Abstract:
The apparatus for attachment to a non-inflatable part of a tandem, two-wheel cycle for rigidly mounting the cycle for transit purposes includes a bracket-like member adapted to be secured to the frame or other non-inflatable part of the cycle. A multi-part assembly is connected to the bracket for supporting the same for movement in longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions. The multi-part assembly includes a component adapted to be secured to the bed of a trailer or other transit vehicle. The multi-part assembly includes an adjustable securing mechanism for fixing the position of the bracket-like member.

Description:
The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 10/422,169, filed Apr. 24, 2003 (based on provisional application 60/377,755 filed May 6, 2002) now U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,363. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a bracket assembly for rigidly securing a tandem, two-wheel cycle, such as a motorcycle, to the bed of a trailer, truck or other vehicle for transit purposes. In this regard, many owners of motorcycles desire to transport their machines to distant locations for various purposes, such as attending a show or rally. At the present time, the predominate technique for securing a motorcycle to the bed of a trailer, truck or other transit vehicle involves the use of multiple straps. These straps are time consuming to attach and unattach. Further, these straps often stretch or otherwise work loose during transit as the result of rough road conditions or centrifugal forces from turning of the transit vehicle at high speeds, all with potential exposure to damage to the motorcycle. The present invention obviates the use of straps by providing a bracket assembly that rigidly supports the motorcycle from the bed of a trailer, truck or other transit vehicle. The bracket assembly lends itself to inexpensive manufacture, easy installation and easy attachment to a motorcycle. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Attempts have been made to produce mechanisms that will support a motorcycle for transit purposes without using straps. Pilmore U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,494 shows such a device. This device consists of three subassemblies, a first subassembly that is attached to the bed of the trailer or other vehicle, a second subassembly attached to the motorcycle and a third subassembly which is detachably engaged with the first and second subassemblies. This arrangement has several disadvantages. First, the second subassembly is permanently attached to the motorcycle and detracts from the appearance of the cycle. Second, the third subassembly must be stored when the motorcycle is not supported for transit. Third, Pilmore mechanism does not provide for vertical adjustment thus forcing the user to locate or maneuver the cycle to a precise location on the bed prior to attachment. Finally, the mechanism disclosed in the &#39;494 patent consists of many parts with consequent manufacturing expense. 
   Doyle U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,597 and Merritt U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,817 show motorcycle transit bracket assemblies. However, the mechanisms shown in these two patents attach to the tires of the motorcycle. Tires will flex in response to load forces to which the moving trailer or vehicle is subjected thereby permitting undesired movement of the cycle relative to the trailer or vehicle. Further, the shape of the tire will change in response to variances in tire pressure thus resulting in undesired movement of the cycle relative to the trailer or vehicle. 
   The following patents are of general interest: Slater, D375,472; Fonda U.S. Pat. No. 529,827; Mitchell U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,164; and Kallstrom U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,410. These patents disclose motorcycle stands; however, these stands are not adapted for transit purposes. 
   SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a transit bracket assembly for rigid attachment to the frame, or other non-inflatable part, of a cycle for supporting the same on the bed of a trailer or other vehicle without the use of straps. Thus, a primary object of the invention is to obviate the prior art use of straps in supporting a cycle for transit purposes. 
   Another object of the invention is the provision of a motorcycle transit bracket assembly that can be rigidly secured to the frame, or other non-inflatable part, of the cycle. 
