Abstract:
A rack includes a base section that is securely mounted on the top of a land vehicle and an item-engaging section that is movably mounted on the base section. The item-engaging section moves on rollers between a stored position that is basically congruent with the base section and a deployed position that locates ladders or like items being stored on the vehicle adjacent to the side of the land vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to the general art of racks and carriers, and to the particular field of racks and carriers used on land vehicles. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   Many people carry ladders and/or scaffolding, or the like, on their car or truck. These items are used for various purposes by various workers, such as by painters, carpenters, and the like. Often these items are quite bulky and may be difficult to handle. If the items are stored on top of a truck, it may be difficult to remove the item from the truck. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a rack that is used on a land vehicle that will hold items in a manner that makes removing the items easy and expeditious. 
   It may be especially difficult to remove a bulky item from the top of a truck if the person trying to remove the item is short and has to reach up to grasp the item. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a rack that is used on a land vehicle that will hold items in a manner that makes removing the items easy and expeditious even if the person removing the item is shorter than the truck. 
   Those using ladders and the like are used to storing the items on top of their vehicle. Therefore, to be commercially successful, a rack that is used to store items should store those items in a manner which is familiar to those who will be using the device. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a rack that is used on a land vehicle that will hold items in a manner that makes removing the items easy and expeditious, yet will effect the storage in a manner that is familiar to those using the rack. 
   PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a main object of the present invention to provide a rack that is used on a land vehicle that will hold items, such as ladders, or the like, in a manner that makes removing the items easy and expeditious. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a rack that is used on a land vehicle that will hold items in a manner that makes removing the items easy and expeditious even if the person removing the item is shorter than the truck. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a rack that is used on a land vehicle that will hold items in a manner that makes removing the items easy and expeditious, yet will effect the storage in a manner that is familiar to those using the rack. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   These, and other, objects are achieved by an item storage rack that includes a base section that is adapted to be supported on the top of a land vehicle, such as a truck, or the like, and which includes C-shaped frame end elements and legs. The end elements define channels. An item-engaging section has rollers that are accommodated in the channels so the item-engaging section can move between a storage position and a use position. The rollers are attached to the item-engaging section by axles. The item-engaging section is rotatably mounted on the axles and can move between a stored position which is essentially co-planar with the frame and a deployed position that is oriented at a right angle with respect to the frame. A handle is on the item-engaging section and is used to move the item-engaging section between the storage position and the use position and the deployed position. 
   It is to be understood that while the device embodying the present invention will sometimes be referred to as a ladder rack, the device can support other items, including scaffolds as well, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The use of the term “ladder” is for convenience and is not intended to be limiting. 
   Items stored on the item-engaging section thus are moved from atop the vehicle to a position spaced apart from the top of the vehicle and then can be rotated down on the side of the vehicle for easy access. Item storage follows movements which are reverse to the just-described movements. 
   Using the rack embodying the present invention will permit a bulky item to be easily and expeditiously removed from a land vehicle, even if the person is shorter than the top of the land vehicle. The rack is easily moved into a position which permits the person to easily grasp the item and remove it from the vehicle. However, the item can still be easily stored on the land vehicle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rack embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a detail showing a roller used in the rack of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the rack embodying the present invention in place on top of a land vehicle. 
       FIG. 4  is a detail showing a roller used in the rack of the present invention with the rack in the deployed configuration. 
       FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate operation of the rack embodying the present invention. 
       FIGS. 6A-6D  illustrate the operation of the rack embodying the present invention in combination with a land vehicle. 
       FIG. 7  shows an alternative form of the rack of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
   Referring to the Figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in an item storage rack  8  that is adapted for use on a land vehicle V such as a truck, or the like, to hold items on the truck in a manner that makes it easy and expeditious for a user to mount and dismount the items on and from the vehicle. 
   Rack  8  comprises a base section  10  that is adapted to be mounted on top of land vehicle V and which includes a frame  12  which includes a first frame side element  14 , a second frame side element  16 , a first frame end element  18 , a second frame end element  20 , a longitudinal axis  22  which extends between the first frame end element  18  and the second frame end element  20 , and a transverse axis  24  which extends between the first frame side element  14  and the second frame side element  16 . The frame side elements  14 ,  16  intersect the frame end elements  18 ,  20  to form a polygon, such as a rectangle. A first corner  30  is formed at an intersection between the first frame end element  18  and the first frame side element  14 , a second corner  32  is formed at an intersection between the first frame end element  18  and the second frame side element  16 , a third corner  34  is formed at an intersection between the first frame side element  14  and the second frame end element  20 , and a fourth corner  36  is formed at an intersection between the second frame end element  20  and the second frame side element  16 . 
   The first frame side element  14  is L-shaped and has a first flange  40  that is a bottom flange when the frame  12  is in a use orientation on the vehicle as shown in  FIG. 3 and a  second flange  42  that is a side flange when the frame  12  is in the use orientation. The first frame end element  18  and the second frame end element  20  are each C-shaped. Each C-shaped frame end element  18 ,  20  has a first flange  46  that is a top flange when the frame  12  is in the use orientation, a second flange  48  which is a bottom flange when the frame  12  is in the use orientation and a third flange  50  which is a side flange when the frame  12  is in the use orientation. The flanges  46 ,  48 ,  50  of each C-shaped frame end element  18 ,  20  define a channel, such as channel  52  shown in  FIG. 4. A  longitudinal support element  60  is connected at a first end  62  thereof to the first frame end element  18  and a second end  64  thereof is connected to the second frame end element  20 . A transverse support element  70  has a first end  72  fixed to the first frame side element  14  and a second end  74  fixed to the second frame side element  16 . A first leg  80  is fixed to the frame  12  adjacent to the first corner  30 , a second leg  82  is fixed to the frame  12  adjacent to the second corner  32 , a third leg  84  is fixed to the frame  12  adjacent to the third corner  34  and a fourth leg  86  is fixed to the frame  12  adjacent to the fourth corner  36 . Each leg  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86  has a first end, such as end  90 , that is a top end when the frame  12  is in the use orientation and a second end, such as end  92 , that is a bottom end when the frame  12  is in the use orientation. 
   The first ends  90  of the first and second legs  80 ,  82  are co-planar with each other in a first plane P 1  and the second ends  92  of the legs  80 ,  82  are co-planar with each other in a second plane P 2  that is spaced apart from the first plane P 1 . The frame side and end elements  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  are co-planar with each other in a third plane P 3 . The third plane P 3  is spaced apart from the first and second planes P 1 , P 2  with the third plane P 3  being located between the first and second planes P 1 , P 2 . 
   A first stop element  100  is on the first frame side element  14  of the frame  12  adjacent to the second corner  32  of the frame  12 . A second stop element  112  is identical to the first stop element  100  and is located on the second frame side element  16  of the frame  12  adjacent to the fourth corner  36  of the frame  12 . 
   An item-engaging section  120  includes a frame  122  which includes a first frame side element  124 , a second frame side element  126 , a first frame end element  128 , a second frame end element  130 , a longitudinal axis  132  which extends between the first frame end element  128  of the item-engaging section  120  and the second frame end element  130  of the item-engaging section  120 , and a transverse axis  134  which extends between the first frame side element  124  of the item-engaging section  120  and the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 . The frame side elements  124 ,  126  of the item-engaging section  120  and the frame end elements  128 ,  130  of the item-engaging section  120  are co-planar with each other and are contained in a first plane P 1  of the item-engaging section  120 . The frame side elements  124 ,  126  of the item-engaging section  120  intersect the frame end elements  128 ,  130  of the item-engaging section  120  to form a polygon which is identical in size and shape to the polygon formed by the frame  12 . 
   A first corner  150  is formed at an intersection between the first frame end element  128  of the item-engaging section  120  and the first frame side element  124  of the item-engaging section  120 . A second corner  152  is formed at an intersection between the first frame end element  128  of the item-engaging section  120  and the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 . A third corner  154  is formed at an intersection between the first frame side element  124  of the item-engaging section  120  and the second frame end element  130  of the item-engaging section  120 . A fourth corner  156  is formed at an intersection between the second frame end element  130  of the item-engaging section  120  and the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 . A longitudinal support element  160  has a first end  162  fixed to the first frame end element  128  of the item-engaging section and a second end  164  fixed to the second frame end element  130  of the item-engaging section  120 . A transverse support element  166  has a first end  168  fixed to the first frame side element  124  of the item-engaging section  120  and a second end  170  fixed to the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 . 
