Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier attached to the front or rear end of vehicle
Patent
1996-02-08
1997-09-02
Recla, Henry J.
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier attached to the front or rear end of vehicle
224506, 224535, 224537, 224924, 224553, 211 5, 211 18, B60R 910, A47F 700
Patent
active
056622562
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The following invention relates to bicycle racks. More particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a bicycle rack which may be affixed to the wall of a garage, or for example to the tow bar of a vehicle, and to securely retain bicycles.
PRIOR ART
Various means of supporting a bicycle upon a motor vehicle are known. One method is to simply place the bicycle in the trunk of the vehicle, often requiring the bicycle to be at least partially dismantled. Another method is to attach the bicycle by some means to roof racks upon a vehicle's roof or by some other means to the rear of the vehicle. Such means of attaching bicycles to the roof or rear of the vehicle include minimal if any security measures to prevent or deter theft of the bicycle(s).
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages and/or more generally to provide an improved bicycle rack.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
There is disclosed herein a bicycle rack comprising:
an upright post to be secured to an object,
an arm pivotably attached to said post and adapted to pivot between a first orientation essentially parallel with said post, and a second orientation essentially normal to said post,
means to lock said arm against pivoting in one or more preselected orientations, and
retaining means to lockingly retain at least part of a bicycle to said arm, wherein said retaining means comprises a plate adapted to be locked to said arm, said plate comprising a deviation by which a top tube of a bicycle may be secured against said arm.
Preferably, the bicycle rack further comprises a number plate support pivotally attached to a remote end of said arm.
Preferably, the bicycle rack further comprises means to maintain said number plate support in a preselected orientation relative to said post throughout pivoting of said arm.
Preferably, said maintaining means comprises a parallelogram link extending from said post to said number plate support.
Preferably, said arm comprises a groove corresponding to said deviation.
Preferably, there is further provided a gas cylinder extending between said post and said arm.
Preferably, said means to lock comprises at least one locking boss adapted to pass through corresponding apertures in said post and arm, said boss being biased by a spring into said apertures, and being retractable from at least one of said apertures to allow pivoting of said arm relative to said post.
Preferably, said post is pivotally attached to a base, said base being adapted to be supported by a vehicle.
Preferably, said base is pivotally lockably mounted to said post. Alternatively, said base comprises a hole therethrough, said base being supportable by a tow bar and said hole being adapted to receive a tow ball shaft for secure mounting to said tow bar.
Also disclosed herein is a combination comprising the above disclosed bicycle rack and a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a wall, the mounting plate comprises a lug adapted to cooperate so as to support the post and means to lock the post to the mounting plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bicycle rack,
FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view of the upper portion of the rack of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational view of part of the rack of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a schematic end elevational view of a locking means forming part of the bicycle rack of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,
FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of an alternative base forming part of the bicycle rack of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 6 is a schematic elevational view of the base of FIG. 4 in an open configuration.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a bicycle rack 10, typically fabricated from mild steel, aluminium or other alloy. Bicycle r
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Recla Henry J.
Vidovich Gregory M.
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