Article-carrying rack and mount for mounting the same

For use with an elongate, vehicle-mounted hitch sleeve which has a plurality of interior hitch sleeve surfaces and a generally square transverse cross-section, an expandable hitch mount adapted for insertion into the hitch sleeve comprising:

• a first member having plural abutment surfaces;
• and
• a second member having plural abutment surfaces,
• the members being operatively connected to one another for movement relative to one another for bringing the abutment surfaces to bear against the interior hitch sleeve surfaces such that each surface of the plurality of interior hitch sleeve surfaces may be substantially engaged under pressure by a respective one of the abutment surfaces.

In a vehicle-mounted, article-carrying rack which may be moved from a generally inclined position for carrying articles, to a generally declined position in which such carried articles may be removed, and which includes at least two frame members having bottom ends mounted adjacent a vehicle, and top ends spaced therefrom, an improved latch member for fixing the rack in either of the inclined or declined positions comprising:

• plate structure connected to the frame members adjacent the top ends of the frame members for maintaining the frame members in a spaced, generally parallel relationship when the rack is moved from and between the inclined and declined positions;
• a detent formed on one of the frame members;
• and
• at least one slot in the plate structure for movably receiving the detent within the slot, the slot and detent configured for selectively locking the rack in either the inclined position, or the declined position, such inclined and declined positions defining, respectively, the upper and lower limits to which the rack may be moved.

In a vehicle-mounted, article-carrying rack which may be moved from a generally inclined position for carrying articles, to a generally declined position in which such carried articles may be removed, and which includes at least two frame members having bottom ends mounted adjacent a vehicle, and top ends spaced therefrom, an improved latch member for fixing the rack in either of the inclined or declined positions comprising:

• plate structure connected to the frame members adjacent the top ends of the frame members for maintaining the frame members in a spaced, generally parallel relationship, when the rack is moved from and between the inclined and declined positions;
• a detent formed on one of the frame members;
• and
• at least one slot in the plate structure for movably receiving the detent within the slot, wherein the slot includes a first capture region for capturing the detent and locking the rack in the inclined position, and the slot also includes a second capture region spaced from the first capture region for capturing the detent and locking the rack in the declined position.

An articulable, hitch-sleeve-mounted, wobble-resistant, article-carrying rack which is movable from an inclined position for carrying articles, to a declined position in which such carried articles may be removed, comprising:

• a hitch mount which is insertable into a vehicle's hitch and adapted for engaging the hitch internally thereof for reducing the tendency of the rack to wobble;
• a first elongate frame member pivotally mounted on the hitch mount, having an upper end longitudinally spaced therefrom;
• a second elongate frame member pivotally mounted on the hitch mount, having an upper end longitudinally spaced therefrom, the second frame member being spaced from the first frame member in a generally parallel relationship therewith;
• a latch member connecting the upper ends of the frame members for locking the frame members in either the inclined or declined positions;
• and
• at least one support bar pivotally mounted on the frame members adjacent the upper ends and extending generally horizontally away from the upper ends for supporting articles thereon and for maintaining its horizontal disposition when the rack is moved between the inclined and declined positions;
• wherein the frame members are generally tubular and have a generally square transverse cross-section.

An articulable, hitch-sleeve-mounted, wobble-resistant, article-carrying rack which is movable from an inclined position for carrying articles, to a declined position in which such carried articles may be removed, comprising:

• a hitch mount which is insertable into a vehicle's hitch and adapted for engaging the hitch internally thereof for reducing the tendency of the rack to wobble;
• a first elongate frame member pivotally mounted on the hitch mount, having an upper end longitudinally spaced therefrom;
• a second elongate frame member pivotally mounted on the hitch mount, having an upper end longitudinally spaced therefrom, the second frame member being spaced from the first fame member in a generally parallel relationship therewith;
• a latch member connecting the upper ends of the frame members for locking the frame members in either the inclined or declined positions;
• and
• at least one support bar pivotally mounted on the fame members adjacent the upper ends and extending generally horizontally away from the upper ends for supporting articles thereon and for maintaining its horizontal disposition when the rack is moved between the inclined and declined positions;
• wherein the latch member includes at least one plate, an arcuate slot disposed in the plate, and a pin connected to a frame member, wherein the slot is configured for receiving the pin and engaging the pin for locking the rack in the inclined or declined positions.

An articulable, hitch-sleeve-mounted, wobble-resistant, article-carrying rack which is movable from an inclined position for carrying articles, to a declined position in which such carried articles may be removed, comprising:

• a hitch mount which is insertable into a vehicle's hitch sleeve and adapted for engaging a hitch sleeve internally thereof for reducing the tendency of the rack to wobble;
• and
• at least one support bar mounted on the hitch mount and extending generally horizontally away therefrom for supporting articles thereon;
• wherein the hitch mount comprises,
• an elongate coupling member which extends along a long axis and terminates adjacent a distal end which is insertable into a hitch sleeve;
• an advancement member extending axially through the coupling member;
• and
• a wedge member engageable by the advancement member for reciprocal axial advancement interiorly of a hitch sleeve, the wedge member having a proximal end which faces the coupling member's distal end for engaging the same and thereby effecting a relative displacement between the coupling member and wedge member interiorly of a hitch sleeve,
• the distal and proximal ends each having complementary, diamond-shaped profiles such that the effected displacement between the coupling member and the wedge member takes place in four directions simultaneously, each direction being different from the other and extending generally radially outwardly of the long axis.