Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – For rim – tire – or wheel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-20
2001-04-10
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
For rim, tire, or wheel
C224S042250, C224S042260, C224S042300, C070S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213361
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to lug wrench carriers in general, and more specifically to a carrier that includes a four-way lug wrench which is locked in place over a spare tire to prevent theft of both the lug wrench and the spare tire.
BACKGROUND ART
Previously, many types of carriers have been used to provide an effective means of securing a spare tire to a vehicle or trailer. In the past, elaborate carriers have been developed that attach directly to the bed of a pickup truck or to a sidewall of a vehicle. A lug wrench is usually stored in a separate location in the vehicle or trailer as it is an accessory and is rather simple in construction when furnished by the original equipment manufacturer. A four-way lug wrench has greater utility and has not been used in the past to prevent theft of a spare tire when employed in conjunction with a carrier.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Patent No.
Inventor
Issue Date
4,007,863
Norris
Aug 5, 1975
3,865,291
Tidwell
Feb 11, 1975
3,843,033
Wirth
Oct 22, 1974
3,613,972
Daughhetee
Oct. 19, 1971
Norris in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,863 teaches an upright vertically extendible frame that includes depending feet that rest upon the floor of a pickup truck bed with a upper projecting abutment that engages the side wall of the pickup truck bed. A frame includes a clamp that engages the vehicle wheel and tire assembly against one side of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,291 issued to Tidwell is for a spare tire holder that includes an elongated spine provided with clamps for clamping its upper end to the top of a pickup truck bed side wall. Adjustable parts of the clamps are located as to not interfere with the mounting of a camper in the bed of a pickup truck. Wheel securing arrangements allow several sizes of truck wheels to be attached to the spines of the holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,033 of Wirth discloses a tire and wheel carrier mounted in a rack for a pickup truck. The carrier has a base that is mounted to the floor of the truck and includes a pair of spaced upright rods that are secured to a base element thus making it vertically adjustable relative to the base element. A top element is secured to the rods and the overhanging flange of the truck bed. A holding unit secures the wheel and tire assembly to the rods in a protected and rigid manner.
Daughhetee in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,972 teaches a spare tire bracket that is mounted on the rear end of a pickup truck or the trunk of an automobile. A support assembly is secured to the vehicle by an anchor and the invention includes a tire connector which is mountable to a wheel of a spare tire. The tire connector includes a yoke with a threaded member connected to a lock clamp that is removable when not in use.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,954 issued to Neal on Sep. 11, 1972.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Spare tires are usually stored in wheelwells in the trunk of automobiles and are protected by being inside the trunk which has a deck lid lock. In recent times the popularity of pick up trucks, four wheel drive vehicles, sport utility vehicles and vans has created a different problem in that in many instances the spare tire is stored on the outside of the vehicle and as such is subject to theft if not protected by a lock. Further, many lug wrenches provided by original equipment manufacturers are rather simple and not particularly convenient to use, whereas four-way lug wrenches have been in use for decades and are fast and easy to use. It is therefore a primary object of the invention to combine the need for spare tire/wheel protection with the storage and retention of a four-way lug wrench. This object is accomplished by the use of a locking device that is attached to both the vehicle bulkhead and the spare tire/wheel carrier and uses the lug wrench as a barrier thus preventing removal of the wheel.
An important object of the invention is realized since larger vehicles have become more popular and the demand for such theft protection is obviously in the United States. Furthermore, the entire market of trailers for boats, horses, and utility hauling has been with us for as long as internal combustion vehicles have been in use and has the same problems with external mounting of spare wheel and tire assemblies. The instant invention fills this long felt need by accomplishing the task of providing a convenient yet out of the way and secure place to store the wrench and provide anti-theft protection at the same time. Four-way lug wrenches by themselves are not so expensive that they need to be specifically locked however, when one is required their usage is urgent and imperative again increasing desirability.
Another object of the invention is that its usage is almost universal as it will function with any wheel that has a center opening as small as 2 inches (5.08 cm). Since the locking mechanism must fit through a wheel hub, the actual tire size is of little importance as the wrench carrier is adjustable for tire width. This adjustability is important as tire sizes and rim diameters vary considerably.
Still another object of the invention is that almost any four-way wrench may be used with no modification required. In the United States ⅝ inch diameter wrenches have sockets to fit {fraction (11/16)}, ¾, {fraction (13/16)} and ⅞ sockets, while the ¾ inch diameter wrenches fit ⅞. {fraction (15/16)}, 1 and 1{fraction (1/16)}. Metric sizes are also commonly available in the 17 to 22 mm sizes, all of which function properly with the invention. Obviously the shaft size must be considered, but the carrier itself varies only slightly in the width of the open-ended slots that are formed into the body and locking cover that receives the wrench.
Yet another object of the invention is its adaptability to fit most vehicle spare tire carrier brackets. Since the original equipment manufacturers fabricate a bracket to fit the wheel rim, and most wheels in the industry are similar in construction, the only modification required for the use of the invention is to drill holes in the bracket to insert the attachment shaft and attach a flanged sleeve which is easily accomplished with common tools. Further if only the four-way wrench is to be stored and locked in place without the spare tire and rim, the invention is available in a configuration with a threaded shaft and locking nut permitting mounting directly to a vehicle bulkhead or trailer wall.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2711274 (1955-06-01), Stephans
patent: 2831622 (1958-03-01), Bacca
patent: 3613972 (1971-10-01), Duaghhetee
patent: 3688954 (1972-09-01), Neal
patent: 3843033 (1974-10-01), Wirth, Sr.
patent: 3865291 (1975-02-01), Tidwell
patent: 4007863 (1977-02-01), Norris
patent: 4225066 (1980-09-01), Barr
patent: 4294088 (1981-10-01), Barr
patent: 4598848 (1986-07-01), Clark
patent: 4751833 (1988-06-01), Stumf, Jr.
patent: 4873851 (1989-10-01), Arnett
patent: 5586698 (1996-12-01), Satoh
Cota Albert O.
Cronin Stephen K.
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