US4771926A — Article carrier for vehicles

Claim 1

Independent Claim 221 words

An article carrier for attachment to vehicles comprising; an elongated mounting frame having one end adapted to be pivotally secured to the rear end of the vehicle at one side thereof to pivot vertically thereabout and the other end extending laterally therefrom and adapted to be releasably secured transversly to the other side of the rear end of the vehicle, and a container for carrying articles removably secured to said mounting frame and supported thereby, said container having a bottom portion and a top portion releasably and hingedly connected thereto, said container bottom portion comprising a bottom wall, side walls, a rear wall adjacent the rear end of the vehicle, and a front wall spaced outwardly of the rear end of the vehicle, said container interior of sufficient size and shape to receive a spare vehicle tire and having storage space for receiving luggage and other articles, wheel attachment means comprising threaded bolts extending through the container rear wall into the interior of said container, a plurality of nuts secured on said threaded bolts to secure said container releasably on said mounting frame, and the ends of said threaded bolts being adapted to removably receive and secure a vehicle spare tire against said container rear wall with said container rear wall securely positioned between said spare tire and said mounting frame.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 221 words

An article carrier for attachment to vehicles comprising; an elongated mounting frame having one end adapted to be pivotally secured to the rear end of the vehicle at one side thereof to pivot vertically thereabout and the other end extending laterally therefrom and adapted to be releasably secured transversly to the other side of the rear end of the vehicle, and a container for carrying articles removably secured to said mounting frame and supported thereby, said container having a bottom portion and a top portion releasably and hingedly connected thereto, said container bottom portion comprising a bottom wall, side walls, a rear wall adjacent the rear end of the vehicle, and a front wall spaced outwardly of the rear end of the vehicle, said container interior of sufficient size and shape to receive a spare vehicle tire and having storage space for receiving luggage and other articles, wheel attachment means comprising threaded bolts extending through the container rear wall into the interior of said container, a plurality of nuts secured on said threaded bolts to secure said container releasably on said mounting frame, and the ends of said threaded bolts being adapted to removably receive and secure a vehicle spare tire against said container rear wall with said container rear wall securely positioned between said spare tire and said mounting frame.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 64 words

An article carrier according to claim 1 including hinge means adapted to be secured to the rear end of the vehicle at one side thereof to receive one end of said mounting frame, and latching means adapted to be secured to the other side of the rear end of the vehicle to releasably receive and secure the laterally extended end of said mounting frame.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 46 words

An article carrier according to claim 1 including a wheel mount member projecting rearwardly outward from said mounting frame relative to the rear end of the vehicle and having wheel attachment means comprising said threaded bolts at its outward end for receiving the spare vehicle tire.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 49 words

An article carrier, according to claim 1 in which said wheel attachment bolts extend through the container rear wall into the interior of said container and the spare vehicle tire is received and secured thereon to capture said container rear wall between the spare tire and said mounting frame.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 35 words

An article carrier, according to claim 3 in which said container rear wall has a tapered box-like portion extending inwardly therefrom into the container and adapted to receive and substantially surround said wheel mount member.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

An article carrier, according to claim 3 in which said container rear wall has an opening therein to receive said wheel mount meber therethrough.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 90 words

An article carrier, according to claim 1, in which said mounting frame comprises an elongated horizontal upper support bar, a diagonal lower support bar secured diagonally therebelow, and a vertical support bar secured vertically between said horizontal upper support bar and said diagonal lower support bar, a wheel mount member secured to said upper support bar and said lower support bar to project rearwardly outward therefrom relative to the rear end of the vehicle and provided with wheel attachment means at its outward end for receiving the spare vehicle tire.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 69 words

An article carrier according to claim 3 in which said wheel mount member comprises a generally H-shaped member having rectangular parallel front and rear flanges and a rectangular web extending perpendicular and vertically therebetween, said rear flange secured vertically to said mounting frame intermediate the lateral ends thereof adjacent the rear end of the vehicle, and said front flange spaced outwardly of the rear end of the vehicle, and

