Abstract: A hitch pin used for releasably connecting a load carrier frame to a receiving hitch attached to a carrying vehicle for transporting objects such as bicycles on the load carrier. The hitch pin includes a bolt having a head portion opposite a threaded section and a stem integrally formed between the head portion and the threaded section. A sleeve includes a bore, sized to receive the head and the stem of the bolt which is slidably held inside the bore of the sleeve using a transverse pin, secured inside the bore of the sleeve and passing through an elongate slot in the stem of the bolt. When the sleeve is rotated, the transverse pin transmits the rotation to the bolt providing the turning motion used during connecting of the frame to the receiving hitch. The connection may be made in two stages with hand-tightening as the first stage, followed by application of mechanical force, operating from a set screw, through the bolt to intensify the contact between the frame and the receiving hitch.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a vehicle-mounted load carrier (1) of the type which is fastened across a door, hatch (2) or the like, preferably at the rear of the vehicle (3). The load carrier comprises a load-bearing frame (4-6) and at least two gripping means (18, 19, 21, 22) disposed on the frame and intended to grip two substantially mutually opposite edges, preferably the top and the bottom edge of the door, and means (25, 26) for tensioning the gripping means across the door by the positive relative displacement thereof towards each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a load carrier for motor vehicles, which load carrier is designed to be attached to a tow bar device mounted at the rear of the vehicle and which is equipped with additional, electrical lights supplementing the original lights of the vehicle, said load carrier arranged to be at least partly moveable to an aside open position in order to allow opening of a rear door on the vehicle. The novel features are that the opening position may be assumed with the aid of an electric motor (10), that the engine current supply is obtained from one of the pins of the regular switch of the tow bar device of the vehicle, and that its transmission is reversible by means of an electric reversing device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for transporting a bicycle in a substantially upright orientation. The method includes positioning a bicycle in a carrier so that a wheel of the bicycle is located in a trap space of the carrier. The trap space is configured to maintain the bicycle in a substantially upright orientation when the wheel is located therein and the carrier is in a released configuration. This permits the operator to use both hands to secure the bicycle in the carrier. The wheel of the bicycle, and typically the front wheel, is fixed in the carrier by applying a squeeze force upon the wheel and thereby establishing a securing configuration of the carrier. Preferably, the squeeze force is imposed across a perimeter of the wheel and the actuators for imposing the squeeze force are positioned low enough to be within the typical user's reach, also referred to as the reach zone, when the carrier is mounted on the roof-top of a carrying vehicle.

Abstract: A coupling for attaching a support tube of a sports equipment carrier frame to a hitch mount, securely held to a mounting stinger received in a receiving type hitch of a transporting vehicle. The hitch mount includes a slot for sliding engagement with a lock pin held to the support tube by a bracket. A latch, pivotally mounted in the hitch mount, moves between open and closed positions. Its open position allows the lock pin to move into the slot to establish a suitable position for joining the support tube to the hitch mount. When the latch moves to its closed position, it captures the lock pin to secure the connection between the hitch mount and the support tube.

Abstract: A load carrier strut adapted to be secured to a vehicle roof. The load carrier strut includes a slot with an opening extending into an interior portion of the load carrier strut. The slot opening being formed by at least one defining edge and adapted to be engaged with an engageable member. A protective skin covers at least a portion of the load carrier strut. The protective skin extends over the slot opening and covers at least a portion of the at least one defining edge of the slot opening. The load carrier strut includes a notch located in the at least one defining edge of the slot proximate an end of the load carrier strut. The protective skin engages in the notch thereby securing the protective skin longitudinally with respect to the load carrier strut.

