U.S. patent number 3,924,751 [Application Number 05/466,872] was granted by the patent office on 1975-12-09 for bike rack hoist.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Central Specialties Inc.. Invention is credited to William G. Ballenger.
United States Patent |
3,924,751 |
Ballenger |
December 9, 1975 |
Bike rack hoist
Abstract
A hoistable storage rack for bicycles and hoistable from an
overlying support, the rack including a support bar, a pair of
opposed curvilinear hanging means extending upwardly from opposed
ends of the support bar, and supporting first pulley means mounted
thereon and extending upwardly therefrom, the overlying support
having hanging means mounted thereon in vertical alignment with the
curvilinear hanging means on the support bar, and the hanging means
supporting a second pair of pulley means mounted thereon and
extending downwardly therefrom, and rope means interconnecting the
opposed pairs of opposed first and second pulley means, the rope
means terminating in a central section, thereby permitting the
application of retractional force which, in turn, causes the first
and second pairs of pulley means to work against each other and
cause the hoisting of the support bar, which further includes
opposed pairs of bicycle hooks extending outwardly therefrom, to
support a bicycle mounted thereon, such that a bike mounted on the
bicycle hook may be hoisted up into storage posture by the
application of retractional force against the central section of
the rope means.
Inventors: |
Ballenger; William G.
(Deerfield, IL) |
Assignee: |
Central Specialties Inc.
(Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
23853421 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/466,872 |
Filed: |
May 6, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/17;
211/117 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62H
3/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62H
3/12 (20060101); B62H 3/00 (20060101); A47F
005/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;211/17-22,117
;254/188,189 ;294/81R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
258,496 |
|
Nov 1948 |
|
CH |
|
24,321 |
|
Sep 1897 |
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UK |
|
981,139 |
|
May 1951 |
|
FR |
|
4,022 |
|
Jan 1898 |
|
UK |
|
17,384 |
|
Jul 1898 |
|
CH |
|
Primary Examiner: Frazier; Roy D.
Assistant Examiner: Aschenbrenner; Peter A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dominik, Knechtel, Godula &
Demeur
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hoistable storage rack for carrying at least one bicycle
thereon and permitting the hoisting of the rack on an overlying
support, with at least one bicycle mounted thereon, comprising in
combination,
a horizontally disposed support bar having front and rear
surfaces,
a plurality of bicycle hooks mounted on the front surface of said
support bar and extending forwardly outwardly therefrom,
a plurality of bicycle hooks mounted on the rear support surface of
said support bar and extending rearwardly outwardly therefrom,
said support bar including a plurality of horizontally spaced and
linearly aligned apertures disposed therethrough and adjacent each
of the ends thereof, and each of said bicycle hooks including a
threaded shaft, whereby each of said bicycle hooks may be mounted
on said support bar by inserting said threaded shaft through one of
said apertures and securely held in position by threaded nuts
screwed threadily mounted thereon,
at least a pair of curvilinear hanging means, mounted on said
support bar, one of said pair of hanging means mounted adjacent
each end thereof and extending upwardly therefrom,
each of said hanging means having lower pulley means mounted
thereon and extending upwardly therefrom,
the overlying support provided with opposed support hanging means
fixedly secured thereto and extending downwardly therefrom,
each of said opposed hanging means having upper pulley means
mounted thereon and extending downwardly therefrom,
said upper pulley means being positioned in spaced vertical
alignment with respect to said lower pulley means,
said lower pulley means comprising a pair of fiddle blocks, each
having a large pulley wheel and a smaller pulley wheel, said
smaller pulley wheel being positioned above said larger pulley
wheel, and said upper pulley means comprising a pair of second
fiddle blocks, each having a larger pulley wheel and a smaller
pulley wheel, said smaller pulley wheel being positioned below said
larger pulley wheel,
rope means fixedly secured to each of said upper pulley means at
the opposed ends of said rope means and having one end portion of
said rope means interconnecting vertically opposed one of the said
pairs of lower and upper pulley means, and the opposed end portion
of said rope means interconnecting the other vertically opposed
ones of said pairs of lower and upper pulley means,
and the central portion of said rope means positioned between said
vertically opposed ones of said pairs of said lower and upper
pulley means,
whereby retraction force applied against the central portion of
said rope means will cause said vertically opposed ones of said
pairs of lower and upper pulley means to work against each other,
through said rope means, thereby to hoist said support bar upwardly
with at least one bicycle mounted on and between respective bicycle
hooks.
2. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 1 above,
wherein each of said opposed ones of said front and rear bicycle
hooks are horizontally offset with respect to each other.
3. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 1 above,
wherein said upper pair of fiddle blocks is positioned above and in
vertical alignment with respect to said lower pair of said fiddle
blocks.
4. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 3 above,
wherein said rope means has one end secured to the lower end of one
of said upper fiddle blocks and extends downwardly about said
smaller pulley wheel of said lower fiddle block, then upwardly
about said smaller pulley wheel of said upper fiddle block, then
downwardly about said larger pulley wheel of said lower fiddle
block, the upwardly about said large pulley wheel of said upper
fiddle block, and then continued about said large pulley wheel of
said upper fiddle block, and downwardly about said large pulley
wheel of said lower fiddle block, then upwardly about said smaller
pulley wheel of said upper fiddle block, then downwardly about said
smaller pulley wheel of said lower fiddle block then upwardly and
securely affixed to the lower end of said upper fiddle block, the
central portion of said rope providing a grasping point for the
operator to grasp and apply retractional force to hoist said
rack.
5. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 1 above,
wherein said curvilinear hanging means comprises a pair of eyes
bolts mounted on the top surface of said support bar adjacent the
opposed ends thereof, thereby to provide a curvilinear hanging
support for said lower pulley means mounted thereon and extending
upwardly therefrom.
6. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 5 above,
wherein said support bar is rotationally mounted with respect to
said lower pulley means thereby to permit the canting movement of
said support bar when one bicycle is mounted on and between the
respective pair of bicycle hooks creating an off-center load.
7. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 6 above,
wherein each of said lower and upper pulley means is rotationally
mounted with respect to the corresponding hanging means whereby
each of said pulley means is rotationally movable with respect to
the vertical axis established between opposed pairs of said upper
and lower pulley means.
8. The hoistable storag rack as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein
said front and rear pairs of bicycle hooks are horizontally offset
with respect to each other.
9. The hoistable storage rack as set forth in claim 1 above,
wherein each of said bicycle hooks is covered with a plasticized
material thereby to minimize frictional contact with a bicycle
mounted thereon.
10. A hoistable storage rack for carrying at least one bicycle
thereon and permitting the hoisting of the rack onto an overlying
support with at least one bicycle mounted thereon, comprising in
combination,
a horizontally disposed support bar having front and rear
surfaces,
said support bar having a plurality of horizontally spaced and
linearly aligned apertures disposed therethrough adjacent each of
the opposed ends of said support bar,
a pair of opposed bicycle hooks mounted on the front surface of
said support bar through corresponding apertures at each of the
opposed ends of said support bar, and said opposed bicycle hooks
extending forwardly outwardly therefrom,
a pair of opposed bicycle hooks mounted on the rear surface of said
support bar through corresponding apertures in said support bar,
and extending rearwardly outwardly therefrom,
said front and rear pairs of bicycle hooks being horizontally
offset with respect to each other, by virtue of the mounting
thereof in different ones of said apertures positioned in said
support bar,
each of said front and rear pairs of bicycle hooks including a
threaded shaft, whereby each of said bicycle hooks may be mounted
on said support bar by inserting said threaded shaft through one of
said apertures and securely held in position by threaded nuts screw
threadily mounted thereon,
a pair of eye bolts mounted on said support bar, one of said pair
of eye bolts mounted adjacent each of the opposed ends of said
support bar and extending upwardly therefrom,
each of said eye bolts having a lower fiddle block rotationally
mounted thereon and extending upwardly therefrom,
the overlying support provided with opposed hanging means fixedly
secured thereto and extending downwardly therefrom,
each of said opposed hanging means having an upper fiddle block
rotationally mounted thereon and extending downwardly
therefrom,
said upper fiddle blocks being positioned in spaced and vertical
alignment with respect to said lower fiddle blocks
rope means fixedly secured to each of said lower fiddle blocks at
the opposed ends of said rope means and having one end portion
thereof interconnecting vertically opposed ones of said pairs of
said lower and upper fiddle blocks, and the opposed end portion of
said rope means interconnecting the other vertically opposed ones
of said pairs of lower and upper fiddle blocks,
and the central portion of said rope means positioned between said
vertically opposed ones of said pairs of lower and upper fiddle
blocks,
whereby retraction force applied against the central portion of
said rope means will cause said vertically opposed one of said
pairs of lower and upper fiddle blocks to work against each other
through said rope means, thereby to hoist said support bar upwardly
with at least one bicycle mounted on and between a respective pair
of bicycle hooks.