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

An article carrier according to claim 8 including a lower brace member secured to said rear flange to depend therefrom and adjusting means at its lower end for adjusting the vertical position of said container relative to the rear end of the vehicle.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 94 words

An article carrier according to claim 9 in which said adjusting means comprises a bolt having its shank threadedly received in the lower end of said lower brace member and its head extending outwardly therefrom rearward relative to the rear end of the vehicle to contact the rear wall of said container and a lock nut threadedly received on the shank whereby the head of the bolt may be locked at variable distances spaced from said brace member for adjusting the vertical position of said container relative to the rear end of the vehicle.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

An article carrier according to claim 1 in which said container top portion comprises a top wall, opposed side walls, and opposed front and rear wall.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

An article carrier according to claim 1 in which said container top portion comprises a top wall, opposed side walls, and opposed front and rear walls, said side, front and rear walls having openings therethrough covered with wire mesh for use in transporting animals.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 51 words

An article carrier according to claim 1 in which said container top portion comprises a top wall, opposed side walls, and opposed front and rear walls, and leg receiving means provided within the interior of said top portion for removably receiving a set of leg members for conversion to a table.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 187 words

An article carrier for removable attachment to a movable spare tire mounting frame installed on vehicles of all type having a wheel mount member projecting rearwardly outward from the mounting frame relative to the rear end of the vehicle and having wheel attachment means at its outer end for receiving the spare vehicle tire, said article carrier comprising: a container for carrying articles adapted to be removably secured to the existing spare tire mounting frame and supporting thereby, said container having a bottom portion comprising a bottom wall, side walls, a rear wall adjacent the rear end of the vehicle, and a front wall spaced outwardly of the rear end of the vehicle, and a top portion releasably and hingedly connected to said bottom portion, said container interior being of sufficient size and shape to receive a spare vehicle tire and having storage space for receiving luggage and other articles, and said container rear wall having a tapered box-like portion extending inwardly therefrom into the container and adapted to receive and substantially surround the wheel mount member of the existing spare tire mounting frame when secured thereon.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 187 words

An article carrier for removable attachment to a movable spare tire mounting frame installed on vehicles of all type having a wheel mount member projecting rearwardly outward from the mounting frame relative to the rear end of the vehicle and having wheel attachment means at its outer end for receiving the spare vehicle tire, said article carrier comprising: a container for carrying articles adapted to be removably secured to the existing spare tire mounting frame and supporting thereby, said container having a bottom portion comprising a bottom wall, side walls, a rear wall adjacent the rear end of the vehicle, and a front wall spaced outwardly of the rear end of the vehicle, and a top portion releasably and hingedly connected to said bottom portion, said container interior being of sufficient size and shape to receive a spare vehicle tire and having storage space for receiving luggage and other articles, and said container rear wall having a tapered box-like portion extending inwardly therefrom into the container and adapted to receive and substantially surround the wheel mount member of the existing spare tire mounting frame when secured thereon.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

An article carrier, according to claim 14 in which said container rear wall has an opening therein to receive said wheel mount member therethrough.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 81 words

An article carrier according to claim 14 in which said tapered box-like portion having top wall, a front wall, opposed side walls, and a bottom wall defining an inward concave recepticle in the container rear wall to receive the existing wheel mount member, the existing wheel mount attachment means extending through said box-like portion front wall and the spare vehicle tire is received and secured thereon to capture said container rear wall between the spare tire and said wheel mount member.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

An article carrier according to claim 14 in which said container top portion comprises a top wall, side walls, and front and rear walls.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 44 words

An article carrier according to claim 14 in which said container top portion comprises a top wall, opposed side walls, and opposed front and rear walls, said side, front and rear walls having openings therethrough covered with wire mesh for use in transporting animals.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 54 words

An article carrier according to claim 14 in which said container top portion comprises a top wall, side walls, and front and rear walls, and leg receiving means provided within the interior of said top portion for removably receiving a set of leg members for converting said top portion for use as a table.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-09-20	1992-03-21	1992-09-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-09-20	1996-03-21	1996-09-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-09-20	2000-03-21	2000-09-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Article carrier for vehicles

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