Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 FIELD OF INVENTION
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This invention relates to a kit of components for mechanically
assembling a bicycle support rack, and structures therefor.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Racks -For supporting bicycles (bicycle racks) constructed of
metal and used throughout the world are commonly of an upstanding shape
comprising two vertical parallel spaced apart support members to receive
an upstanding bicycle wheel intermediate the two vertical support members
and a base therefor. Usually, the support members comprise loops which
form a plane of suppor-t corresponding to the plane of a bicycle wheel.
The vertical, parallel spaced apart loops are supported usually by
horizontally extending members suf-Ficiently arranged to form a stable
base. Usually the vertical loops and base are comprised of components
which are welded together.
In other embodiments, two parallel spaced apart support members
are oriented on any axis sufficient to receive and support -therebetween
a suitable member of a bicycle frame.
While existing bicycle racks have been suitable for commercial
or public applications, the fact tha-t they are welded together or com
prised of relatively heavy components has not permitted them to be
suitable for pr-ivate residential purposes. No one has provided a kit
for mechanically asse~bling a lightweight yet sturdy bicycle rack suitable
for private residential purposes, constructed of a minimum number of
components which are inexpensively produced and easily assembled.
Further and other objects of the invention will be realized by
those skilled in the art from the -following summary of the invention and
detailed description of embodiments thereof.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, a bicycle rack is
provided comprising parallel spaced apart uprights, horizontal tubes
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1 communicat;ng between the uprights and connected thereto, the improve-
ment comprising a kit of components for mechanically assembling a
bicycle rack comprising a plurality of substantially U-shaped tubes of
equal length whereby at least two opposite and aligned substantially U-
shaped tubes of equal length connect to form a closed loop providinguprights positioned transversely to at least two parallel spaced apart
horizontal tubes of equal length communicating between and connected to
the uprights, thereby providing a base for the bicycle rack.
According to another aspect of the invention, one end of each
horizontal and each substantially U-shaped tube is of an exterior dia-
meter (male end) substantially equal to the interior diameter of the
opposite end (female end), and carries a plurality of spaced apertures
through the diameter of the tube suitable for receiving a bolt there-
through.
According to another aspect of the invention, the kit for
mechanically assembling the bicycle rack comprises a plurality of
substantially U-shaped tubes of equal length, each having one end swaged
to provide an exterior diameter substantially equal to the interior
diameter of the other end whereby two substantially U-shaped tubes of
equal length one directed towards the other having one swaged end of
each of the substantially U-shaped tubes opposite and aligned with
another receptive end of the opposite substantially U-shaped tube, the
pair of substantially U-shaped tubes telescoping frictionally together
to form a closed loop are provided comprising an upright loop carrying a
plurality of spaced apertures therethrough suitable to receive at least
two carriage bolts communicating with aligned apertures of at least two
parallel spaced apart horizontal tubes of equal length; the at least
two parallel spaced apart horizontal tubes each providing a male end and
an opposite female end thereby being frictionally telescopical with
respect to abutting horizontal tubes, each horizontal tube carrying a
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1 plurality of spaced apertures therethrough.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention,
the kit of components For mechanically assembling the bicycle rack
comprising a plurality of substantially U-shaped tubes of equal length
and horizontal tubes of equal length is preferably constructed from
cold rolled low carbon steel of commercial quality comprising substantially
a range of suitable tubular dimensions from one inch diameter of either
16 gauge or 1~ gauge to 3/4 inch diameter of either 16 gauge or 18 gauge.
