Article carrier for automotive vehicles

Claim 2

In an article carrier for an automotive vehicle, a plurality of at least two parallel arranged slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of the vehicle and lying closely adjacent said surface, each of said slats having major and minor dimensions, with said major dimension being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface, each of said slats having a clamping surface extending longitudinally on the exterior surface thereof, an article supporting member mounted on at least one of said slats and having clamping means clampingly engageable with said one slat for securing said member thereto, said clamping means being operable to apply a first vertically downwardly directed force against said one slat and a second vertically upwardly directed force against said one slat and being readily loosened for the movement of said member longitudinally of said slats and for the removal and reattachment of said article supporting member solely at the longitudinal end extremes of said slat.

Claim 3

In an article carrier for an automotive vehicle, a plurality of at least two parallel arranged slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of said vehicle and lying closely adjacent said surface, each of said slats having major and minor dimensions, with said major dimension being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface, and one of said minor dimensions being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface, each of said slats having a clamping surface extending longitudinally on the exterior surface thereof, an article supporting member mounted on at least one of said slats and having clamping means clampingly engageable with said one slat for securing said member thereto, said clamping means being operable to apply a first vertically downwardly directed force against said one slat at a location disposed substantially centrally within said minor dimension arranged substantially parallel to said body surface and a second vertically upwardly directed force against said one slat at spaced apart locations of said slat and being readily loosened for the movement of said article supporting member longitudinally of said slats and for the removal and attachment of said article supporting member.

Claim 4

In an article carrier for an automotive vehicle, a plurality of at least two parallel arranged slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of said vehicle and lying closely adjacent said surface, each of said slats having major and minor dimensions, with said major dimension being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface, and one of said minor dimensions being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface, each of said slats having a clamping surface extending longitudinally on the exterior surface thereof, an article supporting member mounted on at least one of said slats and having clamping means clampingly engageable with said one slat for securing said member thereto, said clamping means being operable to apply a first vertically downwardly directed force against said one slat at a location disposed substantially centrally within said minor dimension arranged substantially parallel to said body surface and a second vertically upwardly directed force against said one slat at spaced apart locations of said slat and being readily loosened for the movement of said article supporting member longitudinally of said slats and for the removal and attachment of said article supporting member.

Claim 5

A claim in accordance with claim 2, wherein said clamping means includes a threaded clamping member.

Claim 6

A claim in accordance with claim 3, wherein said threaded clamping member has an end portion being operable to apply said first vertically downwardly directed force against said one slat.

Claim 7

In an automobile having a body with an exterior horizontal surface, an article carrier system for supporting and securing articles on said exterior surface and structurally reinforcing said surface comprising a pair of elongated slats on said surface in respective positions on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, means permanently securing said slats to said body in said positions, said slats being substantially rectangular in vertical cross section with a width substantially greater than the height of the section and presenting a low profile on said surface, the tops of said slats being substantially flat and parallel to said horizontal surface and providing means on which articles may be rested and supported above said surface, and a removable article securing member slideable along the length of at least one of said slats removably mounted on said one slat, said article securing member including screw operated manual clamping means for temporarily clamping said article securing member to said one slat in a fixed longitudinal position on said body, said article securing member comprising an adjustable component of said system that is selectively removable from said slat and said body, said clamping means being operable to apply a first vertically downwardly directed force against said one slat at a location disposed centrally along the width of said slat and a second vertically upwardly directed force at at least two spaced apart locations along the exterior of said slat.

Claim 8

In an automobile having a body with an exterior horizontal surface, an article carrier system for supporting and securing articles on said exterior surface and structurally reinforcing said surface comprising a pair of elongated slats on said surface in respective positions on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, means permanently securing said slats to said body in said positions, said slats being substantially rectangular in vertical cross section with a width substantially greater than the height of the section and presenting a low profile on said surface, the tops of said slats being substantially flat and parallel to said horizontal surface and providing means on which articles may be rested and supported above said surface, and a removable article securing member slideable along the length of at least one of said slats removably mounted on said one slat, said article securing member including screw operated manual clamping means for temporarily clamping said article securing member to said one slat in a fixed longitudinal position on said body, said article securing member comprising an adjustable component of said system that is selectively removable from said slat and said body, said clamping means being operable to apply a first vertically downwardly directed force against said one slat at a location disposed centrally along the width of said slat and a second vertically upwardly directed force at at least two spaced apart locations along the exterior of said slat.

Claim 9

In an automobile having a body with an exterior horizontal surface, an article carrier system for supporting and securing articles on said exterior surface and structurally reinforcing said surface comprising a pair of elongated slats on said surface in respective positions on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, means permanently securing said slats to said body in said positions, said slats being substantially rectangular in vertical cross section with a width substantially greater than the height of the section and presenting a low profile on said surface, the tops of said slats being substantially flat and parallel to said horizontal surface and providing means on which articles may be rested and supported above said surface, and a removable article securing member slideable along the length of at least one of said slats and removably mounted on said one slat, said article securing member including screw operated manual clamping means for temporarily clamping said article securing member to said one slat in a fixed longitudinal position on said body, said article securing member comprising an adjustable component of said system that is selectively removable from said slat and said body, said clamping means being operable to apply a first force directed against said one slat and a second force directed in a direction opposite the direction of the first force against at least two spaced apart locations along the exterior of said one slat.

Claim 10

In an automobile having a body with an exterior horizontal surface, an article carrier system for supporting and securing articles on said exterior surface and structurally reinforcing said surface comprising a pair of elongated slats on said surface in respective positions on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, means permanently securing said slats to said body in said positions, said slats being substantially rectangular in vertical cross section with a width substantially greater than the height of the section and presenting a low profile on said surface, the tops of said slats being substantially flat and parallel to said horizontal surface and providing means on which articles may be rested and supported above said surface, and a removable article securing member slideable along the length of at least one of said slats and removably mounted on said one slat, said article securing member including screw operated manual clamping means for temporarily clamping said article securing member to said one slat in a fixed longitudinal position on said body, said article securing member comprising an adjustable component of said system that is selectively removable from said slat and said body, said clamping means being operable to apply a first force directed against said one slat and a second force directed in a direction opposite the direction of the first force against at least two spaced apart locations along the exterior of said one slat.