| 摘要 |
A vehicle load carrying device including a primary load carrying structure for carrying general type loads such as luggage and the like, above a vehicle surface, such as a hood or roof, and a bicycle carrier which can be removably assembled with the primary load carrying structure to facilitate the transport of bicycles in an upright position above said surface. The primary load carrying structure includes a set of laterally spaced longitudinal rails and a pair of transverse utility bar assemblies which are longitudinally positionable along and removably securable to a pair of the rails for supporting loads. The bicycle carrier includes a brace member which is removably assembled between one utility bar assembly and the frame of a bicycle to secure the bicycle against lateral movement relative to said surface, and a wheel fixing structure which receives the bicycle wheels, locates them in planar alignment, and secured the wheels and the bicycle against longitudinal movement. One version of the wheel fixing structure is a longitudinal channel carried by the utility bars for receiving and properly locating the bicycle wheels, and clamping assemblies which clampingly retain the wheels in the channel. A second version of the wheel fixing structure includes a pair of shoes which are assembled along a rail at longitudinally spaced locations for receiving and properly locating the bicycle wheels, and clamping assemblies which clampingly retain the wheels within the shoes. A third version of the wheel fixing structure includes a pair of shoes which are attached to a longitudinal channel carried by the utility bars for receiving and properly locating the bicycle wheels, and clamping assemblies which clampingly retain the wheels within the shoes. Optional shoes to accommodate smaller bicycles may also be attached to the channels or the shoes may be adjustably attached to accommodate various sizes of bicycles. A fourth version has shoes or blocks engageable with the tires and associated with tie dawn elements, along with clamping assemblies associated with the tie down elements for retaining the wheels. |
