GB2045707A

GB2045707A - Bicycle rack

Info

Publication number: GB2045707A
Application number: GB8009576A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WAMU Oy
Current assignee: WAMU Oy
Priority date: 1979-03-22
Filing date: 1980-03-21
Publication date: 1980-11-05
Also published as: NL8001722A; NO150188B; SE8002169L; GB2045707B; DE3010382A1; DK125380A; NO800784L; NO150188C

Abstract

A rack for supporting a bicycle in an upright position comprises a locking arm (1) secured at one end to a support structure (3), the bicycle being removably attached to its other end. The frame tube (5) of the bicycle steering column is fitted with an anchoring means (7) for locking the bicycle to an attachment means (4) of the locking arm by means of a latch. The locking arm (1) is provided with pivot links (6, 6') permitting vertical and horizontal articulation of the arm. The locking arm may further be provided with a third link (6'') permitting vertical articulation of the arm. The pivot link permitting vertical articulation is preferably horizontally rigid, and the pivot permitting horizontal articulation is preferably vertically rigid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bicycle rack The present invention relates to a bicycle rack for supporting a bicycle in an upright position, said rack comprising a locking arm or the like to be secured at one end thereof to a substantially solid support structure and for removable attachment of a bicycle to said locking arm by the vertical frame tube of the steering column. In particular, the invention is concerned with a bicycle rack in which a bicycle can be readily and securely locked.

The present-day bicycle racks are usually based on supporting a bike in an upright position by the front wheel in between arched support irons mounted apart from each other a distance which complies with the width of the front wheel. One rack frame usually comprises a plurality of such support irons, e.g.

for six or more bicycles. Furthermore, patent publications No. 7770, US 3968665, US 3802232, US 577808, DE 361245 and DE 559043 disclose bicycle racks based on the use of various attachment arms.

A drawback in said conventional bicycle racks, especially in the case of light-made touring bikes, is that such racks tend to warp the front wheel rims often with disastrous consequences causing considerable repair costs. Furthermore, warping of the rims prevents the use of typical touring bike front brakes in which the braking friction is produced by pressing braking pads against the rim edges. The present-day bicycle racks further cause safety hazards, e.g. when backing up a vehicle, the empty rack easily becoming invisible and possibly incurring material damage. This is particularly true with bicycle racks disposed in shady corners.

Also the present-day bicycle locks have several drawbacks since, in several theft cases, security has proven merely apparent. Bicycles fitted with conventional locks are namely often stolen with e.g. the rear of front wheel locked to the bicycle frame. Neither has the locking of the front wheel to a bicycle rack always prevented theft, in some instances the only part left of the bicycle has been the front wheel locked to the rack.

The bicycle racks disclosed in the above publications are all suitable only for locking of bicycles of a given size which has been taken into consideration in connection with mounting of the rack. Furthermore, such racks require accurate orientation and disposition of a bicycle with respect to the rack. In addition, some of the solutions disclosed in the above publications require the use of a separate lock, if it is desired to lock the bicycle to the rack.

There is no prior art bicycle rack which would be suitable for all sizes of bicycles intended for both children and adults. Further, there is no prior art bicycle rack in which a bicycle can be locked without accurate orientation and disposition thereof with respect to the rack. Neither is there a known bicycle rack in which a bike would not be twisted and possibly frame damaged with an external force being applied to a bicycle when it is fitted in the rack. Thus, there is no prior art bicycle rack that would fulfill the above requirements and be easily lockable.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks.

For the characterizing features of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying claims.

The invention is based on an achoring means secured to a bicycle frame, particularly to a vertical frame tube of the steering column, and on a locking arm which can be removably secured to said anchoring means, said arm being at one end rigidly secured to a wall, special stand or a like substantially solid structure. When the rack is fitted with a pivot link permitting vertical articulation, the rack saves storage space quite essentially; in empty condition, the locking arm can hang freely downwards, e.g. along a wall. In empty condition, the rack does not cause safety hazards for motorists or pedestrians.

By virtue of two up-down pivoting links of the locking arm, the rack can be used in connection of various sizes of bicycles. With the help of the locking arm pivots, the locking operation can always be effected in all conditions regardless of the bicycle height, direction of the attachment means or the like viewpoints, with the bicycle nevertheless firmly supported in upright position in its rack.

By virtue of the horizontal articulation permitting pivot link of the locking arm, a bicycle need not be accurately orientated or disposed with respect to the rack; in addition, an external force applied to a bicycle attached to the rack does not warp or damage the bike. The means according to the invention can be secured to a building wall, a separate supporting means etc; in addition, it is possible to dispose a plurality of bicycles simultaneously in bicycle racks attached this way.

