Utility rack

Claim 2

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means such that said platform means slides transversely to said first arm member; said first slide means including: (i) an elongated shaft member having a first end and a second end; (ii) a first attachment means for attaching said first end of said shaft member to said platform means; (iii) a second attachment means for attaching said second end of said shaft member to said platform means; and (iv) a sleeve member fixedly attached to said second end of said first arm member for slidably receiving said shaft member; and e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means such that said platform means slides transversely to said second arm member.

Claim 3

The utility rack of claim 1 in which said second slide means includes: a) an elongated shaft member having a first end and a second end; b) a first attachment means for attaching said first end of said shaft member to said platform means; c) a second attachment means for attaching said second end of said shaft member to said platform means; and d) a sleeve member fixedly attached to said second end of said second arm member for slidably receiving said shaft member.

Claim 4

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; said first arm member including a midportion; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; said second arm member including a midportion; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means; e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means; f) third slide means for slidably attaching said midportion of said first arm member to said platform means; said third slide means including: (i) an elongated shaft member having a first end and a second end; (ii) a first attachment means for attaching said first end of said shaft member to said platform means; (iii) a second attachment means for attaching said second end of said shaft member to said platform means; and (iv) a sleeve member fixedly attached to said second end of said first arm member for slidably receiving said shaft member; and g) fourth slide means for slidably attaching said midportion of said second arm member to said platform means.

Claim 5

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; said first arm member including a midportion; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; said second arm member including a midportion; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means; e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means; f) third slide means for slidably attaching said midportion of said first arm member to said platform means; said third slide means including: (i) an elongated shaft member having a first end and a second end; (ii) a first attachment means for attaching said first end of said shaft member to said platform means; (iii) a second attachment means for attaching said second end of said shaft member to said platform means; and (iv) a sleeve member fixedly attached to said second end of said first arm member for slidably receiving said shaft member; and g) fourth slide means for slidably attaching said midportion of said second arm member to said platform means.

Claim 6

The utility rack of claim 3 in which said fourth slide means includes: a) an elongated shaft member having a first end and a second end; b) a first attachment means for attaching said first end of said shaft member to said platform means; c) a second attachment means for attaching said second end of said shaft member to said platform means; and d) a sleeve member fixedly attached to said midportion of said second arm member for slidably receiving said shaft member.

Claim 7

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; said platform means including a support member for receiving said load; said platform means including a rigid frame, said frame including a first side member having a first end and a second end, a second side member having a first end and a second end, a first end member having a first end attached to said first end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said first end of said second side member, and includes a second end member having a first end attached to said second end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said second end of said second side member; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means; e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means; f) fence means attached to said platform means for surrounding at least a portion of said support member; said fence means including a first side fence portion for being positioned above said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a second side fence portion for being positioned above said second side member of said frame of said platform means, and an end fence portion for being positioned above said second end member of said frame of said platform means; g) pivot means for allowing said fence means to move between a first position with said fence means extending upwardly from said support member of said platform means to help secure said load onto said support member, and a second position with said fence means remote from said support member of said platform means to allow said load to be easily moved onto or off of said support member; and h) lock means for locking said fence means in said first position; said lock means including a boss member for being fixedly attached to said platform means, a socket means for being fixedly attached to said fence means and for receiving said boss member when said fence means is in said first position, and pin means for extending through said socket means and said boss member to lock said fence means to said platform means in said first position.

Claim 8

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; said platform means including a support member for receiving said load; said platform means including a rigid frame, said frame including a first side member having a first end and a second end, a second side member having a first end and a second end, a first end member having a first end attached to said first end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said first end of said second side member, and includes a second end member having a first end attached to said second end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said second end of said second side member; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means; e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means; f) fence means attached to said platform means for surrounding at least a portion of said support member; said fence means including a first side fence portion for being positioned above said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a second side fence portion for being positioned above said second side member of said frame of said platform means, and an end fence portion for being positioned above said second end member of said frame of said platform means; g) pivot means for allowing said fence means to move between a first position with said fence means extending upwardly from said support member of said platform means to help secure said load onto said support member, and a second position with said fence means remote from said support member of said platform means to allow said load to be easily moved onto or off of said support member; and h) lock means for locking said fence means in said first position; said lock means including a boss member for being fixedly attached to said platform means, a socket means for being fixedly attached to said fence means and for receiving said boss member when said fence means is in said first position, and pin means for extending through said socket means and said boss member to lock said fence means to said platform means in said first position.

Claim 9

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; said platform means including a support member for receiving said load; said platform means including a rigid frame, said frame including a first side member having a first end and a second end, a second side member having a first end and a second end, a first end member having a first end attached to said first end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said first end of said second side member, and includes a second end member having a first end attached to said second end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said second end of said second side member; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means; e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means; f) fence means attached to said platform means for surrounding at least a portion of said support member; said fence means including a first side fence portion for being positioned above said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a second side fence portion for being positioned above said second side member of said frame of said platform means, and an end fence portion for being positioned above said second end member of said frame of said platform means; g) pivot means for allowing said fence means to move between a first position with said fence means extending upwardly from said support member of said platform means to help secure said load onto said support member, and a second position with said fence means remote from said support member of said platform means to allow said load to be easily moved onto or off of said support member; and h) lock means for locking said fence means in said first position; said lock means including a first boss member for being fixedly attached to said platform adjacent said first end of said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a first socket means for being fixedly attached to said first end of said first side fence portion of said fence means and for receiving said first boss member when said fence means is in said first position, first pin means for extending through said first socket means and said first boss member to lock said fence means to said platform means in said first position, a second boss member for being fixedly attached to said platform adjacent said first end of said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a second socket means for being fixedly attached to said first end of said second side fence portion of said fence means and for receiving said second boss member when said fence means is in said first position, and second pin means for extending through said second socket means and said second boss member to lock said fence means to said platform means in said first position.

Claim 10

A utility rack for being attached to a vehicle and for carrying a load, said utility rack comprising: a) a platform means for supporting said load; said platform means including a support member for receiving said load; said platform means including a rigid frame, said frame including a first side member having a first end and a second end, a second side member having a first end and a second end, a first end member having a first end attached to said first end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said first end of said second side member, and includes a second end member having a first end attached to said second end of said first side member and having a second end attached to said second end of said second side member; b) a first arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; c) a second arm member having a first end for being attached to said vehicle and having a second end; d) first slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said first arm member to said platform means; e) second slide means for slidably attaching said second end of said second arm member to said platform means; f) fence means attached to said platform means for surrounding at least a portion of said support member; said fence means including a first side fence portion for being positioned above said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a second side fence portion for being positioned above said second side member of said frame of said platform means, and an end fence portion for being positioned above said second end member of said frame of said platform means; g) pivot means for allowing said fence means to move between a first position with said fence means extending upwardly from said support member of said platform means to help secure said load onto said support member, and a second position with said fence means remote from said support member of said platform means to allow said load to be easily moved onto or off of said support member; and h) lock means for locking said fence means in said first position; said lock means including a first boss member for being fixedly attached to said platform adjacent said first end of said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a first socket means for being fixedly attached to said first end of said first side fence portion of said fence means and for receiving said first boss member when said fence means is in said first position, first pin means for extending through said first socket means and said first boss member to lock said fence means to said platform means in said first position, a second boss member for being fixedly attached to said platform adjacent said first end of said first side member of said frame of said platform means, a second socket means for being fixedly attached to said first end of said second side fence portion of said fence means and for receiving said second boss member when said fence means is in said first position, and second pin means for extending through said second socket means and said second boss member to lock said fence means to said platform means in said first position.