Vehicle article carrier

Claim 1

In combination with an automotive vehicle having a generally horizontal exterior body surface with a leading edge and a trailing edge of said surface, an article carrier comprising: a pair of generally horizontally arranged article supporting slats each having a uniform cross-sectional shape, a generally horizontal transverse width greater than the vertical height and both adapted to be directly and fixedly mounted upon the same said horizontal surface of said vehicle presenting a low profile thereon and having a decorative appearance, each said slat having an upwardly opening slot extending longitudinally thereof, said slot being defined in part by a bottom wall and upwardly directed side walls and each said slat having a pair of horizontal supporting surfaces adjacent opposite sides of said slot and capable of having articles supported thereon, said supporting surfaces being cooperable between said slats to be capable of supporting articles on said slats, said surfaces being disposed in the same plane which plane is spaced from the horizontal surface of said vehicle; article securing means associated with each of said slats, a substantial portion of said article securing means extending upwardly from said horizontal supporting surfaces, a portion of said article securing means disposed within said slot, said article securing means having an operative securing position and having a fastening element extending along an axis arranged generally perpendicular to said supporting surfaces and said vehicle exterior surface; fastening means disposed at least in part within said slot and including portions adapted to engage the interior of said slot for releasably attaching said article securing means in its operative securing position at a preselected longitudinal position along said slat, said fastening means being operatively connected to said slat such that said fastening means may be threadably advanced in one direction along said axis toward a first position in which said portions of said fastening means engage the interior of said slot in such manner as to clamp said article securing means in said preselected position, and such that said fastening means may be threadably advanced in the opposite direction along said axis toward a second position in which said article securing means disengages the interior of said slot in such a manner as to unclamp said article securing means and permit the same to be moved longitudinally along said slat; and end cap means disposed at at least one end of each of said slats closing off said slot to stop the travel of said article securing means in at least one direction at said at least one end of said slat when said fastening means is disposed in said second position in which said article securing means disengages the interior of said slot, said end cap means extending forwardly from each said slat toward the leading edge of said body surface in an aerodynamic and aesthetically appealing manner, each end cap means including a profile extending from a substantially flush profile with the configuration of said slat at the interface between each of said end cap means and each of said slats downwardly to interface with said horizontal body surface.