Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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ARTICULATED SUPPORT R~CK FOR VI~HICLES
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Serial
No. 07/397,693 filed August 23, 1989.
Technical Field
The present invention pertains to support frames for supporting objects on
the exterior of motor vehicles, and, more particularly, to a folding support rack
that is attachable to vehicle trailer hitches.
Background of the Invention
Support racks are typically mounted on the exterior of a motor vehicle to
support bicycles, minibikes, skis, surf boards, and the like, above the ground.
These racks are constructed of rigid frame members having arms extending
horizontally therefrom for supporting objects, and they are usually mounted on the
rear bumper of the vehicle, or on the trunk lid, or a combination of both.
While these support racks have been adequate for their purposes, they have
several drawbacks. Because these racks are fixedly mounted on the rear of the
vehicle, they restrict access to vehicles having rearward-opening doors, such asvans, pickup trucks, campers, and the like. In addition, heavy lifting is frequently
required to place objects on and remove them from the support arms.
Furthermore, these racks frequently obstruct the view of the rear license plate, which is a violation of motor vehicle laws.
Several devices have been proposed for overcoming these disadvantages. For
instance, U.S. Patent No. 4,400,129, issued to Eisenberg et al. on August 23, 1983,
discloses a pair of horizontally projecting arms mounted to the crossmember of aT-shaped support member that in turn is pivotally mounted to a vehicle. A
substantial drawback to this device is that, as the T-shaped support member is
pivoted downward, the pair of arms angle downward, allowing an object supported
thereon to slide off. Even if the object were firmly fastened to the support
member, it would not be held in an upright position as the support arm is pivoted
- 2 - 2026641
downward. In addltion, the vertlcal support post obstructs the
vlew of the llcense plate when mounted on the rear of a vehlcle.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,635,835, lssued to Cole on January 13, 1987,
a carrler apparatus for an all-terrain vehicle ls dlsclosed havlng
a frame plvotally mounted to a horlzontal beam that is attached to
a trailer hitch. An all-terraln vehicle ls mounted to the frame
and supported ln a vertical position for transportation and then
lowered to a horizontal posltlon for loading and unloading. An
obvlous drawback to this device is that vertically posltloning the
all-terrain vehicle, or any motorlzed vehlcle, for that matter,
can easily cause fuel, oll, and coollng llqulds to draln from the
englne, creatlng a flre hazard and the potentlal for damage and
ln~ury. In addltlon, the rlgldly mounted support arms wlll not
hold a blcycle or a motorcycle ln an uprlght orlentation as the
carrier apparatus ls plvoted between the vertlcal and horlzontal
orlentations. Furthermore, it is lmposslble to see the llcense
plate when thls devlce ls ln use.
Consequently, there ls a need for a support rack that
can mount to the rear of a vehicle and that not only allows access
to the rear doors of the vehlcle wlthout requlrlng removal of the
supported ob~ects and the support frame, but also malntalns the
ob~ects in an upright posltion as the frame plvots between a
horlzontal or lowered positlon, wlth the ob~ect on or close to the
ground, and a vertical or raised posltion, with the ob~ect
supported above the ground. Also, it is lmportant that the rack
62839-1289
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202664 1
provlde an unrestrlcted view of the rear llcense plate when in
use.
summarY of the Inventlon
The present inventlon provides an artlculated support
rack comprlslng: a base member lncludlng a coupllng assembly for
attachlng sald base member to an end of a vehlcle; a plurality of
support frame members pivotally attached to said base member to
pivot between a ralsed posltlon ad~acent the vehlcle and a lowered
posltlon spaced from the vehlcle; at least one mountlng arm havlng
a flxed orlentatlon attached to sald support frame members to
remaln substantlally ln lts flxed orlentatlon as sald support
frame members move between sald ralsed and lowered posltlons; and
a locklng plate hlngedly secured to sald base member and
posltioned to releasably secure sald support frame members in sald
ralsed posltlon.
The inventlon also provldes a foldlng rack for vehlcles
havlng traller hltch sleeves comprlslng: a base member havlng a
tongue sized and shaped to be slidably received within the trailer
hitch sleeve; a pair of generally triangularly shaped frame
members, each frame member having an apex pivotally mounted on
sald base member, sald palr of frame members belng mounted ln
spaced parallel relatlonshlp to move between a substantlally
ralsed posltlon and a substantlally lowered posltlon; a palr of
arms extendlng horlzontally from sald palr of frame members for
supportlng ob~ects thereon, sald palr of arms belng plvotally
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mounted on sald pair of frame members to remain horlzontal as sald
pair of frame members move between the substantlally raised
position and the substantially lowered posltlon such that the
blcycles remaln ln an uprlght posltlon; a palr of plates having
one edge pivotally mounted on said base member and an opposing
edge notched to releasably engage and hold at least one of said
pair of frame members ln the ralsed posltlon; blaslng means for
urglng sald palr of plates lnto engagement wlth sald palr of frame
members; and a lever plvotally mounted on sald base member havlng
a distal end protruding therefrom and a proximal end bearing
agalnst sald palr of plates such that selected movement of sald
dlstal end of sald lever ln a predetermined direction causes said
proximal end to move said palr of plates out of engagement wlth
said frame members to permlt movement of said pair of frame
members.
