Towing vehicle, boom, winching and lifting apparatus

Abstract

A towing vehicle in the form of a tow truck is disclosed in combination with a novel boom, winching and lifting apparatus. The boom is pivotally mounted on a rear body of the tow truck and comprises an angled construction so that the free end of the boom is pivotable through an arcuate path from an upper position sufficient to permit conventional towing to a lower position sufficient to permit front-end winching. A winching cable is operatively associated with the free end of the boom and when the boom is positioned in its lowermost orientation the cable may extend forwardly beneath the truck for engaging a vehicle to be towed or winched in front of the truck. A belt sling assembly is mounted at the rear of the truck body and is releasably connected to the boom. A wheel lift sling assembly is connected to the boom and includes flexible sling straps depending from opposite ends of a sling support on opposite sides of the belt sling assembly. The sling straps are releasably secured to the rear of the truck body on opposite sides of the belt sling assembly so as not to interfere with the operation thereof. The belt sling assembly is pivotally mounted at the rear of the body for pivotal movement to a storage position overlying the bed so as not to interfere with operation of the wheel lift sling assembly.