US3779436A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Supporting bar assembly for vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-02-17
•
Granted: 1973-12-18
•
Expires: 1992-02-17
Abstract
Abstract A supporting bar structure for a vehicle includes an elongated bar and a pair of end support means for supporting the bar above the roof of the vehicle. The bar includes substantially planar top and bottom surfaces, and at least one longitudinally extending T-shaped slot is provided in each of the surfaces. Attachment means are slidably received in each of the slots, and each attachment means includes shoulders which extend laterally outwardly beyond the edges of the slot to prevent removal of the attachment means therefrom. The bar is shorter than the width of the vehicle, and one of the support means includes clamping means for securing one end of the bar to the side of the vehicle roof which the other support means includes a suction cup for securing the other end of the bar to the vehicle roof. Each of the support means includes attachment means which are threadedly engageable with the attachment means in the bottom wall slot to tighten the shoulders of the attachment means in the slot against the bottom wall of the bar, and the attachment means in the top wall slot can be used to secure warning lights, sirens, and the like to the support bar.
Inventors
- 👤 O Burland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:41
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/2611
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
364 words
A supporting bar assembly for a vehicle comprising an elongated bar having substantially planar top and bottom walls, each wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and having a slot extending longitudinally for the entire length of the bar, a first generally channel-shaped wall extending downwardly from the inner surface of the top wall and a second generally channelshaped wall extending upwardly from the inner surface of the bottom wall, the first channel-shaped wall having spaced-apart side wall portions extending from the inner surface of the top wall transversely outwardly of each edge of the slot in the top wall to provide the slot with a generally T-shaped transverse cross section, the second channel-shaped wall having spaced-apart side wall portions extending from the inner surface of the bottom wall transversely outwardly of each edge of the slot in the bottom wall to provide the slot with a generally T-shaped transverse cross section, a pair of attachment means slidably received in the slot in the bottom wall and at least one attachment means slidably received in the slot in the top wall, each of the attachment means including a pair of shoulders extending transversely outwardly of the edges of the associated slot and engageable with the inner surface of the associated wall for preventing withdrawal of the attachment means from the slot, support means for each end of the bar, and attachment means for each support means, the attachment means on each support member being threadedly engaged with one of the aTtachment means in the slot in the bottom wall to draw the shoulders of the attachment means in the slot into engagement with the inner surface of the bottom wall and to draw the support means into engagement with the outer surface of the bottom wall, the attachment means in the top wall slot being adapted to threadedly engage attachment means on a device to be carried by the support bar whereby the shoulders of the attachment means in the top wall slot may be drawn into engagement with the inner surface of the top wall and the device may be drawn into engagement with the outer surface of the top wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
364 words
A supporting bar assembly for a vehicle comprising an elongated bar having substantially planar top and bottom walls, each wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and having a slot extending longitudinally for the entire length of the bar, a first generally channel-shaped wall extending downwardly from the inner surface of the top wall and a second generally channelshaped wall extending upwardly from the inner surface of the bottom wall, the first channel-shaped wall having spaced-apart side wall portions extending from the inner surface of the top wall transversely outwardly of each edge of the slot in the top wall to provide the slot with a generally T-shaped transverse cross section, the second channel-shaped wall having spaced-apart side wall portions extending from the inner surface of the bottom wall transversely outwardly of each edge of the slot in the bottom wall to provide the slot with a generally T-shaped transverse cross section, a pair of attachment means slidably received in the slot in the bottom wall and at least one attachment means slidably received in the slot in the top wall, each of the attachment means including a pair of shoulders extending transversely outwardly of the edges of the associated slot and engageable with the inner surface of the associated wall for preventing withdrawal of the attachment means from the slot, support means for each end of the bar, and attachment means for each support means, the attachment means on each support member being threadedly engaged with one of the aTtachment means in the slot in the bottom wall to draw the shoulders of the attachment means in the slot into engagement with the inner surface of the bottom wall and to draw the support means into engagement with the outer surface of the bottom wall, the attachment means in the top wall slot being adapted to threadedly engage attachment means on a device to be carried by the support bar whereby the shoulders of the attachment means in the top wall slot may be drawn into engagement with the inner surface of the top wall and the device may be drawn into engagement with the outer surface of the top wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the attachment means in the slots are bolts, each bolt including a head having a transverse dimension greater than the width of the slots to provide said shoulders.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The structure of claim 2 in which the head of each bolt includes a pair of opposed generally flat side surfaces which are engageable with the side wall portions of one of the channel-shaped walls to prevent rotation of the bolts within the slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The structure of claim 1 in which one of the support means is a bracket equipped with clamping means for securing one end of the bar to the side of a vehicle and the other support means includes a suction cup for securing the other end of the bar to the roof of the vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
The structure of claim 1 in which each of the channel-shaped walls includes a web portion extending between the side wall portions, the web portion of the top channel-shaped wall supporting the attachment means in the top wall slot when the attachment means is not engaged with the attachment means on the device to be carried by the support bar, the web portion of the bottom channel-shaped wall providing backup means for the attachment means in the bottom wall slot to prevent the attachment means from moving away from the bottom wall slot as the support means are secured.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The structure of claim 5 in which the side wall portions of each channel-shaped wall are generally parallel and the web portion extends generally perpendicularly to the side wall portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 5 in which the web portions of each channel-shaped wall are spaced apart to provide a longitudinally extending channel therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
The structure of claim 1 in which one of the support means is a bracket equipped with clamping means for securing one end of the bar to the side of the vehicle and the other support means includes a suction cup for securing the other end of the bar to the roof of the vehicle, each of the attachment means in the bottom wall slot comprising a bolt including a head having a transverse dimension greater than the width of the bottom wall slot to provide said shoulders, the attachment means on the bracket including a nut threadedly engaged with one of the bolts in the bottom wall slot, and the attachment means for the suction cup including a fitting having a threaded opening threadedly engaged with the other bolt in the bottom wall slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The structure of claim 8 in which the suction cup terminates above the bottom of the bracket.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1633295A
Cited
US2480353A
Cited
US2603394A
Cited
US2643040A
Cited
US3281030A
Cited
US3339953A
Cited
US3677451A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-17 | 1977-06-18 | 1977-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-06-18 | 1981-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-17 | 1985-06-18 | 1985-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |