Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BICYCLE STAND
The present invention relates to a bicyele
stand for supporting a bicycle in a generally upright
position.
Many different types of bicycle racks have been
suggested. However, several defects are common to most.
First, most prior racks occupy an excessive amount of
space for their capacity. Second, most prior racks are
expensive to manufacture because of their complex designs.
Third, many prior racks are unattractive and therefore
potential eustomers are reluctant to purchase them for
use by cyclists. Fourth, many prior raeks can damage
the bicycle and therefore cyclists are reluctant to use
them. For example, many prior raclcs support a wheel
of the bicycle in such a way, as by wedging, that if
someone or something should fall against the bieyele
while in the raek, the raek-supported wheel ean be bent
out of shape. Fifth, some prior raeks re~uire that the
bieyele be lifted into and out of the rack, and thus
are difficult and inconvenient to use. Sixth, many
prior racks will not aeeommodate bieyeles of greatly
varying wheel diameters or tire widths. Seventh, most
prior raeks do not provide means whereby all three major
parts of a bieyele, namely, the two wheels and the frame,
ean be ehained to the rack to prevent theft of one or >
more of sueh parts. Finally, many prior raeks are also
diffieult to maintain and keep elean because of their
eomplex designs.
Examples of prior art inelude the following:
Duteh Patent 31,266 diseloses a bieyele raek
of open frame eonstruetion whieh supports a bieyele in
a vertieal position by supporting the spokes and rim
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of one wheel on both sides of the wheel below the hub
against the open frame.
United States Patent 2,805,605 discloses a
bicycle rack of open frame construction which supports a
bicycle in a vertical position by suspending one wheel in
an elevated position from its hub bolt projections on both
sides of the wheel.
United States Patent 369,494 discloses a bicycle
rack which supports an obsolete type of bicycle in an
upstanding position by hooking the crank on one wheel
about an upright post while placing the lower end of the
wheel in a wheel well of a base stand.
Swiss Patent 220,387 discloses a bicycle rack
which supports a bicycle in an upright but slightly tilted
position by inserting a forward rim portion of the wheel
in an inclined slot having parallel sides.
British Patent 24,052 discloses a bicycle rack
which supports a bicycle in an elevated vertical position
by suspending both wheels of the bicycle by their hub bolt
projections on opposite sides of the wheel in longitudi-
nally aligned and interconnected stalls.
United States Patent 557,470 discloses a bicycle
rack of open frame construction which supports a bicycle
in a vertical position by wedging the top and bottom of
the rim of one wheel withln generally diamond-shaped slots.
Swiss Patent 212,317 discloses a bicycle rack
whlch suppoxts a bicycle in a generally upright position
by insertion of the rim and spoke portions of one wheel
below and forwardly of its hub into an inclined narrow
slot with parallel sidewalls formed in a solid block.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved
bicycle rack that eliminates or minimizes the foregoing
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disadvantages of most prior racks.
In accordance with the present invention, a
bicycle stand provides a ver-tically inclined wheel hub
support surface at hu~b height to the wheel so that a hub
portion of the wheel oE a bicycle can be leanecl against
such surface to support the entire bicycle in a nearly
upright position.
In one preferred form, the stand defines an open-
ended generally vee-shaped stall space with the support
surface forming a portion of one side of the vee. Proper
support for the wheel is achieved by providing stop means,
usually near ground level, which prevent the wheel from
slipping sideways or falling over on its side, from rolling
forward or backward from the stall space, and in case of a
steerable front wheel, from twisting out of a preset relation-
ship with respect to the frame.
In another preferred form the stand is formed in
separate modular sections, each includinq at least one
inclined hub support surface and one set of wheel stops. The
sections can thus be used either by themselves to support
a bicycle or in~multiples side by-side to support several
bicycles.
Primary features of the invention include:
(1) The vertical angle of one side o~ the vee
sta~ may be greater than that of the other so that multiple
bicycles lean in the stand in one predetermined direction,
thereby minimizing space requirements and enhancing the
appearance of the rack when in use.
(2) The stand provides a non-damaging support by
supporting the front wheel of the bicycle at hub height
without touching the wheel spokes, any painted portion of -
the bicycle or any other portion which may be harmed.
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(3) The stand provides a positive support for
bicycles with a minimal use of structural support members
by supporting the wheel at hub level and by using the hub
axle bolt and tire to support the load.