The substantially U-shaped tubes, each substantially 29~2 inches in
length, at a point substantially equidistant their ends are bent 180
degrees comprising two 90 degree turns, each turn about a radius of
curvature of 3 inches. The substantially U-shaped tube preferably
carries two opposite and aligned apertures, each one spaced 5~2 inches
from the ends of the substantially U-shaped tube and a third aperture
spaced equidistant the ends of the substantially U-shaped tube and
intermediate the substantially semi-circular bend in the tube, preferably
the third aperture permitting a third horizontal tube to communicate
between and connect to upright loops. The horizontal tubes preferably
each substantially 29 inches or 40~2 inches in length depending upon
whether an assembled section of the bicycle rack is to receive and
support 2 or 3 bicycles respectively. Preferably, a plurality of
substantially closely spaced apertures carried by the horizontal tubes
are spaced 2~2 inches apart and a plurality of such pairs of substantially
closely spaced apertures are more broadly spaced 11 inches apart.
Preferably the swaged portion of one end of each substantially U-shaped
tube or each horizontal tube, extends 3 inches from the end thereof,
thereby providing a stable connection and a limit to the extent to which
tubes are telescopical (frictionally) with respect to one another.
According to another aspect of the invention, preferably at
least two assembled sections of the bicycle rack may be connected to
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l form a longer bicycle rack, whereby the parallel spaced apart horizontal
tubes oF at least two assembled sections are aligned, at least two
swaged ends of horizontal tubes carried by both sections opposite and
aligned with at least two receptive ends of horizontal tubes carried by
both sections, the opposite and aligned horizontal tubes telescoping
frictionally together.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, an
assembled section of the bicycle rack may be supported from a wall by a
lateral bracket sufficient that the bicycle rack extends horizontally
adjacent to the wall.
According to one aspect of the invention, preferably, the
plurality of apertures carried by the horizontal tubes are spaced to
carry at least two transversely positioned upright loops substantially
closely spaced apart to receive therebetween a bicycle wheel oriented
along its plane, to carry a plurality of such pairs of substantially
closely spaced upright loops substantially broadly spaced to permit the
bicycle rack to support more than one bicycle, and, the plurality of
apertures carried by the substantially U-shaped tubes forming the
upright loops spaced to position the at least two parallel spaced apart
horizontal tubes sufFiciently apart such that the at least two parallel
spaced apart horizontal tubes normally support the circumference of a
standard sized bicycle wheel at two points.
According to another aspect of the invention, preferably the
apertures carried by the horizontal tubes and substantially U-shaped
tubes are punched through the tubes thereby forming an elliptical
depression in the wall of the tube defined by an annular lip comprising
the wall of the tube sufficient that when the apertures of transversely
positioned tubes are aligned a greater tangential surface area is provided
to form a more stable joint spread over a wider area.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention a third
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1 horizontal tube subs-tantially vertically spaced from the at least two
horizontal tubes, communicates between and is connected to the plurality
of upriyht loops.
The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the
following drawing, illustrating embodiments of the invention and the
detailed description of the embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle rack in one
embodiment of the invention, supporting a bicycle.
Figure 2 is an end view of the bicycle rack in Figure 1,
supporting a bicycle wheel.
Figure 3 is a top view of the bicycle rack in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a top view of another embodiment of the bicycle
rack shown in Figures 1 and 3.
Figure 5 is a close-up perspective partially cut away exploded
view, of transversely positioned tubes for a kit~comprising the bicycle
rack in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an aperture in one of
the tubes shown in Figure 5, taken along line 6-6.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the transversely po-
sitioned tubes in Figure 5, taken along line 7-7.
Figure 8 is an end view of one embodirnent of the bicycle rack
in Figure 1, supported from a wall, and supporting a bicycle.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION
With reference to Figure 1, a bicycle rack 11 is shown com-
prising first 13 and second 15 horizontal tubes, a third 17 horizontal
tube substantially vertically spaced above the first 13 and second
horizontal tubes; horizontal tubes 13, 15, 17 communicating with a
plurality of upright loops 19 and connected thereto by a plurality of
apertures 21, 21', 37, 37', (best shown in Figure 5) which are aligned
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1 to receive therethrough a bolt 23 secured by a nut 25.
