Automobile loading wedge and method

• US 5,743,689 A
• Filed: 02/20/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gary D. Schlaeger
• Original Assignee: Gary D. Schlaeger
• Inventors: Schlaeger, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US08/603,650
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 410/4, 410/6, 410/7, 410/9, 410/13, 410/16, 410/19, 410/25, 410/30, 410/49, 410/155, D12/217, 188/32, 188/4 R, 254/88, 280/79.4
• US Class Current: 410/30
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/077 Wheel cradles, chocks, or wells

Abstract

Two light weight, movable ramp members having upper depressions are provided for supporting a pair of wheels of a motor vehicle in an elevated position in a transport container. The two ramp members are spaced apart with two spacers to hold them against the side walls of the container. At least three pairs of the ramp members may be provided to support the front or rear wheels of three vehicles. Spacers are provided for spacing the front pair of ramp members from the front wall of the container. The two ramp members may be used to support the front or rear wheels of a motor vehicle in a container by locating the two members on the floor of the container; using the spacers to maintain them at desired positions; and moving the front or rear wheels of the motor vehicle up the two ramp members into their upper depressions.

Claims

1. Apparatus for holding two wheels of a motor vehicle in place, comprising:

a pair of wedge shaped ramp members,

each wedge shaped ramp member comprising;

a bottom surface,

first and second opposite facing sides,

front and rear ends with said member having a given length between said front and rear ends,

a top surface with at least a portion of said top surface forming an acute angle relative to said bottom surface such that the distance between said portion of said top surface and said bottom surface increases along said length of said member from said rear end for a given distance,

a slot formed in said top surface between said two sides near said front end for receiving a portion of a tire,

at least two side apertures extending into said member from one of said sides of said member near said bottom surface,

said two members being adapted to be located in a vehicle in a supporting position wherein said at least two side apertures of said two members are located to face each other when said bottom surfaces of said two members rest on a support surface and said front ends of said two members face in the same direction,

two elongated spacers each of which has opposite ends,

said two elongated spacers being adapted to have their opposite ends located in said side apertures of said two members when said two members are located in said supporting position to space said two members apart,

wherein two wheels of a vehicle may be partially located in said slots of said two members.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

at least one front aperture extending into each of said members from said front ends near said bottom surfaces,

two front spacers each of which has opposite ends,

said two front spacers being adapted to have ends located in said front apertures of said two members and ends located against a front surface for spacing said front ends of said two members from the front surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

each of said wedge shaped ramp members is formed of a plurality of layers of corrugated cardboard laminated together with each layer extending along the lengths of said members.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

each of said ramp members comprises fiberglass.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

each of said ramp members is formed of a rigid foam.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, comprising:

a container for transporting motor vehicles and having a front wall, a rear wall, two spaced apart side walls, and a bottom wall,

said two members of said apparatus are located in said supporting position with their bottom surfaces being supported by said bottom wall,

said two elongated spacers have their opposite ends located in said side apertures of said two members to space said two members apart,

said two front spacers having ends located in said front apertures of said two members and opposite ends located against said front surface for spacing said front ends of said two members from said front surface, and

a motor vehicle having two wheels located partially in said slots of said two members.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said from surface comprises said front wall of said container.

8. A method of supporting a motor vehicle in a container wherein the vehicle comprises two wheels and the container has a front wall, a rear wall, two spaced apart side walls and a bottom wall, comprising the steps of:

providing a pair of wedge shaped ramp members,

each wedge shaped ramp member comprising;

a bottom surface,

first and second opposite facing sides,

front and rear ends with said member having a given length between said front and rear ends,

a top surface with at least a portion of said top surface forming an acute angle relative to said bottom surface such that the distance between said portion of said top surface and said bottom surface increases along said length of said member from said rear end for a given distance,

a slot formed in said top surface between said two sides near said front end for receiving a portion of a wheel,

at least two side apertures extending into said member from one of said sides of said member near said bottom surface,

at least one front aperture extending into said member from said front end near said bottom surface,

said two members being adapted to be located in a vehicle supporting position wherein, said at least two side apertures of said two members are located to face each other when said bottom surfaces of said two members rest on a support surface and said front ends of said two members face in the same direction,

providing at least four elongated spacers each of which has opposite ends,

two of said spacers being adapted to have their opposite ends located in said side apertures of said two members when said two members are located in said vehicle supporting position to space said two members apart,

two of said spacers being adapted to have ends located in said front apertures of said two members and opposite ends located against a front surface for spacing said front ends of said members from the front surface,

locating said two members in said container in said vehicle supporting position with their bottom surfaces being supported by said bottom wall,

locating the ends of two of said spacers in said side apertures of said two members to space said two members apart,

locating the ends of two of said spacers in said front apertures of said two members and two opposite ends located against a front surface for spacing said front ends of said members from said front surface, and

moving said vehicle up said two members and locating said two wheels partially in said slots of said two members.