Article carrier having variably positionable cross-rail bracket

Claim 1

An article carrier for an automotive vehicle of the type including an elongated slat fixed to the vehicle exterior and extending longitudinally thereof, said slat having an upwardly opening guideway, a bracket having a base portion slidably retained in said guideway, means for adjustably clamping the bracket to the slat, the bracket having an upper portion which includes a cross-rail supporting section extending normally of the slat, and a cross-rail mounted upon the cross-rail supporting section, the improvement comprising: (a) the cross-rail being of generally oval cross section wherein the maximum depth of the cross-rail is substantially less than its width, said cross-rail including a continuous and upwardly curving bottom surface, a downwardly curving upper surface and having an upwardly opening channel formed by a pair of side walls extending downwardly from said upper surface, said downwardly extending side walls terminating proximate the bottom surface of the cross-rail, said channel and side walls extending throughout the length of the cross-rail, (b) the cross-rail supporting section of said bracket including an opening being generally of the same oval cross section as the cross-rail and adapted to telescopingly receive one end of the cross-rail.