Patents by Inventor David F. Humphries

David F. Humphries has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7226080
    Abstract: A recovery spade that is adjustably coupled to a rescue vehicle to thereby maximize traction during rescue operations. The recovery spade includes an anchor blade and a hollow support member. The anchor blade includes a plurality of holes for selective connection to the support member at differing heights via a pin. The anchor blade further includes an anchor portion with teeth at one end for engaging the ground to effect the traction and coupling holes at the other end for selective connection to the anchor blade at differing angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Jerr-Dan Corporation
    Inventor: David F. Humphries
  • Publication number: 20040156706
    Abstract: An improved wheel-lift assembly is provided for towing vehicles on a wrecker. The wheel-lift assembly is adapted to be mounted on the rear deck of the wrecker. The wheel-lift tow assembly includes a relatively thin crossbar assembly, a pair of pivotal lifting arms, and multiple hydraulic cylinders. Two of the hydraulic cylinders are connected to support arms, and thereby control the position of the lifting arms. The hydraulic cylinders are positioned on an outboud portion of the wheel-lift assembly. The wheel-lift assembly includes over-center locking devices for securely locking the lifting arms in place during towing. The wheel-lift assembly may also include reinforcements on the lift arms to create a wear zone for identifying usual wear due to improper usage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Jeff Weller, Steven C. Harris, David F. Humphries
  • Publication number: 20040004346
    Abstract: A recovery spade that is adjustably coupled to a rescue vehicle to thereby maximize traction during rescue operations. The recovery spade includes an anchor blade and a hollow support member. The anchor blade includes a plurality of holes for selective connection to the support member at differing heights via a pin. The anchor blade further includes an anchor portion with teeth at one end for engaging the ground to effect the traction and coupling holes at the other end for selective connection to the anchor blade at differing angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventor: David F. Humphries
  • Publication number: 20030231944
    Abstract: An improved wheel-lift assembly is provided for towing vehicles on a wrecker. The wheel-lift assembly is adapted to be mounted on the rear deck of the wrecker. The wheel-lift tow assembly includes a relatively thin crossbar assembly, a pair of moveable support arms which are connected to a pair of lifting arms, and multiple hydraulic cylinders. The hyrdraulic cylinders control the position of the crossbar assembly. Two of the hydraulic cylinders are connected to the support arms, and thereby control the position of the lifting arms. The wheel-lift assembly includes over-center locking devices for securely locking the lifting arms in place during towing. The wheel-lift assembly may also include a mechanism for preventing excessive movement of the tow assembly, and it can be used in combination with an adjustable truck body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Jeff Weller, Steven Harris, David F. Humphries
  • Patent number: 6527495
    Abstract: An adjustable body sub-frame assembly that mounts on a truck chassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly that mounts on the body sub-frame assembly. The body sub-frame assembly includes left and right sub-frame rails that mount on respective truck chassis rails. Each sub-frame rail includes sub-frame brace tubes and body support brackets. The sub-frame brace tubes are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally inward from the truck chassis rails, and the body support brackets are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally outward from the truck chassis rails. The body sub-frame assembly further includes sub-frame brace sleeves that receive corresponding sub-frame brace tubes of the sub-frame rails. The sub-frame brace tubes can be welded at different positions within the sub-frame brace sleeves providing for adjustability in the width of the body sub-frame assembly. The body panel assembly includes left and right body panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Jerr-Dan Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Humphries, Christopher N. Goetz
  • Publication number: 20020025245
    Abstract: An adjustable body sub-frame assembly that mounts on a truck chassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly that mounts on the body sub-frame assembly. The body sub-frame assembly includes left and right sub-frame rails that mount on respective truck chassis rails. Each sub-frame rail includes sub-frame brace tubes and body support brackets. The sub-frame brace tubes are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally inward from the truck chassis rails, and the body support brackets are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally outward from the truck chassis rails. The body sub-frame assembly further includes sub-frame brace sleeves that receive corresponding sub-frame brace tubes of the sub-frame rails. The sub-frame brace tubes can be welded at different positions within the sub-frame brace sleeves providing for adjustability in the width of the body sub-frame assembly. The body panel assembly includes left and right body panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: JERR-DAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: David F. Humphries, Christopher N. Goetz
  • Patent number: 6290450
    Abstract: An adjustable body sub-frame assembly that mounts on a truck chassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly that mounts on the body sub-frame assembly. The body sub-frame assembly includes left and right sub-frame rails that mount on respective truck chassis rails. Each sub-frame rail includes sub-frame brace tubes and body support brackets. The sub-frame brace tubes are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally inward from the truck chassis rails, and the body support brackets are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally outward from the truck chassis rails. The body sub-frame assembly further includes sub-frame brace sleeves that receive corresponding sub-frame brace tubes of the sub-frame rails. The sub-frame brace tubes can be welded at different positions within the sub-frame brace sleeves providing for adjustability in the width of the body sub-frame assembly. The body panel assembly includes left and right body panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Jerr-Dan Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Humphries, Christopher N. Goetz
  • Patent number: 6120235
    Abstract: An adjustable body sub-frame assembly that mounts on a truck chassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly that mounts on the body sub-frame assembly. The body sub-frame assembly includes left and right sub-frame rails that mount on respective truck chassis rails. Each sub-frame rail includes sub-frame brace tubes and body support brackets. The sub-frame brace tubes are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally inward from the truck chassis rails, and the body support brackets are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally outward from the truck chassis rails. The body subframe assembly further includes sub-frame brace sleeves that receive corresponding sub-frame brace tubes of the sub-frame rails. The sub-frame brace tubes can be welded at different positions within the sub-frame brace sleeves providing for adjustability in the width of the body sub-frame assembly. The body panel assembly includes left and right body panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Jerr-Dan Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Humphries, Christopher N. Goetz
  • Patent number: 4201399
    Abstract: A cushioning pad for attachment to a sling belt of a towing sling and for positioning between the belt and the bumper of a towed vehicle. The cushioning pad is an elongated sleeve adapted for slidable attachment to the sling belt and includes a bumper retainer at one end of the sleeve for preventing the bumper of the towed vehicle from passing over the sleeve upon a forward lurch of the vehicle. A slide preventor prevents the sliding of the sleeve upon the sling belt when the towing sling is being utilized to tow the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: Ernest Holmes Division Dover Corporation
    Inventors: Harold F. Carr, Jr., David F. Humphries
  • Patent number: D256901
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: Dover Corporation
    Inventors: Harold F. Carr, Jr., David F. Humphries
  • Patent number: D258947
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Assignee: Dover Corporation
    Inventors: Harold F. Carr, Jr., David F. Humphries
  • Patent number: D260981
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1981
    Assignee: Dover Corporation/Ernest Holmes Division
    Inventors: Harold F. Carr, Jr., David F. Humphries