11. The hoistable rack as set forth in claim 10 above, wherein said
hanging means fixedly secured to the overlying support comprise a
pair of opposed eye bolts supporting said upper fiddle blocks
thereon.
12. The hoistable rack as set forth in claim 10 above, wherein said
rope means comprises a nylon rope.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The sport of bicycling has experienced a renewed interest by the
public causing a tremendous market in bicycles. Generally, it has
been found that any given family will purchase as many as four
bicycles to accommodate the members of the family and to enjoy the
sport of bicycling.
It is obvious that a wide variety of storage racks have been
designed for mounting on an automobile, or other vehicle permitting
the transportation of bicycles by car, bus or the like. However,
the storage problem associated with bicycles when not in use has
now become a problem, especially due to the acquisition of the
numbers of bikes by any single family. The customary manner of
storing bicycles has traditionally been to simply position the
bicycles within an enclosure, such as a garage, storage house or
the like, employing the kick stand, or otherwise leaning the
bicycle against a supporting wall. As has been mentioned above,
with the increase in the number of bicycles per family, storage of
the bicycles has become a problem. Clearly, it is desirable to
relieve the garage space, or storage space in an enclosed storage
house for the normal utility to which such structures are intended.
It would further be preferable to provide storage means for
bicycles whereby a plurality of bicycles may be stored or
positioned within the available storage space, but without
consuming needed floor space. For example, it would be desirable to
provide storage racks for bicycles within a garage, but without, at
the same time, utilizing floor space otherwise needed for the
storage of automobiles.
In order to alleviate the storage problems associated with
bicycles, the present invention provides a convenient hoistable
storage rack, which permits the storage of a plurality of bicycles,
along a single support bar which may be hoisted up out of contact
with the ground surface, and into a storage posture above eye
level.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide a
storage rack for bicycles which is hoistable and by which the
storage of the bicycles does not consume the floor space of the
surrounding structure.
A further object of this invention is to provide a storage rack for
bicycles which permits the storage of a plurality of bicycles on a
single rack and at the same time permits the hoisting of the rack
out of position and out of contact with the underlying storage
floor space.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a storage rack
for bicycles which is formed by a support bar having both front and
rear surfaces, each of the front and rear surfaces provided with a
pair of horizontally spaced bicycle hooks mounted thereon to
accommodate the mounting of a bicycle thereon, a pair of
curvilinear hanging means mounted on the support bar, one of the
pair of hanging means mounted adjacent each of the opposed ends of
the support bar, each of the opposed curvilinear hanging means
carrying first pulley means mounted thereon and extending upwardly
therefrom, while the overlying support is provided with opposed
support hanging means fixedly secured thereto and supporting a pair
of second pulley means mounted thereon and extending downwardly
therefrom, the second pair of pulley means being in vertical
alignment with the first pair of pulley means, the first pair of
pulley means being rotationally mounted with respect to the
curvilinear hanging means and rope means for interconnecting the
opposed ones of the pair of vertically opposed first and second
pulley means such that retractional force applied against the rope
means will cause the first and second pulley means to work against
one another, thereby resulting in the hoisting of the storage rack
into an elevated storage position with one or more bicycles
supported thereon.
In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of
this invention to provide a bicycle storage rack which is
hoistable, of the type described, wherein the curvilinear hanging
means comprises eye bolts mounted on the support bar thereby
permitting the first pulley means mounted thereon to be
rotationally movable with respect to the eye bolt.
