Pivoting movable ramp for transporting vehicles

• US 5,427,485 A
• Filed: 02/23/1994
• Issued: 06/27/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John W.B. Henderson, William M.D. Henderson
• Original Assignee: John W.B. Henderson, William M.D. Henderson
• Inventors: Henderson, William M. D., Henderson, John W. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US08/200,339
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 410/3, 410/4, 410/6, 410/15, 410/13, 410/24, 410/25, 410/26, 410/29, 410/29.1, 414/229, 414/230, 414/228, 403/348, 403/350, 403/383
• US Class Current: 410/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/08 Multilevel-deck construction carrying vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6867 automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/542 Ramps forming part of the container ramps per se B65G69/28; for ambulances A61G3/061; for vehicles in general B60P1/43
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0294 Vehicle bodies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7009 Rotary binding cam or wedge

Abstract

A pivoting movable ramp for transporting and storing automobiles inside containers. A cross bar assembly is demountably engaged to an upright assembly. The upright assembly being supported by the floor of the container. A ramp assembly supports the weight of the vehicle which a user desires to store or transport. The ramp assembly being demountably engaged to the crossbar assembly by a locking assembly. The locking assembly comprising a channel and a circular bay. The circular bay journaling and securing the ramp assembly to the crossbar assembly and being set forward a predetermined angle relative to the perpendicular such that the locking assembly cannot be demounted from the crossbar assembly unless the rear end of the ramp assembly is raised above the horizontal the same predetermined angle, thereby allowing the locking assembly to disengage the crossbar assembly.

Claims

1. A ramp for transporting and storing vehicles, comprising:

A. front and rear upright support means;

B. front and rear crossbar means, said front crossbar means removably mountable to said front upright support means and said rear crossbar means removably mountable to said rear upright support means, said front and rear crossbar means each having first and second ends;

C. two ramp means for supporting said vehicles having each an underside, first and second ends, and each of said ramp means further including locking means for removably mounting said two ramp means to said front crossbar means and being rigidly mounted to each said underside of said two ramp means, and said second ends of said ramp means being removably supported by said rear crossbar means at selective predetermined locations and wherein said locking means includes an open ended channel connected to a bay and said channel has cooperative dimensions to radially and slidably receive said front crossbar means at a predetermined angle and to lock said two ramp means to said front crossbar means at an angular position different from said angle.

2. The ramp for transporting and storing automobiles as in claim 1 wherein said front and rear cross bar means each further include a jaw integral therewith, said jaw having walls that are held in a spaced apart relationship and define a groove.

3. The ramp for transporting and storing automobiles as in claim 2, wherein said front upright support means has teeth means rigidly mounted at regular intervals thereon, said groove, of said front cross bar means, demountably engaging said teeth means.

4. The ramp for transporting and storing automobiles as in claim 3, wherein said locking means further comprises first and second opposing sides, said channel and said bay, said channel being defined by said opposing sides and said channel being set forward from perpendicular, said channel receiving said front cross bar means and cooperatively guiding said front cross bar means such that said front cross bar means is journal by said bay.

5. The ramp for transporting and storing automobiles as set forth in claim 4 further including a container having a floor on which said front and rear upright support means are mounted.

6. The ramp for transporting and storing automobiles as set forth in claim 5 wherein said front and rear support means each include fastening means for securing said support means to the floor of said container.