Bicycle display rack

• US 5,988,403 A
• Filed: 09/10/1998
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Madix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spencer Products, Inc. (Madix Incorporated)
• Inventors: Robideau, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US09/151,181
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 211/17, 211/20, 211/22, 211/18, 224/924
• US Class Current: 211/20
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/00 Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials A47F5/0006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/08 involving recesses or channelled rails for embracing the bottom part of a wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/924 Vehicle attached carrier for bicycle or motorcycle

Abstract

A display rack for a bicycle having an elongated supporting base, a front wheel stop mounted to the front end of the supporting base for maintaining the front wheel of the bicycle in a stable vertical position and a carriage which is freely movable longitudinally on the supporting base for supporting and retaining the rear wheel of the bicycle. The display rack is inclined from front to back so that the carriage is biased forwardly by gravity and the front wheel of the bicycle rests against the front wheel stop.

Claims

1. A display rack for supporting a bicycle having a frame, a front wheel and a rear wheel, said display rack comprising:

(a) an elongated supporting base having a front end and a rear end and an upper surface;

(b) a front wheel stop mounted to the front end of said supporting base for engaging the front wheel of said bicycle and for maintaining said front wheel in a stable vertical position; and

(c) a carriage for supporting and retaining the rear wheel of said bicycle in a stable vertical position, said carriage being mounted on said supporting base for free longitudinal movement between said front end and said rear end so that when said supporting frame is inclined from front to back, said carriage is biased by gravity toward said front wheel stop and so that when a bicycle is supported on said supporting base with said front wheel resting on said upper surface and said rear wheel resting on said carriage, said bicycle is biased by gravity toward said front wheel stop.

2. A display rack as recited in claim 1, wherein said carriage has a plurality of wheels mounted for rotation on said carriage and for supporting said carriage and, wherein said supporting base has an upper surface for supporting the wheels of said carriage and a guide structure for restricting said carriage to longitudinal rolling on said upper surface between said front end and said rear end.

3. A display rack as recited in claim 1, wherein said carriage comprises:

(a) a frame having a forward end and a rearward end;

(b) a rearward wheel stop fixed to the rearward end of said frame;

(c) a forward wheel stop fixed to the forward end of said frame and spaced from said rearward wheel stop; and

(d) a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on said frame for supporting said carriage on said supporting base.

4. A display rack as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said front wheel stop, said rearward wheel stop and said forward wheel stop comprises a pair of spaced upwardly extending arms having respective upper ends joined by a horizontal arm, the space between each of said pairs of upwardly extending arms being adapted to receive a portion of a respective one said front and rear wheels for retaining said front and rear wheels.

5. A display rack as recited in claim 1, wherein said front wheel stop is pivotally connected to the front end of said supporting base for pivoting movement from an upper active position in front of said front wheel to an inactive position below said supporting base and, wherein said display rack further comprises a retainer mounted on said supporting base for movement between a first position for maintaining said front wheel stop in said active position and a second position for enabling said front wheel stop to pivot to said inactive position.

6. A display rack as recited in claim 5, wherein said front wheel stop comprises a pair of spaced rods having respective lower ends fixed to respective levers pivotally connected to said supporting base and said retainer is a bar located below said levers and pivotally connected to said supporting base for movement between said first position in which said bar extend transversely of said levers for supporting said levers to said second position in which said bar extends longitudinally of said levers and between said levers.

7. A display rack as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one of said levers has a downwardly extending dog which extends in front of said bar to prevent said bar from pivoting when said levers rest on said bar and wherein said bar is free to pivot upon pivoting of said levers upwardly so that said dog is above said bar.

8. A display rack as recited in claim 5, further comprising a carriage stop connected to said supporting base adjacent said front end for preventing said carriage from moving forward of said carriage stop.

9. A display rack as recited in claim 1, wherein said front stop has a slot for receiving a forward portion of said front wheel for retaining said front tire in a stable vertical position.

10. A display rack for a bicycle having a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and an upper surface, said display rack comprising:

(a) a supporting frame having a front end and a rear end which is higher than said front end;

(b) an elongated supporting base having a front end, a rear end and an upper surface, said supporting base being mounted of said supporting frame so that said upper surface is inclined from the front end of said supporting base to the rear end of said supporting base;

(c) a front wheel stop fixedly mounted to the front end of said supporting base for engaging the front wheel of said bicycle and for maintaining said front wheel in a stable vertical position; and

(d) a carriage for supporting and restraining the rear wheel of said bicycle, said carriage being mounted on the upper surface of said supporting base for free longitudinal movement between the front end of said supporting base and said rear end of said supporting base so that said carriage is biased by gravity toward said front wheel stop and so that when a bicycle is supported on said supporting base with said front wheel resting on said upper surface and said rear wheel resting on said carriage, said bicycle is biased by gravity toward said front wheel stop.

11. A display rack as recited in claim 10, wherein said carriage has a plurality of wheels mounted for rotation on said carriage for supporting said carriage and for rolling on said upper surface and, wherein said supporting base has a guide structure for restricting said carriage to longitudinal rolling on said upper surface between said front end and said rear end.

12. A display rack as recited in claim 10, wherein said carriage comprises:

(a) a frame having a forward end and a rearward end;

(b) a rearward wheel stop fixed to the rearward end of said frame; and

(c) a forward wheel stop fixed to the forward end of said frame and spaced from said rearward wheel stop.

13. A display rack for a bicycle having a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and an upper surface, said display rack comprising:

(a) an elongated supporting base having a front end, a rear end and an upper surface which is inclined from said front end to said rear end;

(b) a front wheel stop fixedly mounted to the front end of said supporting base for engaging the front wheel of said bicycle and for maintaining said front wheel in a stable vertical position; and

(c) a carriage for supporting and retaining the rear wheel of said bicycle, said carriage being mounted on said supporting base for free longitudinal movement between said front end and said rear end so that said carriage is biased by gravity toward said front wheel stop and so that when a bicycle is supported on said supporting base with said front wheel resting on said upper surface and said rear wheel resting on said carriage, said bicycle is biased by gravity toward said front wheel stop.

14. A display rack as recited in claim 13, wherein said carriage has a plurality of wheels mounted for rotation on said carriage for supporting said carriage on said upper surface and, wherein said supporting base has a guide structure for restricting said carriage to longitudinal rolling on said upper surface between said front end and said rear end.

15. A display rack as recited in claim 13, wherein said carriage comprises:

(a) a frame having a forward end and a rearward end;

(b) a rearward wheel stop fixed to the rearward end of said frame; and

(c) a forward wheel stop fixed to the forward end of said frame and spaced from said rearward wheel stop.

16. A display rack as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said front rearward and forward wheel stops comprises a pair of spaced upwardly extending arms having respective upper ends joined by a horizontal arm, the space between each of said pairs of upwardly extending arms being adapted to receive a portion of a respective one of said front and rear for retaining said front and rear wheels.