A lot of you are probably wondering, how was the tow truck invented? It all started with a man who lost control of his car in 1916. He was driving a Ford Model T, when cars were still a new thing when he ended up in the river.
A group of men went to help and it ended up taking 8 hours to remove the car. A man by the name of Ernest Holmes was one of the men who tried to help the driver and his car out of the river that day. This is also the man that ended up founding the tow truck. His 1st attempt at this invention started with a 1913 Cadillac chassis and a pulley system. The problem with his initial idea was that nothing was holding the truck in place. 6 years later he perfected his idea and came out with a patent. He called his tow truck model the "Holmes 485". It was a truck designed to lift heavy vehicles while being secure to the ground. From here the progression of this invention would not happen until 35 years later by his great grandkids. Hydraulic suspensions were added to the tow trucks but at first, it was a massive failure, slowly with more powerful systems in play they began to see success. A winch and hook and chain system were used for many years which then evolved into a wheel lift system. This system cradled the wheels of the car to lift it off the ground. Over the years the tow truck has improved and has helped millions of drivers out of sticky situations. We strive to keep Sr Holmes's legacy alive by using his invention to help the residents of Aloha, Oregon. Need a tow? Just give us a call at 503-483-6698. |
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