(4~ The stand porvides easy parking with a mini-
mal effort by simply rolling one wheel of the bicycle intoa stall and leaning it against one inclined side surface o-f
the stall.
(5) The stand is designed to occupy minimal space
by beiny relatively short in height and narrow in width.
Its modular design enables it to be made or assembled in any
desired length depending on the desired capacity of the rack.
(6) The stand can be designed to hold all sizes
of bicycles by extending the inclined supporting side sur-
faces of the stalls to within a short distance of ground
level and by making the narrow lower portions of the stalls
wide enough to accommodate the widest balloon-type tires.
(7) The stand has a great design versatility in
that it can be designed to accommodate benches, street lights,
~0 or even plantings, thereby optimizing the use of available
ground space and enhancing the attractiveness of the rack.
The stand can also be designed as a two-way rack to accom-
modate bikes inserted into closely spaced-apart stalls from
opposite directions for maximum capacity per length of rack
or as a one-way rack with greater spacing between stalls, --
enabling the use of benches between stalls and the arrange-
ment of the rack along curves, at angles or in a circle.
(8) The stand may be provided with a locking
means at an optimum position for securing by chain or cable
the three major parts of the bicycle.
(9) The stand minimizes the amount of paved
space requir~d because the front edge of the stand extends
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just slightly forward of the point at which the supported
wheel touches the ground.
(lO) Stand maintenance, especially the jarring
loose of the stand from its anchor bolts, is minimi~ed by
the placement of both wheel stops at ground level.
(ll) Cleaning of the grounds about the stand is
facilitated because of the few structural members actually
resting on the ground.
(12) The stand is provided with exceptional
strength for its weight thrOugh its basic pyramidal or
inverted vee design form, and in the open framework form,
because of the short lengths of unsupported rod or tubular
framework and the absence of bolted and movable parts.
(13) The stand intrudes to a minimum extent into
pedestrian and other spaces when the stand is empty because
it supports bicycles by only one wheel.
(14) All variations of the stand can be made
in an economical modular design which simplifies manufacture
in a wide range of lengths and thus capacities.
(15) The stand has a generally pleasing appearance
in all forms hecause of its regular, geometr~c shape. Even
in use the stand is pleasing visually because all bicycles
are caused to lean in the same direction.
(16) The stand is designed for economical manu-
facture using a wide variety of inexpensive materials
including metal rod or tubing, sheet metal, concrete, fiber-
glass and other plastics.
(17) The stand is designed for manufacturing
versatility in that it can be produced by any stamping,
casting, welding or forming process depending on the
material selected for use.- The basic design is versatile
enough to be incorporated into various architectural schemes,
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using different materials and configurations.
The Eoregoing objects, features and advantages
of the present invention will become more apparent from the
following detailed description which proceeds with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a
bicycle stand formed of metal rod in accordance with the
invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the stand of Fig. 1 on
a small scale;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stand of Fig. 2
occupied by three bicycles instead of one;
Fig. 4 is a front view of a modified form of
stand made of sheet metal in accordance with the invention
for use in conjunction with a vertical wall;
Fig. 5 is a perspective schematic diagram of
another modified form of stand incorporating bike-locking
loops;
Fig. 6 is an end view of the stand of Fig. 5 on
an enlarged scale showing a method of locking bicycles in
the stand;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another modified
form of the invention using concrete blocks;
Fig. 8 is a perspective schematic diagram of
another more simplified form of the invention using metal
xods;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one module and
part of another of a modular molded plastic form of the
stand;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of several modules
- of a modular form of the stand made of cast concrete;
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Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of one module
of the stand of Fig. 10; and
Fig. 12 is an end elevational view of the module
of Fig. 11.
Referring to the form of the stand or rack shown
in Figs. 1-3, the rack of the invention comprises a series
of generally vee-shaped stall spaces 10 open at both ends
and defined by a stall structural means of open frame
construction comprising a series of generally inverted
vee- or pyramidal-shaped stall sections 12 joined together
at intersecting rounded base portions 14 to define the narrow
portion of the vee stall. Each stall section includes a
front frame portion 12a and a rear frame portion 12b, each
formed by a pair of upwardly converging legs formed of
metal rod and joined at their upper ends at a rounded apex
15. The front and rear legs 12a, 12b of each stall section
are joined together at their upper ends by a metal or plastic
cap or plate 16 to form the rigid pyramidal section. The
~ ~ Eront leqs and the rear legs of successive stall sectlons
20~ can be formed from continuous strips, rods or tubing. The
` ~ front and rear-end legs at each end of the rack are joined
together by a base member 18 which may be anchored as by
anchor bolts 19 to a paved ground surface.
