EXTERNAL, REMOVABLE FRAME STRUCTURE FOR ATV

STRUCTURE DE CADRE EXTERIEUR AMOVIBLE POUR VTT

English Abstract

An external, removable frame structure for ATV is made out of tubing making out three sides hingedly attached to each other and having a hitch ball attachment and clip on attachment to a cross beam which is permanently attached to the frame of the ATV. The frame structure has a pair of extending arms to which accessories or objects can be attached.

French Abstract

Structure de cadre extérieur amovible pour VTT faite de tubage formant trois côtés, fixés les uns aux autres de façon articulée, et comportant une fixation à boule d'attache de même qu'une fixation enclipsable à une entretoise, elle-même fixée de façon permanente au cadre du véhicule. La structure de cadre possède une paire de bras extensibles auxquels des accessoires ou autres objets peuvent être fixés.

Claims

7
CLAIMS:
1. An external, removable frame structure for ATV comprising:
a rear and two lateral sides:
said two lateral sides being hingedly attached to said rear;
means for attaching said removable frame structure to an ATV;
each said side having an extension arm assembly;
said extension arm assembly being pivotally attached to said sides and
pivoting
outwardly until stopped by a rod which temporarily attaches to said extension
arm
assembly on one extremity and permanently pivotally attached to said side;
said rod configured so as to receive a variety of accessories on its stem.
2. An external, removable frame structure for ATV as in claim 1 wherein:
said means for attaching said removable trame structure to an ATV being in the
form
of an attachment bracket on said rear onto which attaches, in a semi permanent
fashion, an elbow and said elbow having a hitch ball attachment for hitching
onto a
ball hitch of an ATV.
3. An external, removable frame structure for ATV as in claim 1 wherein:
dip-on attachment brackets on said sides dipping onto a cross beam which is
permanently attached underneath a frame of said ATV.

8
4. An external, removable frame structure for ATV as in claim 1 wherein:
Each said rear and said sides being generally made out of bent tubings which,
can
be constituted of several permanently connected pieces forming a rear and
sides, or a
single bent piece with both ends connected together.

Description

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Exteal. reeiowabr^ bmcture fa
B,,p-CKGROUND OF TW INVVENTIQN_
Field of the invent#on :
The invention relates generally to frame stitictures but more particuiarly to
a frame
stucture used fur supporting objects and equipment on an ATV_
Background of #!w rmverttion :
Four wheel ATVs are used for a varieiy of purposes rangng from mere leisure
activities to uses as a workhorse in forestry and other demanding work
situations.
According to the requirements, various accessories and modifications to the
basic
ATV have been made over the years. Some of the modifications include creating
a
framelike sbvcture capabie of accepting aceessories such as a hoist or a cnane
while
other frame structures are used for carrying or transporfing heavy or large
objects.
Some of those frame structures use an ezisEing ball hitch on the A7'V as a
means for
hooking the frame struceure in a semi permanent fashion, atlmrs use the
existng
footrests of the AN as an additional support point for the frame structure.
Because of
the great variety of tasks an ATV is r quired to do, there is plenty of room
for a variety
of types of frame structures_
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2
SUM Y OF THE IIVYE,IynoN.
In view of the needs for various types of frame structures, the present
invention,
which will be described s+ubsequently in cyr+eater detail, is to provide
objects and
advantages which' are;
To provide gn easily mountable and clamountable frame strucbure.
To provide a frame struckire that uses already avaNable attachment and support
means on the ATV_
To provide a frame stix:tun: that has collapsible eAensions that compact the
size of
the frame structure when riot in operating mode.
To attain these ends, the present invention generaliy comprises a frame
structure
made out af tubing making out three sides hingedry aftched to eaM other and
having
a hitch bail attachment and dip on attadiment to a cross beam which is
petmanenly
attached to the frame of the ATV. The frame sbvcxum has a pair of extending
amis to
which aCcessories or objects can be attached.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of
the
invention in order that the det=aited descdption thensaf that follows may be
better
understood, and in order that the present contributien to the art may be
better

