Abstract:
A rack that can be installed on the rear of a vehicle to carry sporting gears like bicycles, skis, sailboards or the like. The rack has an adjustable handle that hooks on the hatchback of a vehicle and two wheels on its lower part that will rest against the bumper. The wheels make it possible to use the rack as a trolley. The rack is easy to fasten to sedan types of car using the hitch and an adapter.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention belongs to the family of racks that can be installed on a vehicle, particularly racks that can accommodate sporting gear as bicycles or skis. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many racks for the transport of sporting gears exist. A review of the prior art has revealed the following patents: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,176, Biondo, Jan. 14 th  1997 is a rack fixed to the rear of a car. The upper part of the rack is fixed on the hatchback of the car and the bottom rests against the license plate. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,018, Baldeck, Jun. 2 nd  1992 is a bicycle rack that that can be installed on the front or rear bumper of a car. It comprises a series of straps to keep bicycles in place, the weight of it being supported by the bumper. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,244, Stokkendal Mar. 1 st  1988, shows a combination roof rack-trolley. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,879, Luck, Jun. 29 th  1982 shows a bicycle rack that comprises uprights and a cross bar. The upper part of this rack is attached on the hatchback of a car by straps and hooks secure its lower part against the bumper. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     The first objective of the present invention is to provide a rack that is installed on the rear of a vehicle, to transport sporting gears like skis, snowboards, sailboards, bicycles or the like. A rack that can also be used as a trolley to facilitate the transport of items to or from the vehicle. This rack comprises wheels that rest on the car, preventing scratches that could be caused by the metal part of the rack. 
     Another objective is to provide a mobile rack that comprises a central part to support sporting gear, an upper part that can grip the hinge of a hatchback and a lower part from which protrude the wheels that will rest against the bumper of a vehicle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be further understood from the following description with reference to the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective of the rack on a hatchback—in dotted line. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the rack of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a section view according to line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a section view according to line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the part shown by arrow  5  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is an another alternative of the Mobilrack. 
     FIG. 7A is a side view of the rack of FIG. 6, installed on a vehicle. 
     FIG. 7B is a side view of the rack of FIG. 6, installed on a vehicle without a hitch. 
     FIG. 8 shows a bicycle rack. 
     FIG. 9 shows a ski rack. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 where the same characterizing elements are identified by the same numbers. 
     FIG. 1 shows a rack  20  installed on the rear of a vehicle  21 , shown in dotted line. This rack  20  comprises a rectangular frame  22 , wheels  24  and a handle  26  that ends with a hook  28 . The frame  22  is made of metal and comprises an upper bar  30 , a lower bar  32  and two uprights  34  and  36 . A metallic arm  38  is fixed on each end of the lower bar  32 . These arms  38  have a perforation  40 —FIG.  3 —to accommodate a shaft  42 . A wheel  24  is installed at each end of the shaft  42 , on the outer side of the arms  38 . When installed on the vehicle  21 , the wheels  24  rest against the bumper  43  of the vehicle  21  to prevent the contact of the frame  22  with the vehicle  21 . The shaft  42  usually is 5 to 30 cm of the bumper  43  to obtain a proportion of 12% of the height. A vertical median bar  44  is fixed on both upper and lower bars  30  and  32 . A pair of plates  50 , or tubing, are fixed to the median bar  44 . The plates  50  receive the handle  26  and have fixing holes  46  to adjust the length of the handle  26 . A series of holes  74  are present along the median bar  44  and allow to relocate the plates  50  on the median bar  44 . Various additional parts may be added to the frame  22  to attach sporting gears. For example, detachable bars  52  may be installed on the uprights  34  and  36  to fasten skis. 
     FIG. 2 shows the rack  20  used as a trolley. The rack is shown with a pair of horizontal detachable bars  52  that are used to transport skis. The detachable bars  52  are placed on the upper and lower parts of the uprights  34  and  36 . The bars  52  or any additional part are adjusted by means of a series of holes  54  located along the uprights  34  and  36 . The location of the wheels  24  and of the handle  26  make it possible to unhook the rack  20  from the vehicle and put it on the ground to use it as a trolley. 
     FIG. 3 also shows the rack  20  without the vehicle. The handle  26  is shown as a bent metallic tube. The plates  50  fix the handle  26  on the frame  22  at the required length by means of the holes  46 . The handle  26  projects out of the frame  22  at an angle of 95° to 105°. A reinforcement bar  70  links both parts of the handle  26  to reinforce it. One also notes the arm  38 , at the bottom of the upright  36 , which comprises a perforation  40  to accommodate the shaft  42  of the wheels  24 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the farther end of the handle  26  with the hook  28 . The hook comprises a small metallic tube  56  that slides into the handle  26  and a small L-shaped plate  58  that will grip on the hatchback of a vehicle. The tube of the handle  26  is square  60  while the small tube  56  is round  62 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the hook  28 . A series of holes  64  are present to adjust the length of the hook  28 . A pad  66  is placed under the small plate  58  to protect the paint of the vehicle. The end  69  of the plate  58  is at an angle to secure the hold on the vehicle. 
