Patent ID: 8251265
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: B62D,B62J

Abstract:
1. A spare tire carrier for transporting the wheel of a vehicle, said wheel having predetermined dimensions and equipped with a rim configured with a predetermined lug pattern, said vehicle having a predetermined approach angle and equipped with a towing hitch, said carrier comprising: a. a hitch anchor, said hitch anchor having a front end and a back end, said front end configured to be attached to said towing hitch; b. a fork comprising a handle and two tines, said tines being located on either side of said back end of, and affixed to, said hitch anchor, fork being fixed in a position with its axis at an oblique angle from the horizontal; c. a sleeve slidingly mounted on said handle of said fork, said handle and said sleeve, each configured with an array of holes, sliding motion of said sleeve being restricted by at least one pin traversing at least one of said holes in said sleeve and one of said holes in said handle; d. a lower shoulder bar essentially perpendicularly mounted onto said sleeve, e. an upper shoulder bar slidingly mounted on said lower shoulder bar, said lower shoulder bar and said upper shoulder bar, each configured with an array of holes, sliding motion of said upper shoulder bar being restricted by at least one pin traversing at least one of said holes in said lower shoulder bar and one of said holes in said upper shoulder bar; and f. a rim holder affixed to said upper shoulder bar and carrying an array of holes matching said lug pattern of said rim; said sleeve being slidingly adjusted to accommodated said wheel's predetermined dimensions; and said oblique angle formed between said hitch anchor and said fork being adjusted to preserve said approach angle of said vehicle.