Patent ID: 6499724
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: B62D,B66D

Abstract:
A safety device for a spare tire storage assembly, the assembly including a winch affixed by a mounting bracket adjacent a stored position for the spare tire under a vehicle, the winch by the operation of a separate handle lets out and takes up a length of a cable affixed at one end to the winch, which letting out and taking up of the cable moves the spare tire, installed on a hub, from a locked stored position under a vehicle, to an unlocked accessible position below the stored position, the safety device comprising in use a tire carrier for carrying the spare tire installed on the hub, the carrier including a first portion for insertion within an opening in the hub and preferably abutting the bottom of the hub, and a second shank portion having two ends and being engaged with the first portion proximate one end and having an expanded head proximate the other end, the first portion for supporting the spare tire installed on a hub, and the second shank portion being engaged with the first portion and being engaged with the other end of the cable remote the winch proximate the head of the second shank portion, the head of the second shank portion of the carrier including a shoulder adjacent the shank portion, the safety device being rotatable by rotation of said handle when said winch is rotated and including an actuating member for converting rotary motion to substantially linear motion, the actuating member being engageable with said winch proximate one side thereof remote said handle in use, the actuating member comprising a first member and a second member, the second member including a first detent, the first detent for engagement in use with an operator of the spare tire storage assembly, the operator having a second detent provided therewith and in communication with the first detent of the second member, the winch having a resiliently biased latch movably affixed with respect thereto and biased to a latched position, the operator also being interconnected with the latch and being movable by the actuating member and the first detent of the second member from a first latched position wherein the latch is latched to a second unlatched position wherein the latch is unlatched, the first and second members having frictionally engaging faces engaging one another, wherein when the actuating member is rotated the first member rotates, wherein rotation of the first member therefore due to friction rotates the second member up to a predetermined limit established by the movement of the operator and the first detent of the second member engaging a first stop provided adjacent the actuating member, whereat above said predetermined limit said first member will slip in relation to said second member thus continuing the motion of the first member but limiting the motion of the second member allowing for the paying out of a flexible member following the release of the latch, wherein rotation of the first member in a second direction opposite the first direction therefore rotates the second member up to a second predetermined limit established by a second stop provided adjacent the actuating member whereat at said second predetermined limit said first member will slip in relation to said second member thus continuing the motion of the first member allowing the taking up of a flexible member on the winch until the latch is latched, but limiting the motion of the second member, the second member being limited in the first direction by the first stop and being limited in the second direction by the second stop wherein the first member will continue to rotate in both directions during the operation of the winch.