US3899111A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Car top carrier for gutterless car tops
Assignee: Beatrice Companies Inc
•
Filing: 1973-09-10
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Granted: 1975-08-12
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Expires: 1993-09-10
Abstract
Abstract A car top carrier comprising an elongate rigid tubular bar, supporting legs and clamping linkages mounted to the underside of the bar at the ends for adjustment lengthwise thereof, to accommodate the width of the car top, said linkages embodying extendable hooks for clamping engagement with the ledges at the opposite sides of the top, at least one of the linkages including spring means compressed by retraction of the hooks into clamping engagement with the ledges, and clamp collars adjustably mounted on the bar for receiving the ends of flexible binding straps.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth W Binding
- 👤 George A Laberis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:01
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R9/00; B60R9/04; B60R9/058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A car top carrier for a gutterless car top having ledges at opposite sides thereof, comprising an elongate rigid bar, supports connected to the opposite ends of said rigid bar, retractable hooks and means at the ends of the bar connecting the hooks thereto for adjustment longitudinally of the bar to accommodate to the width of the top, each of said means comprising a rod connected at one end to the bar, a part mounting the retractable hook on the rod for movement therealong, and a nut threaded onto the rod for limiting movement of the part and hook toward the distal end thereof, eccentric means mounting the hooks on the parts, means for actuating the eccentric means whereby the hooks may be extended and retracted at their limiting position on the rods to disengage the hooks from the top in one position and to engage the hooks with the top in the other position, and a distendable spring mounted on one of the rods between the nut and the part connecting the hook thereon such that the eccentric means for effecting retraction of the hooks simultaneously completely compresses said spring, whereby the clamping means rigidly attaches the carrier to the vehicle top.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
203 words
A car top carrier for a gutterless car top having ledges at opposite sides thereof, comprising an elongate rigid bar, supports connected to the opposite ends of said rigid bar, retractable hooks and means at the ends of the bar connecting the hooks thereto for adjustment longitudinally of the bar to accommodate to the width of the top, each of said means comprising a rod connected at one end to the bar, a part mounting the retractable hook on the rod for movement therealong, and a nut threaded onto the rod for limiting movement of the part and hook toward the distal end thereof, eccentric means mounting the hooks on the parts, means for actuating the eccentric means whereby the hooks may be extended and retracted at their limiting position on the rods to disengage the hooks from the top in one position and to engage the hooks with the top in the other position, and a distendable spring mounted on one of the rods between the nut and the part connecting the hook thereon such that the eccentric means for effecting retraction of the hooks simultaneously completely compresses said spring, whereby the clamping means rigidly attaches the carrier to the vehicle top.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A car top carrier according to claim 1, wherein the supports are truncated A-frames comprising a substantially flat top part for clamping engagement with the underside of the bar and diverging legs at the extremities of which are mounted pads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A car top carrier according to claim 2, wherein there are spaced parallel upstanding ribs at the junctions of the top part with the upper ends of the legs, the distance between which corresponds substantially to the width of the lower side of the bar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A car top carrier according to claim 2, wherein the pads have lower surfaces which slope downwardly and outwardly toward the outer ends of the bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A car top carrier according to claim 1, comprising a clamp collar mounted on the bar at each end for receiving one end of a binding strap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A car top carrier according to claim 1, comprising a U-shaped collar having a bridge piece corresponding in width to the width of the bar, spaced parallel legs of a length to extend downwardly beyond the lower side of the bar, and bolts mounted to the underside of the bar through holes in the legs for clamping the legs against the sides of the bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A car top carrier according to claim 6, wherein the bridge piece is V-shaped in transverse section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A car top carrier according to claim 1, wherein the carrier bar is a hollow extruded structure embodying at the underside a part of reduced transverse section containing a bottom opening for slidingly accommodating the supports and linkages and at its upper side a part of reduced transverse cross-section having a top opening for receiving a capping strip of flexible non-metallic material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
138 words
A car top carrier comprising an elongate rigid bar, retractable hooks, linkages connecting the hooks to the ends of the bar for adjustment when extended to a width corresponding to the width of the top of the car, one of said linkages embodying distended spring means in said extended position of the hooks, means for retracting the hooks into engagement with the edges along the opposite sides of the top and simultaneously to completely compress said spring means, clamp parts slidably mounted at the lower side of the rigid bar near the ends for movement longitudinally of the bar and means connecting the linkage at each end to the part at that end, said linkage being rotatably mounted to the part, and means providing for fixing the linkage at a predetermined position from the end of the bar.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
138 words
A car top carrier comprising an elongate rigid bar, retractable hooks, linkages connecting the hooks to the ends of the bar for adjustment when extended to a width corresponding to the width of the top of the car, one of said linkages embodying distended spring means in said extended position of the hooks, means for retracting the hooks into engagement with the edges along the opposite sides of the top and simultaneously to completely compress said spring means, clamp parts slidably mounted at the lower side of the rigid bar near the ends for movement longitudinally of the bar and means connecting the linkage at each end to the part at that end, said linkage being rotatably mounted to the part, and means providing for fixing the linkage at a predetermined position from the end of the bar.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A car top carrier according to claim 9, wherein the bar has at its underside spaced parallel flanges slidably supporting said clamp parts for movement along the underside of one bar.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
98 words
A car top carrier according to claim 1, comprising clamp parts slidably mounted at the lower side of the rigid bar near the ends for movement longitudinally of the bar, and means connecting the support and linkage at each end to the part at that end, the support being non-rotatably mounted to the part and the linkage being rotatably mounted to the part at a predetermined fixed distance from the support, the means connecting the support to the part providing for fixing the clamp part, support and linkage at a predetermined position from the end of the bar.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A car top carrier according to claim 11, wherein the bar has at its underside spaced parallel flanges slidably supporting sAid clamp parts for movement along the underside of the bar.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-11 | 1979-02-10 | 1979-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-11 | 1983-02-10 | 1983-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-11 | 1987-02-10 | 1987-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |