US3904094A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ladder rack
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-09-06
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1993-09-06
Abstract
Abstract Ladders and like implements used by repairmen are often carried on a rectangular frame which attaches to the roof portion of a vehicle such as a van. The present invention provides a bracket which releasably attaches the ladder or other implement to the frame. The bracket includes a spring which biases the bracket against the ladder or other implement to attach it to the frame. A handle is manually operable to move the bracket against the spring to release the ladder and the same spring acts to lock the bracket in the released position. The handle has a mechanical advantage and extends beyond the vertical plane of the van wall so that the bracket can easily be operated by a person standing alongside the van.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard R Correll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 04:11
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R9/00; B60R9/04; B60R9/048; B60R9/0485
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
In a rack for carrying ladders on a vehicle, said rack having at least two cross members over which the ladders are placed to support said ladders, improved means for releasably attaching the ladders to the cross members comprising: an arm pivotally attached at one end to one of the cross members so that said arm is pivotable between a first ladder-hold-down position and a second ladder-release position about an axis generally parallel to said cross member through a third position intermediate said first and second positions, said arm further having a generally horizontal apertured portion adjacent the other end; a finger extending transversely from the other end of said arm to engage the rail of a ladder supported on the cross members when said arm is in said first position; a rod pivotally attached to said cross member above the pivotal axis of the arm and extending through the apertured portion of said arm, the length of the rod between the pivotal axis of said rod and the apertured portion of said arm being at a minimum at the third position of said arm; a coil spring encircling said rod and compressed against the apertured portion of said arm, said first and second arm positions characterized by lesser spring compression than said third arm position so that said spring biases said arm towards said first arm position when said arm is between said first and third arm positions, and so that said spring biases said arm toward said second arm position when said arm is between said second and third arm positions; and lever means for pivoting said arm between said first and second positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
In a rack for carrying ladders on a vehicle, said rack having at least two cross members over which the ladders are placed to support said ladders, improved means for releasably attaching the ladders to the cross members comprising: an arm pivotally attached at one end to one of the cross members so that said arm is pivotable between a first ladder-hold-down position and a second ladder-release position about an axis generally parallel to said cross member through a third position intermediate said first and second positions, said arm further having a generally horizontal apertured portion adjacent the other end; a finger extending transversely from the other end of said arm to engage the rail of a ladder supported on the cross members when said arm is in said first position; a rod pivotally attached to said cross member above the pivotal axis of the arm and extending through the apertured portion of said arm, the length of the rod between the pivotal axis of said rod and the apertured portion of said arm being at a minimum at the third position of said arm; a coil spring encircling said rod and compressed against the apertured portion of said arm, said first and second arm positions characterized by lesser spring compression than said third arm position so that said spring biases said arm towards said first arm position when said arm is between said first and third arm positions, and so that said spring biases said arm toward said second arm position when said arm is between said second and third arm positions; and lever means for pivoting said arm between said first and second positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
A rack as recited in claim 1 wherein a stop is provided to maintain said arm at said second rod position against the urging of said spring, and wherein said stop is positioned to locate said second and third arm positions nearer to one another than said first and third arm positions so that relatively little force is required to move said arm from said second rod position to said third arm position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A rack as recited in claim 1 wherein said finger has a notch on the underside thereof to engage a ladder rail and to prevent the ladder from sliding sideways relative to said cross member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
227 words
A ladder rack for carrying ladders on a vehicle, said rack comprising: a rectangular frame attachable to the roof portion of a vehicle, said frame having cross members adapted to support a ladder placed thereon and side members interconnecting the cross members; bracket means having an upright arm pivotally attached at its lower end to one of the cross members about an axis generally parallel to said cross member and a transverse finger extending from said arm adapted to overlie the rail of a ladder placed on the cross members, said bracket means including a generally horizontal apertured position adjacent its upper end; spring bias means adapted to pivotally bias the bracket means so that the transverse finger is urged against the rail of the ladder to attach said ladder to the frame, said spring bias means including a rod pivotally attached to the frame above the pivotal axis of the bracket means and extending through the apertured portion of said bracket means, and a coil spring encircling said rod and compressed against the apertured portion of the bracket means so that the transverse finGer is urged against the rail of the ladder; and handle means connected to the bracket means and manually operable to pivot the bracket means to a position out of engagement with the ladder rail to permit insertion and removal of the ladder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
227 words
A ladder rack for carrying ladders on a vehicle, said rack comprising: a rectangular frame attachable to the roof portion of a vehicle, said frame having cross members adapted to support a ladder placed thereon and side members interconnecting the cross members; bracket means having an upright arm pivotally attached at its lower end to one of the cross members about an axis generally parallel to said cross member and a transverse finger extending from said arm adapted to overlie the rail of a ladder placed on the cross members, said bracket means including a generally horizontal apertured position adjacent its upper end; spring bias means adapted to pivotally bias the bracket means so that the transverse finger is urged against the rail of the ladder to attach said ladder to the frame, said spring bias means including a rod pivotally attached to the frame above the pivotal axis of the bracket means and extending through the apertured portion of said bracket means, and a coil spring encircling said rod and compressed against the apertured portion of the bracket means so that the transverse finGer is urged against the rail of the ladder; and handle means connected to the bracket means and manually operable to pivot the bracket means to a position out of engagement with the ladder rail to permit insertion and removal of the ladder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A ladder rack as recited in claim 4 wherein the transverse finger of the bracket means has an offset portion adapted to engage the rail of the ladder to prevent sideward motion of said ladder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A ladder rack as recited in claim 4 and additionally comprising means for maintaining the bracket means in the said position out of engagement with the ladder rail to permit insertion and removal of the ladder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
241 words
In a rack for carrying a ladder on the roof of a vehicle, said rack comprising a frame releasably attachable to the roof of the vehicle and having at least one cross member for support of the ladder thereon, means for releasably attaching the ladder to the frame comprising: a lever having a longitudinal portion parallel to the cross member and rotably attached to said cross member so that the longitudinal portion is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said longitudinal portion, and a handle portion angularly joined to said longitudinal portion; a bracket having an upright arm portion provided with an aperture at its upper end and fixedly attached at its lower end to the longitudinal portion of the lever so that said bracket is co-rotatable with said longitudinal portion, and a transverse finger portion extending from the upper end of said arm portion; and bias means adapted to rotatably bias the bracket to urge the transverse finger portion downwardly and comprising a rod pivotally attached to the cross member above the longitudinal portion of the lever and extending through the aperture and a spring encircling said rod and compressed against said arm portion at the aperture whereby the bias means urges the transverse finger portion downwardly to engage and hold the ladder on the cross member, and the handle portion of the lever is manually operable to rotate the bracket counter to the bias means to release the ladder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
241 words
In a rack for carrying a ladder on the roof of a vehicle, said rack comprising a frame releasably attachable to the roof of the vehicle and having at least one cross member for support of the ladder thereon, means for releasably attaching the ladder to the frame comprising: a lever having a longitudinal portion parallel to the cross member and rotably attached to said cross member so that the longitudinal portion is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said longitudinal portion, and a handle portion angularly joined to said longitudinal portion; a bracket having an upright arm portion provided with an aperture at its upper end and fixedly attached at its lower end to the longitudinal portion of the lever so that said bracket is co-rotatable with said longitudinal portion, and a transverse finger portion extending from the upper end of said arm portion; and bias means adapted to rotatably bias the bracket to urge the transverse finger portion downwardly and comprising a rod pivotally attached to the cross member above the longitudinal portion of the lever and extending through the aperture and a spring encircling said rod and compressed against said arm portion at the aperture whereby the bias means urges the transverse finger portion downwardly to engage and hold the ladder on the cross member, and the handle portion of the lever is manually operable to rotate the bracket counter to the bias means to release the ladder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
246 words
In a rack for carrying ladders on a vehicle, said rack having at least two cross members over which the ladders are placed to support said ladders, improved means for releasably attaching the ladders to the cross members comprising: an arm pivotally attached at one end to one of the cross members so that said arm is pivotable between a first ladder-hold-down position and a second ladder-release position about an axis generally parallel to said cross member through a third position intermediate said first and second positions, said arm further having an apertured portion adjacent the other end; a finger extending transversely from the other end of the arm to engage the rail of the ladder supported on the cross members when said arm is in said first position; a rod which is pivotally attached to said cross member above the pivotal axis of the arm and which extends through the apertured portion of said arm, the length of the rod from the pivotal axis of said rod to the apertured portion of the arm being at a minimum at the third position of said arm; a coil spring encircling said rod and compressed against the apertured portion to bias the arm relatively away from the third position towards said first or said second positions; a stop adapted to maintain said arm at said second arm position against the urging of said spring; and lever means for pivoting said arm between said first and second positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
246 words
In a rack for carrying ladders on a vehicle, said rack having at least two cross members over which the ladders are placed to support said ladders, improved means for releasably attaching the ladders to the cross members comprising: an arm pivotally attached at one end to one of the cross members so that said arm is pivotable between a first ladder-hold-down position and a second ladder-release position about an axis generally parallel to said cross member through a third position intermediate said first and second positions, said arm further having an apertured portion adjacent the other end; a finger extending transversely from the other end of the arm to engage the rail of the ladder supported on the cross members when said arm is in said first position; a rod which is pivotally attached to said cross member above the pivotal axis of the arm and which extends through the apertured portion of said arm, the length of the rod from the pivotal axis of said rod to the apertured portion of the arm being at a minimum at the third position of said arm; a coil spring encircling said rod and compressed against the apertured portion to bias the arm relatively away from the third position towards said first or said second positions; a stop adapted to maintain said arm at said second arm position against the urging of said spring; and lever means for pivoting said arm between said first and second positions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |