supply inlet to respective first and second air valve chambers. First and second air outlets on opposite sides of the device communicate respectively with the first and second air valve chambers, and first and second air valves are positioned in the respective first and second air valve chambers to control air flow from a respective one of the first and second air ducts to a respective one of the air outlets. Additionally, a piston and cylinder device with an anti-vacuum vent is provided which is actuable in response to air pressure supplied through one of the air outlets to actuate a piston slideably mounted over a release button of a hydraulic pump.

Abstract: A vehicle repair rack having a platform for receiving vehicles for straightening is tilted as it is raised from the floor for easier loading of low vehicles, without the vehicle's bottoming out. The repair rack uses a parallel linkage to raise the platform. The platform is one link of the parallel linkage; and, the link that is parallel to the platform is allowed to elongate as the platform is raised, thereby causing the platform to move into non-parallelism with respect to the elongated link, so the platform is tilted. The parallel linkage includes legs as the other two links, and a connecting rod between the two legs is the elongating link. One end of the connecting rod has a slot that allows the connecting rod to move axially to a limited extent for the elongation.

Abstract: An automatic chain lock allows successive pulls on a vehicle on a straightening apparatus without manipulation of the chain lock between actuations of the fluid cylinder. A pair of gates provides a ratchet arrangement for the chain, the lower gate holding the chain while the lower gate is moved down to pull the chain and cause the chain to ratchet through the upper gate; and, when the movement reaches its end, the upper gate secures the chain while the chain ratchets through the lower gate. The procedure is then repeated, the lower gate again moving down to make another pull on the vehicle. Each gate has a pair of flanges that pivot down, but are held against pivoting up. The two gates are arranged with respect to each other so that each will engage a link of the chain at the appropriate time in the cycle.

Abstract: An elongated vehicle repair rack is provided including front and rear ends and opposite side longitudinal margins. At lease one pull tower is mounted from a corresponding ramp margin and includes power structure for exerting an outward pull, at two different rates and magnitudes and at adjustable height above the rack, on a vehicle mounted on the rack. A chain pull down structure is also provided for ready anchoring to and adjustable shifting along one of the rack margins and the rear end of the rack is provided with pivoted power ramp structure from which rearward pulls on a vehicle mounted on the rack may be effected when the ramp structure is in a raised position.

Abstract: A laser beam plane generator is provided and supported from a datum line vehicle body reference point measuring jig for generating either a vertical longitudinal laser beam plane parallel to the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle body, a vertical transverse laser beam plane normal to the datum line, or a horizontal laser beam plane. A hand-held wand type probe is used in conjunction with either of these laser beam planes to check and/or verify the spacing of specific vehicle reference points relative to a selected laser beam plane.

Abstract: An upright stand including a horizontally enlarged base is provided for support from a treadway of a vehicle repair rack and structure is provided for rigid securement of the base of the stand to the treadway in adjusted position shifted both longitudinally of the treadway and transversely thereof, as desired. The stand is adjustable in height and the upper end thereof includes a clamp head downwardly against which a vehicle frame member may be abutted and embraced and to which the associated frame member may be tightly clamped.

Abstract: A generally horizontal vehicle supporting rack is provided for support from a floor surface and includes depending support means intermediate its opposite ends for support from the support surface and mounting the rack for oscillatory movement between a horizontal position and an inclined position with one end of the rack swung downwardly toward the floor surface. The rack is yieldingly biased toward the horizontal position and includes fixed leg structure positively limiting movement of the rack from the inclined position to the horizontal position. Further, an elongated pull tower base having a pull tower pivotally mounted from one end thereof for angular displacement about a vertical axis is provided and includes opposite end portion floor engageable support wheels.

Abstract: A vehicle repair support rack is provided of generally rectangular plan shape and including sharply rounded corner portions. Carriages are mounted from peripheral portions of the rack for movement thereabout and include outwardly projecting portions from whose outer extremities pull towers are supported for exerting a horizontal outward pull on a selected portion of a vehicle anchored to the rack. The rack includes vehicle support stands shiftable longitudinally and transversely of the opposite longitudinal margins of the support rack and the rack and support stands include simplified guide and locking structure which enable the stands to be quickly releasably locked in adjusted shifted positions along the stand.

Abstract: An ovate vehicle support rack is provided and equipped with a plurality of carriages guidingly supported from the rack for movement along the outer margin thereof and with the carriages projecting outwardly of the rack outer margin. Each carriage supports an upstanding pull tower therefrom for angularly displacement relative to the associated carriage about an upstanding axis and each pull tower upper end includes pull structure for exerting a pull in a direction extending away from the rack and toward the pull tower with the direction of pull being angularly displaceable with the tower relative to the carriage.

Abstract: A vehicle repair support rack is provided for support in elevated position relative to a repair shop floor and includes support structure therefore whereby one end of the ramp may be raised and lowered relative to the floor. Opposite longitudinal side portions of the rack and the aforementioned one end thereof include peripheral track structure extending thereabout and at least one carriage is mounted for the track structure for movement therealong and projects considerably horizontally outwardly of the periphery of the rack. A portable, wheeled pull tower for use in conjunction with a repair shop floor anchored track is provided and is loadable onto the rack by the carriage (which includes an upper platform surface) when the one end of the rack is lowered and the carriage is supported therefrom to enable the platform thereof to define a loading ramp for the pull tower.

