Patent Publication Number: US-5255951-A

Title: Folding side racks for pickup trucks

Description:
REFERENCES CITED 
     
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3,649,041      3/19/70    Cervantez
3,891,262     12/17/73    Brunel
4,398,763      7/02/81    Louw
4,751,981     10/02/87    Mitchett et al.
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     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     This invention pertains generally to side racks for pickup trucks for transporting equipment and/or materials. 
     Truck racks have been used since pickup trucks were first introduced. Traditionally, top racks and side racks have been used to transport materials and/or equipment too long to be carried in the average pickup truck bed. Most top and side racks, until recently were the creation of the installer and permanently affixed to the pickup truck. Today&#39;s pickup truck has become a dual purpose vehicle used for both work and pleasure. In fact, pickup trucks are now used much in the same manner and purpose as suburban station wagons. For this reason, there has been a number of inventions pertaining to removable and/or retractable top racks. But, to date, there is no wide use of side racks, nor till now has there been any satisfactory or practical way to remove or store same. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of this invention is to introduce sturdy mechanisms which can be pivoted to the outboard side of a pickup truck to function as load carrying side racks. When not in use, each rack is neatly folded and pivoted inboard to be stored, for the most part, out of sight. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide side racks for nearly all pickup trucks which will enable handling of long loads; another object is that the racks are relatively inexpensive, easy to mount and stored out of sight when not in use. Another object is to provide side racks which can be readied for use by one person in seconds and stored in like time. Still another object is to provide a load carrier which is aesthetically compatible with nearly all pickup trucks, yet is sturdy, lightweight and virtually maintenance free. While still another object is to provide load carrying racks, when in the stored position, that do not interfere with the normal load carrying design of pickup trucks. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pickup truck with the folding side racks A and B ready for use. 
     FIG. 2 is perspective views of B side rack depicting the method of folding and storage of same. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of B side rack depicting the various parts and assembly. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of B side rack, affixed to the tail gate of a pickup truck, in the outboard position. 
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
     
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          2 - tail gate
          4 - front of body
          6 - side of body
          8 - truck cab
         10 - arm
         12 - post
         14 - outboard pivot tabs
         16 - inboard pivot tabs
         18 - pivot bolts
         20 - self-locking nuts
         22 - arm pivot bolt
         26 - positioning clip
         28 - plug
         30 - threaded fasteners
         32 - arm pivot plate
         34 - retaining clip
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     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The invention consist of two identical folding racks, one right-hand and one left-hand, so that only one rack will be described. FIG. 1 illustrates a pickup truck with the side racks in the outboard positions (ready for use), the reference numerals indicating generally, 2, a pickup truck tail gate, 4, the front bed wall, 6, the side wall and 8, the truck cab. Referring to FIG. 3, the numerals 10 through 34 depict the rack parts as next described. The load carrying arm 10 is sicured at the pivot point on the arm pivot plate 32 by a bolt 22 and a self-locking nut 20. The arm pivot plate 32 is secured by three threaded fasteners 30 and the positioning clip 26 is secured in place by one threaded fastener 30. The positioning clip 26 holds the arm 10 in a secure lateral position while the top of the side 6 supports the arm 10 when loaded. When in use, the load retaining posts 12 are pivoted to the vertical on bolts 18 with self-locking nuts 20. Post 12 stands upright because of being pivoted off center by means of the pivoting tabs 14 and 16. Plugs 28 are used as shown to keep water from the inside of the assembly and to give the rack a finished look. To retract the folding rack, one has only to fold both posts 12 inward on the arm 10, then pivot the arm assembly 180 degrees in towards the front of body 4 and the tailgate 2 seating the assemblys in the retaining clips 34.