Furthermore, the rack of the invention is of very inexpensive and simple construction and can be used everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Due to the fact that the latch has been secured stationarily to the achoring means connected substantially rigidly to the vertical frame tube of the bicycle steering column, the latch is carried always together with the bicycle and cannot be lost.

In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle supported on a bicycle rack of the invention, Figure 2 is a partial and enlarged view of the bicycle rack of Fig. 1 in rest position, Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 2, Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV in Fig. 2, Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V in Fig. 2, Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the invented bicycle rack secured to a wall, Figure 7 shows an anchoring means of the bicycle rack of Fig. 6, Figure 8 is a side view of the anchoring means of Fig. 7, Figure 9 shows a third embodiment of the invented bicycle rack provided with a plurality of locking arms, and Figure 10 shows a fourth embodiment of the invented bicycle rack provided with a plurality of locking arms whereto bicycles have been locked.

Fig. 1 shows a bicycle attached to a rack of the invention, The rack comprises a locking arm 1 rigidly secured to a wall 3 at its one end 2, and provided with an attachment means 4 at its opposite end 2', a bicycle being removably attached to said means 4 with an anchoring means 7 connected substantially rigidly to a vertical frame tube 5 of the bicycle steering column, the removable attachment being effected by means of a latch 8. The locking arm 1 is further fitted with a vertical articulation of the arm permitting pivot link 6, which pivots in vertical direction, as well as with a horizontally pivoting, horisontal articulation of the arm permitting pivot link 6'.

A detail construction of the bicycle rack depicted in Fig. 1 is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the rack and the anchoring means 7, which is locked thereto and intended to be rigidly secured to a frame tube 5 of the bicycle steering column, hang along a vertical wall 3 in their rest positions. The locking arm's 1 end 2, which is secured to the support structure 3, is fitted with a pin or hinge link 6 which is rigid in lateral direction and pivotable in vertical direction. The half of locking arm 1, which in longitudinal direction is opposite with respect to the support structure 3, the distal end 2' of the locking arm, is provided with a vertically rigid and horisontally pivoting pin or hinge link 6'.Said outer end 2' of the locking arm is further provided with another vertical, vertical articulation permitting and simultaneously laterally rigid pin or hinge link 6" disposed between said vertical and horisontal pivot links. The construction of the vertical pivot link 6 of the locking arm 1, said link being the one at the end of the arm directed towards the support structure 3, is depicted in the sectional Fig. 3, said conctruction principally corresponding to those of the vertical link 6" and horisontal link 6'. Thus, the pivot link comprises link sections 14 and 1 5 articulated to each other by means of a pivot pin 13, such as the arm end 2 and the arm center section 1' or the arm center section 1' and the arm distal end 2' or the arm section connected to the attachment means 4 and the arm distal end 2'.The vertical pivot links 6 and 6" of locking arm 1 effect the attachment of locking arm and directing of the attachment means 4 in any height position at all within the reach of the arm, e.g. to an achoring means fitted on a high adult bike or respectively to an anchoring means fitted on a low children's bike. Due to the lateral stiffness of vertical pivot links 6 and 6", a bicycle attached to the locking arm cannot fall over. By virtue of the horisontal pivot link 6" at the arm 1 distal end, said distal end of the locking arm can be directed laterally as desired, so as to match the approach angle of a bicycle and the direction of an anchoring means 7 secured to the frame tube 5. Thus, a bicycle need not be directed and disposed accurately into any given position with respect to the rack.

The attachment mechanism, i.e. the attachment means 4 for the attachment and locking of the anchoring means 7 to the distal end of the locking arm, is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Attachment means 4 and the distal end of locking arm 1 provide a pin and socket joint which can be locked by means of a latch 8. In the present embodiment, the anchoring means 7 consists of two sections 7' and 7" connected to each other by means of two connecting screws 11, thus providing between the sections an opening 1 2 into which a frame tube 5 of a bike's vertical steering column can be fitted (frame tube is not shown in Fig. 4). Furthermore, the sections of anchoring means 7 provide a forwardly extending pin section 14 which in the figure is inserted into a socket, i.e. an opening 16 at the end of arm 1. The pin member 14 is fitted with a latch 8 by means of securing flanges 1 7 in the transverse direction of the pin member.At the end 2' of the arm 1, the inner face of the socket is provided with a shoulder 1 3 for locking the bolt 18 of latch 8 behind said shoulder seen in the direction of opening 1 6 when locking the latch. At the end 2' of the arm 1, the socket is further provided with a groove 1 5 (Fig. 2), so that the press member 1 9 of the latch 8 can force itself into said groove, when the pin member 14 of the anchoring means 7 is pushed into the socket at the end 2' of arm 1. For locking the latch, the press member 9 is pushed in from its normal position (shown by dashed lines in Fig. 4), whereby the bolt 1 8 urges itself behind the shoulder 1 3 securing the pin member of the anchoring means in the socket at the end of arm 1, the latch bolt 1 8 at the same time urging its way behind the shoulder 1 3. The latch is opened by a key, whereby the locking of bolt 1 8 and shoulder 1 3 unlatches and the pin member 14 of the anchoring means 7 can be withdrawn from the socket of arm 1.