Abstract: An arrangement in a load carrier for securing a load carrier cross bar to a transporting vehicle including a top portion of a load carrier foot adapted to releasably engage a load carrier cross bar. The load carrier cross bar has an elongate slot through a lower surface thereof. The elongate slot provides access to an interior space of the load carrier cross bar. An upper surface of the top portion of the load carrier foot is configured to abuttingly engage the lower surface of the load carrier cross bar. An insertible member is provided for interconnecting the load carrier cross bar to the load carrier foot. The insertible member has a neck portion and an expanded portion. The neck portion is configured to extend through the elongate slot and the expanded portion is configured to reside in the interior space of the load carrier cross bar in an assembled configuration.

Abstract: A modular hitch mount connection for attaching a tubular carrier structure to a load arm that is inserted in the receiving tube of a receiving type hitch. A tubular seat is provided that has an open end for slidably receiving the support tube in an open end of the seat. Correct positioning of the support tube in the tubular seat produces alignment of holes in walls of the tubular seat with orifices in sidewalls of the support tube. A tensioning bolt inserted through a hole in the seat wall and a corresponding orifice in the sidewall of the support tube screwably engages a threaded nut located inside the support tube to secure the support tube to the tubular seat and in the process reduce play and wobble between them. Further play and wobble may be eliminated from the modular hitch mount connection by further inserting a connecting bolt through a hole in another wall of the tubular seat and a corresponding orifice in the second sidewall.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a vehicle-mounted load carrier (1) of the type which is fastened across a door, hatch (2) or the like, preferably at the rear of the vehicle (3). The load carrier comprises a load-bearing frame (4-6) and at least two gripping means (18, 19, 21, 22) disposed on the frame and intended to grip two substantially mutually opposite edges, preferably the top and the bottom edge of the door, and means (25, 26) for tensioning the gripping means across the door by the positive relative displacement thereof towards each other.

Abstract: A bicycle carrier is adapted to be mounted on the rear of a vehicle. The carrier comprises first and second mounting members and a pair of horizontally spaced bicycle supporting arms connected to the mounting members. The mounting members are pivotably connected for relative rotation about a horizontal pivot axis between a plurality of adjusted positions. The carrier includes indicia corresponding to each of the adjusted positions of the mounting members, so that a user can quickly return the carrier to the same adjusted position. The supporting arms carry cradles formed of an elastic material for receiving a bicycle. Each cradle includes a curved supporting surface for receiving a bar of the bicycle frame, and an integral strap which can be extended over the bar to retain the bar within the cradle. An anti-sway bar hangs downwardly from at least one of the supporting arms for resisting swinging movement of a bicycle.

Abstract: An arrangement for securing a load carrier to a transporting vehicle that includes an anchor mechanism adapted for securement to a transporting vehicle and for releasable engagement with a carrier foot. The carrier foot has a latching mechanism for releasable engagement with the anchor mechanism. The latching mechanism is adapted for latching engagement to, and disengagement from the anchor mechanism by movement of the carrier foot in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the carrier foot. An example of such movement is vertical movement substantially of an up and down nature. The latching mechanism has a latching and an unlatching configuration and the latching mechanism is urged toward the latching configuration by a resilient biasing mechanism.

Abstract: A roof-rack arrangement for a motor vehicle, including at least one load-bearing bar extending across the roof, a pair of feet, one arranged at each end of the bar, for fastening the load-bearing bar on top of the roof of the vehicle, which feet each have their own support portion for clamping to the respective side portion of the roof, and, arranged on each foot, a bolt connection which extends through a bolt hole in the support portions, is fixed to the roof in an anchoring member and is arranged so as to make possible, by tightening, secure clamping of the support portion between a flange portion of the bolt connection. The flange portion is located on top of the support portion, and the anchoring member. An expander element is arranged between the flange portion and the support portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying a bicycle on a vehicle roof comprises two load carrying struts (4, 5) secured on the vehicle roof and each having an anchorage (6) for fixedly securing legs (8) on a yoke (8, 10). The yoke (8, 10) has, on its horizontal portion (10), anchorages (3, 15) for fixedly retaining the bicycle. The yoke (8, 10) is, via joints (9), pivotal about an axis in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between an upstanding transport position above the vehicle and a laterally outwardly pivoted loading and unloading position in which the anchorages (3, 15) are located laterally outside the side of the vehicle and flush with the load carrying struts (4, 5). At least the one anchorage (6) on the load carrying struts (4, 5) is provided with a spring (12) which facilitates upward pivoting of the yoke (8, 10) to the transport position.