Wi-th reference to Figure 5, the upright loops 19 are each
comprised of identical substantially U-shaped tubes 27, 27'. U-shaped
tube 27 has one end swaged 29 to provide an exterior diameter 31 sub-
stantially equal to the interior diameter 33 of the receptive end 35 oftube 27. U-shaped tubes 27, 27' are directed one 27 toward the other
27'5 whereby swaged end 29 is aligned with receptive end 35' and recep-
tive end 35 is aligned with swaged end 29'; U-shaped tubes 27, 27'
thereby telescoping frictionally together to form upright loop 19. U-
shaped tube 27 carries two opposite and aligned apertures 21 equallyspaced from the ends 29, 35, thereof to communicate with apertures 39
carried by hori~ontal tube 15. Identical U-shaped tube 27' carries two
opposite and aligned apertures 21' equally spaced from the ends 29', 35'
thereof to communicate with aperture 39 carried by horizontal tube 13
(not shown in Figure 5). It will be appreciated that either top or
bottom apertures 21, 21' may communicate with horizontal tubes 15, 13.
Identical U-shaped tubes 27~ 27' carry apertures 37, 37' spaced inter-
mediate the substantially semi-circular bend 41, 41' in tubes 27, 27'.
Apertures 37, or 37' communicates with horizontal tube 17 (not shown in
Figure 5)
With reference to Figure 6 apertures 21, 39 in any of tubes
13, 15, 17, 27, 27' is shown in cross-section along the line 6-6 of tube
15. Aperture 21, 39 is punched through tube 13, 15, 17, 27, 27' thereby
forming elliptical depression 43 in wall 47 of tube 13, 15, 17, 27, 27'
defined by annular lip 45. With reference to Figure 7, for example,
substantially U-shaped tube 27 shown in cross-section along its length
(line 7-7) is transversely positioned with respect to tube 15, shown
from a cross-sectional end view. When apertures 21, 39 are aligned,
depression 43 defined by annular lip 45 of tubes 27, 15 provide a joint
spread over, substantially, a wider area. Bolt 23 extends through
1 aligned apertures 21, 39 and is secured by nut 25. Preferably nut 25 is
a standard nylon insert nut.
With reference to Figure 5, in one preferred embodiment,
U-shaped tubes 27, 27' are each 29~2 inches in length, apertures 21, 21'
are each spaced 5~ inches from the ends 29, 33, 29', 33' of U-shaped
tube 27, 27'; aperture 37, 37' is spaced equidistant ends 29, 33, 29',
33'; and swaged end 29, 29' extends for 3 inches.
With reference to Figure 3, in one preferred embodiment, hori-
zontal tubes 13, 15, 17 are each 29 inches in length to provide an
assembled bicycle rack section 49 to receive and support two bicycles,
one wheel of each bicycle between substantially closely spaced upright
loops 19. With reference to Figure 4, according to the preferred embodi-
ment, horizontal tubes 13, 15, 17 are each 40~2 inches in length to
provide an assembled bicycle rack section 51 to receive and support
three bicycles.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4, substantially closely
spaced upright loops 19 are spaced by substantially closely spaced pairs
of apertures 40 in tubes 13, 15, 17 spaced 2~2 inches apart and each pair
of substantially closely spaced apertures 40 are substantially broadly
spaced 42, 11 inches apart.
Swaged ends 30 of 29 inch bicycle rack section 49 may fric-
tionally telescope into receptive ends 32 of 40~2 inches bicycle rack
section 51 to provide a bicycle rack sufficient to receive and support 5
bicycles. Where bicycle rack sections 49, 51 are not connected, end
caps 53 are provided to fit over ends of tubes 13, 15, 17.
With reference to Figure 2, in one preferred embodiment of the
invention, there is shown an end view of the bicycle rack 11 in Figure
1, whereby the horizontal tubes 13, 15, 17 support the circumference of
a bicycle wheel 55 at three points.
With reference to Figure 8, there is shown an end view of a
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1 bicycle rack 11 supported from a wall 57 by a lateral bracket 59, and
bolt 61.
