Article carrier apparatus

Claim 2

In an article carrier for mounting on handlebars of a cycle, including a bent-wire carrier frame having a rigid central mounting loop with the respective reaches of the loop extending over the right and left handlebars and including forward portions joining forwardly of the handlebars upper stem for supporting engagement with the handlebars and upper stem such that the handlebars provide cantilever support for the carrier frame, the improvement comprising a stem-supportable latch member having a pair of elongate resilient retention fingers, the first end of each of the retention fingers being fixedly secured to the latch members, the second end of each of the retention fingers projecting outwardly therefrom, the fingers being maintained generally parallel to each other and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward portions of the reaches such that the second ends of the retention fingers may be flexibly biased until the reaches are flexibly received and maintained under compression in locking engagement with the retention fingers, thereby rigidly securing the reaches of the loop adjacent the stem front and preventing anti-cantilever movement of an article carrier thus mounted.

Claim 3

An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the latch member is removably attachable to the stem hub clamp.

Claim 4

An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the latch member depends from the loop.

Claim 5

An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the latch member includes a rigid loop element complementary to the loop, for mounting with the respective reaches of said loop element extending under the handlebars and joining over the handlebars upper stem for supporting engagement therewith.

Claim 6

An article carrier according to claim 1 comprising adjustable set means for relocating the lateral position of the reaches.

Claim 7

An article carrier according to claim 5 wherein the relocating means is positionable to locate the reaches of the loop in abutment with the stem hub.

Claim 8

An article carrier according to claim 1 including means for adjustably varying the degree of compression.

Claim 9

An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the latch member is a bracket, the bracket being supportable against upward movement by rigid attachment to the stem-hub clamp of the cycle.

Claim 10

An article carrier according to claim 8 wherein the retention fingers include opposed cam surfaces such that, for latching the reaches of the loop during mounting, downward engagement of the reaches upon the cam surfaces causes the fingers to be flexibly biased and spread apart until the reaches are brought down below the fingers whereupon the reaches are flexibly received in locking relation below the fingers.

Claim 11

In an article carrier for mounting on right-and-left projecting bar portions of stem-supported cross-bars of a cycle including a bent-wire carrier frame having a rigid central mounting loop with the respective reaches of the loop extending over the right and left bar portions and including longitudinally extending portions longtidinally spaced from the stem, the loop being in supporting engagement with the stem such that the bar portions provide cantilever support for the carrier frame, the improvement comprising a stem-supportable latch member having a pair of elongate resilient retention fingers, the first end of each of the retention fingers being fixedly secured to the latch members, the second end of each of the retention fingers projecting outwardly therefrom, the fingers being maintained generally parallel to each other and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinally extending portions of the reaches such that the second ends of the retention fingers may be flexibly biased until the reaches are flexibly received and maintained under compression in locking engagement with the retention fingers, thereby rigidly securing the reaches of the loop adjacent the stem front and preventing anti-cantilever movement of an article carrier thus mounted.

Claim 12

In an article carrier for mounting on right-and-left projecting bar portions of stem-supported cross-bars of a cycle including a bent-wire carrier frame having a rigid central mounting loop with the respective reaches of the loop extending over the right and left bar portions and including longitudinally extending portions longtidinally spaced from the stem, the loop being in supporting engagement with the stem such that the bar portions provide cantilever support for the carrier frame, the improvement comprising a stem-supportable latch member having a pair of elongate resilient retention fingers, the first end of each of the retention fingers being fixedly secured to the latch members, the second end of each of the retention fingers projecting outwardly therefrom, the fingers being maintained generally parallel to each other and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinally extending portions of the reaches such that the second ends of the retention fingers may be flexibly biased until the reaches are flexibly received and maintained under compression in locking engagement with the retention fingers, thereby rigidly securing the reaches of the loop adjacent the stem front and preventing anti-cantilever movement of an article carrier thus mounted.

Claim 13

An article carrier according to claim 10 adapted for back-mounting on a seat stem supported cross-bar.

Claim 14

An article carrier according to claim 11 including a stem extension integral with the cross-bar adjustably and removably attachable to the seat stem.

Claim 15

An article carrier according to claim 12 wherein the latch member includes a rigid loop element complementary to the loop, for mounting with the respective reaches of said loop element extending under the cross-bar and joining over the cross-bar stem extension for supporting engagement therewith.

Claim 16

In an article carrier for mounting around the handlebars, upper stem and stem-hub of a cycle, including a bent-wire carrier frame having a rigid central mounting loop with the respective reaches of the loop extending over the right and left handlebars and including forward portions joining forwardly of and under the handlebars upper stem for supporting engagement therewith such that the handlebars provide cantilever support for the carrier frame, the improvement comprising a stem-supportable latch member including a hinge means for hingedly connecting the latch member to the end of the central loop portion of the carrier, a shank extending underneath the stem to engage and bear upwardly upon the underside of the stem-hub for support against upward movement of the latch member, and a bracket fixably secured to the shank, the bracket having a pair of elongate resilient retention fingers, the fingers maintained generally parallel to each other, the first ends of each of the retention fingers being fixedly secured to the bracket, the second ends of each of the retention fingers extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward portions of the reaches such that the second ends of the elongate fingers may be flexibly biased until the reaches are flexibly received and maintained under compression in locking engagement with the fingers.

Claim 17

In an article carrier for mounting around the handlebars, upper stem and stem-hub of a cycle, including a bent-wire carrier frame having a rigid central mounting loop with the respective reaches of the loop extending over the right and left handlebars and including forward portions joining forwardly of and under the handlebars upper stem for supporting engagement therewith such that the handlebars provide cantilever support for the carrier frame, the improvement comprising a stem-supportable latch member including a hinge means for hingedly connecting the latch member to the end of the central loop portion of the carrier, a shank extending underneath the stem to engage and bear upwardly upon the underside of the stem-hub for support against upward movement of the latch member, and a bracket fixably secured to the shank, the bracket having a pair of elongate resilient retention fingers, the fingers maintained generally parallel to each other, the first ends of each of the retention fingers being fixedly secured to the bracket, the second ends of each of the retention fingers extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward portions of the reaches such that the second ends of the elongate fingers may be flexibly biased until the reaches are flexibly received and maintained under compression in locking engagement with the fingers.