Still another object in connection with the foregoing objects, is
to provide a hoistable storage rack of the type described, wherein
the first and second pulley means each consists of fiddle blocks,
having both a large and a small pulley wheel oriented in vertical
alignment, the first pulley means having the lower pulley wheel
positioned above the larger pulley wheel, while the second pulley
means is constructed to have the smaller pulley wheel positioned
below the larger pulley wheel, whereby rope means interconnecting
the respective larger and smaller pulley wheels of the vertically
opposed ones of the pair of pulley means permits the pulley means
to work against each other when retractional forces are applied
against the rope means in order to cause the support bar carried by
the first pulley means to be hoistable into a storage posture.
A further object of the invention is to provide a hoistable storage
rack of the type described, wherein the support bar is provided
with a plurality of apertures horizontally aligned along the
opposed ends thereof, such that the bicycle hooks mounted thereon
may be horizontally adjustable along the length of the support bar
thereby to accommodate the mounting and storage of different sized
bicycles.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a storage rack
of the type described, wherein the storage bar is rotationally
movable with respect to the hoisting axis, thereby to accommodate
the load of one bicycle mounted on one side of the storage rack,
causing the storage bars to be canted due to the load of the single
bicycle, which in turn, permits the bicycle to assume a vertical
orientation when stored in a hoisted position.
Further features of the invention pertain to the particular
arrangement and parts, whereby the above-outlined and additional
operating features thereof are attained.
The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,
together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be
understood by reference to the following specification, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the storage rack of the subject
invention in its hoisted storage posture with respect to an
overlying support;
FIG. 2 is an end elevational view showing the subject storage rack
having a single bike mounted thereon and the canted position
assumed by the storage rack, when loaded with a single bicycle;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the
interrelationship between the respective elements of the support
rack;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the relationship between
the support rack and the overlying support and the means for the
interconnection of the respective pulley mounts of the storage
rack, and the overlying support; and
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the manner of adjusting the vertical
end height desired for the storage rack.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
With reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings, the details of
construction of the storage rack of the present invention are
illustrated. The storage rack, generally referred to by the numeral
10, is formed by a support bar 12, which is shown to have a length
slightly less than the overall length of a typical bicycle frame.
In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the support bar 12
is shown to include a series of three mounting apertures 14,
adjacent each of the opposed ends of the support bar 12, the
apertures 14 extending through the support bar 12.
The support bar 12 includes a front surface 16, and rear surface
18, the front surface carrying a pair of opposed bicycle hooks 20.
Similarly, the rear surface 18 of the support bar 12, carries a
pair of rear bicycle hooks 22, the front and rear bicycle hooks 20
and 22 respectively, being in horizontal alignment with respect to
each other. As illustrated in the present embodiment of the
invention, each of the front and rear bicycle hooks 20 and 22
respectively, include a rear shank portion 23, which is threaded,
such that the respective hooks 20 and 22 may be mounted to the
support bar 12, by insertion through one of the apertures 14,
provided in the support bar 12. The bicycle hooks 20 and 22
respectively are held in fixed mounted relationship with respect to
the support bar 12 by means of a pair of threaded nuts 24 and 25,
the first threaded nut 24 being screw-threadedly mounted to the
shank portion of the hook 20 and 22, prior to insertion in the
aperture, while the rear threaded nut 25 is applied once the shank
portion 23 has been inserted through the aperture 14.
The construction of each of the hooks 20 and 22 provides another
desirable feature of the invention. It will be observed that each
hook 20 and 22 includes a tail section 26 such that the hooks 20
and 22 have an overall dimension beyond a semi-circle or
180.degree. arc. This feature insures that a bicycle loaded on a
pair of hooks 20 or 22, will not accidentally fall from the hooks
20 or 22 in the event the rack should cant as illustrated in FIG. 2
of the drawings.
