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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of attachments for bicycles and the
like which can be employed to restrain and transport dogs and other
vertebrate animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Moorman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,359, discloses a platform which is supported
by and above a seat of an automobile near its window level. A raised rim
which surrounds the platform restrains a dog perched on the platform from
sliding off of it during a quick stop or from crashing against the window
when the car turns suddenly. Unfortunately, this raised rim also prevents
the dog from relaxing with any of his limbs extending over the platform
edges.
Bucket seats designed for use in cars or on bicycles offer occupants
strapped in these seats even less opportunity to relax. Each such bucket
seat is provided with straps to secure the occupant's torso firmly in
place. More importantly, the occupant, when strapped in, must assume an
upright, seated position, making a bucket seat unsuitable for carrying a
dog or other four-legged creature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus
including a platform and harness attachable thereto for restraining and
transporting a pet such as a dog or cat on a bicycle while simultaneously
allowing the pet to assume, during transport, a wide variety of
comfortable resting or sitting positions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus having
means for hoisting, singlehandedly, a pet onto a platform, the hoisting
means keeping the pet's torso disposed generally parallel with the ground,
thereby eliminating any strain on the pet's vertebrae.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
bicycle-mounted carrier having a platform and hoisting means including a
harness attachable to the platform. The platform is equipped with
connecting means and with releasable fasteners spaced apart from each
other and slideably engaged with the connecting means. Coupling between
the fasteners and the harness is sufficiently flexible to allow a pet,
secured to the platform by the harness, considerable freedom of motion. A
pet restrained by the harness while it is anchored to the platform can,
for example, shift from a position in which the pet is reclining on the
platform diagonally with respect to the forward motion of the bicycle to
one in which the pet is facing straight into the wind.
The harness comprises a pair of straps which, in use, extend longitudinally
along the pet's backbone and belly, respectively, and at least three sets
of straps interconnected with said pair of straps but extending generally
perpendicularly thereto around the pet's torso. Means for releasably
attaching one of the fasteners to each of the strap sets is provided. The
sets of straps are spaced apart from each other, spanning substantially
the length of the dog's backbone from neck to hindquarters.
The hoisting means further comprises a leash having a branched structure
which has at least as many branches as there are sets of straps in the
harness. The branched structure is attachable to the longitudinally
extending strap connected to the strap sets and disposed proximate with
the pet's backbone. When the branched structure is so attached, each
branch supports one of the strap sets, so that when a pet's body is
suspended in the harness, the weight of the body is spread substantially
evenly along the length of the harness. In use, one person, utilizing the
harness and leash in combination, can safely hoist the pet with one hand
onto the platform while simultaneously steadying the bicycle with his
other hand. Moreover, with this combination, the bicyclist can, without
ever bending over, hoist the pet onto the platform, thus facilitating
balancing the bicycle while simultaneously lifting the animal.
In the preferred embodiment, the carrier further comprises a skeletal
framework and means for securing the framework to handlebars on the
bicycle. The platform includes structural elements which are part of this
skeletal framework and which define the periphery of at least one
substantially horizontal cross-section of the framework, said periphery
being of substantial length. Disposed generally horizontally and in front
of the handlebars when secured thereto, the platform is further supported
by a pair of frame members, which extend downwardly therefrom, straddling
the front wheel of the bicycle. In use, opposite ends of each of the frame
members are, respectively, rigidly affixed to the skeletal framework and
releasably secured to the bicycle frame proximate with the hub of the
front wheel.
In an alternate embodiment, the carrier further comprises means for
securing the framework to the post of the bicycle handlebars. The
framework of the carrier in this embodiment can alternately be secured to
the post of the bicycle seat. Disposed generally horizontally when secured
to the bicycle, the platform is further supported by two pairs of frame
members, which extend downwardly therefrom, straddling one of the bicycle
wheels. Opposite ends of each of the frame members are rigidly affixed to
the framework and, in use, are releasably secured to the bicycle frame
near the hub of the wheel which they straddle. Preferably, one frame
member in each pair of frame members and a section of the framework
extending between the respective frame members affixed to said section of
the framework define, generally, an equilateral triangle in vertical
outline, enhancing the strength of the carrier.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further details are explained below with the help of the examples
illustrated in the attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the apparatus
according to the present invention in which the carrier is shown mounted
on the front of a bicycle and the harness is shown strapped to a dog, the
leash having been detached from the harness;
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the carrier in the embodiment
according to FIG. 1, only a fragmentary portion of the skin of the carrier
and only one of the releasable fasteners being shown for clarity of
illustration;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the leash and of the harness in the
embodiment according to FIG. 1, the harness being shown strapped to a dog
and suspended by the leash; and
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the
apparatus according to the present invention in which the carrier is shown
mounted on the front of a bicycle, the harness with the leash having been
detached from the carrier.
Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the
several views of the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the drawings, an apparatus according to the present invention comprises
a carrier 11, a harness 12, and a leash 13. The carrier 11 includes a
skeletal framework 20 and a plurality of connecting means, such as guide
cables 14, 15, and 16, which slideably engage fasteners 34. Slideably
engaged fasteners 34 are releasably attachable to loops 53 on the harness
12 as are fasteners 34 connected to the leash 13.
Structural elements 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 within the framework 20
support a skin 32 and, with the skin, form a platform 17. In addition, at
least one pair of frame members 21, 22 rigidly attached to structural
element 29 extend downwardly from the platform 17. The framework 20 is
preferably fabricated from lightweight metal tubing, plastic or the like;
the skin 32 from metal or plastic, which is extensively perforated.
Material so perforated facilitates drainage, from the skin 32, of any
water or other liquid which might otherwise accumulate there. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-2, the skin 32 is formed from a
chain-like stainless steel secured to the framework 20 by ties 57; and the
structural elements 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 comprise
sections of metal tubing which measure, by way of example, 1/2 inch in
outer diameter. When formed of metal tubing, each structural element 21,
22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, where it abuts another structural
element, is preferably affixed thereto by welding.
In use, the platform 17 extends generally horizontally in front of the
handlebars of a bicycle supported by the handlebars themselves and by
frame members 21, 22 straddling the front wheel of the bicycle. Ends of
the frame members 21, 22 distal from the platform 17 are secured to the
bicycle frame proximate with the hub of the front wheel by wheel mounting
means, such as wing nuts or the like, provided with the bicycle.
Attachment of the platform 17 to the handlebars is achieved by securing
structural element 28 thereto by clamping means such as a U-shaped bolt 54
and a plate 56. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of threaded end
portions, defined by the bolt 54 and spaced apart from and disposed
parallel to each other, is received by holes formed in the plate 56; and
both the bolt and the plate are retained in assembled relation by wing
nuts 55 threadedly engaged by the end portions.
The harness 12 comprises a pair of straps 30, 31 and at least four sets of
straps 40, 41; 42, 43; 44, 45; 46, 47 attached by stitching or the like to
said pair of straps. Extending generally perpendicularly to the straps 40,
41; 42, 43; 44, 45; 46, 47, the pair of straps 30, 31, in use, extend
longitudinally along a pet's backbone and belly, respectively. As is best
seen in FIG. 1, the sets of straps 40, 41; 42, 43; 44, 45; 46, 47 are
spaced apart from each other, with each of the straps 41, 47 being
disposed proximate with an end of the strap 31 and separated from each
other by a distance substantially equal to the length of a dog's backbone
from its neck to its hindquarters. Each of the strap sets 40, 41; and 42,
43; 44, 45; 46, 47 can be adjusted in length using keepers 51 and clasps
52, respectively, so that the harness fits snugly around a dog's torso.
Means for releasably attaching the harness to the carrier 11 and to the
leash 13 include loops 53 secured to both of the longitudinally extending
straps 30, 31 proximate with their junctures with the strap sets.
As is best seen in FIG. 2, the guide cables 14, 15, 16 are looped around
structural elements 24, 26, which are spaced apart from and aligned
generally parallel to each other. Securing each cable 14, 15, 16 to the
structural elements 24, 26 is a turnbuckle 18 connected to both ends of
the cable by a pair of cable retainers 39. Within the turnbuckle 18, a
link 19, which has opposite internal threads at each end thereof, can be
turned to increase or decrease the effective length of the cable 14, 15,
16 connected to the turnbuckle. In use, the lengths of the cables 14, 15,
16 are adjusted to accommodate each individual pet on the basis of its
size relative to that of the platform 17. For large dogs and other animals
of similar size, the length of the guide cable 14, disposed proximate with
the front edge of the platform 17, is preferably set so that the cable 14
is substantially greater in length than is the guide cable 16, disposed
proximate with the rear edge of the platform. The length of the cable 15,
on the other hand, is preferably set so that it lies between those of the
cables 14, 16.
