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US 5,297,912 AGranted
Ladder rack for motor vehicles
AssigneeJAJ Products, Inc.
InventorAvraham Y. Levi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of heavy ladders from the roof of a motor vehicle comprises a pair of 4-bar linkages that are appropriately affixed to the transversely extending luggage rack members secured to the roof of the vehicle. A connector rod is operatively coupled between the pair of 4-bar linkages and to a crank or other suitable drive member for elevating and rotating the load from a position parallel to the roof of the vehicle to a disposition parallel to one side of the vehicle.
Claims14
Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of a ladder from the roof of a motor vehicle, comprising, in combination:
- (a) a first and a second 4-bar linkage assembly, each including a stationary bar member attached to the roof of a motor vehicle in parallel, spaced-apart relation so as to extend transverse to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle and a movable bar member comprising a ladder rest pivotally coupled to said stationary bar member by a pair of rigid links of unequal length, said pair of rigid links sized and positioned such that rotation of one of said pair of rigid links on each of said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies results in said movable bar members comprising said ladder rests moving between a first disposition which is generally parallel to said roof and a second disposition aligned with and spaced from one side of said vehicle;
- (b) a connector rod of adjustable length extending longitudinally between said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies with said connecting rod journaled for rotation in said stationary bar member of each of said 4-bar linkage assemblies and operatively coupled to said one of said pair of rigid links in each of said 4-bar linkage assemblies;
- and
- (c) means for rotating said connecting rod and thereby rotating said one of said pair of rigid links on each of said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies.
1 more element
Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of a ladder from the roof of a motor vehicle, comprising, in combination:
- (a) a first 4-bar linkage assembly including a stationary bar member attached to the roof of a motor vehicle so as to extend transverse to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle and a movable bar member comprising a ladder rest pivotally coupled to said stationary bar member by a pair of rigid links of unequal length, said pair of rigid links sized and positioned such that rotation of one of said pair of rigid links results in said movable bar member comprising said ladder rest moving between a first disposition which is generally parallel to said roof and a second disposition aligned with and spaced from one side of said vehicle;
- (b) a second 4-bar linkage assembly, identical to said first 4-bar linkage assembly, and attached to said roof in said parallel, spaced-apart relation to said first 4-bar linkage assembly;
- (c) first and second pairs of cooperating ladder constraint members, each of said pairs including a first rigid rod affixed to and projecting perpendicularly from said bars comprising said ladder rest on each of said 4-bar linkage assemblies, a second rigid rod projecting perpendicularly from said stationary bars of each of said 4-bar linkage assemblies and a cross-member affixed to the free end of one of said first and second rigid rods and bridging said free ends of said first and second rigid rods to create a frame for surrounding a portion of a ladder resting upon said movable bar when said movable bar is in said first disposition;
- and
- (d) means for rotating said one of said pair of rigid links on each of said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies simultaneously.
2 more elements
Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of a ladder from the roof of a motor vehicle, comprising, in combination:
- (a) a first and a second 4-bar linkage assembly, each including a stationary bar member attached to the roof of a motor vehicle in parallel, spaced-apart relationship to one another and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said motor vehicle and a movable bar member comprising a ladder rest pivotally coupled to said stationary bar member on each of said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies by a pair of rigid links of unequal length, said links being sized and positioned such that rotation of one of said pair of rigid links results in said movable bar member comprising said ladder rest moving between a first disposition which is generally parallel to said roof and a second disposition aligned with and spaced from one side of said vehicle;
- (b) a connecting rod extending longitudinally between said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies, said connecting rod being journaled for rotation in said stationary bar member of each of said 4-bar linkage assemblies, and coupled to said one of said rigid links in each of said first and second 4-bar linkage assemblies wherein rotation of said connecting rod rotates said one of said pair of rigid links in each of said 4-bar linkage assemblies;
- (c) crank means including first and second segments hinged to one another with said first segment comprising a crank handle member and said second segment being coupled to said connecting rod;
- and
- (d) a tether secured to said crank handle member.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.