Bicycle rack

Abstract

A rack for securing bicycles to the trunk lid of an automobile. The rack includes a rigid support member having legs which rest directly on top of the trunk lid. A pair of rearwardly extending arms are rigidly mounted on the rear portion of the rigid support and are adapted to receive the frame of a bicycle thereon. Straps extend from the rigid support and are secured to the lower edge of the back of the trunk lid in order to hold the support member rigidly against the top of the trunk lid. Means are provided to interconnect the front of the support to the front of the trunk lid. A cable or chain passes around and is secured to the bicycle and interconnects to the means which interconnects the front portion of the bicycle rack to the front of the trunk lid.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A rack for mounting a bicycle on to a portion of an automobile with a front edge and a rear edge while discouraging theft of the bicycle and rack, said rack comprising, in combination, a rigid support member having a front portion and a rear portion, means rigidly mounted on said rear portion of said support member and projecting rearwardly therefrom for supporting at least one bicycle thereon, means for connecting said rear portion of said support member to the rear of said automobile portion, means for interconnecting said front portion of said support member to the front of said automobile portion, said front interconnecting means including a pair of rigid interconnecting rods having means at one end thereof for interconnection to said automobile portion and having means at the other end thereof for interconnection to said support member, a pair of adjustable plate members receiving said rod members and engaging the front of said support members, flexible elongated means engaging said bicycle, and means for interlocking said flexible member to said support member for discouraging theft of said bicycle. 
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said automobile portion is a trunk lid. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bicycle receiving means comprises a pair of rearwardly projecting spaced arms, said arms extending beyond the rear of the automobile, and upstanding legs at the outer ends of said spaced arms. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said front portion interconnecting means comprises a pair of rigid connecting rods having means at one end thereof for interconnection to said automobile portion and having means at the other end thereof for interconnection to said support member. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plate members receive lock members at its opposite ends, each of said lock members also being interconnected to the opposite ends of said flexible means to thereby lockably secure said bicycle to said rack. .Iadd. 6. A rack for mounting two-wheeled vehicles on a portion of an automobile while discouraging theft of the vehicle and rack, a support member comprising a pair of inverted generally U-shaped members each having an intermediate bight portion, a front leg and a rear leg, and rigid cross members interconnecting said inverted U-shaped members, each of said inverted U-shaped members resting on the upper surface of said automobile portion, a pair of vehicle support arms connected to the rear leg of each of said inverted U-shaped members and extending rearwardly beyond said support members in a direction generally parallel to said bight portions of said members, flexible adjustable means for connecting said support member to the rear edge of said automobile portion, rigid means for interconnecting said support member to the front edge of said automobile portion, said rigid means including at least one rigid rod having a forward end secured to the front edge of said automobile portion, the other end of said rod being interconnected with said front leg of one of said inverted U-shaped members and adjustable with respect thereto, thereby to position said support member at a desired location on said automobile portion, means for preventing separation of said adjusted rod from said front leg to prevent removal of said support member from said automobile portion, and locking means including a flexible cable interconnecting a vehicle positioned on said support arms and said support member for preventing removal of the vehicle from said support member. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 7. The combination of claim 6, which includes a pair of brace members extending at an angle between the bottom portions of said rear legs of said support member and the rear end of said vehicle support arms, thereby to prevent bending of said support arms under the weight of a vehicle placed thereon. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. A rack for mounting two-wheeled vehicles on a portion of an automobile while discouraging theft of the vehicle and rack, a support member comprising a pair of inverted generally U-shaped members each having an intermediate bight portion, a front leg and a rear leg, and rigid cross members interconnecting said inverted U-shaped members, each of said inverted U-shaped members resting on the upper surface of said automobile portion, a pair of vehicle support arms connected to the rear leg of each of said inverted U-shaped members and extending rearwardly beyond said support member in a direction generally parallel to said bight portions of said members, flexible adjustable means for connecting said support member to the rear edge of said automobile portion, rigid means for interconnecting said support member to the front edge of said automobile portion, said rigid means including at least one rigid rod having a forward end secured to the front edge of said automobile portion, the other end of said rod being threaded and extending through said front leg of one of said inverted U-shaped members, a nut on said threaded other end portion for adjusting the position of said rod relative to said front leg, thereby to position said support member at a desired location on said automobile portion, means for preventing rotation of said nut after it has been adjusted, thereby to prevent removal of said support member from said automobile portion, and locking means including a flexible cable interconnecting a vehicle positioned on said support arms and said support member for preventing removal of the vehicle from said support member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. A rack for mounting two-wheeled vehicles on a portion of an automobile while discouraging theft of the vehicle and rack, a support member comprising a pair of inverted generally U-shaped members each having an intermediate bight portion, a front leg and a rear leg, and rigid cross members interconnecting said inverted U-shaped members, each of said inverted U-shaped members resting on the upper surface of said automobile portion, a pair of vehicle support arms connected to the rear leg of each of said inverted U-shaped members and extending rearwardly beyond said support member in a direction generally parallel to said bight portions of said members, flexible adjustable means for connecting said support member to the rear edge of said automobile portion, rigid means for interconnecting said support member to the front edge of said automobile portion, said rigid means including a pair of rigid rods secured to the front edge of said automobile portion and having threaded end portions which extend through openings in said front leg of each of said inverted U-shaped members, a nut on the threaded end portion of each of said rods for individually securing said rods in adjusted position with respect to said support member, means for preventing rotation of each of said nuts after said rods have been adjusted with respect to said support member, and locking means including a flexible cable interconnecting a vehicle positioned on said support arms and said support member for preventing removal of the vehicle from said support member. .Iaddend.