Slideably and rotatably tethered to each of the guide cables 14, 15, 16 by
an assembly having a pulley 38 which can move along the guide cable is a
fastener 34. Each fastener 34 is releasably attachable to one of loops 53
proximate with junctures between the strap sets 40, 41; 44, 45; 46, 47 and
the strap 30. At least one of the fasteners 34, preferably the fastener
attached to the guide cable 15, is constrained to stay well within the
outer periphery of the platform 17, so that when the harness 12 is secured
to the platform, a pet cannot twist its body into a position in which it
is suspended by the harness over a peripheral edge of the platform. In the
case of a large dog, the lengths of the cables 14, 15 and 16 may also need
to be adjusted as described hereinabove; when they are suitably adjusted,
such a dog, while having freedom to orient the front half of its body, is
limited to sitting on the platform 17. Greater flexibility is allowable
with smaller animals since there is less opportunity for a small animal to
twist its body over the edge of the platform by utilizing slack in the
cables 14, 15, 16 otherwise provided so that the animal can stand upright.
In an alternate embodiment, a platform has at least one recessed track (not
shown) for movably tethering fasteners 34 attachable to the harness 12
proximate with the pet's chest and hindquarters. To allow the pet to turn
around while standing on the platform without becoming twisted in
connecting means linking the harness 12 and the platform, a platform
having means, including a recessed track of substantially circular shape
and a recessed swivel (not shown), for tethering fasteners 34 is provided.
The leash 13, which is employed, in combination with the harness 12, to
hoist a pet from the ground to the platform 17, includes a branched
structure which has at least as many branches 64, 65, 66, 67 as there are
sets of straps in the harness 12. Branches 64, 65, 66, 67, which are of
varying lengths, are attached to each other by stitching and, by
releasable fasteners 34, to loops 53 connected to the harness 12 at the
junctures between the strap 31 and the strap sets 40, 41; 42, 43; 44, 45;
46, 47. When a pet's body is suspended in the harness 12 by leash strap 63
as illustrated in FIG. 3, each branch 64, 65, 66, 67 supports the
proximate strap set 40, 41; 42, 43; 44, 45; 46, 47, respectively, so that
the weight of the pet's body is spread substantially evenly along the
length of the harness. The lengths of the branches 64, 65, 66, 67 are
chosen so that for a particular animal, its backbone remains generally
parallel to the ground when the animal is being hoisted aloft. The harness
12 and the leash 13 in combination enable a person, with sufficient
strength in one of his arms, to hoist a pet singlehandedly onto the
platform 17 while simultaneously steadying the bicycle.
In an alternate embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, a carrier includes a
generally horizontally disposed platform 71 supported by two pairs of
downwardly extending frame members 72, 73. Guide cables 74, 75, 76 are
looped around structural elements (not shown) which, similarly to the
structural elements 24, 26, are spaced apart from and aligned generally
parallel to each other. Securing each cable 74, 75, 76 to the structural
elements is a turnbuckle, such as the turnbuckle 18 shown in FIG. 2, which
is connected to both ends of the cable by a pair of cable retainers 39. On
each side of the bicycle wheel, frame members 72, 73 and a horizontally
extending structural element (not shown) within the structural framework
of the platform 71 define an approximately equilateral triangle in
vertical outline, enhancing the strength of the carrier. Pairs of frame
members 72, 73 straddle one of the wheels of the bicycle. When the
platform 71 is secured to the post of the handlebars (or, alternately, to
the post of the seat), ends of the frame members 72, 73 distal from the
platform 71 are secured to the bicycle frame proximate with the hub of the
front wheel (or, alternately, the rear wheel) by wheel mounting means
provided with the bicycle. Attachment of the platform 71 to the post of
the handlebars (or of the seat) is achieved by clamping means such as a
pair of U-shaped bolts 81 with threaded end portions and a pair of plates
82. In the preferred embodiment, each of the end portions, defined by the
bolts 81, is received by a hole formed in one of the plates 82; and both
the bolts and the plates are retained in assembled relation by two pairs
of nuts 83 threadedly engaged by the end portions.
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