Spare tire mount

Claim 1

A device for mounting a spare tire to the underside of a motor vehicle, comprising: winch means including a rotatable means adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle, a flexible cable haVing a first end attached to said rotatable means of said winch means and a second end adapted to be releasably coupled to a tire, support means adapted to be attached to the underside of the motor vehicle for supporting said cable and the spare tire, said rotatable means being operable upon rotations in a first direction to wind the cable to raise the spare tire upward to and elevated storage position, said rotatable meand being capable of rotation in an opposite direction to allow the cable to unwind to lower the spare tire, said rotatable means of said winch means being supported by a housing, said housing having a face beyond which extend an end of said rotatable means and an end of said lock, said housing being adapted to be attached to the inside surface of the side wall structure of the vehicle in a manner to locate the face of said housing close to said inside surface such thet access to said end of said rotatable means and to said end of said lock may be provided through opening means formed through the side wall structure, and spacer means for spacing said face inward from the side wall structure of the vehicle to locate said end of said rotatable means and said end of said lock generally flush with said wall structure of said vehicle, a ratchet wheel secured to said rotatable means for rotation therewith, a pawl operatively associated with said ratchet wheel and normally positioned to allow rotation of said ratchet wheel and said rotatable means in said first direction but to prevent said ratchet wheel and said rotatable means for rotating in said opposite direction, and a lock having a bolt operable by a key for moving said pawl to a position ineffective to hold said ratchet wheel against rotation in said opposite direction, a load carrying conduit means extending from said housing to said support means, said conduit means comprising at least two rigid conduit sections, one section having one end coupled to said housing and the other section having one end coupled to said support means, said cable being located to extend through said two conduit sections from said housing to said support means, said ends of said sections being coupled to said housing and to said support means in a manner to allow said housing and said support means to be turned to different positions relative to their associated sections, and sleeve means for rigidly coupling together the other ends of said conduit sections at different positions relative to each other for adjustment purposes.

Claim 2

A device for mounting a spare tire to the underside of a motor vehicle, comprising: winch means including a rotatable means adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle, a flexible cable haVing a first end attached to said rotatable means of said winch means and a second end adapted to be releasably coupled to a tire, support means adapted to be attached to the underside of the motor vehicle for supporting said cable and the spare tire, said rotatable means being operable upon rotations in a first direction to wind the cable to raise the spare tire upward to and elevated storage position, said rotatable meand being capable of rotation in an opposite direction to allow the cable to unwind to lower the spare tire, said rotatable means of said winch means being supported by a housing, said housing having a face beyond which extend an end of said rotatable means and an end of said lock, said housing being adapted to be attached to the inside surface of the side wall structure of the vehicle in a manner to locate the face of said housing close to said inside surface such thet access to said end of said rotatable means and to said end of said lock may be provided through opening means formed through the side wall structure, and spacer means for spacing said face inward from the side wall structure of the vehicle to locate said end of said rotatable means and said end of said lock generally flush with said wall structure of said vehicle, a ratchet wheel secured to said rotatable means for rotation therewith, a pawl operatively associated with said ratchet wheel and normally positioned to allow rotation of said ratchet wheel and said rotatable means in said first direction but to prevent said ratchet wheel and said rotatable means for rotating in said opposite direction, and a lock having a bolt operable by a key for moving said pawl to a position ineffective to hold said ratchet wheel against rotation in said opposite direction, a load carrying conduit means extending from said housing to said support means, said conduit means comprising at least two rigid conduit sections, one section having one end coupled to said housing and the other section having one end coupled to said support means, said cable being located to extend through said two conduit sections from said housing to said support means, said ends of said sections being coupled to said housing and to said support means in a manner to allow said housing and said support means to be turned to different positions relative to their associated sections, and sleeve means for rigidly coupling together the other ends of said conduit sections at different positions relative to each other for adjustment purposes.

Claim 3

A device for mounting a spare tire to the underside of a motor vehicle, comprising: winch means including a rotatable means located in a housing adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle, a flexible cable having a first end attached to said rotatable means of said winch means and a second end adapted to be releasably coupled to a tire, support means adapted to be attached to the underside of the motor vehicle at a position spaced from said housing for supporting said cable and the tire, conduit means extending from said housing to said support means, said cable being located to extend through said conduit means from said housing to said support means, said rotatable means being operable upon rotation in a first direction to wind the cable to raise the spare tire upward to an elevated storage position, said rotatable means being capable of rotation in an opposite direction to allow the cable to unwind to lower the spare tire, means for preventing rotation of said rotatable means in said opposite direction at least when said cable is wound thereon and the spare tire is located at the elevated storage position, said rotatable means having a threaded end extending out of an opening formed in a side of said housing and adapted to receive a threaded lug nut to allow said rotatable means to be rotated by a lug wrench when coupled to said nut to wind said cable on said rotatable means, the threads on said threaded end being formed in a manner to allow the lug nut to be threaded onto said threaded end when rotated in said first direction and to be unthreaded from said threaded end when rotated in said opposite direction whereby rotation of said rotatable means in said first direction by a lug wrench coupled to the lug nut tends to tighten said lug nut to said threaded end and rotation in said opposite direction by a lug wrench when said rotatable means is locked against rotation will unthread said lug nut from said threaded end.