~: ; As will be apparent from Fig. 2, one corresponding
side portion 21 of each of the vee stalls 10 formed by the
adjolning front and rear legs of adjacent stall sections
extends upwardly and outwardly from the base of the stall
space at~a greater vertical angle than th e other side
portion 20 re}ative to a vertical plane 17 within the stall
~ space. In Fig. 2 the vertical angle x between side portion
; ~ 21 and vertical plane 17 is about 13 degrees whereas the
- verticaI angle ~ between opposite side portion 20 and the
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same vertical plane is about 7 degrees. ~Iowever, it will
be appreciated that these angles can be varied within sub-
stantial limits. For example, as shown in Fig. 4 where a
modified form of the rack of the invention cooperates with
a vertical wall of a building to form a vee stall, the
smallest angle of the vee is actually 0 degrees. The
greater vertical angle of the vee stall for practical pur-
poses, however, should preferably be no greater than about
30 degrees and will usually be considerably less than this
in order to maintain the bicycles as nearly vertical as
possible while ensuring that they will lean in one predeter-
mined direction.
The cap 16 of each stall section extends down-
wardly along each side portion 20 r 21 of the stall space
at the same angle of inclination as the associated stall
side portions so as to form sidewall plate portions of the
stall with continuous upwardly and outwardly directed side
surfaces. The plate portion 23 extending along the side
~ portion 21 of greater angular inclination provides a wheel
hub support surface for one wheel 24 of a bicycle 22 occupy-
ing the stall space. More specifically, the hub support
surface 23 extends downwardly from apex 15 below the height
of hub portion 26 of wheel 24 above the base of the rack
so that when the wheel within a stall is caused to lean
toward the side portion 21 of greatest inclination, the
- projecting hub bolt and portion 25 of hub portion 26 engages
and becomes supported by hub support surface 23. In this
manner, the entire bicycle becomes supported in an upright
position by the rack, and the support surface maintains the
spokes and other vulnerable portions of the front wheel
out of engagement with the stall frame members.
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As shown in Fig. 2, the corresponding inclined
side portions 21 of all stalls are at the same angle of
inclination with respect to the vertical so that bicycles
placed within such stalls will all lean in the same
direction and all be engaged by the corresponding parallel
and spaced-apart hub support surfaces 23 of the several
stalls.
T~lith one side of front wheel 24 of the bicycle
22 leaning in the indicated direction in Fig. 2 against
hub support surface 23 of the stall, a lower opposite side
portion of the tire of wheel 24 engages lower side portion
or base 20 of the stall at or nèar ground level, as for
example at points 20a, 20b in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus such
points provide a side stop means which prevents the wheel
hub portion from sliding sideways off hub-supporting surface
23.
As will be clear form Fig. 1, the rack framework
also provides other stop functions. Front wheel 24 is
prevented from rolling forward or backward by front and
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back roll stop means formed by the lower curved base portions
14 of the rack at the narrowest portion of the vee stall
where the rod portions of adjacent stall sections 12 con-
verge. Raised portions 23a, 23b at the front and rear
edges, respectively, of hub-supporting surface 23 also
contribute to this forward and backward roll stop function
of the rack. In any case, the roll stops are positioned
forwardly and rearwardly of a vertical plane normal to
the hub support surface and bisecting a supported wheel
through its rotational axis and extend to some extent in
a direc*ion transverse to the hub support surface.
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Front wheel 24 is prevented from twisting out
of a preset relationship to the bicycle frame, usually
parallel to the frame as shown in Fig. 3, by another stop
means which presses against a lower side portion of the
front tire. This twist stop means is provided by the
lower side portion 20 of the rack at point 20b forwardly
of and b~low the wheel hub near ground level on the side
of the stall opposite that of the direction of lean of
the wheel. Alternatively a twist stop means is provided
at a point 21b behind and below the midpoint of the wheel
on the side of the vee stall in the direction of lean.
In fact, both points 20b and 21b may coact to prevent
twisting of the wheel from its preset relationship with
the bicycle frame.