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3
appreciated. There are additionai features of the invention that wiii be
described
hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the daims appended
hereto.
in this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in
detail, It
is to be understaod that the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of
construction and to the anangements of the components set forth in the
foiiowing
description or iUustrated in the drawings, The invention is cwbie of other
embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Aiso, it
is to be
understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the
purpose of desr.Option and slwgd not be regat+ded as iimiting.
As such, those skiqed in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon
which this
disdosure is based, may readily be utlized as a besis for the designing of
other
atructures, methods and systems tor carrying out the several purposes of the
present
invendon_ It is importarrt, therefore, that the dairns be nrganted as induding
such
equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart fr+am the spirit and
scope of the
present Invention.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various
Teatures of
novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particulaAty in
the
daims annexed to and forming a part of this disdosure. For a better
understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and the speci5c objecta attained by
its uses,
referenoe shouki be had to the acx.ompanying drawings and desaiptive matter in
which there is iliustrated prefenrnsd embpdiments of the invention.

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BRIE1= llE5GRf1F-19Oh1M THE PREFER ED EM DDI IT
Fig. I top view of the invention.
Fig. 2 rear view of the invention.
QETAILEh DESCRIPTION OF ]liE PREEMRRED EIIABODIMENT
An extemal, removable frame structure for AN (10) has three sides; a rear (14)
and
two lateral sides (16, 16')_ Each near and sides (14, 16, 16) being generally
made out
of bent tubings (12) which, according to the type of manufacturing process
selected,
can be constituted of several permanently conneeted pieces forming the rear
and
sides (14, 16, 96') or a single bent piece with both ends oonnecxed together.
The two
lateral sides (16, 16) are firingedfy attached to the rear (14). The rear (14)
has an
attachment bracket (18) onto which attaches, in a semi permanent fashion, an
elbow
(20) which has a hitch balf attad?rnent (22) for hitching onto a bail hitch af
an ATV
(not shown). Of ea,rse, there could be other types of attaohment possible
which are
known in the art and could fall within the scope of the invention.
Each side (16, 16') has an extension arm assembly (24, 24') and Gip-on
attachment
brackets (26, 26') which dip onto a cross beam (26) for quick and easy
dissoonnect
from the the cross beam (28) which is itself attached undemeath the frame of
the ATV
(not shown) in a more permanent fashion by way of AN frame attachment brackets
(29). Instead of being attached to the cross beam (28), the sides (16, 16')
could rest

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on the footrests (not shown) of the ATN as is Known in the art_ Each extension
arm
assembly (24, 24') is pivotaaly attached to the side (16' 16') and witi pivot
outwardly
until stopped by a rod (30, 3(") which temporarily attaches to the extension
arm
assembly (24, 24') on one extremity and is permanently pivotally attached to
the side
(16, 16). Each rod is corrtigured so as m receive a variety of aaoessories on
its stem
(32, 32'). For example, Fig, 2a shows a cradle and chain assembly (34, 34')
for
carrying logs (not shown). fn this particular case, where kxjs or tnee trunks
are to be
ranied, a hoist (not shown) attached, in whole or in part, to the frame
structure (10)
can lift the logs and place them into the cradle and chain assembly (34, 34').
The
frame shucture (10) is capable of accephng damping or attachment means=
designed
to hold such accessories as a hoist (not shown) and other types of accessories
that
oooperate with other components oonnected to the stem (32, 32') It should be
understood that the stems (32, 32') and the exterMSton ami assembly (24, 24')
can
also support a variety of accessories.
By extending outwardly, the extension arm assembiy (24, 24') provides
unencoumbered carrying of Wge objects wh~1e maintaining a low center of
gravity and
excellent balance to the ATV.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present
invention, the same should be appamnt frmn the aborõQ desqlption.
Aeeorxiingly, no
further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation wili be
pnsvided.

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With respect to the above description then, it is to be realiaed that the
optimum
dimensiortal relationships for the parts of the invention, to indude
variations in size,
materials, shape, form, fu+v#ion and mwrnier of operation, assembly and use,
are
deemed readily apparerd and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all
equivalent
relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and desr.ribed in the
speciifcation are
intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the for+4gaing is considered as iltustrative only of the principles
of the
invention_ l=urther, since numerous modit=rcatrons and changes will readily
occur to
those skilled in the art, it is not desinad to rrnit the invention to the
exact construction
and operation shown and described, and accordirgly, all suitable modifications
and
equivalen#s may be resorted to, falling vui#hin the scope of the invention.

Representative Drawing