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An overhead storage system for attachment to a ceiling includes a hollow housing, frame and a pair of pivots pivotally attaching a rear end of the frame to a rear end of the housing so that the frame pivots between a storage position wherein the frame is disposed generally coplanar with a ceiling su

An overhead storage system for attachment to a ceiling includes a hollow housing, frame and a pair of pivots pivotally attaching a rear end of the frame to a rear end of the housing so that the frame pivots between a storage position wherein the frame is disposed generally coplanar with a ceiling surface and an access position wherein the frame is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to the ceiling surface. A latch assembly releasably secures the frame in the storage position. There is a storage container which is telescopically movable through an open front end of the frame between a retracted position wherein the storage container is substantially disposed within confines of the frame and an extended position wherein a front end of the storage container is disposed a predetermined distance from the open end of the frame.

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1. In combination with a ceiling an overhead storage system comprising: (a) a generally hollow housing having each of a peripheral side wall, an open bottom portion and at least partially closed top portion;(b) a predetermined plurality of mounting apertures formed in a predetermined pattern through

1. In combination with a ceiling an overhead storage system comprising: (a) a generally hollow housing having each of a peripheral side wall, an open bottom portion and at least partially closed top portion;(b) a predetermined plurality of mounting apertures formed in a predetermined pattern through said at least partially closed top portion so as to enable said housing to be rigidly secured with fasteners to a predetermined portion of said ceiling;(c) a frame;(d) a pivotal attachment mechanism attaching a rear end of said frame to a rear end of said housing so that said frame pivots between a storage position wherein said frame is disposed generally coplanar with a ceiling surface and an access position wherein said frame is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to said ceiling surface, and wherein said pivotal attachment mechanism includes:(i) a first aperture formed through a side wall of said frame adjacent to and spaced from a rear end thereof;(ii) a second aperture formed through a side wall of said housing in axial alignment with said first aperture; and(iii) a pin passed through said each of said first and second apertures;(e) a latch assembly releaseably securing said frame in said storage position;(f) a storage container; and(g) a mechanism for controlling speed of a pivotal movement of said frame from said storage position into said access position, said mechanism including: (i) an abutment disposed on said side wall of said frame, wherein said first aperture is formed through said abutment;(ii) a shoulder formed in said pin mediate ends thereof, wherein an end portion of said pin has each of a smaller diameter and non-round cross section in a direction transverse to said smaller length;(iii) an elastomeric resilient member positioned on said end portion within said first aperture, wherein a length of said end portion is smaller than a length of said elastomeric resilient member;(iv) a bore axially formed through said pin;(v) an elongated member positioned within said axial bore and having an external thread provided on at least a portion thereof disposed adjacent an inner end;(vi) a disk shaped member disposed within said first aperture and having one surface thereof abuttingly engaging one end of said elastomeric resilient member, wherein said elastomeric resilient member is caged between said disk shaped member and said shoulder;(vii) an abutment formed on said one surface of said disk; and(viii) a bore formed in said abutment and sized to fit over said end portion of said pin so as to prevent rotational movement of said disk during rotation of said elongated member, wherein said rotational of said elongated member in one direction causes said disk shaped member to axially compress said elastomeric resilient member increasing friction between an outer surface thereof and a peripheral inner surface of said first aperture, said increased friction reducing pivotal speed of said frame, and wherein rotation of said elongated member in an opposed direction causes said disk to relive said compression of said elastomeric resilient member decreasing said friction between said outer surface thereof and said inner peripheral surface of said first aperture. 2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said pivotal attachment mechanism for attaching said rear end of said frame to said frames includes at least one hinge member having one leg thereof secured to said rear end of said frame and having an opposed leg thereof secured with fasteners to a predetermined inner surface of said frame. 3. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes means for telescopically moving said storage container through an open front end of said frame between a retracted position wherein said storage container is substantially disposed within confines of said frame and an extended position wherein a front end of said storage container is disposed a predetermined distance from said open end of said frame. 4. The apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said apparatus includes means for attenuating said telescopic movement of said storage container. 5. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said telescopic movement attenuating means includes a spring powered cable assembly mounted in a space between a rear end of said storage container and a rear end of said frame and having a free end of a cable connected to said rear end of said storage container, said spring powered cable assembly attenuating said telescopic movement of said storage container between said retracted and extended positions. 6. The apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said apparatus includes means for facilitating said telescopic movement of said storage container. 7. The apparatus, according to claim 6, wherein said telescopic movement facilitating means includes a linear slide disposed in a space between a bottom exterior surface of said storage container and an interior surface of a bottom portion of said frame. 8. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes means engageable with an outer end of said elongated member for facilitating rotation thereof. 9. The apparatus, according to claim 8, wherein said rotation facilitating means includes a flange disposed on said outer end of said elongated member in a plane transverse to a length thereof, a pair of recesses formed in outer surface of said flange and providing a bar-shaped portion for engagement with a user operable tool. 10. The apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus further includes said user operable tool having a telescopic member, a handle attached to one end of said telescopic members and a U-shaped member attached to an opposed end of said telescopic members and sized to receive said bar-shaped portion therewithin. 