It will be observed further from a view of FIG. 3 of the drawings,
that each one of the pair of front and rear bicycle hooks 20 and 22
respectively are positioned on the support bar in horizontally
offset position with respect to one another. This is accomplished
by positioning the front hook 20 through one aperture 14, while the
rear bicycle hook 22 is inserted through the next adjacent aperture
14. It will be obvious that if desired, the bicycle hooks 20 and 22
may be mounted to the support bar 12 by any other suitable means,
such as by welding or the like, and further, the respective ones of
the pair of front and rear bicycle hooks 20 and 22 may be
positioned in absolute horizontal alignment. The construction
illustrated in the present embodiment is deemed to be the most
economical from a manufacturing point of view, and therefore, is
illustrated herein only for purposes of explanation.
Each of the opposed ends of the support bar 12 are further provided
with an eye bolt 28 which is mounted on the support bar 12 through
a corresponding aperture 29 provided therein and held in position
by means of a threaded nut 30. Each of the eye bolts 28 extends
vertically upwardly from the support bar 12, each supporting a
fiddle block 35 thereon. The fiddle block 35 is formed by a pair of
opposed support plates 36, holding a pair of pulley wheels captive
therebetween. The lower fiddle blocks 35 are shown to include a
lower large pulley wheel 37 and an upper smaller pulley wheel 38.
As is known, the pulley wheels 37 and 38 are rotationally arrested
between the support plates 36 such that both of the pulley wheels
37 and 38 are completely free to rotate. The lower end of the
fiddle block 35, carries a lower mounting ring 39 while the upper
end carries an upper mounting ring 41. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of
the drawings, the lower mounting ring 39 interconnects with the eye
bolts 28 thereby to achieve a firm but rotationally movable
interconnection. The provision of a firm but rotationally movable
interconnection between the fiddle block 35 and the eye bolt 28 is
deemed important for purposes of the present invention in order to
permit the canting movement of the storage rack 10 when loaded with
a single bicycle, as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the invention
contemplates the use of an overlying support 15, which carries a
pair of opposed hanging eye bolts 43. As illustrated in FIG. 4 if
the overlying support 15 is formed by a wood brace or bar, of the
type commonly found in a garage, the hanging eye bolt 43 may be in
the form of threaded eye bolts which may be screw threadedly driven
into the wooden overlying support 15. It is apparent, however, that
any form of securely mounted hanging means, or hanging eye bolts 43
may be provided so long as the same are securely mounted on the
overlying support 15.
The hanging eye bolts 43 provide a support for carrying a pair of
opposed upper fiddle blocks 45, which are constructed in the same
manner as the lower fiddle blocks 35. It will be seen that the
upper fiddle blocks 45 include a pair of opposed support plates 46,
ortationally arresting an upper larger pulley wheel 47 and a lower
smaller pulley wheel 48, therebetween. Each of the upper fiddle
blocks 45 also include a lower mounting ring 49 and an upper
mounting ring 51.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the upper fiddle blocks
45 are rotationally or pivotally mounted on the corresponding
hanging eye bolt 43 by means of the upper mounting rings 51, such
that both of the upper fiddle blocks 45 rotate about the vertical
axis thereof. As previously explained, the lower fiddle blocks 35
are carried on the lower eye bolts 28 in a rotational or pivotal
relationship, such that both the upper fiddle blocks 45 and the
lower fiddle blocks 35 are similarly mounted on the corresponding
eye bolts 43 and 28 respectively. In operation, it has been
experienced that as much as a 45.degree. angle of rotational
movement may be achieved by both the upper fiddle blocks 45 and
lower fiddle blocks 35 with respect to the corresponding eye bolts
43 and 28 respectively. The importance of this feature is the fact
that since both of the upper and lower fiddle blocks, 45 and 35
respectively are rotationally movable, the effort required to hoist
the subject storage rack 10 is greatly minimized, thereby requiring
less work energy incident to the hoisting operation.
Another feature of the invention which is considered to be
important with respect to the hoisting operation relates to the
vertical alignment of the respective upper and lower fiddle blocks
45 and 35 respectively. It is deemed desirable to position the
upper fiddle blocks 45 in direct vertical alignment with respect to
the lower fiddle blocks 35, whereby the retention of the vertical
axis as between the respective fiddle blocks 45 and 35 facilitates
and minimizes the work energy required to hoist the rack 10.