Although the disclosed embodiments of the present
invention are made wlth a square tongue that ls deslgned to flt
lnto a square hitch receptacle, it does not exclude other forms of
attachments, such as to the bumper of a vehlcle, the trailer hitch
ball, or by the use of the hole that the ball is mounted in.
The releasable lock may comprise a pair of plates
pivotally mounted on the base member and biased into engagement
wlth each frame member to hold each frame member ln a raised
position. Preferably, each pair of plates is plvotally mounted on
the base member and has an outer edge that ls notched to engage
62839-lZ89
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and hold a frame member. Blaslng means urge the palr of plates
into engagement with the frame members when the frame members are
ln the raised posltlon.
The rack may lnclude a lever plvotally mounted on the
base member havlng a flrst end protrudlng therefrom and a second
end bearing against the pair of plates such that selected movement
of the first end of the lever in a predetermined directlon causes
the second end to move the pair of plates out of engagement with
the frame members and permit movement of the frame members.
Preferably, the pair of frame members are each
triangularly shaped and have a corner plvotally mounted on the
base member, wlth the pair of frame members being mounted in
spaced parallel relationship to each other. Preferably, the
trlangularly shaped frame members are formed of tubular metal and
slzed to permlt unobstructed vlewlng of a llcense plate on the
vehlcle when the palr of trlangularly shaped members are ln the
ralsed posltlon.
A skl rack adapted to hold several sets of skls can be
substltuted for the support arms. The ski rack inc~udes a
vertlcally oriented main frame that is attached to the pivoting
frame members by a pair of mounting arms. The ski rack further
includes a horizontally oriented skl rest in whlch the center of
the skls are locked. The skl rack also lncludes a base rest ln
which the tail ends of the skis are inserted.
As wlll be readily appreciated from the foregoing
62839-1289
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descrlptlon, the present lnventlon provldes a unlque support rack
that easlly mounts to exlsting trailer hitch sleeves, thus
ellmlnatlng the need for attachment to a vehlcle bumper. The rack
not only plvots away from the vehlcle to allow unrestrlcted access
to the vehlcle lnterlor through the doors at the rear of the
vehlcle, but also malntalns the blcycles, skls, etc. ln an uprlght
posltlon as the rack plvots. Thls provldes for easy loadlng of
the ob~ects onto the rack and unloadlng of ob~ects from the rack
and malntalns a substantially clear space around the rear of the
vehicle when the rack ls plvoted away from the vehlcle. In
addltlon, splllage of fuel and other llqulds from motorcycles ls
avolded. The trlangularly shaped frame members provlde
unobstructed vlewlng of the rear llcense plate, and they provlde
an attachment polnt for securlng a blcycle to the rack to hold lt
steady for malntenance and repalrs. The unlque release lever
permlts a user to use a slmple downward pushlng motlon wlth the
foot to release the lock plates and allow the frame to plvot. In
addition, the lever ls mounted to sllde ln along the base member
to store out of the way.
Brlef DescrlPtion of the Drawings
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present lnventlon wlll be more readlly appreclated as the same
becomes better understood from the detalled descrlptlon when
consldered ln con~unctlon wlth the followlng drawlngs, whereln:
FIGURE 1 is an lsometrlc vlew of the artlculated support
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rack mounted on the rear of a van;
FIGURE 2 ls a side vlew of the artlculated support rack
of FIGURE 1, showlng ln partlal cross sectlon the engagement of
the rack wlth a traller hltch sleeve;
FIGURE 2a ls a cross sectlonal vlew of the traller hitch
sleeve frame base member lnterface as viewed along llne 2a-2a ln
FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 2b ls an exploded vlew of the cross member used
to secure the support frame members of FIGURE 2 together;
FIGURE 3 ls an enlarged lsometrlc vlew of the locklng
plates and the release lever ln the locked posltlon;
FIGURE 4 ls an enlarged lsometrlc vlew showlng the
release lever depressed and the locklng plates dlsengaged from the
frame;
FIGURE 5 ls an lsometrlc vlew of an alternatlve
embodlment of a releasable
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lock in the form of a slidable locking rod;
FIGURE 6 is a side view of the articulated support rack in the upright and
horizontal positions;
FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of a ski rack mounted to the articulated
5support frame of this invention;
FIGURE 8 is an isometric view of the ski rack of this position in its
collapsed, of folded up, state;
FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a releasable mounting arm system of an
alternative embodiment of this showing the releasable arms both connected to and10disconnected from the support rack of this invention and the bicycle support arms
in both the the attached and disconnect states;
FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the base
member tongue portion of the articulated support rack of this invention;
FIGURE 11 is a cross sectional view of how the alternative base member
15tongue portion of FIGURE 10 is used to secure the articulated support rack to a
sleave-type trailer hitch;
FIGURE 12 is an exploded view of a trailer hitch coupling assembly for
attaching the articulated support rack of this invention to a ball-type trailer
hitch;
20FIGURE 13 is a cross sectional view of how the coupling assembly of
FIGURE 12 secure the support rack to a vehicle;
FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the articulated
support rack of this invention including a cross beam for mounting the rack to an
automobile bumper; and
25FIGURE 15 is a cross sectional view of bumper mounting assembly of
FIGURE 14;
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring initially to FIGURES 1 and 2, a representative embodiment of the
support rack 10 formed in accordance with the present invention is shown
30attached to a vehicle 12, and, more particularly, to a van-type vehicle havingrearward-opening doors 14. A license plate 16 is mounted on a bumper 18 at the
rear of the vehicle 12. A trailer hitch sleeve 20 is attached to a frame rail 22underneath the back of the vehicle 12. The trailer hitch sleeve 20, as well known
in the art, is formed from planar walls 24 that define a longitudinal axial cavity 26
35of square or rectangular cross section.
The support rack 10 is comprised generally of a base member 28 extending
longitudinally relative to the vehicle 12; a first arcuate support frame member 30
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mounted on the base member 28 and positioned nearest to the vehicle 12; a secondarcuate support frame member 32 pivotally mounted on the base member 28 and
positioned in spaced parallel relationship to the first frame member 30 to be
farthest from the vehicle 12; a pair of rearwardly extending arms 34 mounted to
5 the tops of the support frame members 30 and 32; a pair of releasable lock
plates 36 mounted on the top of and extending along the base member 28; and a
release lever 38 mounted on the base member 28 beneath the lock plates 36. A
crossmember 4~ extends horizontally between the arms 34 to connect the upper
ends of the first frame member 30 and the second frame member 32.
As shown more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 2a, the base member 28 is formed
of a hollow pipe or tube having a generally square or rectangular cross-sectional
shape. The base member 28 has a forward tongue portion 41 that is sized and
shaped to be slidably received within the cavity 26 of the trailer hitch sleeve 20.
The base member tongue portion 41 has an outer cross section profile that is
smaller than the profile of the trailer hitch cavity to facilitate the rapid
installation and removal of the support rack 10. A threaded cross-bolt 42 projects
transversely through the trailer hitch sleeve 20 and the tongue portion 41 to lock
the base member 28 in engagement with the sleeve 20. The cross-bolt 42 is held
in place by a nut 43 with an inner shoulder 44 that passes through a bore 45
formed in the trailer hitch sleeve 20. The nut inner shoulder 44 abuts against the
base member tongue portion 41 to urge the tongue portion against the inner wall
of the hitch sleeve 20. This reduces the vibrations of the support rack 10 and
helps prevent the cross-bolt from loosening when the vehicle is in motion.
The first and second frame members 30 and 32 preferably are composed of
tubular metal and formed to assume a triangular shape with rounded corners 46 atthe top. The bottom corner or apex 48 of the frame members has a straight
portion 50 that is pivotally mounted within a tubular sleeve 51 affixed
transversely to the bottom face 52 of the base member 28 by a sleeve
bracket 53. The first and second frame members 30 and 32 respectively are
further each formed with a top rail 54 that is separated into two spaced apart
sections, one integral with each rounded corner 46.
The crossmember 40, shown more clearly in FIGURE 2b, is formed from two
identical pieces of molded plastic, a top half 43 and a bottom half 45, that areheld together with suitable fasteners 49. The crossmember 40 is pivotally
secured to the frame members 30 and 32 by bushings 55 that are formed out of
semi-circular sections 56 that are are integrally molded as part of the
crossmember pieces 43 and 45. The bushings 55 are each formed with a pair of
_7_ 202664 1
spaced apart lips 57 that define a saddle space 58. Pipes 59 of smaller diameterthan the frame members 30 and 32 connect the top rails 54 of each frame member
together. The crossmember 40 rigidly holds the first and second frame
members 30 and 32 in spaced parallel relationship, while allowing the frame
5 members 30 and 32 to pivot as they move between a raised position and a lowered
position, as will be described in more detail below.
The pair of arms 34 have distal, rearward ends 60 that project away from the
vehicle 12 and proximal, forward ends 62 that are pivotally mounted to the firstframe member 30 by a clamp 63. Releasable threaded fasteners 61 secure the
10 arms 34 and clamps 63 together. Each arm 34 is constructed of tubular metal
having a generally square cross-sectional shape. With the forward, proximal
end 62 of each arm 34 pivotally mounted to the first frame member 30, each
arm 34 can pivot clockwise when the frame members 30 and 32 are in the lowered,
horizontal position, as shown in dotted line in FIGURE 2, to a stored configuration
15 wherein each arm 34 lies adjacent and parallel to the first frame member 30.
When the arm 34 is swung counterclockwise, it will contact the top rail 54 of
second frame member 32 when it is in a horizontal position or a deployed
configuration. A clamp 64 and releasable fastener 65 positioned around the
crossmember 40 on each top rail 54 retains each arm 34 in engagement with the
20 second frame member 32 while permitting limited movement of the second
support frame member 32 with respect to each arm 34. A stop plate 67 is
attached of over the free end of each arm rearward end 60 in order to block
rearward movement of bicycles placed on the arms 34.
Referring next to FIGURE 3, the mounting and operation of the releasable
25 lock plates 36 will now be described. Each lock plate 36 has folded-over sides 66
pivotally mounted at one end to the top surface 68 of the base member 28 by a
bracket 70 and hinge pins 71. The outside edge 72 of each lock plate 36 has two
notches 74 formed thereon that are sized to fairly closely engage the first and
second support frame members 30 and 32 when they are in a substantially raised
30 or vertical position, as shown in FIGURE 3. A helical extension spring 76 is
attached at one end to the base member 28 and at the other end to a tab 77 on
each lock plate 36 to resiliently urge the lock plates 36 into engagement with the
first and second frame members 30 and 32. The four notches 74 provide
substantially positive locking engagement with the frame members 30 and 32, and
35 appreciable movement of the frame members 30 and 32 can take place only when
the lock plates are released.
ln order to release the lock plates 36 from engagement with the support
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frame members 30 and 32, the lock plates 36 must be pivoted upwardly away from
the frame members 30 and 32 about their hinges 71. One method for doing this is
with the use of the release lever 38. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the release
lever 38 is generally U-shaped and is slidably mounted to the base member 28 by
pins 80 that extend through elongated slots 29 formed in each side of the lever 38
and by brackets 81 on each side thereof to position the free ends 78 of the
lever 38 under a corresponding lock plate 36. As shown in FIGURE 3, the release
lever 38 is slidable along the base member 28 so that only a small portion
protrudes resrwardly therefrom. In this stored configuration, the release lever is
positioned to avoid interference with bicycles or other objects supported on the rack 10. In a deployed configuration, the release lever 38 is slid rearwardly
relative to the base member 28 to provide a greater mechanical advantage, as
shown in FIGURE 4. A downward force applied to the release lever 38, such as
from a foot, causes the release lever 38 to pivot on the pins 80. Fingers 82
projecting upward from the ends 78 of the release lever 38 are moved upwardly
into contact against the underside of the lock plates 36 to pivot the lock plates 36
upwardly about their hinges 71 and disengage from the first and second frame
members 30 and 32. The first and second frame members 30 and 32 may then be
moved from the substantially raised position to a lowered position.
Other methods may be used for locking the first and second support frame
members 30 and 32 in the upright position. For instance, in FIGURE 5, the first
and second support frame members 30 and 32 are locked in the upright position bya rod 84 that is slidably engaged within a tube 86. The tube 86 extends diagonally
upward and rearward from an elevation slightly above the base member 28 with
25 the upper end 88 of the tube 86 fixedly attached to the top rail 54 of the second
frame member 32. A lower crossbar 90 formed on the second frame member 32
has a rearward horizontal leg 92 that is attached to an intermediate portion of the
tube 86 to rigidly hold the tube 86 in position. The rod 84 has a handle 94 at its
upper end, with the lower end projecting into an opening (not shown) formed in the
30 base member 28. To release the first and second frame members 30 and 32 from
the upright positions, the handle 94 is used to pull the rod 84 upward and out of
engagement with the base member 28.
The operation of the support rack 10 will now be described in conjunction
with FIGURE 6. Initially, the support rack 10 is mounted to the trailer hitch
35 sleeve 2 by inserting the tongue portion 42 of the base member 28 into the
cavity 26 of the sleeve 20. The bolt 44 is then engaged through aligned cross holes
formed in the sleeve 20 and the tongue portion 42 to firmly lock the base
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member 28 in engagement with the hitch sleeve 20.
For purposes of description, a bicycle 110 is illustrated in an upright positionon the ground 112. The first and second frame members 30 and 32 are pivoted
counterclockwise to move away from the vehicle 12 and lower the pair of arms 34
5 to a level that allows the bicycle 110 to be slid or leaned onto the pair of
arms 34. Because the frame members 30 and 32 are held in parallel relationship
as they pivot, the pair of arms 34 will remain in a substantially horizontal position
through the full range of motion of the frame members 30 and 32. The frame
members 30 and 32, arms 34, and base member 28 cooperatively form a parallel,
10 four-bar link arrangement.
After the bicycle 110 is placed on the arms 34, the first and second frame
members 30 and 32 are pivoted clockwise toward the vehicle 12 to raise the
bicycle 110 off the ground 112. The first and second frame members 30 and 32
continue to rotate in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 6, until they
15 engage the notches 74 on the lock plates 36, which prevent further rotation or
movement of the first and second frame members 30 and 32 in either direction in
the vertical plane. To release the first and second frame members 30 and 32, therelease lever 38 is pulled out, and a downward force is applied thereon to urge the
fingers 82 to contact and move the lock plates 36 upward and out of engagement
20 with the first and second frame members 30 and 32. The first and second framemembers 30 and 32 may then be pivoted downwardly away from the vehicle 12 to
load or unload the bicycle 110 and provide access to the interior of the vehicle 12
through the rear doors 14.
FIGURE 7 depicts the support rack 10 with a ski rack 120 for carrying
25 several pairs of skis 122. The ski rack 120 includes a vertically oriented main
frame 124 with a horizontally oriented support frame 126 attached thereto from
which the skis 122 are suspended by their toe clips 128. A locking frame 130 is
attached to the main frame 124 below the support frame 126 to prevent the skis
from swaying. The ski rack 120 also includes a pair of mounting arms 132 for
30 att~ching the ski rack to the first and second support frame members 30 and 32,
respectively, in place of the rearward extending bicycle support arms 34
(FIGURE 1).
As illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8, the ski rack main frame 124 comprises a
pair of parallel, spaced-apart vertical beams 134 that are connected at their top
35 ends by a horizontally aligned cross beam 136, as depicted in FIGURE 8. The
bottom open ends of the vertical beams 138 are covered by protective plastic
caps 139. The support frame 126 includes a first cross beam 138 that is is located
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above and extending on either side of the main frame cross beam 136. The
support frame first cross beam 138 is attached to the main frame 122 by a pair of
hinge assemblies 140 that are also attached to the top ends of the main frame
vertical beams 134. The hinge assemblies 140 allow the support frame 126 to be
5 rotated about the top of the main frame 122 so that the support frame can be
placed in a collapsed position wherein the free end of the frame is adjacent where
the mounting arms are attached to the main frame.
Extending perpendicularly rearward from the support frame first cross
beam 138 are a set of spaced-apart support arms 142a, 142b, 142c, 142d, 142e and142f. The support arms are arranged in closely spaced pairs, 142a and 142b, 142cand 142d, and 142e and 142f. This arrangement allows pairs of skis to be placed
together, bottom surface-to-bottom surface between each pair of support arms
142 such that downward movement of the skis will be limited by the skis' toe clips
abutting the support arms. Each support arm 142 includes a metal rod 144 that iswelded to the support frame first cross beam 138. Located over each metal
rod 144 is a rectangular plastic sheath 146 that protects the skis from being
dented or scratched by the metal rods. Integral with each sheath 142 are a pair of
inverted-U-shaped hooks 148. The hooks 148 are spaced from the support frame
first cross beam 138 and each other a distance slightly greater than the widths of
a ski 122. When the skis 122 are mounted in the support frame 126, a rope can bewound through the hooks 148 to secure the skis to the rack 120.
A support frame second cross beam 150 extends between the support
arms 142a and 142f located at each end of the support frame 126. The support
frame second cross beam 150 is rotatably attached to a mounting finger 152 that
extends from the free end of end-located support arm 142a. The intermediately
located support arms 142b, 142c, 142d and 142e are dimensioned so that their free
ends are spaced a small distance away from the second cross beam 150. In one
embodiment of the invention, support arms 142b, 142c, 142d and 142e are spaced
approximately one-quarter inch from the second cross beam 150.
Attached to opposite sides of the free end of the support frame second cross
beam 150 are a pair of locking plates 154. Each locking plate has a laterally
extending, inverted-J-shaped flange 156. The flanges 156 are normally positionedaround a locking finger 158 that extends rearward from end support arm 142f. A
lock 160 is mounted to a set of lock frames 162 integral with the locking
plates 154 and spaced below the cross beam 150. The lock 160 has a rotating
tongue (not illustrated) that can be set against the locking finger 158 to prevent
the rotation of the support frame second cross beam 150.
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The locking frame 130 is located approximately three-quarters of the
distance between the top and bottom of the main frame 124. The locking
frame 130 has a cross beam 170 that is attached to the main frame vertical
beams 134 by a pair of hinge assemblies 172. The hinge assemblies 172 are
attached to the top of the locking frame cross beam so that the locking frame 130
can be rotated upwards against the vertical beams 134.
The locking frame 130 is provided with three tail frames 174 that each
define a separate pair of tail openings 175 into which the tails of the skis areinserted to prevent them from swaying. The tail frames 174 are mounted
perpendicularly to locking frame cross beam 170 and are aligned under the pairs of
support arms 142a and 142b, 142c and 142d, and 142e and 142f between which the
skis are inserted. Each tail frame 174 includes a pair of frame arms 176 which are
metal rods that are mounted perpendicularly to the locking frame 170. Mounted
over each pair of frame arms 176 is an H-shaped sheath 178 formed of reinforced
plastic or other resilient material that will not scratch the skis 122. Each sheath
has a pair of parallel spaced-apart elongated sections 180 that cover the frame
arms 176. Each sheath 178 further has a cross section 182 integral with the
elongated sections 180 that bisects the tail opening 175 defined by the frame arms
176. A cross member 184, formed of reinforced plastic or other appropriate
material is attached over the ends of each pair of enclosure arms 176. The crossmembers 184 are secured to the frame arms 176 by threaded fasteners or other
appropriate means.
The locking frame cross beam 170, the elongated arms 176, the sheath cross
member 184 and the cross member 184 define pairs of ski tail openings 175. When
the ski boot portions of the skis 122 are placed between the support arms 142a,
142b, 142c, 142d, 142e and 142f, the tails of the skis are inserted in the ski tail
openings 175. The surrounding ski enclosure prevents the skis from swaying when
they are being transported.
The mounting arms 132 are each formed with openings (not illustrated~ to
facilitate securing the arms to the clamps 63 and 64 that are respectively integral
with the first and second support frame members 30 and 32. Specifically, each
mounting arm 132 has two sets of openings to accommodate threaded fasteners 61
that secure the arm to clamp 63. A single pair of openings is provided to
accommodate the threaded fastener 65 over which the arm 132 is inserted to
secure the mounting arm 132 to the clamp 64. The mounting arms 132 are
attached to the support frame members 30 and 32 in a manner identical to how
the bicycle support arms 34 of FIGURE 1 are attached. The mounting arms are
-12- 2026641
pivotally attached to support frame member 30 adjacent the vehicle and rotatablyattached to support frame member 32 distal from the vehicle. This arrangement
insures that when the support frame members are pivoted, the mounting arms 132,
and the rest of the ski rack 120 will remain in the same orientation with respect
to the ground surface.
