Front tow extended saddle
View Patent ↗A front tow extended saddle is disclosed. The saddle allows a first towing truck to mount a second truck, facing forward, behind the first truck, in order to tow the second truck to a distant location. The saddle allows the towed truck to face forward during transport, thus allowing for the normal loads and stresses of movement on the towed truck. This configuration is preferable to movement with the towed truck facing-rearward, in which the typical aerodynamic surfaces of a large truck act as a drag during transport, imposing high wind loads and unusual stresses. The front tow extended saddle is also designed to minimize the required vertical rise on the towed truck, which also avoids additional stresses during loading and unloading onto the towing truck.
1. A front tow extended saddle, comprising:
a front portion comprising a first set of two spaced apart bars on a first plane for interfacing with a saddle mount or with a fifth wheel of a towing vehicle; and
a rear portion comprising at least a second set of two spaced apart bars not on the first plane for adjustably mounting to an axle and a frame of said vehicle to be towed and supporting said frame,
wherein the front portion is joined at an angle to the rear portion, and wherein the front portion is configured for mounting to the towing vehicle and the rear portion is configured for horizontally-adjustable, rigid mounting to the vehicle to be towed, and wherein the front portion is configured to allow rotation of the front tow extended saddle with respect to the towing vehicle; and
wherein the rear portion comprises a middle section comprising a second set of two spaced apart bars, the middle section rotatably joined to the front portion with a first pivot; and a rear section, and the rear portion also comprises a rear section comprising a third set of spaced apart bars, the rear section rotatably joined to the middle section with a second pivot, and further comprising apertures and locking pins for preventing rotation of the front portion to the rear portion and for preventing rotation of the rear section to the middle section.
2. A method of preparing to tow a forward-facing towed truck with a towing truck, the method comprising:
furnishing a front tow extended saddle according to claim 1 ;
mounting the front portion to the towing truck;
adjusting a horizontal position of at least two axle security assemblies;
fixedly mounting the rear portion to an axle of the towed truck using the at least two axle security assemblies;
adjusting a horizontal position of at least two lower security assemblies; and
fixedly mounting the rear portion to a body of the towed truck using the at least two lower security assemblies, wherein front wheels of the towed truck are optionally raised from a ground surface and wherein said rear portion supports said body.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of towing the forward-facing towed truck using the front tow extended saddle.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising reinforcing a truck structural member by placing at least one inner frame spacer block assembly within said truck structural member.