Castle Equipment Co. - Weaver Auto Crane History

The Auto Crane

The Weaver Auto Crane was a popular product that was first made in 1915. It could convert a truck or even a car into a tow truck. It came in several capacities. A gas engine model introduced in 1928 was called the Power Wrecking Crane. Several Toy Companies produced replicas of it.

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1927

Weaver Auto Crane in Action with a Hi Speed Auto Ambulance and the new -Lifting Hook

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1924

This 1924 Automobile Trade Journal AD for the Weaver Auto Crane shows how it can be easily attached to any truck or even the "Rumble Seat" of many cars.

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1927

Weaver Model G Auto Crane ( WG-13) had a 6000 lb capacity .It fit in a 36" x 30" Space

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1927

Weaver Model G Auto Crane had a 5" Drum and could hold 50' of Chain or 200' of Cable

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1923

The Weaver Auto Ambulance Model "C" is advertised here in Motor Age Magazine of January 25, 1923. This advertisement- shows how - along with the Weaver Auto Crane, an automobile could be towed with all 4 wheels off the ground. The Auto Ambulance went under the rear axle and it's tongue extended to engage the tow hook at the vehicles front.


Motor Age of 1924 - featured the Weaver Auto Crane on a Studebaker Car Chassis		1925 Automotive Trade Journal Ad featuring the Weaver Auto Crane

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1928

The Weaver Power Wrecking Crane ( Model WG 15) was introduced in 1928. It had all of the same features as the Auto Crane plus these additional features - It was powered by an air cooled 2 HP gas engine with electric start, and also had dual 5" take up drums. Each drum could hold 300' of cable. It had a 3.5 Ton capacity (7000 lbs).

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1928

The Weaver Power Wrecking Crane allowed either independent or combined use of it's two take up drums. For heavy loads both drums could be engaged. The bottom drum could be used alone as a direct inline winch. The top drum could also be used alone to pickup the front of a vehicle. The Top Photo shows the lower drum being used as a winch to right an overturned car. The Center Photo shows both drums engaged together for maximum pulling power. The Lower Photo shows the vehicle being towed with a Hi Speed Auto Ambulance under the rear axle..

WEAVER GARAGE EQUIPMENT AD FROM 1927

The Weaver Lifting Hook was designed to engage the front springs of the Automomobile

Weaver Auto Crane for Tow Trucks

The Weaver Auto Crane was a Mechanical Tow Truck Crane. Here it is shown mounted on a 1927 Ford Model "T" Wrecker. The Heavy Duty Winch was very powerful for its day.

This was available in a 2 Ton and 3 Ton Model. It had a swivel head, allowing the user to pull from the side as well as from the rear. There were two speed settings - one for quick take-up to cinch the chain and the other for pulling. It had a 70:1 ratio of pulling power. The Two Ton Model could either use a 26' 5/16" Close Link Chain or a 40' 7/16" Cable. The Weaver Auto Crane could mount on a Truck or Car. The base was 36" Wide by 29.5" long. They were sometimes mounted in the Rumble Seat of an Automobile.
The Auto Crane was first manufactured in 1915. In 1928 Weaver introduced a model operated by a 2 HP Air Cooled Gas Engine - The Weaver Power Wrecking Crane.


Original 2 Ton Model	Model G -3 Ton Crane	Power Wrecking Crane

The Original Auto Crane was rated at 2 Tons, Later on it's capacity was raised to 2.5 Tons ( as listed in the 1933 Weaver Price List) - The Original Model could hold 26' of Chain or 40' of Cable. The later Model " G" Auto Crane had a 3 ton Capacity and could hold 50' of Chain or 200' of Cable. The Power Crane was operated by a 2 Horsepower Gas Engine. It had a 3.5 ton Capacity and Twin Drums - each Drum could hold 300' of Cable.

Weaver Auto Crane Models & Toys
Toy Model of the Weaver Auto Crane by Arcade Manufacturing from 1929

Arcade Model 215 Weaver Auto Crane Wrecker on Ford Model A from 1929		Weaver Auto crane mounted on Toy Truck by Corgi Manufacturing from the 1920's
When Toy Makers decided to produce a Toy Wrecker--What did they use for a model?--The Weaver Auto Crane -- It was the Industry Standard in it's day. These items are highly collectable. -