A spare wheel carrier (1) is described for attachment to a vehicle (3). A mounting plate (4) is secured to the bumper (2). A first support arm (5) has its lower end pivotally coupled to one end of a piston rod (6) of a hydraulic linear 5 actuator (7). The other end of the arm (5) terminates in a pin-like protrusion (10) which engages a socket (11) connected to one end of a support beam (9) to allow rotation of the beam (9) about the arm (5). The other end of the beam (9) terminates in an over-centre latch (12) which engages with a catch plate (13). Another support arm (14) depends substantially orthogonally from the 10 beam (9) and terminates in a substantially U-shaped channel member (15) which contains a sliding support (17, 18) for a wheel and tyre assembly to be positioned sufficiently spaced from the bodywork of the vehicle (3). In use, a spare wheel and tyre assembly is secured to the sliding support (17, 18). The latch (12) is disengaged and the beam (9) is manually rotated about the arm 15 (5) to a position substantially orthogonal to the rear of the vehicle (3). The actuator (7) is activated and the beam (9) pivots downward until the wheel contacts the ground. The wheel and tyre assembly is then disengaged from the sliding support (17, 18).
VEHICLE WHEEL CARRIER
2018-07-19
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge |