Cycle carrier

Claim 2

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated frame member having a base and two extending side means for supporting a two-wheeled cycle, two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said frame member to support and hold said frame member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said frame member facing outward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, and means including pivotal means for pivotally coupling one end of said frame member to one of said support means for pivotal movement about a pivot axis to allow the other end of said frame member to be pivoted from said other support means outward and downward toward the ground and at the same time to cause the width of said frame member to tilt toward the ground, the angle formed between the top of said base and said pivot axis when measured along the length of said base, from said other end of said frame member to said pivot axis, being equal to 90* + Alpha , where: Alpha is an angle greater than 0* but less than 90*.

Claim 3

The carrier of claim 1, wherein: said pivot axis is located in a non-outward tilted plane extending between said two support means when coupled in place to a motor vehicle.

Claim 4

The carrier of claim 1, wherein: said means including said pivotal means allows said other end of said frame member to swing outward about 180* from said carrying position while allowing the slope of said frame member to increase from about 0* at said carrying position to about 2 Alpha at about 180* from said carrying position and the tilt of said frame member to increase from about 0* at said carrying position to about Alpha at about 90* from said carrying position and then to decrease to about 0* at about 180* from said carrying position.

Claim 5

The carrier of claim 1, wherein: each of said support means has top and bottom sides and outward and inward sides respectively, said inward sides facing each other when said support means are coupled in place to a motor vehicle, said one of said support means having a surface which slopes downward at an angle theta from its inner side toward its outer side when said one support means is coupled in place to a motor vehicle, said frame member at said one end having a surface which slopes downward at an angle phi with respect to its base and adapted to engage and extend parallel to said surface of said one support means, said pivot axis extends through said surfaces generally perpendicular thereto.

Claim 6

The carrier of claim 4, wherein: the angles Alpha , theta , and phi are equal to each other.

Claim 7

The carrier of claim 4, wherein: the angles Alpha , theta , and phi are each equal to about 10*.

Claim 8

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated frame member having a base and two extending side means for supporting a two-wheeled cycle, two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said frame member to support and hold said frame member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said frame member facing oUtward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, pivotal means for pivotally coupling one end of said frame member to one of said support means for pivotal movement about a pivot axis to allow the other end of said frame member to be pivoted from said other support means outward and downward toward the ground and back to said other support means, said pivot axis of said pivotal means being inclined upward and away from said other support means when said two support means are coupled in place to a motor vehicle to cause said frame member including its base and said one edge to tilt downward when said frame member is pivoted to positions outward from said carrying position.

Claim 9

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated frame member having a base and two extending side means for supporting a two-wheeled cycle, two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said frame member to support and hold said frame member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said frame member facing oUtward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, pivotal means for pivotally coupling one end of said frame member to one of said support means for pivotal movement about a pivot axis to allow the other end of said frame member to be pivoted from said other support means outward and downward toward the ground and back to said other support means, said pivot axis of said pivotal means being inclined upward and away from said other support means when said two support means are coupled in place to a motor vehicle to cause said frame member including its base and said one edge to tilt downward when said frame member is pivoted to positions outward from said carrying position.

Claim 10

The carrier of claim 7 wherein said pivot axis is located in a non-outward tilted plane extending between said two support means when coupled in place to a motor vehicle.

Claim 11

The carrier of claim 7, wherein: the angle formed between said pivot axis and the top of a horizontal line extending from said other support means to said pivot axis is equal to 90* + Alpha , where: Alpha is an angle greater than 0* but less than 90*.

Claim 12

The carrier of claim 7 wherein: said one support means includes a support means pivot surface located in a plane generally perpendicular to said pivot axis, said frame member includes structure at said first end thereof having a frame member pivot surface adapted to engage said support means pivot surface when said one end of said frame member is pivotally coupled to said one support means, said frame member pivot surface being located in a plane generally perpendicular to said pivot axis when said one end of said frame member is pivotally coupled to said one support means.

Claim 13

The carrier of claim 10 wherein said pivot axis extends through both of said pivot surfaces when said one end of said frame member is pivotally coupled to said one support means.

Claim 14

The carrier of claim 10 wherein: said one support means has spaced upper and lower support means pivot surfaces facing in opposite directions, parallel with each other, and located in planes perpendicular to said pivot axis, said frame member includes structure coupled to the bottom thereof at said first end and having spaced upper and lower frame member pivot surfaces parallel to and facing each other, said upper and lower frame member pivot surfaces being adapted to engage said upper and lower support means pivot surfaces when said frame member is pivotally coupled to said one support means.

Claim 15

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated channel shaped member for supporting a two-wheeled cycle, two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said channel member to support and hold said channel member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said channel member facing outward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, each of said support means having top and bottom sides and outward and inward sides respectively, said inward sides facing each other when said support means are coupled in place to a motor vehicle, one of said support means having a surface which slopes downward from its inner side toward its outer side when said one support means is coupled in place to a motor vehicle, said channel member at one end having a surface at an angle with respect to said channel member and adapted to engage and extend parallel to said surface of said one support means, and means for pivotally coupling said first end of said channel member to said one support means when said surfaces engage each other for pivotal movement of said channel member about a pivot axis extending through said surfaces and generally perpendicular thereto.

Claim 16

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated channel shaped member for supporting a two-wheeled cycle, two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said channel member to support and hold said channel member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said channel member facing outward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, each of said support means having top and bottom sides and outward and inward sides respectively, said inward sides facing each other when said support means are coupled in place to a motor vehicle, one of said support means having a surface which slopes downward from its inner side toward its outer side when said one support means is coupled in place to a motor vehicle, said channel member at one end having a surface at an angle with respect to said channel member and adapted to engage and extend parallel to said surface of said one support means, and means for pivotally coupling said first end of said channel member to said one support means when said surfaces engage each other for pivotal movement of said channel member about a pivot axis extending through said surfaces and generally perpendicular thereto.

Claim 17

The carrier of claim 13 wherein said pivot axis extends in a plane generally perpendicular to said outward and inward Sides of said one support means whereby said channel member may support and carry a motorcycle in its carrying position in a generally vertical plane next to a motor vehicle.

Claim 18

The carrier of claim 14 wherein said surface of said channel member is located below the bottom thereof and slopes downward and away from said bottom.

Claim 19

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated frame member having a base and two extending side means for supporting a two-wheeled cycle. two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said frame member to support and hold said frame member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said frame member facing outward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, pivotal means for pivotally coupling one end of said frame member to one of said support means for pivotal movement about a pivot axis to allow the other end of said frame member to be pivoted from said other support means outward and downward toward the ground, and stop means coupled to said frame member and to said one support means and which cooperate with each other to stop the frame member at a desired position as it is pivoted downward to locate its other end near but above the ground surface when in an unloaded condition. one of said stop means being adjustable to allow variation in the height at which said other end of said frame member is located above the ground surface when in an unloaded condition.

Claim 20

A carrier for carrying a two-wheeled cycle on a motor vehicle, comprising: an elongated frame member having a base and two extending side means for supporting a two-wheeled cycle. two support means adapted to be coupled to a motor vehicle at spaced apart positions for supporting opposite ends of said frame member to support and hold said frame member to said vehicle in a carrying position with one edge of said frame member facing outward and the other edge facing inward of said motor vehicle, pivotal means for pivotally coupling one end of said frame member to one of said support means for pivotal movement about a pivot axis to allow the other end of said frame member to be pivoted from said other support means outward and downward toward the ground, and stop means coupled to said frame member and to said one support means and which cooperate with each other to stop the frame member at a desired position as it is pivoted downward to locate its other end near but above the ground surface when in an unloaded condition. one of said stop means being adjustable to allow variation in the height at which said other end of said frame member is located above the ground surface when in an unloaded condition.

Claim 21

The carrier of claim 16 whereby said stop means comprises: structure having a curved surface coupled to said one end of said frame, and a threaded member having one end adapted to be threaded to said support means and having another end adapted to contact said curved surface for stopping the movement of said frame member as said frame member is pivoted downward to a position where said curved surface contacts said other end of said threaded member.

Claim 22

The carrier of claim 17 wherein said structure having a curved surface comprises a spiral member having one end coupled to the end of said one end of said frame member at a given distance relative to said pivot axis and another end spiraling around to the side of said one end of said frame member to a position spaced from said pivot axis a distance greater than said given distance.