   Still another object of the invention is the provision of a transit bracket assembly which provides for adjustment along longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions thus making unnecessary precise location of the cycle on the bed of the trailer or vehicle prior to attachment. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a transit bracket assembly which has a minimum number of parts—all easy to manufacture—thus resulting in an assembly that is inexpensive. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the bracket assembly attached to the brake disc of a motorcycle (not shown); 
       FIG. 2  is an end view of the bracket assembly and brake disc; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the bracket assembly and brake disc; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of a modified form of the bracket assembly attached to the brake disc of a motorcycle wheel, wherein the brake disc is of the type having radially and circumferentially spaced cooling openings; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a mounting plate forming part of the modified form of the invention shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of a further modified form of the invention adapted for connection to the axle (not shown) of a motorcycle; 
       FIG. 7  is an end view of the modification shown in  FIG. 6 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of another embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3 , the bracket assembly, generally designated  10 , is adapted to be mounted to the bed (represented by the line  12  in  FIG. 1 ) of a trailer or truck (not shown). An elongated member  14 , that may be in the form of a tube with a circular cross-section, has sleeves  15  and  16  attached to its opposite ends. These sleeves freely receive respective fasteners that may be in the form of bolts  18  and  19 . The bolts  18  and  19  are threadingly engaged with the respective hubs of base plates  20  and  22 . These base plates may be secured to the bed  12  of the transit vehicle by any convenient means, such as the fasteners  24 – 27  shown on  FIG. 3 . 
   A sleeve  30  is slideably engaged with the tube  14 . The sleeve  30  is fastened, as by welding, to a foot plate  32 ; this foot plate has a flat bottom surface  32   a  for engagement with the bed  12  of the trailer or truck. The various parts are preferably dimensioned such that the bottom surface  32   a  of the foot-plate  32  will extend below a plane containing the bottom surfaces of the base plates  20  and  22 . Thus, upon tightening of the bolts  18  and  19 , the foot-plate  32  will act as a fulcrum (acting against the bed  12  of the trailer or truck) to bend and deform the tube  14  slightly thus causing binding engagement between the tube  14  and the sleeve  30 . This binding engagement and the frictional engagement between the bottom surface  32   a  and the bed  12  prevent sliding movement of the sleeve  30  relative to the tube  14  as well as rotary movement of the sleeve  30  relative to the tube  14 . Of course, in lieu of this binding engagement, a set-screw arrangement (not shown) may be provided for adjustably securing the sleeve  30  to the tube  14 . 
   As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the sleeve  30  has a cylindrical member  34  attached thereto. The member  34  is slideably received within a sleeve  36  attached to a base assembly  38 . This base assembly has a flat bottom surface  38   a  for engagement with the bed  12  of the trailer or truck. The sleeve  36  has a threaded aperture (not shown) for receiving a fastener, such as a bolt  40  ( FIG. 3 ). This bolt acts as in the manner of a set-screw for adjustably positioning the member  34  relative to the sleeve  36 . 
   The sleeve  36  has an upward extension  42  ( FIG. 2 ) slideably received within another sleeve  44 . The sleeve  44  has a threaded aperture (not shown) receiving a bolt  46 . Thus, the bolt  46  acts as a set-screw adjustably securing the sleeve  44  to the upward extension  42 . The sleeve  44  is secured, as by welding, to a plate  48 ; this plate is in turn secured to a vertically oriented plate  50 . The plate  50  is provided with a plurality of apertures  52  for receiving fasteners, preferably in the form of bolts  54 . A back plate  56  has a plurality of threaded openings (not shown) for threadingly receiving the bolts  54 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the plates  50  and  56  are arranged to engage opposite sides of a brake disc  58  forming part of the wheel assembly of a motorcycle (not shown). Pads  60  and  62 , respectively attached to opposite sides of the plates  50  and  56 , may be provided to prevent marring or scratching of the motorcycle brake disc. 
   In use, a motorcycle is positioned with one of its wheels adjacent the installed bracket assembly  12 . The motorcycle need not be precisely positioned in view of the horizontal, transverse and vertical adjustment features of the bracket assembly to be referred to below. In this regard, it will be understood that one or both of the bolts  18  and  19  will be loosened to permit free sliding movement of the sleeve  30  relative to the tube  14 . Preferably, the adjustment bolts  40  and  46  will also be loosened. The user will first position the plates  50  and  56  to engage respective opposite sides of the brake disc  58 . The bolts  54  will then be tightened for secure engagement of the plates  50 ,  56  with the brake disc. Next, the bolt  46  will be tightened to secure the sleeve  44  to the cylindrical formation  42  that is attached to the sleeve  36 . The fastener  40  will then be tightened to secure the sleeve  36  to the cylindrical formation  34  attached to the sleeve  30 . Finally, one or both of the bolts  18  and/or  19  will be tightened to bind the sleeve  30  to the elongated tube  14 . 
   It is preferable to mount a motorcycle for transit by providing two of the bracket assemblies, one for each wheel. The bracket assemblies may be of different sizes depending on the size and configuration of the motorcycle. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a modified form of the present invention is provided for use with motorcycles having brake discs with radially and circumferentially spaced cooling openings. The parts of this embodiment that correspond to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3  are indicated by the prime form of numeral. 
   As seen in  FIG. 4 , the sleeve  44 ′ mounts a plate  48 ′ that in turn supports a front plate  70 . The plate  70  is provided with a plurality of apertures  72  spaced for registry with cooling openings  74  in the brake disc  58 ′. A back plate  76  has a plurality of threaded openings  78  arranged for registry with the apertures  72  in the front plate  70 . A plurality of fasteners  80 , in the form of bolts, are passed through the openings  72  and  74 , in the front plate  70  and brake disc  58 ′, respectively, and then threaded into the openings  78  in the back plate  76 . Tightening of the bolts  80  will firmly secure the plates  70  and  76  to the brake disc  58 ′. In all other respects, the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 5  is the same as the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3 . 
   A still further embodiment or modification is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . This embodiment is provided for motorcycles wherein one or both of the front and rear wheel brake assemblies do not have brake discs or do not have brake discs with exposed portions adequate for gripping. Again, the parts corresponding with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3  are indicated by the double form of prime numerals. 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the sleeve  44 ″ mounts at its upper end a plate  82 , as by welding. A vertically oriented plate  84  is welded to the plate  82  and to a portion of the sleeve  44 ″. The plate  84  has a horizontally offset portion  84   a  that is provided with a vertically oriented threaded opening (not shown). An adapter plate  86  includes a lug portion having an opening (not shown) for receiving a bolt  90  for threading engagement with the threaded opening in the plate portion  84   a . The adapter plate  86  includes an opening  92  for receiving the end portion of the axle (not shown) of a motorcycle wheel assembly. It will be understood that the adapter plate  86  will normally remain attached to the motorcycle axle. Of course, other forms of adapter plates may be provided for attachment to any non-inflatable part of the motorcycle, i.e., parts other than the tires. 
   When it is desired to use the embodiment of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the motorcycle will be positioned adjacent the bracket assembly  10  and the various parts of the bracket assembly will be adjusted such that the threaded opening in the plate portion  84   a  is positioned just under the opening in the adapter plate offset portion  88 . The bolt  90  is then threaded in the opening in the offset portion  84   a  of the plate  84  for securing the plate  84  to the adapter plate  86 . The other parts of the bracket assembly are positioned and secured in the manner described above with respect to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3 . 
   Another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 8 . This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3  with the exception of the means for achieving lateral adjustment. The parts of the  FIG. 8  embodiment corresponding to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–3  are indicated by the prime form of numeral. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the trailer bed  12  is provided with a suitably mounted mounted plate  12   a  having a plurality of transverse slots  96 ,  97 , 98  and  100 . The elongated member  14 ′ has fastening mean at its opposite ends in the form of nut and bolt assemblies  102  and  104 . These assemblies mount the elongated member  14 ′ in the set of transverse slots  96 , 98  or  97 , 100 . Of course, the elongated member  14 ′ may be secured in any lateral position as determined by the length of the slots  96 ,  97 , 98  and  100 . 
   The sleeve  30 ′ includes a vertically extending cylindrical formation  106  slidably received within the sleeve  44 ′. Thus vertical adjustment is achieved by loosening and tightening of the bolt  46 ′. The sleeve  44 ′ is attached to a horizontally disposed plate  108  which in turn is connected to a bracket plate  110 . This bracket plate is provided with a plurality of openings  112  receiving fasteners  114  to facilitate attachment to the brake disc  58 ′ of a motorcycle. 
   The present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. However, variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.