The mounting arms 132 are mounted to the main frame vertical beams 134
hinge assemblies 188. The hinge assemblies 188 are welded or otherwise secured
to the vertical beams 134 at an appropriate location between the support
frame 126 and the locking frame 130 such that when the frame members 30 and 32
are locked against the vehicle the skis 122 are spaced well above ground level, and
when the frame members 30 and 32 are pivoted downwards, the support frame 126
is at waist level to facilitate placement and removal of the skis. The hinge
assembly 188 is arranged so that the mounting arms can be folded inwardly on
each other when the ski rack 120 is not in use.
The ski rack 120 is also provided with a lockable plastic-coated cable 194 to
prevent theft. One end of the cable 194 is looped around one of the main frame
vertical beams 134 and the second end is wrapped around one of the support framemembers 32 or 34 to prevent removal of the rack. In alternative embodiments of
the invention, the second end of the cable may be passed through an opening in the
cross-bolt 42 that holds the support rack 10 to the vehicle 12. In these
embodiments, the support rack 10 could not be removed from the vehicle without
first unlocking the cable 194.
The support rack 10 is used for transporting skis by substituting the ski
rack 120 for the arms 34. The threaded fasteners 61 and 65 that hold the arms 34or the ski rack mounting arms 130 are simply unscrewed and refastened to effect
the substitution. Skis 122 are held by their toe clips in the support frame 126.The locking frame 128 prevents the skis from swaying when they are being
transported. The skis 122 are in the up position away from the roadway when theyare being transported and are pivoted downwards for placement in and removal
from the rack. Thus, the skis 122 will not be damaged by rocks and pebbles that
are thrown upward by the vehicle 12 and are easily accessible when their
placement and removal from the ski rack 120 is desired. The ski rack 120 is
shifted from the placement/removal position to the transport position in a manner
identical to how the bicycle support arms 34 are moved as described with
reference to FIGURE 6. The ski rack 120, like the bicycle support arms 34,
maintains its orientation to the ground surface when shifted between the
placement/removal and transport positions.
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The hinge assemblies 140, 172 and 188, that respectively connect the support
frame 126, the locking frame 128 and the mounting arms 132 to the main frame,
allow the ski rack 120 to be folded flat when it is not in use, as depicted in
FIGURE 8. This facilitates storage of the ski rack 120 in a minimal amount of
space. The lock 160 and the locking cable 194 and the locking members 192
prevent the unauthorized removal of the skis or the ski rack 120.
Alternatively, in still other embodiments of the invention the bicycle support
arms on the ski rack may be mounted to the frame members 30 and 32 using the
attachment assembly 200 depicted in FIGURE 9. The assembly 200 includes
attached mounting arms 202 and releasable mounting arms 204 that substitute for
the bicycle support arms 34 (FIGURE 1) or ski rack mounting arms 132
(FIGURE 7). Each attached mounting arm 202 is pivotally secured to a cross-
member bushing 55 coupled over a first frame member 30 top rail 54. Each
releasable fastening arm 204 is dimensioned to be coupled over the free end of an
attached mounting arm 202.
The attached mounting arm 202 and releasable mounting arm 204 are
selectively secured together by a detent pin 206 that is inserted through
concentric openings 208 formed in each pair of interlocking arms. The tip of each
detent pin 206 is provided with a biased bearing 210 that locks the pin in place.
The opposite ends the pins 206 are provided with a pull ring 212 to facilitate their
installation and removal.
When the arms 202 and 204 are secured together, the releasable mounting
arms 204 are seated in the saddles 58 of the bushings 55 located around the second
frame member 32. A fastener member 214 mounted over each releasable
mounting arm 204 holds each arm 204 in place. Each fastening member 214 is
formed of reinforced plastic and is secured to the associated releasable mounting
arm 204 by an appropriate fastener 216. Each fastening member 214 includes a
hook 216 positioned to abut the associated second frame member bushing 55 below
the releasable mounting arm 204. The hook 216 thus prevents vertical movement
of the releasable mounting arm 204 as could otherwise happen when the vehicle 12is in motion. Horizontal shifting of the releasable mounting arm is restricted by
the hook 214 and the bushing lips 57 that define the saddles 58.
Each fastening member 214 is further provided with a stop 218 that extends
upwards opposite the hook 216. The stop 214 restricts movement of bicycles
towards the frame members when the releasable mounting arms 204 are used to
support the bicycles.
Attachment assembly 200 provides a quick means for configuring the support
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rack 10 between the bicycle carrying and ski carrying modes. Different sets of
releasable mounting arms 204 are designed to serve as bicycle support arms 34 orski rack mounting arms 132. The depicted mounting arms 204 are designed to
function as bicycle support arms and are dimensioned to support one or more
5 bicycles thereon. The free ends of these mounting arms 204 are provided with
stop plates 67 to block rearward movements of bicycles. Releasable mounting
arms that function as ski rack mounting arms are attached to the ski rack main
frame 124 (FIGURE 7) in a manner identical to the attachment of the ski rack
mounting arms 132 of the described ski rack.