Claim 4

A device for mounting a spare tire to the underside of a motor vehicle, comprising: winch means including a rotatable means located in a housing adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle, a flexible cable having a first end attached to said rotatable means of said winch means and a second end adapted to be releasably coupled to a tire, support means adapted to be attached to the underside of the motor vehicle at a position spaced from said housing for supporting said cable and the tire, conduit means extending from said housing to said support means, said cable being located to extend through said conduit means from said housing to said support means, said rotatable means being operable upon rotation in a first direction to wind the cable to raise the spare tire upward to an elevated storage position, said rotatable means being capable of rotation in an opposite direction to allow the cable to unwind to lower the spare tire, means for preventing rotation of said rotatable means in said opposite direction at least when said cable is wound thereon and the spare tire is located at the elevated storage position, said rotatable means having a threaded end extending out of an opening formed in a side of said housing and adapted to receive a threaded lug nut to allow said rotatable means to be rotated by a lug wrench when coupled to said nut to wind said cable on said rotatable means, the threads on said threaded end being formed in a manner to allow the lug nut to be threaded onto said threaded end when rotated in said first direction and to be unthreaded from said threaded end when rotated in said opposite direction whereby rotation of said rotatable means in said first direction by a lug wrench coupled to the lug nut tends to tighten said lug nut to said threaded end and rotation in said opposite direction by a lug wrench when said rotatable means is locked against rotation will unthread said lug nut from said threaded end.

Claim 7

A device for mounting a spare tire to the underside of a motor vehicle, comprising: winch means carried by a housing and including a rotatable means adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle. a flexible cable having a first end attached to said rotatable means of said winch means and a second end adapted to be realeasably coupled to a tire, support means adapted to be attached to the underside of the motor vehicle at a position spaced from said housing for supporting said cable and the tire, said rotatable means being operable upon rotation in a first direction to wind the cable to raise the spare tire upward to an elevated storage position, said rotatable means being capable of rotation in an opposite direction to allow the cable to unwind to lower the spare tire, holding means for preventing rotation of said rotatable means in said opposite direction at least when said cable is wound thereon and the spare tire is located at the elevated storage position, and a load carrying conduit means extending from said housing to said support means, said cable being located to extend through said conduit means from said housing to said support means, said conduit means comprising at least two rigid conduit sections, one section having one end coupled to said housing and the other section having one end coupled to said support means, said ends of said sections being coupled to said housing and to said support means in a manner to allow said housing and said support means to be turned to different positions relative to their associated sections, and sleeve means for rigidly coupling together the other ends of said conduit sections at different spaced positions relative to each other and at different angular positions relative to their axes for adjustment purposes, said cable extending through said two conduit sections from said housing to said support means.

Claim 8

A device for mounting a spare tire to the underside of a motor vehicle, comprising: winch means carried by a housing and including a rotatable means adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle. a flexible cable having a first end attached to said rotatable means of said winch means and a second end adapted to be realeasably coupled to a tire, support means adapted to be attached to the underside of the motor vehicle at a position spaced from said housing for supporting said cable and the tire, said rotatable means being operable upon rotation in a first direction to wind the cable to raise the spare tire upward to an elevated storage position, said rotatable means being capable of rotation in an opposite direction to allow the cable to unwind to lower the spare tire, holding means for preventing rotation of said rotatable means in said opposite direction at least when said cable is wound thereon and the spare tire is located at the elevated storage position, and a load carrying conduit means extending from said housing to said support means, said cable being located to extend through said conduit means from said housing to said support means, said conduit means comprising at least two rigid conduit sections, one section having one end coupled to said housing and the other section having one end coupled to said support means, said ends of said sections being coupled to said housing and to said support means in a manner to allow said housing and said support means to be turned to different positions relative to their associated sections, and sleeve means for rigidly coupling together the other ends of said conduit sections at different spaced positions relative to each other and at different angular positions relative to their axes for adjustment purposes, said cable extending through said two conduit sections from said housing to said support means.