| 摘要 |
A spare tire carrier for securement to an end segment of a vehicle bumper and having a swingable arm for travel about horizontal and vertical axes to relocate a spare tire away from the rear of a vehicle and subsequently downward into ground contact. A bracket on a bumper attached mounting plate pivotally carries an arm actuator including oppositely threaded shafts and a sleeve thereon. A ratchet drive imparts rotational movement to the sleeve in a selected direction to either lift or lower the arm and spare tire thereon in a controlled manner and additionally prevents random vertical movement of the arm during vehicle travel. Locks engageable with the bracket and the arm prevent horizontal and upright travel of the arm when the vehicle is underway. The carrier may include a bracket, attachable to a hitch or vehicle frame, with a base plate at its outer end to support the carrier mounting plate. A modified preferred carrier includes an electrical linear actuator to control the carrier arm. The arm is secured by a latch assembly with multiple locks. A support block on the arm facilitates wheel positioning.
|
