Land vehicles – Wheeled – Occupant propelled type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-05
2002-09-03
Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Occupant propelled type
C280S503000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443472
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a towing bracket for attaching a trailer to a bicycle, and particularly to a towing bracket attachable to the bolt that attaches the hub of the rear wheel to the bicycle's frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,306 discloses a bracket for attaching a trailer to a bicycle. As disclosed, the bracket in the '306 patent attaches between the horizontal and inclined frame members of the rear frame of the bicycle by means of a screw knob and a tightening lip.
Applicant has found that one problem with the bracket of the '306 patent is that it is impossible to produce one bracket that will fit all bicycle frames, because bicycle frames vary greatly in the configuration of the inclined I and horizontal H rear frame members. The variation in configuration can be seen in
FIGS. 1-4
. The spacing between the inclined and horizontal members, the angle between the members, and the thickness of the members all vary to such an extent that it is not feasible to produce a single bracket to accommodate the variations.
There is a need for a bicycle towing bracket which can be atttached to the rear wheel of bicycle without regard to the configuration of the horizontal and inclined members of the rear frame.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A towing bracket for attaching a trailer to a bicycle, the bicycle having a rear wheel with a hub, a nut and bolt attaching the hub to the bicycle frame, the frame having at least one slot adjacent the bolt, the towing bracket comprising:
a) a hanging member having an aperture therethrough, the aperture adapted to engage the bolt and to be held in place by the nut, the hanging member also having a collar; and
b) a trailer linkage having a first end mating with the collar and a second end attachable to a trailer.
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it is attached to the hub bolt of the rear wheel, and essentially all bicycles have similar rear wheel hub bolts.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it may include a locking disk for preventing the bracket from rotating about the rear wheel hub bolt.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3993320 (1976-11-01), Robinson
patent: 4721320 (1988-01-01), Creps et al.
patent: 5076599 (1991-12-01), Lockett et al.
patent: 5171034 (1992-12-01), Scott
patent: 6056306 (2000-05-01), Rust
Fitting Instructions for Trailer Coupling F2 brochure from H. Hemmelskamp GmbH & Co KG, May 2000.
Fitting Instructions for Trailer Coupling F2 brochure from H. Hemmelskamp GmbH & Co KG, May 2000.
Briggs and Morgan
Capes Nelson R.
Helget Gerald E.
Hurley Kevin
InSTEP LLC
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