Abstract: A horizontally elongated lifting and anchoring assembly (to be used in pairs) for transverse disposition beneath a vehicle body to be engaged and lifted relative to a floor surface, the assembly being floor mounted for lateral shifting relative thereto. The assembly includes an upper elongated longitudinally extending lift member supported at its longitudinal mid-portion through the utilization of an air bag assembly and each end of the lift member includes a stand slidable therealong and provided with a clamp assembly for clamp engaging a corresponding vehicle body side pinch weld area. Also, floor stands are provided for each end of the lift member and are slidably engageable therewith and anchorable relative to floor anchored rails between which the lift assembly extends.

Abstract: A pair of generally parallel, laterally spaced and registered plates are provided including corresponding opposite margins having projections supported therefrom and spaced therealong projecting toward and engageable with the corresponding margin of the opposing plate. The projections on corresponding margins of the opposing plates are staggered relative to each other and clamp fastener structure is secured through the mid-portions of the plates for forcibly drawing the plates toward each other and clamping sheet metal portions between one pair of corresponding projection equipped margins thereof. At least one marginal edge of one of the plates includes anchor structure supported therefrom, to which a pull member may be removably anchored.

Abstract: An elongated horizontal base is provided including inner and outer ends and a depending foot assembly is carried by the outer end and supported therefrom for angular displacement relative to the base about an upstanding axis. The foot assembly is adapted for anchoring in a stationary position relative to a floor area above which a vehicle having a body, subframe or frame portion to be straightened may be stationarily positioned and an upright projects upwardly from the base outer end and has a horizontally elongated pull arm pivotally supported therefrom for angular displacement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the upright, base and pull arm. The axis is centrally spaced between the opposite ends of the pull arm and the latter is mounted for guided longitudinal shifting relative to the axis.

Abstract: An elongated main beam is provided with support wheels at its opposite ends and a parallelogram-type lift arm assembly is pivotally mounted from a first end of the main beam for swinging movement between a lowered substantially horizontal position closely overlying the central portion of the main beam and an inclined position in which a lifting head carried by the upper end of the lift arm assembly may be used to support one side of a vehicle in an elevated position. A slide or follower is mounted on the second end of the main beam and a fluid motor is operatively connected between the main beam and the slide for forcibly shifting the latter along the main beam toward the first end thereof. Force arm structure is pivotally connected between the follower and a midlength portion of the lift arm assembly and is operative to raise the lift arm assembly to a vehicle elevating position responsive to actuation of the fluid motor to force the follower along the main beam toward the first end thereof.

Abstract: An elongated vertically disposed shank construction is provided defining a longitudinal center axis and the upper end of the shank construction includes structural features enabling the shank construction upper end to be anchored relative to a vehicle frame portion having a vertical bore formed therethrough with the longitudinal center axis of the shank construction coinciding with a selected edge portion of the bore. Further, the lower end of the shank construction includes location determining structure disposed on the longitudinal center axis of the shank construction, whereby frame measurement locations determined by specified margin edges of vertical bores formed in the vehicle frame may be established at an elevation spaced below the frame.

Abstract: An elongated wheeled bench is provided for predetermined aligned positioning beneath a stationary jack stand supported vehicle body to be straightened and includes, supported therefrom at one end, a vertically adjustable horizontally elongated mount extending transversely of the bench. The mount has a light beam generating head mounted thereon for adjustable positioning therealong and also for angular displacement relative thereto about a first axis paralleling the mount and a second axis disposed normal to the first axis. The head is operable to generate a narrow light beam disposed normal to the second axis and scales are provided to indicate angular positioning of the head about the first and second axes and also longitudinal positioning of the head along the mount.

Abstract: An upstanding post is provided having a follower guidingly mounted thereon for adjustable positioning therealong. A pull lever is pivotally supported at one end from the follower for limited oscillation about a horizontal axis transverse to the lever and the lever is disposed in position generally paralleling the post. The other end of the lever is notched for engagement with successive links of a pull chain and an elongated longitudinally extendable thrust member has one end anchored relative to the follower and the other end engaged with the lever at a point spaced from its axis of oscillation for angularly displacing the lever away from the first end of the thrust member. The follower includes anchor structure disposed in the plane of swinging movement of the lever and spaced horizontally from the latter in the direction opposite to the direction in which the thrust member is operative to displace the lever.

Abstract: A pair of elongated clamp levers are provided and interconnected intermediate their opposite ends for substantially coplanar relative oscillation of the levers to inversely swing corresponding pairs of ends of the levers toward and away from each other. One pair of lever ends defines opposing jaw ends between which a sheet metal marginal portion may be clamped and a wedge assembly is moveably connected between the other pair of ends of the levers and includes operating structure moveable lengthwise of the levers and to which one end of an elongated pull member may be anchored.

Abstract: A system of three gauges is provided and each gauge includes an upright support standard for support from a horizontal surface extending along one side of a vehicle frame elevated relative to the surface and each support standard includes an elongated horizontal body having a first reference location at one end and a second reference location carried by and shiftable longitudinally of the other end of the body. Scale structure is provided on each gauge operative to indicate changes in the spacing, longitudinally of the body, between the first and second reference locations and the scale structure includes an indicator portion for indicating changes in the distances between the first and second reference locations equal to twice the actual change in distance therebetween.