     FIG. 6 shows another alternative of construction of the rack  20 . In this alternative, the arms  38 —FIG.  1 —are replaced with reversed U-shaped tubes  68  that are fixed on the lower part of the uprights  34  and  36  on one end. The other end of the tubes  68  accommodates the shaft  42 . One also sees straps  76  and fastener  78  on the frame  22 . An adapter  82  that has a lower part  84 , L-shaped, that is bolted on the hitch  86  of the vehicle, in dotted line. The other end of the lower part  84  stands upright and links with the middle of a curved cross bar  88 . At each end of the cross bar  88  is a vertical rod  89  that slides in the ends of the tube  68  close to the uprights  34  and  36 . There may be holes for locking  124 , 124 ’. A drain  122  may be present at the bottom of the median bar  44 . For ease of storage, the vertical bars of the frame  22  may have a coupling  128  with a male end in the lower part. 
     FIG. 7A shows the rack  20  installed on a vehicle  21 . A rope  80  goes from the upper bar  30  to the hinge of the hatchback of the vehicle  21 . The adapter  82  fixes the lower part of the rack  20  to the vehicle  21 . The straps  76  are fastened to the lower part  84  of the adapter  82  to secure the adapter  82  in place. The detachable bar  52  may use a spacer  126 . 
     FIG. 7B shows the installation of the rack  20  when the vehicle  21  does not have a hatch. In this case, the hook  28  is hooked on the hinge and the wheels  24  rest on the bumper. The straps  76  are attached at the bottom of the hatchback door. A sliding tube  51  may be used instead of the plates  50 . 
     FIG. 8 shows an additional part that can be fixed to the frame to transport bicycle. This bicycle support  94  is made of two L-shaped tubes  96  connected by a cross bar  98 . The tubes  96  are screwed on the horizontal bars  52 . On each side of the median bar  44 . The tubes  96  have holes  104  to allow screwing the support  94  to the horizontal bars  52 . A locking bar  100  slides in a slot  106  cut into the cross bar  98 . A shoe  102  slides in the tube and a detachable end  108  is inserted in the end of the tubes  96 . 
     FIG. 9 shows the assembly of the horizontal bars  52  on the frame  22 . There is two type of bars. The lower bar  110  has the shape of a slot to allow skis to be slid in. The higher bar  112  is in fact two parallel bars  114  and  116  on a hinge  118 . The first bar  114  is placed against the frame at the desired location. A small restraining plate  90  is placed on the other side of the uprights,  34  and  36 , at each of the fastening locations of the frame. Screws  92  join the plate  90  and the first bar  114 , holding it in place on the frame  22 . The second bar  116  swivel on the hinge  118  to allow ski to be placed against the first bar  114  and is locked back in place by a knob  120 . The second bar  116  may be made of a C channel with a rubber pad  130  within the opening of the C. The sliding tube  51  may be provided with a handle lock  132 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS 
     A detachable rack to be installed on a vehicle with a support extension on its lower part and a hatchback; the rack comprising a frame comprising a top, a bottom and two sides, the bottom comprising two widely spaced arms extending toward the support extension, the arms equipped with wheels that allow the rack to be used as a trolley, the top having a handle protruding from the frame and comprising a hook, generally perpendicular with the frame and pointing toward the hinge of the hatchback to hook to the hatchback and to be used as a grip for the trolley, the combination of the handle, the frame and the arms having a C shape, with a web and two wings, an upper wing and to lower wings, the wings resting on with the vehicle. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the rack comprises a median bar fixed on the top and the bottom of the frame, the median bar receiving the handle. 
     The median bar comprises plates, the handle sliding between the plates. The hook can slide into the handle and comprises a pad that will rest on the hatchback. The support extension may be a bumper and the wheels be connected with a shaft, 5 to 30 cm from the bumper, to obtain a proportion of 12% of the height. 
     The handle projects from the frame at an angle of 95° to 105° with the plane of the frame. The frame has a series of holes to allow additional parts to be fixed to it, the additional parts facilitating a firm holding of carried items. The bottom of the rack is fastened to the hitch of the vehicle through an adapter, the adapter having a Y-shape, the lower part being bolted to the hitch and the upper parts of the adapter being rods adapted to slide into the sides of the frame. 
     Other embodiments are possible and limited only by the scope of the appended claims: