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    History of Towing

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    Rana Abdullah
    Ernest Holmes is considered the inventor of the modern tow truck. In 1913, he developed one of the first towing systems by attaching a crane and pulley system to his Cadillac. While unstable, it proved the concept of towing disabled vehicles. Holmes continued improving his design and was eventually awarded a patent in 1919. Early tow trucks used simple hook and chain systems to tow vehicles, which required many men to operate. The technology evolved over time with the introduction of wheel lifts and flatbed trucks. Modern tow trucks are highly advanced pieces of equipment that use hydraulic and electric systems to safely recover vehicles in different situations. Towing remains an important service for transporting vehicles that cannot drive under their own power.

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    History of Towing

    Uploaded by

    Rana Abdullah
    32 views6 pages
    Ernest Holmes is considered the inventor of the modern tow truck. In 1913, he developed one of the first towing systems by attaching a crane and pulley system to his Cadillac. While unstable, it proved the concept of towing disabled vehicles. Holmes continued improving his design and was eventually awarded a patent in 1919. Early tow trucks used simple hook and chain systems to tow vehicles, which required many men to operate. The technology evolved over time with the introduction of wheel lifts and flatbed trucks. Modern tow trucks are highly advanced pieces of equipment that use hydraulic and electric systems to safely recover vehicles in different situations. Towing remains an important service for transporting vehicles that cannot drive under their own power.

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    History and Evolution of Tow trucks

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    Ernest Holmes is considered the inventor of the modern tow truck. In 1913, he developed one of the first towing systems by attaching a crane and pulley system to his Cadillac. While unstable, it proved the concept of towing disabled vehicles. Holmes continued improving his design and was eventually awarded a patent in 1919. Early tow trucks used simple hook and chain systems to tow vehicles, which required many men to operate. The technology evolved over time with the introduction of wheel lifts and flatbed trucks. Modern tow trucks are highly advanced pieces of equipment that use hydraulic and electric systems to safely recover vehicles in different situations. Towing remains an important service for transporting vehicles that cannot drive under their own power.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    32 views6 pages

    History of Towing

    Uploaded by

    Rana Abdullah
    Ernest Holmes is considered the inventor of the modern tow truck. In 1913, he developed one of the first towing systems by attaching a crane and pulley system to his Cadillac. While unstable, it proved the concept of towing disabled vehicles. Holmes continued improving his design and was eventually awarded a patent in 1919. Early tow trucks used simple hook and chain systems to tow vehicles, which required many men to operate. The technology evolved over time with the introduction of wheel lifts and flatbed trucks. Modern tow trucks are highly advanced pieces of equipment that use hydraulic and electric systems to safely recover vehicles in different situations. Towing remains an important service for transporting vehicles that cannot drive under their own power.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 6

    HISTORY OF TOWING

    Towing couples two or more objects together so that a designated power source or
    sources may pull them. The source of the towing can be a motorized land vehicle, a boat, an
    object or a human being, the load that can be pulled. A string, rope, cord, hook, three-point, fifth
    wheel, binding, drawbar, integrated brace, or other means to keep the objects together while they
    are in motion may connect them.

    When did tow trucks first appear?

    Towing was something in one form or another for as long as there were vehicles that
    could break down. Before the days of cars, large animals would get hooked up to break down
    vehicles, pull them out of mud, snow, or anywhere else. They would even sometimes help to get
    damaged cars back home. Of course, there was no towing service in those days, and most of the
    time the people who would help were just those with the means and ability to do that who
    happened to stop by. Many of those bad cars were often abandoned due to the lack of resources
    or people with the skills to support them. Nowadays, tow truck companies are booming, some
    even in small towns.

    Figure 1: Old fashioned Tow Truck

    Ernest Holmes Experience

    A driver of one of the best car models at the time, a Ford T, swept off the road back in
    1916 and plunged into a Tennessee lake. It happened that one mechanic, Ernest Holmes, was in
    the neighborhood as it was his home area. He mobilized other men to help get the car out of the

    1
    creek which turned out to be a very difficult task for the men's team. Wood, rope, and bricks
    were the only tools they could use. It took several hours for eight people to complete the task.
    Holmes became drained after the grueling cycle had been completed. He realized that a better
    way had to be there.