11. In combination with a ceiling surface an overhead storage system comprising: a) a generally hollow housing having each of a peripheral side wall, an open bottom portion and at least partially closed top portion;b) a predetermined plurality of mounting apertures formed in a predetermined pattern through said at least partially closed top portion so as to enable said housing to be rigidly secured with fasteners to said ceiling surface;c) a frame having each of a U-shaped side wall forming an open front end of said frame, an open top portion and at least partially closed bottom portion;(d) at least one hinge pivotally attaching a rear end of said frame to a rear portion of said housing so that said frame pivots between a storage position wherein said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame is disposed coplanar with said ceiling surface and an access position wherein said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to said ceiling surface;(e) an abutment disposed on each said side wall of said frame adjacent to and spaced from a rear end thereof;(f) a first pivot aperture formed through each abutment;(g) a second pivot aperture formed through each side portion of said peripheral side wall of said housing in axial alignment with said first pivot aperture;(h) a pin passed through a respective pair of said first and second pivot apertures;(i) a shoulder formed in said pin mediate ends thereof, wherein an end portion of said pin has each of a smaller diameter and non-round cross section in a direction transverse to said smaller length;(j) an elastomeric resilient member positioned on said end portion within said first aperture, wherein a length of said end portion is smaller than a length of said elastomeric resilient member;(k) a bore axially formed through said pin;(l) an elongated member positioned within said axial bore and having an external thread provided on at least a portion thereof disposed adjacent an inner end;(m) a disk shaped member disposed within said first aperture and having one surface thereof abuttingly engaging one end of said elastomeric resilient member, wherein said elastomeric resilient member is caged between said disk shaped member and said shoulder;(n) an abutment formed on said one surface of said disk shaped member;(o) a bore formed in said abutment and sized to fit over said end portion of said pin so as to prevent rotational movement of said disk shaped member during rotation of said elongated member, wherein said rotational of said elongated member in one direction causes said disk shaped member to axially compress said elastomeric resilient member increasing friction between an outer surface thereof and a peripheral inner surface of said first aperture, said increased friction reducing pivotal speed of said frame, and wherein rotation of said elongated member in an opposed direction causes said disk shaped member to relieve said compression of said elastomeric resilient member decreasing said friction between said outer surface thereof and said inner peripheral surface of said first aperture;(p) means for terminating said pivotal movement of said frame in said access position at said predetermined angle;(q) a first latch assembly releaseably securing said frame in said storage position, said first latch assembly including: (i) a first fitting having a first head member with a pair of substantially planar surfaces spaced apart to define a thickness of said first head member and disposed in a generally horizontal plane when said frame is disposed in said storage position, wherein a lower one of said pair of substantially planar surfaces adapted to receive an end of a user operable tool, said first fitting further having a first elongated body portion disposed on an upper one of said pair of substantially planar surfaces and extending along a vertically disposed axis though an aperture formed through said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame,(ii) a first retaining means for retaining said first fitting in a pivotal manner on said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame,(iii) a first torsion spring disposed on said first elongated body portion for biasing said first fitting into a latched position, said first torsion spring having one end thereof caged on an inner surface of said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame and having an opposed end caged on said elongated body portion of said first fitting,(iv) a pair of first apertures, each of said pair of first apertures formed through a respective side portion of said U-shaped side wall of said frame,a pair of second apertures, each of said pair of second apertures formed through a respective portion of said peripheral side wall of said housing in close proximity to a front end thereof and in alignment with a respective one of said pair of first apertures, and(v) a pair of first linkages, each of said pair of first linkages having a proximal end thereof pivotally connected to said first elongated body portion and having a distal end thereof extending through a respective pair of aligned first and second apertures when said frame is disposed in said storage position;(r) a storage container having each of a peripheral side wall, an open top portion and a closed bottom portion, wherein an outer surface of said bottom portion of said storage container is spaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame, wherein an outer surface of a front portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container is spaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of a front portion of said peripheral side wall of said housing, and wherein an outer surface of a rear portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container is spaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of a rear portion of said U-shaped side wall of said frame;(s) at least one linear slide member mounted in a space between said outer surface of said bottom portion of said storage container and said inner surface of said at least partially closed bottom portion of said frame and operatively connected thereto, said at least one linear slide member facilitating telescopic movement of said storage container through said open front end of said frame between a retracted position wherein said storage container is substantially disposed within confines of said frame and an extended position wherein a front end of said storage container is disposed a predetermined distance from said open end of said frame;(t) a spring powered cable assembly mounted in a space between said outer surface of said rear portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container and said inner surface of said rear portion of U-shaped side wall and having a free end of a cable connected to said rear portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container, said spring powered cable assembly attenuating said telescopic movement of said storage container between said retracted and extended positions; and(u) a second latch assembly releaseably securing said storage container in said retracted position, said second latch assembly including: (i) a second fitting having a second head member with a pair of substantially planar surfaces spaced apart to define a thickness of said second head member and disposed in a generally vertical plane when said frame disposed in said storage position, wherein an outer one of said pair of substantially planar surfaces of said second head member adapted to receive said end of said user operable tool, said second fitting further having a second elongated body portion disposed on an inner one of said pair of substantially planar surfaces of said second head of said second fitting and extending though an aperture formed through said front portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container along a horizontally disposed axis,(ii) a second retaining means for retaining said second fitting in a pivotal manner on said front portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container,(iii) a second torsion spring disposed on said second elongated body portion for biasing said second fitting into a latched position, said second torsion spring having one end thereof caged on an inner surface of said front portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container and having an opposed end caged on said second elongated body portion of said second fitting,(iv) a pair of third apertures, each of said pair of third apertures formed through a respective side portion of said peripheral side wall of said storage container,(v) a pair of forth apertures, each of said pair of second apertures formed through said respective side portion of said U-shaped side wall of said frame in close proximity to a front end thereof and in alignment with a respective one of said pair of third apertures, and(vi) a pair of second linkages, each of said pair of second linkages having a proximal end thereof pivotally connected to said second elongated body portion and having a distal end thereof extending through a respective pair of aligned third and forth apertures when said storage container is disposed in said retracted position.