Abstract: A load assist to a vehicle rack carrier that includes a brace bar coupleable to a vehicle rack carrier where the brace bar is positionable between extended and retracted configurations relative to the vehicle rack carrier when coupled thereto. A connector is adapted for coupling the brace bar to the vehicle rack carrier and includes a brace bar receiver adapted for accommodating reciprocating motion of the brace bar therein. A handle is coupled to an outer distal end of the brace bar and is adapted for preventing slippage of an object off of the distal end of the brace bar. The couplement of the handle to the outer distal end of the brace bar is by a threaded fastener that establishes a friction fit between the handle and the brace bar. The brace bar has an insert pin receiving aperture therein and there is also included a biased insert pin adapted for insertion into the insert pin receiving aperture.

Abstract: An anchor for a vehicle roof-top load carrier. The anchor includes a foot arrangement having an attachment portion adapted for releasable attachment to a load carrier strut and an anchorage portion adapted for releasable securing cooperation with a fix point disposed on a carrying vehicle in a mounted configuration. For reference purposes, such a mounted configuration establishes a longitudinal direction of the foot arrangement which is substantially parallel to a straight forward direction of travel of such a carrying vehicle, a vehicle side of the foot arrangement and an exterior side of the foot arrangement. The anchorage portion has a rigidly secured first plate configured for approximate horizontal positioning above a roof of such a carrying vehicle. A second plate is coupled to the first plate for longitudinal movement relative thereto, the longitudinal movement being controlled by a plate guide.

Abstract: An apparatus or bracket for securing a load carrier strut that extends transversely over a vehicle roof on railings disposed along opposing side edge regions of the vehicle roof in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The apparatus includes two clamping jaws reciprocally movable in relation to one another under the action of a clamping device in a clamping direction substantially corresponding or parallel to a longitudinal centerline of a load carrier strut with which the two clamping jaws are adapted to be engaged. The clamping device is arranged to lock the two clamping jaws in variable, different or optional positions along a load carrier strut and the two clamping jaws each having a clamping surface for engagement with a railing.

Abstract: An anchorage device is intended for securing a load carrier on a load carrier strut which is disposed on a vehicle. The anchorage device includes an openable clamp (9) produced from a flexible material and a tensioning device (18). The tensioning device (18) extends through mutually overlapping end portions (10, 15) of the clamp (9). The clamp (9) is, in the open state, movable to a position surrounding the load carrier strut. On tightening of the tensioning device (18), the end portions (10, 15) are fixed against the load carrier. The one end portion (15) has a closed aperture through which the tensioning device (18) extends. The other end portion (10) has an open recess for accommodating the tensioning device (18). Each of the end portions have abuttable surfaces configured for abutting engagement.

Abstract: A mechanism for releasably fixing a bicycle's fork upon a support. The mechanism includes a bicycle fork anchor having a fork pinching assembly that has two bicycle fork prong receiving portions. A handle is operably coupled to, or associated with the fork pinching assembly for configuring the fork pinching assembly between a bicycle fork pre-pinched position and a bicycle fork pinch-secured position. Also, the handle is located between the fork prong receiving portions. Supplementarily, an adjustable mounting may be included for permitting the bicycle fork anchor to be canted to a side within a substantially horizontal plane thereby turning the handle bars of a bicycle that is secured upon the bicycle fork anchor.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a safety device in a clamping strap (12) with a clamp (10). A casing (11) is designed for accommodating the clamp (10), and the casing (11) is designed with a first aperture (13) for insertion and removal of the clamp (10) and a second aperture (14) for passage of at least a part of the clamping strap (12). The casing is produced from a soft or elastic, preferably shock-absorbing material.