Vehicle rack

Abstract

A vehicle rack includes a non-pivotal portion and a pivotal portion. The non-pivotal portion is adapted to be mounted on a motor vehicle such as a public transportation vehicle such as a bus, a trolley, train, van, or car. The pivotal portion, when in the bicycle receiving position, includes in a preferred embodiment retractable arms to hold bicycles in place by their tires. The bicycle rack includes elements that assist in the raising of the pivotal portion from the vehicle receiving position into a stowed position and for lowering the pivotal portion from the stowed position to the bicycle receiving portion. Other elements assist in the single-handed reposition-ability.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . A vehicle rack for holding at least one vehicle being reversibly pivotal from a stowed position to a vehicle receiving position comprising:
 an assist element for assisting in the repositioning of the vehicle rack from the vehicle receiving position to the stowed position, said assist element assisting in raising the vehicle rack and in the controlled lowering of the vehicle rack, further comprising,   a first locking means for locking the vehicle rack in the stowed position and a second locking means for locking the vehicle rack in the vehicle receiving position,   a releasing means for releasing said first and said second locking means, wherein said first and said second locking means include a pin and a first and second notch, said pin protruding from one end of a rod, said rod slide-ably connected to a pivoting portion of the bike rack, said first and second notches being rigidly connected to a non-pivoting portion of the bike rack, said first locking means defined by said pin being slid into said first notch, said second locking means being defined by said pin being slid into said second notch, a handle attached to a second end of said rod, said releasing means being defined by movement of said handle sliding said rod and sliding said pin out of said first or said second notches,   further comprising a biasing means biasing said pin into said first and said second notches, and   further comprising a pin guide surface to hold said pin in a retracted position without force on said handle while positioning the bike rack from a stowed position to a bicycle receiving position or from a bicycle receiving position to a stowed position.   
   
   
       25 . The vehicle rack according to claim  23 , wherein said at least one vehicle comprises a bicycle and said vehicle rack thereby comprises a bicycle rack. 
   
   
       26 . The vehicle rack according to claim  23 , wherein said at least one vehicle comprises a bicycle and said vehicle rack comprises a bicycle carrier mounted to a public transportation vehicle.