Rack with built-in winch component

Abstract

The present invention is a support rack with a built-in winch component. The rack unit includes at least two upright members and at least one horizontal support member connected at opposite ends to each of the upright members, and at least one shaft-receiving orifice located on and passing through either an upright member and/or horizontal support member. In some preferred embodiments, a plurality of the orifices may be included, e.g. at lower and higher levels of the uprights, as well as on the horizontal supports. Also, in some preferred embodiments, gussets are included to connect the uprights to the horizontal supports. These gussets may include shaft-receiving orifices. The upright members provide attachment to a motor vehicle, e.g. as part of the uprights, or as separate components. The winch component has a shaft, a strap take-up reel, a one-way ratchet mechanism, a wind-up mechanism, and a lock-release mechanism, with the shaft being rotatably positioned within a shaft-receiving orifice on the uprights, horizontal supports or gussets.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.