The rack described thus far is a so~called two-
directional rack in that a bicycle can be placed in each
adjacent stall 10, by pushing one wheel of one bicycle into
one stall from one side of the rack and bypushing one wheel
of another bicycle into the ne~t adjacent stall from the
opposite side of the rack in the manner shown in Fig. 3
with respect to bicyoles 22a, 22b, 22c having front wheels
24a, 24b, 2~c within adjacent stalls lOa, lOb, lOc, respec-
tively. Thls type of rack enables close packing of bicyclesinto a small space without danger of damaging the bicycles.
It also provides a neat appearance when the xack is full
; because all bicycles lean in the same direction.
~ he two-directional open-frame rack of
Fig. 1, can through a slight modification, be converted
to a one-directional rack with a pedestrian bench provided
between adjacent one-directional stalls. Referring to
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Fig. 2, the one-directional rack would have the same
basic form as the two-directional rack shown, except that
every other stall would be eliminated, and tubular or rod
frame members would extend across every other stall as
shown in phantom lines at 28. A wooden or other suitable
bench would be mounted on the horizontally extending frame
members 28 for use by pedestrians when the rack is not
being used for bicycles.
Fig. 4 shows a so-called wall rack 30. The rack
includes a horizontally extending base portion 32, an
outer vertical sidewall portion 33, and an inclined inner
sidewall portion 34 extending upwardly from base 32 to
converge with sidewall portion 33. Base 32 extends inwardly
beyond inclined sidewall 34 toward a vertical building wall
35. The base is placed against the building so that
inclined sidewall 34 of the rack and the vertical building
wall 35 define a stall space 36, with one side of the
stall formed by the building wall being vertical and the
: other side being inclined to provide a hub support surface
34-
: The front wheel 24 of a ~icycle 22 is placed.
within stall space 36 and the wheel's hub bolt 25 is
leaned against the inclined stall surface 34. The lower
ground-engaging end of the tire of wheel 24 engages the
corner of the building wall 35 where it meets the ground
surface or base 32. The frame of the bicycle is angled
away from the wall, preferably at an angle of approximately
4n degrees. r~ith this arrangement the building wall
itself prevents the wheel hub from slipping from the
inclined support surface 34. The vertical wall also
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provides a stop means for resisting twisting movement of
the front wheel out of preset angular relationship with
respect to the bicycle frame. The forces involved in
parking a bicycle in this manner make the forward and-
backward roll stops previously described with respect to
the Fig. 1 form of rack optional because the bicycle
wedges itself between the wall and the rack when the frame
is set at the optimum angle with respect to the wall as
described. As the frame angle increases beyond 40 degrees,
the bicycle becomes more nearly upright, the front wheel
exerts less pressure against the wall, and the bicycle
tends to roll forward or fall over.
WalI 35 should be at least about 3 inches high,
although a 3-inch wall will not prevent the bicycle from
falling in the direction of the wall. The ideal minimum
height of the wall would be hub height to prevent the
bicycle from falling in the direction oE the wall.
; The wall rack like the others described can be
manufactured from sheet metal, plate or rod. It may also
20~ be made of concrete, plastic or other materials.
The wall rack provides for storage of bicycles
in closely spaced relationship along a walI and in a
manner so as to minimize the bicycles' intrusion into
pedestrian space. In its simplest form, the wall rack
~j is simply an inclined hub support surface supported by
structural means at hub height and disposed about 7 inches,
more or less, from a vertical wall. It illustrates the
fact that in the simplest forms of the rack, a vee-shaped
stall space is not necessary to support the bicycle.
Fig. 5 shows a two-directional open frame rack
having a conEiguration similar to that of the rack of Fig.
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1 when viewed from the front or rear as shown in Fig. 2.
However, the Fig. 5 form has a series of vee stalls 40
with adjacent stalls 40a, 40b offset forwardly and rear-
wardly from one another. All of stalls 40a are intended
to receive bicycles inserted from the direction indicated
by arrow 42 whereas all of vee stalls 40b are designed
to receive bicycles inserted from the direction indicated
by arrow 43. Vee stalls 40a have rear bases 44 which lie
along a straight base line 45. However, the adjacent vee
stalls 40b have rear bases 44a which lie along a straight
base line 46 parallel to base line 45 but offset inwardly
therefrom. A similar relationship exists between the
front bases of the alternating vee stalls 40a and 40b
on the opposite side of the rack. The bases of stalls 40a
on the opposite side lie along a straight base line 47
parallel to the previously mentioned base lines, while the
corresponding bases of vee stalls 40b lie along an outer
base line 48 parallel to base line 47. he offset relation-
ship of the adjacent vee stalls will also ~e apparent from
FigO 6.
Each stall section of inverted vee shape includes
a cap 50 at its apex. The caps of adjacent stall sections
~;~ include lock extensions 5~2, 53 projecting in opposite direc-
~ tions. Each lock extension 52, 53 has a vertical opening
;~ 54 therethrough so that each extension defines a lock loop
through which a chain 55 can be passed, in the manner shown
in Fig. 6. The lock extensions 52 projecting to the left
in Fig. 6 are intended to be used with vee s-talls 40a
which are offset to the right in the same figure for use
with bicycles inserted intc stalls 40a from direction 42.
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Similarly, lock extensions 53 are designed to be used in
con3unction with vee stalls 40b for use in locking bicycles
inserted from direction 43. Thus front wheel 24d of the
bicycle 22d is inserted from direction 42 into one of the
vee stalls 40a. The bicycle chain 55a is threaded through
the rear wheel, frame and front wheel o~ bicycle 22d and
through the lock extension 52 and then padlocked to lock
all three of the principal parts of such bicycle to the
rack. In a similar manner, the bicycle 22e having front
wheel 24e is inserted in one of the vee stalls 40b and
chained to lock extension 53 by the chain 55b.
With the Fig. 5 type of rack, the bicycle is
supported in the same manner as in the Fig. 1 form of rack.
That is, each of the caps 50 for the stall sections has
a portion which extends down one side of the stall section
to define a wheel-supporting surface 56 at hub height to
a bicycle wheel and against which the hub bolts of a bicycle
wheel is leaned. As in the Fig. 1 form, the rack of Fig. 5
defines vee stalls wherein one side of the vee is at a
~20 greater angle of inclination to the vertical than the oppo-
- site s de of the same vee stall, so that all bicycles placed
within the vee stalls will lean in the same predetermined
direction.
Fig. 7 shows a modified form of bike rack of the
invetnion having an overall configuration substantially
identical to that of the Fig. 1 form of rack. However,
the Fig. 7 rack is composed of a series of precast concrete
blocks 62 of generally pyramidal shape placed side by side
to define a series of vee stalls 60. As in previous forms,
one side of each vee stall is provided with a ~reater
vertical angle of inclination than the other side of the
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vee stall. In the Fig. 7 form this is achieved by providing
one side surface 62a of each block 62 with a greater
vertical angle of inclination than the opposite side sur-
face 62b. Each block 62 has a base 62c which extends out-
wardly at its four corners 63 in a manner such -that when
the blocks are placed together side by side, a gap 6~ is
formed between abutting corners 63 of adjacent blocks for
receiving the front wheel of a bicycle. The abutting
corners 63 of adjacent blocks provide the desired roll
stops for preventing the bicycle wheel from rolling forward
and backward from the stall space. The sidewalls of the
blocks also provide the other desired stop features which
prevent the wheel from twisting and from slipping sideways.
Of course, each block 62 extends slightly above hub height
to a bicycle wheel so that the surface 62a defines the
necessary wheel support or leaning surface against which
the wheel hub bolt is supported.
; Blocks 62 are also provided with embedded lock
loops 66 with the lock loops of adjacent blocks being on
opposite faces of the blocks. Thus it will be apparent
that the block-formed rack of Fig. 7 is a two-directional
rack in that bicycles are inserted from opposite directions
into adjacent vee stalls. The separate modular rack sec-
tions adapt the rack for expansion or contraction simply
' by adding or taking away blocks to meet the varying demands.
The Fig. 7 rack, like that of Fig. 1, can be
adapted for use as a combination one-directional rack and
bench with bench-type seating provided between adjacent
vee stalls. This is done by eliminating every other vee
stall and by casting the concrete blocks so that their
bases are twice the length of each block shown in Fig. 7.
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In other words two adjacent blocks 62', 62'' are cast
as one with the vee space in between filled in as shown
at 60a. The resulting block has a flat top 67 on which
a bench 68 shown in phantom lines is installed.
