Hitch rack foot lever cinch

In a hitch rack carrier for an automotive vehicle having a hitch at an end of said vehicle, which hitch rack carrier includes an article support structure having an arm to be secured to said hitch for movement of said article support structure between a position for transportation of an article supported by said hitch rack carrier and a set release position enabling access to said vehicle, a latch construction for said rack comprising the combination of:

• (a) a cinch for locking said article support structure in said transportation position;
• (b) a lever for operating said cinch, positioned and configured for actuation by a foot of a user to release said cinch for movement of said article support structure to said set release position while maintaining the hands of such user free, said lever including a foot engagement bar which is exposed and generally transverse to the direction of travel of said vehicle when said hitch rack carrier is connected to the vehicle, said bar being configured and located to be in the path of movement of said arm when said article support structure moves to said set release position to also act as a stop which prevents said article support structure from moving beyond said set release position;
• and
• (c) further including an elongated arm secured to a bracket for movement between said positions, said arm having said article support structure, said bracket being rigidly securable to said hitch, and said cinch including a pin latch for maintaining said arm in said transportation position, said pin latch including a pin on one of said arm and bracket which is engageable by a hook on the other of said arm and bracket.

A hitch rack carrier for an automotive vehicle having a hitch receiver at what is the rear of said vehicle during forward travel thereof in the intended direction, which hitch rack carrier has a drawbar to be secured to said hitch receiver and an article support structure projecting at the rear of said vehicle when said drawbar is secured to said hitch for movement between a position for transportation of an article and an inactive position, comprising the combination of:

• (a) an elongated arm having said article support structure;
• (b) a bracket securable to said drawbar and to which said elongated arm is pivotably connected for movement between said two positions, which bracket includes a cinch for maintaining said arm in said transportation position;
• and
• (c) a friction element secured to position a friction surface between said bracket and said arm at a location at which said surface both inhibits while permitting initial pivotable movement of said arm from said transportation position and thereafter does not hinder free movement of said arm to said inactive position upon release of said cinch.