Bicycle Rack for Pick-Up Truck

This inventions relates to a bicycle rack for the cargo compartment of a pick-up truck, and more specifically to such a rack which can be clamped by outward pressure between the side walls of the cargo compartment.

Various designs have been provided for bicycle racks attachable to the rear or roof of a vehicle. In the case of pick-up trucks, racks or other means have been provided for mounting bicycles in the cargo compartment. Often such racks include a bar which is secured at opposite ends to the side walls of the pick-up truck cargo box. A persistent problem which has been encountered with such racks, however, is related to the fact that removal in many cases is simple and thus thefts of the bicycle and rack occur. A need has thus existed for a bicycle rack for pick-up trucks which are provided with an improved security system which would thwart the efforts of a bicycle thief.

The invention provides a bicycle rack which can be affixed to the cargo compartment area of a pick-up truck by extending the length of a longitudinal bar between the side walls of the cargo compartment so that the same can be clamped in place securely. The racks of the present invention are provided with security means in the form of a sleeve slidable on the bar which can be locked in position covering and preventing access to the means for extending More specifically, a bicycle rack is provided for the cargo compartment of a pickup truck, which includes an extendable longitudinal bar on which mounting brackets are provided for mounting of one or more a bicycles and detached front bicycle wheels. Means to extend the longitudinal bar such as a turnbuckle or rod having reverse threads on opposite ends thereof is provided so that the bar may be firmly clamped between the side walls of the pickup truck cargo compartment. A security system is provided in the form of a movable sleeve which envelopes a portion of said longitudinal bar and which can be locked in place over the turnbuckle or similar extending means. The sleeve is provided with a projecting tab which mates with a similar tab located on one end of the longitudinal bar. Aligned holes are provided in the two tabs for insertion of a padlock or the like. In its preferred embodiment, the rack of this invention includes a longitudinal bar which is adjustable in length at each end. One of the adjustments is for the purpose of fixing the length to approximately fit the cargo box of a specific pick-up truck in which the rack is to be installed, while the second adjustment is for the purpose of extending the bar after placement between the cargo box walls to firmly clamp the bar in place by outward pressure against the walls. the ends of the longitudinal bar except when the lock is removed.

Numerous further aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top view of a pick-up truck cargo box with a bike rack of this invention mounted therein also showing bicycles and bicycle front wheels mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the mounting bar extending means with the security guard means in the open position; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings there is seen a longitudinal mounting bar 10 which is clamped by outward pressure between the side walls 12 and 14 of a pick-up truck cargo box 16. Longitudinal member 10 is formed from two aligned extendable segments 20 and 22. Preferably the longer segment or component 20 of longitudinal bar 10, which may be formed of hollow steel square cross-sectional tubing is formed of two parts 24 and 26 secured together by means of a bolt 27 or similar fastening device. End 26 may also be formed of tubular steel which is of a cross-section and dimensions such that it will slide within part 24.

Segments 20 and 22 are adjustably secured together by means 30 which in the illustrated embodiment consists of a shaft having right hand threads on one end 32 and left hand threads on the opposite end 34. Means for rotating the shaft are provided at the center thereof, for example, nut 36. The ends of shaft 30 are tapped into female appropriately right and left threaded means at the end of shafts 20 and 22 such as embedded nuts 38 and 40, respectively. Integral with the ends of segments 20 and 22 are L-shaped brackets 42 and 44 adapted to engage the inside top edge of pick-up truck side walls 12 and 14.

A bracket 46 is welded to and integral with end 26 of segment 20 and is provided with an opening 48 to receive one end of a metal cable 50. A bracket 52 having a vertical end as shown with an opening 54 is integral with end 22 of longitudinal bar 10.

A security means is provided in the form of a hollow tube 56 which envelopes a portion of bar segment 20 as seen in FIG. 4. Tube 56 is of a sufficient length to enclose extending means 30 and make it inaccessible as shown in FIG. 2 when secured by a lock 60. Integral with the top of tube 56 is a bracket 57 having a vertical end aligned with tab 52. A hole 58 aligned with hole 54 is provided so that the two parts can be fastened together by lock 60. It will be apparent that cable 50 can be threaded through each part of the bicycles mounted on rack 10 and thereafter secured at the other end by means of lock 60.

Rack 10 is therefore installed between the side walls 12 and 14 of a pick-up truck by securing parts 24 and 26 together by bolt 27 at an appropriate location so that the length of rack 10 will approximate the distance between the side walls 12 and 14. After the rack is loosely in position between side walls 12 and 14, nut 36 is rotated by means of an appropriate wrench to extend ends 20 and 22 away from each other until a firm amount of clamping pressure is exerted against the inside of walls 12 and 14. When under a sufficient amount of pressure bolt, 27 cannot be readily removed without damaging or destroying rack 10. Attached to rack 10, for example, by means of U bolts 70 are brackets for attachment of a bicycle front wheel 72 and front wheel forks 74. The preferred configuration for a wheel bracket 73 is a pair of longitudinal arms 75 spaced apart suitably to receive the hubs 76 of wheel 72.

As seen in FIG. 3, arm 75 can be folded downward when the rack 10 is not in use in order to avoid interfering with the use of cargo compartment 16 for other purposes. This may be accomplished by forming arm 75 as opposite ends of a U-shaped piece as best seen in FIG. 1. The base of the U-shaped piece is pivotally attached to a bracket by means of bolts or pins 79. When rack 10 is in use, arms 75 are clamped in a horizontally extended orientation as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 by means of a hand operable clamping bolt 80 which can be loosened to pivot the arms downwardly as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 3. Another pair of brackets 82 is attached to rack 10 by U-bolts 70 for the purpose of mounting thereon the front fork 74 of a bicycle from which the front wheel is removed. Conventional shaft 84 of an appropriate length to receive the ends of fork 74 is provided through suitable openings in bracket 82. The brackets 82 are provided with upwardly extending side walls through which shaft 84 passes. Shaft 84 can be locked in position by a suitable locking means 85 which is locked by overcenter travel.

Adjustable clamping means 30 may, for example, be in the form of a pair of threaded rod ends 32 and 34 each of which are welded to an end of a components 22 and 20, respectively. Such threaded rod ends can be adjustably moved away from each other by means of a conventional turnbuckle (not shown). Other mechanical means for adjustably extending the ends of the rack 10 will also be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is contemplated that such means can be substituted, as desired, for the specific structure shown in the drawings.

The specific physical embodiments herein disclosed are intended to exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.