Utility rack support assembly

Claim 1

In combination, for use with a pick-up truck having a bed with sidewalls, the combination comprising an enclosure for said bed, said enclosure including (a) vertically disposed, fiber glass or reinforced plastic sidewalls and (b) inwardly directed, horizontally disposed, base rails substantially extending the length of the enclosure sidewalls and respectively connected to the lower ends of the enclosure sidewalls such that the base rails are respectively in substantial direct contact with the upper surfaces of the bed sidewalls; a utility rack mounting member including (a) at least a pair of vertically disposed, first plates respectively connected to said base rails and (b) a pair of horizontally disposed, outwardly extending, second plates respectively connected to said first plates; first securing means for respectively attaching said first plates to said base rails where the first securing means horizontally extend into said horizontally disposed base rail; a utility rack including at least a pair of vertically extending legs disposed on opposite sides of said enclosure; and second securing means for respectively, removably attaching said pair of utility rack legs to said second pair of plates whereby the load transmitted from said utility rack is effectively transmitted through the utility rack legs, said utility rack mounting member, and said base rail to the bed sidewalls due to the horizontal extension of the first securing means into the horizontally disposed base rail wherein said utility rack further includes a third pair of plates respectively fixedly connected to the lower ends of said utility rack legs and where said second securing means removably attaches said third pair of plates of said utility rack legs to said second pair of plates.