   A first roller element  180  is mounted on the item-engaging section  120  adjacent to the first corner  150 -engaging of the item-engaging section  120  and a first axle  182  rollably mounts the first roller element  180  to the item-engaging section  120 . A second roller element  190  is mounted on the item-engaging section  120  adjacent to the third corner  154  of the item-engaging section  120 , a second axle  192  rollably mounts the second roller element  190  to the item-engaging section  120 . The first roller element  180  is rollably accommodated in the C-shaped first end element  18  of the frame  12  and moves between a storage position shown in  FIG. 5A  adjacent to the first corner  30  of the frame  12  and a use position shown in  FIG. 5C  adjacent to the second corner  32 . The second roller element  190  is rollably accommodated in the C-shaped second frame end element  20  of the frame  12  and moves between a storage position adjacent to the third corner  34  of the frame  12  and a use position adjacent to the fourth corner  36  of frame  12 . 
   The frame elements  124 ,  126 ,  128 ,  130  of the item-engaging section  120  are L-shaped and each has a first flange  194  that is a top flange when the frame  122  of the item-engaging section  120  is in the storage position and a second flange  196  that is a side flange when the item-engaging section  120  is in the storage position. 
   A first corner support element  200  has a first end  202  that is fixed to the second corner  152  of the item-engaging section  120  and a second end  204  that is spaced apart from the first end  202  of the first corner support element  200 . A second corner support element  206  has a first end  208  that is fixed to the fourth corner  156  of the item-engaging section  120  and a second end  210  that is spaced apart from the first end  208  of the second corner support element  206 . The second ends  204 ,  210  of the corner support elements  200 ,  206  are co-planar with each other and are contained in a second plane F 2  of the item-engaging section  120 . The second plane of the item-engaging section  120  is spaced apart from the first plane of the item-engaging section  120 . 
   The item-engaging section  120  is rotatable about the first and second axles  182 ,  192  between a storage position shown in  FIG. 5A  that has the first plane of the item-engaging section  120  essentially co-planar with the third plane of the frame  12  and a deployed position shown in  FIG. 5D  that has the first plane of the item-engaging section  120  oriented at a right angle with respect to the third plane of the frame  12 . 
   A handle  220  is U-shaped and has a first leg  222  which has a first end  224  fixed to the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 , a second end  226  spaced apart from the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 , a second leg  230  which has a first end  232  which is fixed to the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 , a second end  234  which is spaced apart from the second frame side element  126  of the item-engaging section  120 , and a bight section  240  which has has a first end  242  which is connected to the second end  92  of the first leg  80  and a second end  244  which is connected to the second end  92  of the second leg  82 . 
   As can be understood from  FIGS. 6A-6D  and from  FIGS. 5A-5D , use of rack  10  includes grasping the handle  220  on the item-engaging section  120  and pulling that section  120  toward the side of the vehicle as indicated in FIG.  6 B. Any items on the rack will be moved toward the side of the vehicle. The item-engaging section  120  will ride on the roller elements  180 ,  190  in the manner of a drawer. Once the item-engaging section  120  reaches the end of its travel, the rollers  180 ,  190  engage the stops  100 ,  112  and the item-engaging section  120  is rotated as shown in  FIGS. 6C and 6D  to place the item-engaging section  120  adjacent to the side of the vehicle. The items can be removed and used as required. Loading items back on the vehicle will involve the reverse process. 
   Stops, such as stops  250 ,  252  and  254 , can be included to ensure stability of the supported items, and a net, such as net  256 , can also be included if desired. 
   The size of the item-engaging section  120  can be identical to the size of the frame  12 , or the width dimension of the item-engaging section  120  as measured in the direction of the transverse axis  134  of the item-engaging section  120  can be one-half the width dimension of the frame  12  as measured in the direction of the transverse axis  24  of the frame  12 . 
   It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.