Freight accommodation on freight carrier – Particular article accommodation – Wheeled vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-21
2001-01-09
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Freight accommodation on freight carrier
Particular article accommodation
Wheeled vehicle
C410S011000, C410S023000, C410S097000, C410S106000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171034
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combination device for tying down and locking a motorcycle to a trailer during towing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many devices are known for tying down a motorcycle to a trailer during towing. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,078,821, 4,243,243, 4,852,779, 5,529,448, 5,326,202, 4,752,177, 4,441,736, 4,072,257 teach various utility trailers, stabilizing hitches, racks, hand grip mounts, strapping systems, and suspension wear reducers for towing or carrying a motorcycle. While the devices disclosed in the aforementioned patents are useful in carrying or towing a motorcycle, none of the aforementioned devices also provide security for the motorcycle. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device which not only secures the motorcycle to the bed of a trailer or truck, but also securely locks the motorcycle to the bed.
Many prior art motorcycle restraint devices scratch or indent the motorcycle when the restraint is fastened thereto. For example, the tie-down rod
89
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,821 includes hose clamps
109
and a pin
107
which, when secured to the frame member
93
of the motorcycle, will scratch the paint on the frame and possibly indent the frame. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a motorcycle restraint device which does not damage the motorcycle in any way when attached to the motorcycle.
Many prior art restraint devices utilize tie-down straps made of nylon, leather or other slightly elastic material. In order to insure that the straps remain taught, the forks of the motorcycle are greatly compressed before tightening the straps to account for stretching during travel. Compression of the motorcycle forks is undesirable and causes damage over a long period of time. Therefor, it would also be desirable to provide an inelastic motorcycle restraint device which does not require excessive compression of the motorcycle forks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The combination tie-down and locking device of the present invention comprises a cut-resistant shackle for clamping around the fork of the motorcycle, a flexible, cut-resistant tie down strap fixed to the shackle, means for tensioning the strap and releasably connecting the free end of the strap to a trailer bed, and means for releasably locking the free end of the strap to the trailer bed.
The shackle has a pair of clamp halves pivotally connected by a hinge. The clamp halves have a semi-circular center portion and a tab fixed to and extending from the center portion. The clamp halves have a scratch-resistant lining on the inner surface of the center portion. The scratch-resistant lining may be PVC tubing, rubber, Teflon, felt or other similar material. Preferably, the clamp halves having an inner diameter in the range of 39-41 mm to engage the forks on the most common motorcycles. However, the shackles can be customized to engage any diameter fork.
The shackle has means for releasably opening, closing and tightening the clamp halves together. Preferably, the means for releasably opening, closing and tightening the clamp halves comprises bolt means extending from one tab to the other tab. The bolt means preferably comprises a thumb screw which can be tightened by hand.
The shackle has means for releasably locking the clamp halves together around the motorcycle fork. Preferably, the shackle locking means comprises a through bore in the tab of each clamp halve and a padlock having a shank diameter smaller than the diameter of the through bores.
The tie down strap preferably comprises a hardened-steel chain. The releasable connecting and tensioning means preferably comprises a quick-connect chain link. The strap locking means comprises a pad lock having a shank diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the links of the chain.
The present invention also provides a method of tying down and locking a motorcycle to a trailer bed. The method comprises the steps of providing a pair of combination tie-down and locking devices such as described above. The shackle of the device is then tightened on each of the forks of the motorcycle. The shackle is locked on each of the forks of the motorcycle by applying a padlock through the tabs of the shackle. The tie down chain is tensioned and connected to the trailer. The chain is tensioned by slightly compressing the forks of motorcycle and releasably connecting an intermediate link of the chain to the trailer bed. The free end of the tie down chain is then looped through an aperture in the trailer and locked to another intermediate link on the chain to form a closed loop connection to the trailer bed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1733269 (1929-10-01), Mauk et al.
patent: 3912139 (1975-10-01), Bowman
patent: 3923220 (1975-12-01), Marcyan
patent: 4078821 (1978-03-01), Kitterman
patent: 4265478 (1981-05-01), Korsgaard
patent: 4441736 (1984-04-01), Shedden
patent: 4842458 (1989-06-01), Carpenter
patent: 5326202 (1994-07-01), Stubbs
patent: 5529448 (1996-06-01), Kosma
patent: 2271093A (1994-04-01), None
Burgoon Stephen
Ricci Vincent
Earley John F. A.
Gordon Stephen T.
Harding Earley Follmer & Frailey
Konieczny Joseph M.
R-B Machine, Inc.
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