    How It All Began

    Holmes began his work on developing a simpler method of recovering vehicles and
    developed a crane and pulley system which he attached to his Cadillac in 1913. In theory, this
    looked good, but it turned out his new towing system was simply not stable enough to recover
    vehicles. He continued to work on his towing models, determined, and eventually added
    outriggers to help his new invention and stabilize it. In 1919, Holmes was awarded a patent for
    his machine and a new business was born – tow trucking!

    Figure 2: An Early Cadillac V-8 Sedan converted into a tow truck

    What kind of equipment was there for early tow trucks?

    In the past, primary tow trucks utilized a blend of hooks and pulleys set to decrease the
    measure of work expected to move a vehicle. Related to a restrictive working framework, in
    generously less time, a solitary individual could take the necessary steps of what used to take
    about at least six individuals! Another model would turn out with new tools and facilities every

    2
    few years, for example, the "V" Towing Coupler that permitted a tow truck driver with a hooked-
    up vehicle to go up to 30 MPH without harming it.

    Figure 3: Ernest Holmes-patent drawing

    Many towing corporations still use outdated facilities irrespective of


    developments

    While huge numbers of the advances in early towing are as yet strong, tow truck
    operators also need to move forward with the occasions. And keeping in mind that the first
    Holmes 485 was, for its time, an unbelievable vehicle, its steam-fueled engine would not have
    had the option to tow something as large and massive as a motorhome. None of these unique tow
    trucks are still out and about, yet some towing organizations don't utilize up-to-date innovation,
    adhering to a similar tow truck they've been utilizing for quite a long time! And keeping in mind
    that in specific circumstances, equipment, for example, a hook and chain is as yet reasonable,
    constraining the innovation also restrains the sort of work that the truck can handle.

    The Evolution of Tow Trucks

    The first commercial tow truck built by this mechanic was the Holmes 680 that was
    supposed to sell at $680, but it was just too costly as it turned. He then produced Holmes 485, a
    cheaper version he sold for, you guessed, $485. Holmes mounted his machine on a locomotive in
    1913, a steam-powered vehicle with a six-cylinder engine and a manual four-speed transmission.
    What is also interesting is that when the United States entered the Second World War, his

    3
    company, which was sold back in 1973 and is now known as Miller Industries, built vehicles for
    military use. The Tow Truck continued to evolve over the years and produced numerous

    Figure 4: Modern-day Tow Truck

    manufacturers. Towing is currently a high-tech industry witnessing the production of advanced


    and more powerful tow trucks such as the flatbed powered solely by electrical switches and
    hydraulic systems.

    New towing equipment blends advanced towing techniques with improved design,
    protection, and power. These include wheel lifts, flatbeds and tow trucks that are incorporated.
    To meet different requirements, a variety of different types of towing systems. These devices for
    towing include:

    Hook and Chain: This is how the hook and chain system works: rope coils around the axle or
    frame of the car and a boom winch raises it. Such a device, however, can only operate without an
    all-wheel drive for cars with steel bumpers or damage the bumpers or drivetrain.

    Wheel Lift: This is now one of the most common towing equipment types, where a yoke fits under
    the wheels of the car and lifts off the ground part of the car.

    4
    Boom: This system involves a boom winch connected to and moving a vehicle that needs to be
    towed.

    Flatbed Trailers: The truck is towing behind it a flatbed. The towed car is perched above the
    ground on this flatbed.

    Integrated Tow Trucks: The combination system with both the lifting equipment for the boom
    and the rim.

    Vehicle Recovery and Transport

    Off-road situations can sometimes occur which may require a special type of recovery
    that can only be provided by a tow truck. Besides, towing services can be accessed for the
    transport of showroom vehicles by car dealership companies to ensure their safe arrival and free
    of damage to the vehicles. Industrial firms may also require heavy machinery and equipment
    towing that cannot otherwise be transported. In the repair shop of an Auto Mechanic, a failed
    battery or similar situation may also require a vehicle tow.

    5
    References

    A Brief History of Towing and Tow Trucks: Guy's Towing Service. (2017, October 19). Retrieved
    from https://guystowingservice.com/blog/history-of-tow-trucks/.

    5 Facts About the History of Tow Trucks. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://theautotowing.com/the-
    history-of-tow-trucks/.

    Evolution-Tow Truck. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rHQfnRgQPI. (2015,


    March 5)

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