Vehicle mounted motorcycle rack

Claim 2

A rack for carrying a motocycle on a vehicle having a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) elongated pivotal support means extending under the vehicle and below the bumper between the vehicle and the motorcycle support means for providing pivotal support for the motorcycle support means (c) lifting means including a housing enclosing an elongated reciprocably movable lifting member for raising the motorcycle support means and holding it in position (d) the housing disposed immediately behind and adjacent the bumper (e) the lower end of the elongated reciprocable lifting member connected to the elongated support means (f) readily positionable and removable bumper grasping means pivotally connected to the housing of the lifting means and having an element which readily grasps and can be positioned on the vehicle bumper to provide support for the lifting means, and (g) motorcycle retaining means attached to the housing of the lifting means for engaging and holding the motorcycle in fixed rigid position on the motorcycle support means.

Claim 3

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle having a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) lifting means connected between the motorcycle support means and the vehicle bumper for raising the motorcycle support means (c) readily disengageable bumper engaging means integrally connected to the lifting means for engaging the bumper and providing support for the lifting means (d) the motorcycle support means including at least one elongated support member connected at one end to the track and having a free end which extends under the vehicle (e) the free end of the elongated support member including a coupling element (f) a second coupling element disposed on the under portion of the vehicle remote from the end thereof and in alignment with the coupling element on the elongated support member (g) the coupling elements being constructed to be readily moved axially into engagement with respect to each other and remotely interlocked to form a pivotal connection between the vehicle and the elongated support member which precludes unintended disengagement.

Claim 4

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle having a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) lifting means connected between the motorcycle support means and the vehicle bumper for raising the motorcycle support means (c) readily disengageable bumper engaging means integrally connected to the lifting means for engaging the bumper and providing support for the lifting means (d) the motorcycle support means including at least one elongated support member connected at one end to the track and having a free end which extends under the vehicle (e) the free end of the elongated support member including a coupling element (f) a second coupling element disposed on the under portion of the vehicle remote from the end thereof and in alignment with the coupling element on the elongated support member (g) the coupling elements being constructed to be readily moved axially into engagement with respect to each other and remotely interlocked to form a pivotal connection between the vehicle and the elongated support member which precludes unintended disengagement.

Claim 5

The rack as recited in claim 2 wherein: (a) one of the coupling elements includes an outwardly extending pin; and (b) the other coupling element includes pin receiving means into which the pin is received for locking engagement.

Claim 6

The rack as recited in claim 2 wherein: (a) the elongated support member coupling element includes an outwardly extending pin which extends beyond the opposite sides of the elongated support member adjacent the free end thereof; (b) the coupling element on the vehicle includes a socket member having open elongated slots which extend rearwardly from the forward edge of the socket for receiving the pin on the free end of the elongated support member, the elongated slots being horizontally spaced from each other; and (c) at least one of the slots having a pin holding and retaining section.

Claim 7

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle having a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) remotely connectable coupling means for pivotally and removably interlocking the motorcycle support means with the carrying vehicle (c) a ratchet type jack disposed adjacent the bumper of the vehicle which has a housing within which a reciprocable shaft is mounted (d) a lower end of the reciprocable shaft capable of exerting an upward pull and being connected to the motorcycle support means for controlling the raising and lowering thereof (e) bumper engaging means connected to the housing of the ratchet type jack for supporting it in a substantially vertical position beside the bumper, and (f) the bumper engaging means having a grasping element and a plurality of interconnected hinged brackets, the grasping element engaging the top edge of the vehicle bumper, and the hinged brackets fitting the contour of the bumper.

Claim 8

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle having a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) remotely connectable coupling means for pivotally and removably interlocking the motorcycle support means with the carrying vehicle (c) a ratchet type jack disposed adjacent the bumper of the vehicle which has a housing within which a reciprocable shaft is mounted (d) a lower end of the reciprocable shaft capable of exerting an upward pull and being connected to the motorcycle support means for controlling the raising and lowering thereof (e) bumper engaging means connected to the housing of the ratchet type jack for supporting it in a substantially vertical position beside the bumper, and (f) the bumper engaging means having a grasping element and a plurality of interconnected hinged brackets, the grasping element engaging the top edge of the vehicle bumper, and the hinged brackets fitting the contour of the bumper.

Claim 9

The rack as recited in claim 5, wherein: (a) the plurality of interconnected hinged brackets has means for locking the hinged brackets in a fixed position relative to one another to preserve the configuration of a given vehicle bumper.

Claim 10

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle with a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) the motorcycle support means including a pair of substantially parallel spaced elongated support members extending perpendicular to the track and under the vehicle (c) remotely operable coupling means for each elongated support member and including a first engageable element which is attached to the underside of the vehicle, and a second engageable element which is mounted on the elongated support member for providing a remotely engageable pivotal connection between the vehicle and the elongated support member (d) a vertically disposed inverted ratchet type jack mounted beside the bumper and above each elongated support member (e) the ratchet type jack having an elongated shaft reciprocably mounted within a housing, the jack being oriented such that an upward pull is exerted by the lower end of the reciprocable shaft, the lower end of the reciprocable shaft being connected to the elongated support member for controlling the raising and lowering thereof (f) removable bumper engaging means connected to the housing of each inverted ratchet type jack (g) the elongated shaft of the inverted ratchet type jack being connected to the elongated support member such that the jack is held in a substantially vertical position.

Claim 11

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle with a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) the motorcycle support means including a pair of substantially parallel spaced elongated support members extending perpendicular to the track and under the vehicle (c) remotely operable coupling means for each elongated support member and including a first engageable element which is attached to the underside of the vehicle, and a second engageable element which is mounted on the elongated support member for providing a remotely engageable pivotal connection between the vehicle and the elongated support member (d) a vertically disposed inverted ratchet type jack mounted beside the bumper and above each elongated support member (e) the ratchet type jack having an elongated shaft reciprocably mounted within a housing, the jack being oriented such that an upward pull is exerted by the lower end of the reciprocable shaft, the lower end of the reciprocable shaft being connected to the elongated support member for controlling the raising and lowering thereof (f) removable bumper engaging means connected to the housing of each inverted ratchet type jack (g) the elongated shaft of the inverted ratchet type jack being connected to the elongated support member such that the jack is held in a substantially vertical position.

Claim 12

The rack as recited in claim 7, wherein: (a) the jacks have a common coordinating means for simultaneously controlling their operation.

Claim 13

The rack as recited in claim 8, wherein: (a) each jack has an L-shaped arm attached to its actuating mechanism; and (b) a lanyard is connected to the end of each arm and extends through guides mounted on the jack.

Claim 14

The ratchet as recited in claim 7, wherein: (a) linkage means is pivotally connected at one end to the housing of one of the jacks adjacent the top thereof and has its other end pivotally attached to the motorcycle to be carried so that on raising of the track on which the motorcycle is mounted the end of the link connected to the motorcycle moves in an arc above the end connected to the jack to move the motorcycle inwardly into a locked position with respect to the track and the jack.

Claim 15

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle with a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) coupling means for pivotally and removably interlocking the motorcycle support means with the carrying vehicle (c) vertically disposed lifting means mounted adjacent to the bumper and connected to the motorcycle support means for providing support and raising the motorcycle support means (d) a lifting means including a jack having a housing and a reciprocably mounted vertical shaft, the lower end of which is connected to the motorcycle support means (e) bumper engaging means for both removably attaching and removably affixing the housing of the jack to the bumper of the carrying vehicle (f) linkage means pivotally connected at one end of the upper portion of the motorcycle and at its other end to the housing of the jack for moving the motorcycle inwardly and holding it in a locked and fixed position within the track.

Claim 16

A rack for carrying a motorcycle on a vehicle with a bumper, comprising: (a) motorcycle support means having a track on which a motorcycle is supported in an upright position (b) coupling means for pivotally and removably interlocking the motorcycle support means with the carrying vehicle (c) vertically disposed lifting means mounted adjacent to the bumper and connected to the motorcycle support means for providing support and raising the motorcycle support means (d) a lifting means including a jack having a housing and a reciprocably mounted vertical shaft, the lower end of which is connected to the motorcycle support means (e) bumper engaging means for both removably attaching and removably affixing the housing of the jack to the bumper of the carrying vehicle (f) linkage means pivotally connected at one end of the upper portion of the motorcycle and at its other end to the housing of the jack for moving the motorcycle inwardly and holding it in a locked and fixed position within the track.

Claim 17

The rack as recited in claim 11, wherein: (a) the linkage means is a single fixed bar which has its end connected to the lifting means held in a fixed vertical position while the end connected to the motorcycle moves in an arc to a point above the end connected to the lifting means to bring the motorcycle into a closer position to the vehicle and to exert a downward force on the motorcycle to hold it within the track.