Patents Assigned to Burley Design Cooperative
  • Patent number: 6099008
    Abstract: A bicycle trailer hitch for joining a trailer, having a trailer tongue, to a bicycle, having a bicycle frame and a rear wheel, including a rear-wheel axle having an axis-of-rotation therethrough, mounted on a rear wheel mounting structure of the bicycle frame, includes a hitch mount secured to the rear axle of the bicycle, including a frame-contacting member mounted on the bicycle frame; and a hitch mount body rotatably mounted on said frame-contacting member; a hitch-mount retainer mechanism for securing said hitch mount to the bicycle frame; and a hitch connector fixed to the trailer tongue and removably receivable on said hitch mount body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Burley Design Cooperative
    Inventor: Stephen Patrick Caffey
  • Patent number: 5979921
    Abstract: A folding bicycle trailer includes a body portion having a passenger-receiving area, axle mounts, tongue mounts, and canopy mounts. The body portion is a unitary, one-piece monocoque structure, with the mounts being integrally formed therewith. An axle member is secured to the axle mount and carries wheel supports on each end thereof. The wheel supports are shiftable between an operable, extended position and a folded, storage position. A wheel is carried on each wheel support for free rotation relative thereto. An elongate tongue is carried on the tongue mount and extends forward from the body portion. A canopy frame, including fore and aft canopy members, is mounted on the body portion and is shiftable between a collapsible condition and a raised condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Burley Design Cooperative
    Inventors: John Derven, Donald A. George, James Peter Lewontin, Patrick Logan
  • Patent number: 5785335
    Abstract: A trailer cycle (10) includes a trailer cycle frame (52) having a main tube (54) which extends toward the lead cycle (12). A hitch mechanism (14) is located between the lead cycle and the trailer cycle. A lead-cycle hitch portion (34) is joined to the lead cycle substantially vertically above the hub of the lead-cycle rear wheel (26). A flexible hitch portion (82) is interposed between the trailer cycle frame and the lead cycle hitch portion and is housed in an orthogonal member (84) which contains an adjustable vertical, or pitch, pivot mechanism and a similarly adjustable yaw pivot mechanism. The orthogonal member is constructed and arranged to prevent motion about the roll axis of the trailer cycle relative to the lead cycle. A lead-cycle-hitch engaging member is located at the lower end of the yaw pivot mechanism and selectively engages and releases the lead-cycle hitch portion. A locking mechanism is provided which secures the trailer cycle to the lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Burley Design Cooperative
    Inventor: Donald A. George
  • Patent number: 5267744
    Abstract: A stroller wheel assembly is mounted on a bicycle trailer tongue to permit operation as either a trailer or a separate three-wheel stroller. A clamping member, attached to the tongue of the trailer, includes a boss which extends transversely outward. A mating socket is provided on a pivot member, the pivot member being attached to a fork which rotationally supports a wheel. The preferred shape of the boss and mating socket is an equilateral triangle. The triangular socket of the pivot member engages the triangular boss of the clamping member in two positions, one with the wheel in the down position for stroller use and the other with the wheel in a rearward position for bicycle trailer use. Centrally fixed to and extending outwardly from the triangular boss is a threaded member which acts as an axis for rotation of the pivot member between the two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Burley Design Cooperative
    Inventors: Peter B. Berry, Bruce W. Creps, Donald A. George, Edward F. Russell
  • Patent number: 5020814
    Abstract: A collapsible bicycle trailer includes a rigid chassis frame, hinged side rails, a side rail locking bar, a hinged tongue, and quick release wheels. The chassis frame has a generally rectangular-shaped outer frame member, and inner frame members spaced inwardly from and parallel to, the sides of the outer frame member, with wheels rotating between the outer and inner frame members. On each side of the chassis frame are positioned a pair of side rail hinge members to which are attached the lower ends of the side rails which rotate between an extended, vertical position and a folded horizontal position. The side rail hinge members also are designed to provide the connecting means between the outer and inner frame members. A side rail locking bar is pivotally attached to the top of one side rail and unfolds to securely connect to the top of the other side rail, forming a roll bar assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Burley Design Cooperative
    Inventors: Donald A. George, Peter B. Berry, Bruce W. Creps, Geraldine C. Roles
  • Patent number: 4721320
    Abstract: A bicycle trailer hitch which attaches to the bicycle between the chain stay and the seat stay at the crotch formed at the convergence of the two stays, the method of attachment being by three attaching members affixed to and extending inward from a main hitch member to which the bicycle trailer is connected. The three attaching members include a cone-plate member, wherein the intersection of a cone and a plate form a notch which engages the crotch between the two stays; a fixed finger located beneath the chain stay, and a movable finger located above the seat stay. Movement of the movable finger towards the seat stay is accomplished a pivoting member and a threaded tightening member, each attached pivotally at one end to the main hitch member, wherein the non-attached, threaded end of the tightening member passes through an aperture in the pivoting member so that rotation of a threaded knob engaged to the tightening member past the pivoting member will cause the knob to press against the pivoting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: Burley Design Cooperative, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Creps, Donald A. George, Peter B. Berry, John E. Siekert, Robert C. Nyquist, Jeffrey B. Nyquist