Flg. 8 illustrates just how simple andlightweight
a rack can be constructed using the same basic vee stall
configuration as described with respect to the previously
discussed embodiments. In Fig. 8 a single continuous length
of metal rod or tubing includes a base frame por-tion 71
extending from a rear base line 72 to a parallel front base
~ line 73 and then curves upwardly and inwardly to form a
; leg 74 at the desired angle of inclination of the vee stall
side portion to an apex 75. At the apex the rod or tubing
then curves back downwardly and o~rdly along a rear leg
76 defining a side portion of the next vee stall 70 to
the rear base line 72 and then curves to extend forwardly
and form a second base portion 71a parallel to base portion
71. From front base line 73 the frame extends upwardly
again along a second forward inclined leg 74a which is
paralle] to the first-mentioned leg 74 and forms the
~opposite side portion of vee stall 70. From here, the
previously described sequence is repeated continuously until
the~desired number of vee stalls are formed. In the;
f~ ; illustrated form of rack, the rear leg 76, base portion
71a and front leg 74a define a single vee stall 70. The
apex 75 of the frame between vee stalls is capped by a
suitable molded plastic cap member 78 designed to fit snugly
over the apex of the metal frame. The cap has a side
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surface 79 extending at an inclination down the legs 74,
~' 30 74a to define the desired wheel leaning or support surface
, . .
of each vee stall at hub height to a bicycle wheel,
indicated in phantom at 24.
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The simple frame shown in Fig. 8 defines all of
the necessary elements of a rack in accordance with the
invention including a forward roll stop at 80 and another
forward roll stop at the raised portion 79a of the wheel
support surface 79. The base portion 71a of the framework
provides a wheel stop against side slipping. A backward
roll stop is provided by the raised portion 79b of wheel
support surEace 79. For a bicycle inserted into the stall
space 70 from the direction indicated by arrow ~4, the rack
portions at 81, 82, in conjunction with that portion of
leg 71a forward of the point at which the wheel 24 touches
the ground, provide the desired stops against twisting of
the wheel relative to the bicycle frame.
For a bicycle inserted from the direction indicated
by arrow ~5, the twist stop function is provided by that
- portion of leg 71a forward of the point at which the wheel
24 touches the ground.
Referring to Fig. 9 there is shown a modular
form of the rack particularly adapted to be made from a
molded synthetic plastic or other moldable material. The
rack is made in a series of modular sections 90, each of
which may be used singly to support one or two bicycles or
in multiples placed side by side to form a series of
: .
stalls as indicated, for example, at 92 to support several
bicycles. Each module 90 is of generally pyramidal or
inverted vee form, including a pair of opposite spaced-
apart, upwardly converging' flanged sidewall portions 94,
96 joined at their upper ends by a flat, generally
horizontal flanged top wall portion 98 which can serve as
3Q a pedestrian seat wh~n the rack lS not supporting a
bicycle. The lower ends of the sidewalls 9~, 96 flare
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outwardly horizontally to define base portions 100, 102.
Each base portion forms an upwardly opening tray or wheel
well 104 for receiving the lower end of a bicycle wheel
when a hub end portion is leaning against the hub support
surface of the module.
Module 90 may be either symmetrical about a
vertical center plane or formed with one sidewall 96 as
shown at a greater angle of inclination to a vertical plane
; than the opposite sidewall 94. In the latter case when
the modules are placed together in side-by-side relation-
ship to form stalls and support several bicycles~ all
bicycles will lean in the same direction.
When sidewall 96 is at a greater inclination than
sidewall 94, the upper portion of the upwardly and outwardly
, `
facing surface of such sidewall in the area 96a defines the
hub support surface of the module. However, nevertheless
both inclined sidewalls of a single module could be used
to support a bicycle, in which case each module is capable
of supporting a maximum of two bicycles.
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20 ; As shown in phantom lines, the front wheel 106
of a bicycle has a hub portion 108 with opposite outwardly
projecting hub ~olt end portions 110 projecting outwardly
~`~ beyond the opposite sides of the wheel. One of these
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projecting bolt portions on one side of the wheel is leaned
against the hub support portion 96a of sidewall 96 while the
lower end o the wheel is inserted within wheel well 104.
:' :
Thu~s the opposite end walls 104a, 104b of wheel well 104
define the front and rear roll stops for the stand, and
sidewall 104c of the well defines the side stop for the
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~stand. Sidewall 104c also serves as a twist stop when the
front wheel of the~bicycle is~u~ported by the stand. Each
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well 104 can be provided with appropriate drain holes (not
shown) if desired to drain rainwater therefrom. ~eans
(not shown) could also be provided to bolt adjacent modules
togehter at their wheel wells if desired and also to anchor
the trays to a pavement. Molded plastic modules as dis-
closed have the advantage of being lightweight and highly
portable unless anchored as described.
Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show a modular form of the
rack or stand made of cast concrete. The stand is formed
in modular ections 112 which may be placed in side-by-side
relationship as shown in Fig. 10 to define a series of stalls
114. Such concrete racks have the advantage of being rugged
and heavy and therefore not easily moved about even when
not anchored in place.
Each module 112 includes a vertical sidewall
portion 116 and an opposed laterally spaced vertically
inclined sidewall portion 118 joined together by a flat
horizontal top wall portion 120, all of considerable thick-
ness. Inclined sidewall portion 118 includeisan outwardly
` 20 flaring base flange 122 provided with a recess defining a
wheel well 124. Wheel well 124 includes downwardly and
inwardly tapering opposite sidewalls 124a and a concave
bottom wall 124b sloping upwardly at its opposite ends to
intersect the top surface of flange 122 whereby the wheel
well~defines both front and rear roll stops, a side stop
and a twist stop. A drain hole 126 extends from the
lowermost portion of concave bottom wall 124b through the
bottom of the flange to drain water from the well. An
internally threaded bolt hole 128 extends inwardly from
the center of the endwall of flange 122, and an aligned
through hole 130 is provided in the lower vertical side-
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wall 116 so that several of the modules can be bolted
together in side-by-side relationship with a lag bolt
extending through hole 130 of one module and threaded into
the threaded hole 128 in the flange endwall of an adjacent
module.
Each concrete module also has means providing
a lock loop passage 132 extending from a top opening 134
in top wall 120 through a built-up corner at the inter-
section between top wall 120 and inclined sidewall 118 to
a side opening 136 in inclined sidewall118. Such passage
enables a chain-type bicycle lock to be inserted there-
' through and about a bicycle wheel supported by leaning
against the inclined sidewall 118 in the manner shown in
Fig. 10.
; Inclined sidewall 118 provides an outwardly and
upwardly facing hub support surface in the area 138. A
module as described is capable of supporting only one
` bicycle by leaning a hub end portion of one of its wheels
~.
~ against the inclined surface 138 because the outer surface
, :
of the opposite sidewall is vertical.
In use one wheel of a bicycle is inserted in
wheel well 124 so that the~bottom portion of the wheeI
, :
rests within the well while a projecting hub bolt end
portion 110 on one side of the wheel is leaned against the
hub support surface 138 of inclined sidewall 118 to support
``1
the bicycle in a generally upright position. The flat top
wall 120 of each module provides a pedestiran seat between
each stall 114.
:, '
In Fig. 10 a bicycle 140 is shown with its front
:
wheel 142 within a stall 114 between a pair of side-by-side
modules 112. Its hub end portion leans against the outer
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surface 138 of inclined sidewall 118 while the bicycle
is locked to one module by passing a chain-type lock through
the lock loop of such module and securing the chain about
the spokes and fork of the bicycle's front wheel.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that all
of the described rack forms provide an inclined hub-leaning
surface at hub height to a bicycle wheel. Some of the rack
forms also provide, either alone or in conjunction with !
a vertical wall surface, a generally vee-shaped wheel stall
open at both ends, with one side of the vee stall being at
a greater vertical angle than the other side thereof and
~ including the hub support surface. However, others of the
; rack forms are individual modules which may be used either
singly so as not to define a stall but so as to nevertheless
provide an inclined hub support surface or in multiples
to define stalls for several bicycles. Preferably the racks
are also provided with stops against forward and backward
rolling of the wheel, twisting of a steerable wheel relative
to the frame and side slipping of the wheel from its hub-
leaning or support surface. Optionally the racks may be
provided with additional embellishments such as benches,
or instead of benches, planters or ~en lightposts. The
racks may also be provided with various locking loop means.
;l
Having illustrated and described the basic rack
configuration of my invention and several embodiments and
variations thereof, it should be apparent to those skilled
in the art that the same permits of many modifications in
arrangements, detail, materials and form. I claim as my
invention all such modifications as come within the true
spirit and scope of the following claims.
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