The upper and lower fiddle blocks 45 and 35 respectively are
interconnected by means of a rope 55, the threading of the rope
through the respective fiddle blocks 35 and 45 illustrated in FIG.
4 of the drawings. It is noted that one end portion 56 of the rope
55 is securely tied or otherwise affixed to the lower mounting ring
49 of the upper fiddle block 45 and is then wound around the upper
smaller pulley wheel of the lower fiddle block 35. The rope 55 is
then threaded upwardly around the smaller pulley wheel 38 of the
upper fiddle block 45 and is then carried around the lower larger
pulley wheel 37, of the lower fiddle block 35. The rope 55 is then
carried up and about the upper larger pulley wheel 47 of the upper
fiddle block 45. The rope 55 is then threaded through the larger
pulley wheel 47 of the opposed upper fiddle block 45, and then
downwardly around the lower larger pulley wheel 37 of the lower
fiddle block 35. The rope 55 is then threaded upwardly around the
smaller pulley wheel 48 of the upper fiddle block 45 and thence
downwardly around the upper smaller pulley 38 of the lower fiddle
block 35. The opposed end of the rope 57 is then tied to the lower
mounting ring 49 of the upper fiddle block 45 in the manner shown
in FIG. 4 of the drawings. It will further be noted that the
central portion 58 of the rope 55 is permitted a great deal of
slack and is provided with a knotted section 60. Hence, in order to
adjust the vertical positioning of the support bar 12, with respect
to the ground surface as well as the overlying support 15, the
operator merely applies retractional force to the rope 55 until the
support bar 12 is moved and hoisted upwardly to the desired height.
At that point, the operator applies the knotted section 60 to the
rope 55, thereby preventing the support bar 12 from falling any
lower than permitted by the lateral extension of the rope from the
knotted section 60.
The mode of operation of the subject storage rack 10 is now clearly
indicated. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, a pair of bicycles
may be mounted on the respective front and rear bicycle hooks 20
and 22 in the manner illustrated and the storage rack 10 hoisted
upwardly to remove the bicycles from the floor space below. The
hoisting is accomplished by the operator applying retractional
force against the rope 55 which in turn, causes the upper and lower
fiddle blocks 45 and 35 respectively to work against one another
through the rope 55 which, as previously explained, interconnects
the upper and lower fiddle blocks 45 and 35, respectively, through
the pulley wheels 37, 38 and 47 and 48 respectively. It is
therefore apparent that once the bicycles have been mounted on the
support bar 12 and the rack hoisted into the storage position, the
bicycles will be stored out of contact with the available floor
space, thereby permitting the full utilization of warehousing or
storage space therebelow.
From the above description, a further object and advantage obtained
by this invention is now apparent. By the provision of a fiddle
block construction for the pulley means, the work energy required
to hoist the subject rack 10 is also facilitated. For example, if
side by side blocks were to be utilized instead of the fiddle block
construction for the pulley means, it is apparent that when
threading rope through side by side blocks, the rope must be
crossed over at least one point and this crossing over would have
the tendency to increase the friction incident to the hoisting
operation. Hence, the overall work energy required to hoist the
rack 10 especially when loaded with one or more bikes is increased.
However, the provision of the fiddle block construction for the
pulley means permits the rope 55 to be retained in absolute
vertical orientation without any crossing over and hence, the
friction incident to the hoisting operation is minimized to the
absolute thereby decreasing the work energy required to hoist the
rack 10. It has been found that the subject rack 10 of the present
invention operates with a four to one ratio of mechanical advantage
such that little effort is required to hoist the rack 10 when
loaded with even two bikes. For example, it has been found that
when the rack 10 is loaded with 90 lbs. of bicycles, a work energy
of 25 lbs. or less is all that is required in order to hoist the
rack 10 into the storage position. This mechanical ratio is
obtained by virtue of the employment of fiddle blocks rather than
side by side blocks, as the pulley means, as well as by providing
the fiddle blocks in pivotal or rotational mounting with respect to
the corresponding eye bolts 43 and 28 respectively. As indicated
previously, when retractional force is applied against the rope 55
in order to hoist the rack 10, in view of the fact that both of the
pairs of fiddle blocks 35 and 45 respectively are rotationally or
pivotally mounted, the fiddle blocks 35 and 45 rotate with respect
to the corresponding eye bolts 28 and 43 such that the pairs of
fiddle blocks, 35 and 45 are kept in vertical alignment even during
the hoisting operation. This movement facilitates the hoisting
operation by minimizing friction and retaining the overall
orientation of the rope 55. Also, as previously mentioned, the
provision of fiddle blocks as opposed to side by side blocks
minimizes friction, thereby decreasing work energy required to
hoist the subject rack 10, even when fully loaded.
