Retractable load carrier for vehicles

Claim 2

A retractable, self-supporting load carrier for cantilever support of loads from the rear of a vehicle having a trunk and a pair of taillight openings, comprising: a pair of spaced-apart, elongated telescoping, independently-operable channel supports disposed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, each support having a plurality of elongated, hollow, rigid channels telescopically received and nesting one within the other, said channel support being mountable within the trunk of said vehicle such that they are in alignment with one of said openings through which said channels may extend; a lamp coupled to the innermost channel adjacent to an outwardly-directed end thereof; and bracket means coupled to the outside channel of each telescoping support for securing said support to said vehicle within the trunk thereof.

Claim 3

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said hollow channels includes stop means for preventing withdrawal on one channel from within its adjacent channel.

Claim 4

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said stop means comprises a spring loaded snap having a pawl and a corresponding hole formed adjacent to the end of each of said channels for receiving said pawl when the channel has been withdrawn and extended out of its adjacent channel.

Claim 5

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein the top surface of each of said channels includes cushion material secured thereto.

Claim 6

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one side of at least one channel includes reflective material.

Claim 7

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said lamp additionally includes a spring loaded, hinged door formed in the side of said end channel for supporting said lamp.

Claim 8

The load carrier as recited in claim 2, wherein the adjacent overlapping ends of said channels include holes that come into alignment, and said stop means comprises a shear pin inserted through each aligned hole of said adjacent channels.

Claim 9

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, additionally comprising a rectangular basket for disposal between said extending channel supports, and means for demountably securing said basket to said channel supports.

Claim 10

The load carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket means are demountably attached to a base wall of the trunk of said vehicle.

Claim 11

A retractable load carrier for cantilever support of loads from the rear of a vehicle, comprising: a pair of spaced-apart, elongated telescoping channel supports disposed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, each support having a plurality of elongated, hollow, rigid channels nesting one within the other; a lamp disposed in at least one of said channels; a spring-loaded hinged door formed in the side of the innermost channel for supporting said lamp; and bracket means coupled to the outside channel of each telescoping support for securing said support to said vehicle.

Claim 12

A retractable load carrier for cantilever support of loads from the rear of a vehicle, comprising: a pair of spaced-apart, elongated telescoping channel supports disposed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, each support having a plurality of elongated, hollow, rigid channels nesting one within the other; a lamp disposed in at least one of said channels; a spring-loaded hinged door formed in the side of the innermost channel for supporting said lamp; and bracket means coupled to the outside channel of each telescoping support for securing said support to said vehicle.

Claim 13

The load carrier as recited in claim 10, wherein said bracket means for each support comprises at least two spaced-apart, rectangularly-shaped brackets for surrounding and supporting the external surface of each of said telescoping channel support, a flange secured to the vehicle frame adjacent to the rear of the vehicle, and a post having one end secured to said rectangularly-shaped bracket, the opposite end of said post being demountably coupled to said flange.

Claim 14

The load carrier as recited in claim 11, wherein said flange comprises A pair of U-shaped bolts for surrounding the vehicle frame and securing said flange to the vehicle, said flange including a central, threaded bushing for receiving a corresponding thread formed on the opposite end of said post.

Claim 15

A retractable load carrier for cantilever support of loads from the rear of a vehicle, comprising: a pair of spaced-apart, elongated telescoping channel supports disposed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, each support having a plurality of elongated, hollow, rigid channels nesting one within the other; bracket means coupled to the outside channel of each telescoping support for securing said support to said vehicle, said bracket means for each support comprising at least two spaced-apart, rectangularly-shaped brackets for surrounding and supporting the external surface of each of said telescoping channel support, a flange secured to the vehicle frame adjacent to the rear of the vehicle, and a post having one end secured to said rectangularly-shaped bracket, the opposite end of said post being demountably coupled to said flange, said flange comprising a pair of U-shaped bolts for surrounding the vehicle frame and securing said flange to the vehicle, said flange including a central, threaded bushing for receiving a corresponding thread formed on the opposite end of said post.

Claim 16

A retractable load carrier for cantilever support of loads from the rear of a vehicle, comprising: a pair of spaced-apart, elongated telescoping channel supports disposed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, each support having a plurality of elongated, hollow, rigid channels nesting one within the other; bracket means coupled to the outside channel of each telescoping support for securing said support to said vehicle, said bracket means for each support comprising at least two spaced-apart, rectangularly-shaped brackets for surrounding and supporting the external surface of each of said telescoping channel support, a flange secured to the vehicle frame adjacent to the rear of the vehicle, and a post having one end secured to said rectangularly-shaped bracket, the opposite end of said post being demountably coupled to said flange, said flange comprising a pair of U-shaped bolts for surrounding the vehicle frame and securing said flange to the vehicle, said flange including a central, threaded bushing for receiving a corresponding thread formed on the opposite end of said post.