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US4371082A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Bicycle rack

Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc
•
Filing: 1980-11-03
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Granted: 1983-02-01
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Expires: 2000-11-03
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Abstract

Abstract A bicycle rack designed to support and lock a bicycle by the bicycle's front center post. Support and lock brackets for individual bicycles are horizontally disposed fork arrangements formed by two joined U-shaped members. Oppositely extending locking brackets allow pairs of bicycles to be conveniently placed along a series of evenly spaced posts and cross-bars.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard J. Hostert
  • 👤 Michael J. Mathiasmeier
  • 👤 Robert J. Gilbert

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 05:23
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62H; B62H3/00; B62H3/02; B62H5/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/50; Y10T70/5009; Y10T70/5027

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 167 words
A bicycle rack comprising a base, at least one support post attached to said base, at least one approximately horizontally disposed fork bracket attached to each support post, a horizontally disposed cross-bar attached to each support post, two fork brackets being oppositely disposed and attached to each cross-bar, said base including a center beam to which each support post is attached and which is in the same vertical plane as said cross-bar, said fork bracket including two parallel disposed U-shaped members, each comprising a closed end, a first leg and a second leg wherein said first and second legs are in the same vertical plane, whereby said first leg is the upper leg and said second leg is the lower leg, and wherein each of said U-shaped members is attached by each of said upper and lower legs to said cross-bar, said U-shaped members including a vertically disposed reinforcing bar attached to said upper and lower leg at a point between said closed end and said cross-bar.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 167 words
A bicycle rack comprising a base, at least one support post attached to said base, at least one approximately horizontally disposed fork bracket attached to each support post, a horizontally disposed cross-bar attached to each support post, two fork brackets being oppositely disposed and attached to each cross-bar, said base including a center beam to which each support post is attached and which is in the same vertical plane as said cross-bar, said fork bracket including two parallel disposed U-shaped members, each comprising a closed end, a first leg and a second leg wherein said first and second legs are in the same vertical plane, whereby said first leg is the upper leg and said second leg is the lower leg, and wherein each of said U-shaped members is attached by each of said upper and lower legs to said cross-bar, said U-shaped members including a vertically disposed reinforcing bar attached to said upper and lower leg at a point between said closed end and said cross-bar.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 72 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said forked brackets include parallel disposed first and second cross-supports wherein said first cross-support joins said upper legs of said U-shaped members of each of said forked brackets at a point between said reinforcing bar and said cross-bar, and said second cross-support joins said lower legs of said U-shaped members of each of said forked brackets at a point between said reinforcing bar and said cross-bar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said cross-supports of each of said forked brackets are in the same vertical plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said reinforcing bars of each of said U-shaped members of each forked bracket are in the same vertical plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 210 words
A bicycle rack comprising, a base including an elongated central beam and two longitudinally spaced apart support beams connected to opposite ends of the central beam and extended generally perpendicularly and horizontally therefrom, a plurality of upright support posts having lower ends fixed to said central beam, a horizontally disposed cross-bar attached at a medial position therealong to each of said support posts such that all of said cross-bars and central beam are in the same vertical plane, and a generally horizontally disposed fork bracket attached to each end of each cross-bar with the two fork brackets associated with each cross-bar extending therefrom in opposite transverse directions, each fork bracket including two parallel disposed U-shaped members, each comprising a closed end, a first leg and a second leg wherein said first and second legs are in the same vertical plane, whereby said first leg is the upper leg and said second leg is the lower leg, and wherein each of said U-shaped members is attached by each of said upper and lower legs to said cross-bar, said upright support posts being longitudinally spaced apart sufficiently that the adjacent fork brackets on the cross-bars of adjacent support posts are disposed in longitudinally spaced apart relation to provide a clearance passage therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 210 words
A bicycle rack comprising, a base including an elongated central beam and two longitudinally spaced apart support beams connected to opposite ends of the central beam and extended generally perpendicularly and horizontally therefrom, a plurality of upright support posts having lower ends fixed to said central beam, a horizontally disposed cross-bar attached at a medial position therealong to each of said support posts such that all of said cross-bars and central beam are in the same vertical plane, and a generally horizontally disposed fork bracket attached to each end of each cross-bar with the two fork brackets associated with each cross-bar extending therefrom in opposite transverse directions, each fork bracket including two parallel disposed U-shaped members, each comprising a closed end, a first leg and a second leg wherein said first and second legs are in the same vertical plane, whereby said first leg is the upper leg and said second leg is the lower leg, and wherein each of said U-shaped members is attached by each of said upper and lower legs to said cross-bar, said upright support posts being longitudinally spaced apart sufficiently that the adjacent fork brackets on the cross-bars of adjacent support posts are disposed in longitudinally spaced apart relation to provide a clearance passage therebetween.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US512548A Cited
US597507A Cited
US650663A Cited
US2329088A Cited
DE1097303B Cited
GB992772A Cited
US3841119A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-01-31 1986-08-02 1987-02-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-01-31 1990-08-02 1991-02-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-01-31 1994-08-02 1995-02-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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