Another advantage obtained by the present invention agains resides
in the provision of rotationally or pivotally movable mounting of
the lower fiddle blocks 35 with respect to the corresponding eye
bolts 28. Due to the construction as provided herein, it is clear
that the lower fiddle blocks 35 rotationally move with respect to
the eye bolt 28 and as a result, in the event that a single bike is
to be stored on the subject rack 10, the support bar 12 is
permitted a canting rotational movement as illustrated in FIG. 2 of
the drawings. Hence, once the rack 10 is hoisted into the storage
posture with a single bicycle mounted thereon, the bicycle will
assume a vertical storage position even though there is an offset
load on the rack 10. This positioning of the bicycle with respect
to the rack 10 is deemed to be a desirable storage posture in that
the operator is assured that virtually most parts of the bicycle
are removed from interference with the lower surrounding area.
Another advantageous feature of the invention pertains to the
construction of the front and rear bicycle hooks 20 and 22
respectively. As previously indicated, the hooks 20 and 22 are each
provided with an outer tail section 26, which extends the hook
portion of the hooks 20 and 22 beyond a semi-circle configuration.
As a result, in the event that only one bicycle is loaded on the
hooks 20 or 22, and the canting movement is obtained as illustrated
in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and as described above, the operator is
assured that the bicycle can not accidentally fall from the hooks
which would cause possible injury to the operator, as well as
damage to the bicycle. Hence, the configuration of the hooks 20 and
22, in that each is provided with a tail section 26 produces
another desirable result and function within the scope of the
present invention.
A further feature of the invention pertains to the respective front
and rear bicycle hooks 20 and 22 which in the preferred embodiment
are coated with a plasticized material. For example, the most
efficient means of providing plastic coated bicycle hooks, 20 and
22, is to dip the hooks, when formed into a vinyl plastic material
and then permitting the vinyl to dry out on the hook members.
Hence, the provision of a vinyl coating over the surface of the
hooks 20 and 22 thereby minimizes and actually prevents any
scratching damage to the bicycles when mounted on the rack 10.
In view of the fact that the present invention employs pulley
wheels 37, 38, 47 and 48, and since the rope 55 is bound to assume
a significant amount of use, it is deemed desirable to provide a
tough nylon rope which is capable of long usage without wear.
It is further contemplated to be within the scope of the present
invention to provide a storage bar 12, which may include more than
a pair of front and rear bicycle hooks, 20 and 22 respectively. For
example, a support bar 12 could be provided having two pair of
front bicycle hooks, 20 and two pair of rear bicycle hooks 22, such
that a total of four bikes could be stored on the subject rack 10.
Similarly, any number of hooks could be provided for the storage
mounting of bicycles thereon, the only adaptations necessary would
be to provide a longer support bar and a greater number of upper
and lower fiddle blocks, to securely support the storage rack 10
when in the hoisted position.
It is apparent from the above description and drawings, that the
present invention provides a simple but highly efficient storage
rack for bicycles. The storage rack of the present invention
permits the storage of bicycles within presently existing
structures, while at the same time freeing presently available
garage of warehouse space, since the bicycles are not stored on the
underlying ground level. The storage rack of the present invention
is easily hoistable such that one or more bikes may be easily
stored on the storage rack and hoisted out of position, alleviating
and freeing additional storage space therebelow.
It is therefore appreciated that all of the above objects and
advantages have been accomplished by means of the storage rack
depicted herein and the various embodiments thereof to provide an
extremely compact and efficient storage rack for bicycles.
While there has been described what at present is considered to be
the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood
that various modifications may be made therein and it is intended
to cover in the appended claims, all such modifications as fall
within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *