Supports: racks – Special article – Velocipede type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-07
2001-05-29
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Velocipede type
C248S320000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237781
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for use in a garage for supporting one or more articles thereon so that the articles may be raised from the garage floor to a storage position thereabove.
2. Description of the Related Art
Residential garages are normally filled with bicycles, tricycles, lawn chairs, lawn mowers, snow blowers, etc., which makes it difficult and inconvenient to use the garage for its intended purpose, that is, the parking of vehicles therein.
Many prior art attempts have been made to solve the problem of storing the articles described above in garages, but they have apparently met with little or no success. One prior art device utilizes J-shaped hooks screwed into the ceiling structure which requires that the articles be manually lifted overhead and supported on the hook or hooks. The lifting of the articles, such as bicycles or the like, onto the hook or hooks is difficult, inconvenient and dangerous. Another prior art attempt at storing bicycles in a garage is to provide a vertical post which is floor-supported and upon which the bicycles are supported. Devices of this type do not sufficiently raise the bicycles to a position where they do not interfere with the parking of the vehicles in the garage. Further, devices of this type require that the bicycles be manually lifted onto the supporting post and manually removed therefrom, which is difficult and inconvenient. Further, the supporting structure itself occupies space within the garage.
Other attempts have also been made to solve the problems identified hereinabove, but those attempts are believed to be too complicated, expensive, impractical and inconvenient to meet with customer acceptance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A device is described for elevating articles for storage within a garage having a floor and a ceiling structure. The device comprises an elongated, generally horizontally disposed support which includes a plurality of hooks or the like thereon for supporting the articles to be stored thereon. A positioning means, such as a winch means, is secured to the ceiling or wall of the garage and is connected to the elongated support for vertically moving the support with respect to the garage floor. The elongated support is initially positioned adjacent the floor of the garage and the bicycles, tricycles, etc., are mounted on the hooks or the like on the support. The positioning means is then actuated to raise the support, and the articles supported thereon, from a position on the floor of the garage to a storage position thereabove. When the articles are supported adjacent the ceiling structure of the garage, the articles do not interfere with the normal use of the garage.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved device for storing articles within a garage.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for elevating articles for storage within a garage from a floor position to an elevated storage position.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described above which does not require that the bicycles, tricycles, etc., be manually lifted overhead, as is the case with prior art devices.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for elevating articles for storage within a garage including a winch means which may be either mechanically operated or electrically operated.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described above which is safe and convenient to use.
These and other objects of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
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Stodola Daniel P.
Thomte Dennis L.
Tran Khoa
Zarley McKee Thomte Voorhees & Sease
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