WO2002004271A1

WO2002004271A1 - Motorcycle turntable

Info

Publication number: WO2002004271A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/002655
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philip John Riley
Original assignee: Philip John Riley
Priority date: 2000-07-10
Filing date: 2000-07-10
Publication date: 2002-01-17

Abstract

A motorcycle turntable has a support beam (1) Fig. 1 which has retractable extensions (4) which are extended to support a motorcycle. Extensions (4) may slide or hinge in function with regard to the support beam (1). The support beam (1) is rotatably secured to the base plate (3) by support bearing (2) which has the ability to maintain the support beam (1) in the horizontal plane when the centre of gravity of a motorcycle being rotated acts through the area of support bearing (2). When the turntable is not required for use the extensions (4) are retracted when the unit may be easily moved to a storage location.

Description

MOTORCYCLE TURNTABLE

This invention relates to a motorcycle turntable comprising a support beam rotatable about a single support bearing mounted on a free standing base support.

A large number of motorcycle owners have limited storage facilities for machines. Such facilities are usually located to the rear of domestic dwellings. Subsequently the track width required to manoeuvre machines is limited and inadequate to turn around any machine with regard to the turning circle required. To undertake the operation it is necessary to perform a three,five or seven point turn by pushing the machine backwards and forwards, often over ground that is quite unsuitable. Several potential dangers are encountered in the operation. Strains to the body are possible when maintaining the machine in an upright and stable position which is more difficult as the centre of gravity changes when the steering moves from left hand lock to right hand lock and vice versa. Should either wheel of the machine become located in any type of depression or drop in the ground the risk of physical strain is notably increased due to the effort of pulling the machine out of the depression. Manoeuvering a motorcycle anywhere is highly dependant on having a good grip 'under-foo ' and on wet grass or unprepared ground this becomes imperative. Should the operator slip there is a very high risk of serious injury as the machine may fall on the operator. Should the machine fall at all, hundreds of pounds worth of damage is easily caused.

The object of this invention is to provide a turntable on which a motorcycle can easily and safely be rotated around its centre of gravity eh inating the need for mulipple manoeuyers. The whole unit being portable and able to be stored in a relatively small space.

Accordingly this invention provides a portable motorcycle turntable comprising a support beam, a base plate on which is mounted a support bearing having a horizontal location and which secures the support beam to the base plate. The support beam being adapted to accept the wheels of a motorcycle and made in such a manner that will allow for the overall length of the support beam to be appreciably shortened for storage purposes.

l The invention would be able to incorporate support apparatus that would locate on key points on the motorcycle being rotated enabling said motorcycle to be secured free-standing without manual assistance.

The invention would also serve a dual purpose as a ramp to facilitate the loading and unloading of motorcycles for transportation by motor vehicles.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows the support beam with extensions in the horizontal position

Figure 2 shows the optional functions of the support beam extentions

Figure 3 shows views X, Y and Z from figure 2

Figure 4 shows the support bearing

Figure 5 shows the turntable with motorcycle

Figure 6 shows proposed additional vericle supports

Figure 7 shows additional application of turntable serving as a ramp

Referring to Fig.1 the turntable comprises a base plate 3 housing a support bearing 2 to which is secured a rotatable support beam 1. The dimension A being greater than the wheelbase of any given motorcycle. At each end of the support beam 1 is located a retractable support beam extension 4 which may be either sliding or hinged in operation as shown in Fig.2. Views X,Y and Z of Fig.2 are shown in Fig.3.

To rotate any given motorcycle the turntable is placed at a point on the ground that provides adequate radial clearance from the centre of the base plate to the furthest outer point of the support beam. Fig.5 shows an example of the turntable being used to rotate a motorcycle on a garden path 9 over cultivated borders 10.

A proposed embodiment of the support bearing shown in Fig.4 comprises two formed discs of plastic material having a low coefficient of friction which engage by means of a raised annular ring. The upper half 6 and the lower half 7 are secured to the Support beam 1 and the base plate 3 respectively and are captively secured together by a shouldered centre stud 8. Fig 4 position 'A' shows the support bearing pivoting at any given point on the annular ring. Fig.4 position 'B' shows the support bearing fully engaged enabling the load to be uniformly transmitted through the contact area of the annular ring to the base plate 3.

As the motorcycle is pushed (loaded) onto the extended and aligned support beam the engagement of the tyre incurs the support beam to pivot out of the horizontal plane this causes one of the support beam extensions to rest on the ground and creates the support bearing to be in position A of Fig.4. As the motorcycle travels up the inclined support beam the second wheel becomes engaged. Further travel along the support beam will position the centre of gravity of the motorcycle within the area of the annular ring with the support bearing in position 'B' of Fig.4. The operator will manually maintain the motorcycle in the vertical plane Fig.5 and apply a tangential force, most likely through the handlebars 11, to rotate the motorcycle to the required position.

In order to apply additional vertical support to the motorcycle whilst on the support beam a system of support arms 12 Fig, 6 may be incorporated with the embodiment to engage with key location points on the motorcycle. Some suggested options are outlined in Fig.6.

Claims

A portable motorcycle turntable comprising a rotatable support beam, base plate with support bearing for said beam characterised in that the support bearing has the facility to maintain the beam in the horizontal plane during operation and pivot the beam through the horizontal plane whilst being loaded and unloaded.

A portable motorcycle turntable as claimed in claim 1 wherein the centre of gravity of the aforesaid support beam lies within the horizontal diameter of the aforesaid support bearing when any motorcycle is being rotated.

A portable motorcycle turntable as claimed in claim 1 plus claim 2 wherein the support beam has the facility to be appreciably reduced in length by means of retractable beam extentions.

A portable motorcycle turntable as claimed in claim 1 plus claim 2 plus claim 3 further comprising means for securing the support beam in both its extended and retracted positions.

A portable motorcycle turntable according to claim 3 wherein the support beam comprises apparatus enabling the said motorcycle to be supported in the vertical plane.

A portable motorcycle turntable substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 7 of the accompanying drawings.