The different sets of releasable mounting arms 204 can readily be
interchanged by: removing the detent pins 206; pulling the first set of arms 204away from the fixed mounting arms 202, coupling the new mounting arms in place
over the fixed mounting arms; and, reinserting the detent pins. Attachment
assembly 200 thus allows for quick reconfiguration of the support rack 10 without
having to loosen and resecure threaded fasteners or other difficult to work withfastening means.
Also illustrated in FIGURE 9 are a pair of mounting saddles 222 that are
used to secure a bicycle 110, shown partially in phantom, to the support rack.
Each mounting saddle 222 is formed out a single section of hardened rubber or
reinforced plastic and is attached to a support arm 202 or 204. Each mounting
saddle 222 has a base section 224 positioned on top of the associated mounting
arm. A pair of opposed flanges 226 extend downwards from the base section 224
along the side of the mounting arm 202 and 204, and are dimensioned to secure the
saddle to the mounting arm by a friction fit. A pair of opposed flanges 228 extend
upwards from the base 224 across the mounting arm and project upwards to define
a seating space 230 in which the top tube of the bicycle 110 is disposed.
The bicycle 110 is held in the mounting saddles 222 by elastic straps 232 that
are attached to the saddles. Each strap 232 is provided with a number of
elongated openings 234 so that the strap can be secured to complementary
cleats 236 formed integrally with the mounting saddles 222. Each saddle base 224is formed with a pair of spaced apart elongated ridges 238 that extend into and
across the seating spaces 230. Each ridge 238 has an inwardly beveled top
surface 240 on which the bicycle 110 top tube rests. The opposed ridge top
surfaces 240 define a cradle that limits the sway of the bicycle 110.
An alternative tongue portion 250 integral with the base member 28
(FIGURE 2) for securing the articulated support rack 10 to a trailer hitch
sleeve 20 is depicted in FIGURES 10 and 11. The tongue portion 250 has the same
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generally rectangular shape as the previously described tongue portion 41 and issimilarly dimensioned to be received inside the complementary trailer hitch
sleeve 20. The tongue portion 250 is formed with a set of laterally extended
openings 251 adapted to receive a pair of threaded fasteners 252 and 253
5 respectively for securing the articulated support rack 10 to the trailer hitchsleeve 20. A nut bar 254 is welded or otherwise secured into the tongue portion
250 adjacent the openings 251 on side of the tongue portion. The nut bar is
formed with threaded openings 255 adjacent to and concentric with the tongue
portion openings 251 for securing the the threaded fasteners 252 and 253.
The support rack 10 is secured to the trail hitch sleeve 20 by a lock assembly
256 that prevents unauthorized removal of threaded fastener 252. The lock
assembly 256 includes a lock body 257 formed with an opening 258 in which the
head 259 of the threaded fastener 252 is seated. A tumbler 260 is secured in a
second opening 261 formed in the lock body. The tumbler 260 has a rotating
tongue 262 that turns with the actuation of a key 268 associated with the
tumbler. The tumbler tongue 262 is disposed in a passageway 264 formed in the
lock body 257 that extends between the first and second openings 258 and 261
respectively. The tumbler tongue 262 is dimensioned so that when in the locked
position, it will extend into an annu!ar groove 263 formed in the head 259 of the
threaded fastener 252 and is spaced away from the cylindrical portion of the
fastener that forms the base of the groove. A molded plastic cap 269 is disposedover the lock body adjacent the first opening 258. A lock ring 265 is press fitted
over an annular extension 266 of the cap 269 that extends around the lock body
first opening 258. The lock ring 265 is disposed around hexagonal base portion 267
of the threaded fastener head 259.
When support rack 10 with tongue portion 250 is mounted to a vehicle, the
tongue portion is inserted into the trailer hitch sleeve 20. Threaded fasteners 252
and 253 are then inserted in the openings 251 and 255 where they are secured in
place by the complementary threading on the nut bar openings 255. The lock
assembly 256 is then secured over the head 259 of threaded fastener 252. The
lock ring 265 prevents unauthorized persons from being able to place a wrench orother tool around the base portion 267 of the threaded fastener 252 so as to be
able to remove the fastener from the rack tongue and trailer hitch openings 251
and 255 respectively. Moreover, threaded fastener 252 cannot be removed from
the openings 252 and 255 by simply turning the lock assembly; since the tumbler
tongue 262 is does not abut the cylindrical surface forming the base of the
fastener head groove 263, turning the lock assembly does not force the fastener
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252 to similarly rotate. An advantage of this tongue portion 250 is that it
eliminates the need for having to provide separate complementary fasteners in
order to hold the threaded fasteners 252 and 253 in place. Still another advantage
of this assembly is that lock assembly 256 functions as a one-piece unit that
prevents the unauthorized removal of the articulated support rack 10 of this
invention from a vehicle.
A coupling system 270 for attaching the articulated support rack to a ball-
type trailer hitch 271 is depicted in FIGURES 12 and 13. The coupling system 270includes a pair of ball blocks 272 shaped to be secured over a trailer hitch
ball 274. Each ball block 272 is formed with a semi-spherical indentation 276 for
fitting the block against the trailer hitch ball 274. Each block 272 is also formed
with a semi-cylindrical grooves 278 that is dimensioned to partially receive
threaded fasteners 280. A semi-circular opening 282 is further formed in the topof each block 272 to facilitate its removal from the trailer hitch ball 274.
Coupling system 270 further includes a ball attachment plate 284 welded or
otherwise secured to a forward extension 286 of the articulated support rack base
member 28. The ball attachment plate 284 extends downward from the rack base
member 28. A clamping plate 288 is located below the support rack 10 opposed
the downward extending section of the ball attachment plate 284. The ball
attachment plate 284 and the clamping plate 288 are both formed with
openings 290 so that the threaded fasteners 280 can be fitted therethrough. Boththe ball attachment plate 284 and the clamping plate 288 are dimensioned to abutthe trail hitch tongue 292 on which the trailer hitch ball 274 is mounted.
An articulated support rack 10 with coupling system 270 is attached to a
trailer hitch 271 by first fitting the ball blocks 272 over the trailer hitch
ball 274. The rack 10 and the clamping plate 288 are then mounted against the
ball blocks 272 so that the ball attachment plate 284 and the clamping plate areon opposite lateral sides of the ball blocks. The threaded fasteners 280 are then
secured by nuts 281 in place so that the coupling system 270 is compression
secured by the ball blocks 2~2 to the trail hitch ball 274. The bottom edges of the
ball attachment plate 284 and the coupling plate 288 abut the trailer hitch
tongue 292 so as to provide vertical stability for the coupling system 270 and the
support rack 10.
Alternative versions of the coupling system 270 are also possible. For
example, the ball attachment plate 284 can be releasably secured to the rack base
member 28 by using the threaded fasteners 254 and nut bar 256 described with
respect to FIGURE 10. Moreover, it may also be desirable to secure the clamping
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plate 288 to the rack base member 28. If the clamping plate 288 is so attached, it
is desirable to use a hinge or other flexible means to secure the plate to the base
member 28 in order to allow that ball blocks 272 to maintain a compression fit
around the trail hitch ball 274. An advantage of attaching the clamping plate 288
to the base member 28 is that it minimizes the the number of lose system
components. The number of separate system components can also be minimized
by welding or otherwise securing the the ball blocks 272 to the ball attachment
plate 284 and the clamping plate 288.
FIGURES 14 and 15 illustrate a cross beam assembly 300 used to mount the
articulated support rack of this invention to a vehicle that is not equipped with a
trailer hitch sleeve. The cross beam assembly 300 includes a cross beam 302 thatis releasably mounted to the vehicle bumper 304, shown in phantom by a pair of C-
clamps 306. The cross beam 302 is secured to the C-clamps 306 by welding or
other permanent means. An L-beam 308 is attached to the center of the cross
beam 302 and extends downward from the cross beam. In the depicted
embodiment of the invention, the L-beam 308 is secured to the cross beam 302 by
a threaded fastener 309. The L-beam 308 has a bottom located horizontal
extension 260 that is substantially identical to the base member of the articulated
support rack described with respect to FIGURES 1 and 2. Articulate support
frame members 30 and 32 are attached to the L-beam member horizontal
extension 310 in manner identical to that previously disclosed. The articulated
support frame members are held in place by the same releasable lock plates 36
and associated securing and release assembly that was disclosed with respect to
the previous described embodiment of the invention.
As depicted in FIGURE 15, the C-clamps 306 are dimensioned to fit loosely
around the bumper 304. The ends of each C-clamp 306 are provided with a pair of
inwardly directed flanges 312 that face each other. Bolts 314 extend through
complementary threaded openings 266 formed in the cross beam 302 and the C-
clamps 306 and abut the adjusts surface of the bumper 302. The ends of each
bolt 314 are provided with a cap 318 formed of rubber, plastic or other materialthat will not mark or scratch the bumper 304. When the cross beam assembly 300
is used to secure the support rack to the vehicle, the C-clamps 306 are secured in
place by the flanges 312 and the bolts 314. The articulated support rack can be
removed from the vehicle by loosening the bolts 314 so that the C-clamps 306 canbe worked free of the bumper 304.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in the
context of loading and unloading a bicycle on a van, it is to be understood that the
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present invention will have other applications, such as on campers, or with the
loading and unloading of minibikes, motorcycles, and the like. Furthermore, it is
contemplated that various changes may be made therein without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, a cable may be used to lift the
5 lock plates 36 out of engagement with the first and second frame members 30
and 32. Moreover, alternative embodiments of the ski rack 120 are, of course,
possible. For example, it may be desirable to provide the support frame 126 and
the locking frame 128 with clamps or other fastening means so that ski poles canbe mounted to the rack for transport. The support arms 142 may be provided with
10 clamps having rubber flanges or other means for securing the skis so that the skis
are not suspended by their toe clips. Consequently, the invention can be practiced
otherwise than as specifically described herein.
