Bicycle support rack

Abstract

A bicycle support rack to suspend bicycles from a garage or other structure ceiling and including an electric powered winch with means to secure the winch to the ceiling, a support frame arranged to be raised to the ceiling with the winch and pressed against the ceiling by a lift frame having hooks thereon for attachment of bicycles to be suspended and control means to operate the winch to raise and lower the lift frame while said lift frame is connected to and suspended beneath the secured support frame.

1 . A bicycle support rack comprising 
 an electric powered reversible winch assembly with motor, winch and cable;    means for affixing said winch to a structure ceiling;    a lift frame having means thereon for suspending a bicycle therefrom;    a support frame positioned to be above and secured to said lift frame;    means for connecting said cable to said lift frame whereby operation of said winch in a forward direction will raise said lift frame towards said winch and operation of said winch in a reverse direction will pay out said cable from said winch to lower said lift frame; and    control means for operating said motor to drive said winch and to selectively take up or pay out said cable.    
   
   
       2 . A bicycle support rack as in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the support frame is positioned to be lifted by the lift frame whereby raising of the lift frame will raise the support frame to be against a structure ceiling; and    means for securing the support frame to the ceiling.    
   
   
       3 . A bicycle support rack as in  claim 2 , wherein 
 the winch assembly includes a cowling extending over the motor and winch and further including 
 a support rod extending through the cowling to be secured to overhead structural members.  
   
   
   
       4 . A bicycle support rack as in  claim 2 , wherein 
 the lift frame includes spaced apart straight, parallel side rails with roller guides secured thereto;    the support frame includes spaced apart straight, parallel side rails with roller guides secured thereto;    a first pair of crossing legs, each having one end pivoted to the support frame and another end with a roller thereon, each said roller traveling in a roller guide fixed to the side rail of the lift rack; and    a second pair of crossing legs, each having one end pivoted to the lift frame and an opposite end with a roller thereon, said roller traveling in a roller guide secured to a side rail of said lift frame.    
   
   
       5 . A bicycle support rack as in  claim 4 , further including 
 a cross brace interconnecting the side rails of the lift frame and including a leg extending downwardly from each side rail and an anchor member interconnecting the other ends of the legs; and    means for connecting the cable to the anchor member, whereby operation of the winch to wind up the cable moves the cross-brace to straddle the winch assembly.    
   
   
       6 . A bicycle support rack as in  claim 5 , further including 
 a safety strap assembly having one end connected to the anchor member and an opposite end extending from a housing secured to the support rod.