In Fig. 6 one end 2 of the locking arm 1 has been pivoted with a vertical articulating permitting and laterally rigid pin or hinge link 6 to a horisontal support 3' secured to a wall 3. The outer end 2' of the arm 1, which is intended to be locked to the anchoring means 7 of the bicycle, has been pivoted with a vertical articulating permitting and laterally rigid pin or hinge link 6" to the locking arm.

Further the arm 1 comprises a lateral articulating permitting and vertically rigid pin or hinge link 6' located in the half of the arm which is nearest to the and 2, and between the above mentioned links 6 and 6".

In Fig. 7 a pinlike anchoring means 7, secured rigidly to the frame tube 5 with connecting screws 11 and stretching forwards from said frame tube, has been pushed into a socket like opening 1 6 formed into the outer end 2' of an attachment means 4, wherein the latch 8, situated transversely in the anchoring means, has been pushed into the groove 1 5 of the socket 1 5. The dislike press member 20 having diameter longer than the latch, has been pushed down into its locking position, wherein said press member is locked behind the shoulders 1 3 formed by the edges of an extension of the groove 1 5. The latch 8 is hold in the locking position in the transversal lock nest of the anchoring means 7 by a bolt 2, which is secured behind (seen from the press member) a shoulder like edge 23 of a locking groove formed on the side wall of the lock nest. When the latch 8 is opened with a key (not shown in Fig. 7) the bolt 21 is pushed into the latch 8, the locking between the bolt and the shoulder 23 is opened and the latch and its press member 20 are pushed outwards by a spring 24 located into the lock nest under the latch; the falling of the latch is prevented by a shoulder like fastening member 22 which is placed into a fastening groove formed on the side wall of the lock nest and which allows the moving of the latch in the nest but prevents the removing of the latch from the nest.As the press member 20 of the latch 8 rises above the shoulders 1 3 the locking between these is opened and the anchoring means 7 together with its latch may be drawn away from the attachment means 4.

In Fig. 9, a plurality of locking arms 1 are secured to an upright, rigid vertical support 3 in a star-shaped pattern, as seen from above.

In Fig. 10, a wall 3 is fitted with a fixed horizontal support 3' to which the locking arms 1 are rigidly secured at their first ends 2. Arms 1 create an inclined angle with the horizontal support 3' for overlapping disposition of bicycles.

If desired, the attachment means 4 can comprise a pin member formed by arm 1 and a socket member formed by the anchoring means 7 into which said pin member is inserted. The present latch 8 can be replaced by any kind of locking means connecting the members, such as a pin and a socket, of the attachment means 4 to each other. The invented rack can further be used for the attachment and locking of other means of transportation than just bicycles, e.g. boats, canoes and the like.

Claims

1. A rack for supporting a bicycle or the like article which comprises a locking arm adapted to be secured at one end thereof to a fixed support structure, anchoring means adapted to be fixed to a structural member of the article to be supported, the anchoring means being capable of releasably connecting to the other end of the said locking arm, and the locking arm having at least two pivot links, one permitting vertical articulation and the other horizontal articulation.

2. A rack as claimed in claim 1 in which the article is a bicycle and the structural member is the vertical frame tube of the stearing column.

3. A rack as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the anchoring means comprises a latch arrangement releasable only by means of a key.

4. A rack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the locking arm is further provided with a third pivot link permitting vertical articulation of the arm.

5. A rack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the vertical articulation permitting pivotalling connects the locking arm to the support structure when it is horizontal rigid.

6. A rack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the horizontal articulation permitting pivotalling connects the locking arm to the support structure and is vertically rigid.

7. A rack as claimed in claim 4 in which the third vertical articulation permitting pivot alling is horizontally rigid.

8. A rack supporting bicycles or the like articles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, Figs. 6 to 8, Fig. 9, or Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A bicycle rack for supporting a bicycle in an upright position, said rack comprising a locking arm (1) or the like to be secured at its one end (2) to a substantially fixed support structure (3) and for removable attachment of a bicycle to the other end (2') of said locking arm from the vertical frame tube (5) of the steering column, characterized in that the frame tube (5) of the bicycle steering column is fitted with an anchoring means (7) fixed substantially permanently to the frame tube for locking the bicycle to an attachment means (4) of the locking arm (1) by means of a latch (8), and that the locking arm (1) is provided with pivot links (6, 6') the former permitting vertical and the latter permitting horizontal articulation of the arm.