The invention relates to a towing sling hitch, and, more particularly, to a rib structure mountable on a conventional tow bar for facilitating expeditious towing of a vehicle.
Vehicle towing devices have been utilized for many years upon trucks conventionally referred to as wreckers. One object of wreckers is to engage a parked, wrecked or stranded vehicle and remove it to a desired location. Generally the tow device on the wrecker includes a lifting and towing sling of the type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,131, issued Nov. 17, 1959 to Gerald E. Holmes. Such structures utilize chains which extend from a transverse tow bar on the lower end of the sling to secure the vehicle to the sling. This is accomplished by positioning the wrecker adjacent the end of the vehicle to be lifted and disposing the sling contiguous the vehicle bumper. Then the chains are secured to the vehicle axle, or the like. From this position the vehicle end can be raised by the wrecker and towed therebehind.
It is not always possible or advantageous for the wrecker operator to expend lengthy amounts of time reaching under the vehicle to be towed to connect securing chains. Such a situation arises in times of wrecks and related forms of emergency wherein the critical factor is quickly engaging and towing the vehicle a limited distance. Other conditions may also merit expeditious towing. One such example is the repossession of vehicles by wrecker operators working for lien holders having a legal right to possess the vehicle. In this situation, the vehicle owner may manifest some degree of disapproval of such conduct with deleterious effects upon a wrecker operator who is apprehended thereby. It is therefore important for the wrecker operator to be able to quickly engage and tow repossessed vehicles with a minimum of noise and time.
The general trend in the development of prior art tow structures is that of facilitating the wide divergence of bumper configurations present on the contemporary vehicle. Present day automobiles have fragile bumpers including energy absorption frames and exposed body panels. Therefore, the designs of tow slings have been improved to provide hitches which can be used in such a manner as not to damage the vehicle in any way. For example longitudinally adjustable hooks have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,734, issued Jan. 7, 1975 to Gerald E. Holmes. The hooks are slidable relative to longitudinal supporting members and coact with spurs projecting from the longitudinal members in such a way that the hooks engage suspension members of the vehicle. Such an improvement is particularly advantageous in safely towing a vehicle once the vehicle is in a location wherein ample time is provided for engagement therewith.
It would be an advantage, therefore, to provide vehicle towing apparatus which could effect quick, quiet engagement and towing of a vehicle to an ultimate location, or distant locale wherein a more permanent tow engagement, such as that defined above, can be effected. The apparatus of the present invention is designed for just such a purpose, wherein a mounting rib is provided for coupling to the standard transverse tow bar of a tow sling of any of several prior art constructions. The rib is provided with an energy absorbing coating for reducing noise and increasing friction. In this manner, prior art tow slings can be adapted for emergency vehicle engagement and towing while maintaining their capacity for towing engagement in a conventional fashion, once the emergency has been eliminated.