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Posted by Clint Dixon [74.206.62.94] on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 21:30:00 :
In Reply to: But when did the design change? posted by ScottW [75.209.251.25] on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 18:48:25 :
The Truckstell assembly has members that angle up slightly from the truck's frame rails? This puts the pivot joint higher than the center line of the frame? The Willock has members that (the underside at least) angle downward from the truck's frame rails? This puts the pivot joint lower than the center line of the frame?
It looks like the Truckstell assembly has some healthy notches for clearance to the rear driveshaft. Am I correct in assuming that the Willock has even larger "honkin" notches for clearance?
From the patent information, it appears that there was enough of a difference from the Willock to grant a patent to Truckstell design. Maybe they purposely designed in such significant and fundamental changes solely in order to be awarded a patent? If not, they probably would have never been granted a patent. Some questions that come to my mind as I struggle to understand all of this:
1) Were any Power-Wagon swivels ever produced that wore ONLY the Truckstell name?
2) Did Willock merge with, and/or was the company bought out by, Truckstell?
3) Was Truckstell licensed by Willock to sell swivels?
4) Did Truckstell ever produce a swivel for any truck other than the Power-Wagon?
5) When Truckstell applied for their patent on Aug 23, 1955, were they competing with Willock, or was there already a professional relationship between the two companies?
From casual observation it appears that the Power Wagon model of the Willock was simply a modified version of a standard model meant for various other trucks. The Truckstell version appears more tailored specifically to the Power Wagon.
Junior
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