Vehicle article carrier

Claim 2

An article carrier for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior automobile body surface, said plurality of slats extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle; a pair of brackets disposed upon certain of said plurality of slats and a restraining bar extending laterally between and secured adjacent its opposite ends to said pair of brackets; said certain of said plurality of slats including means defining a channel for permitting sliding movement of at least one of said brackets along the length thereof, and means defining one or more apertures located within said channel; at least a single one of said pair of brackets including locking means cooperable with said one or more apertures of one of said certain of said slats and slidably movable between engaged and disengaged positions for detachably securing and allowing longitudinal adjustment of said restraining bar and said pair of brackets at predetermined positions along said certain of said slats; and at least a single bracket of one of said pair of brackets including a spring member coupled to said locking means; actuating means movable slidably relative to said bracket member and into contact with said spring member for causing said spring member to controllably move into locking means into said engaged and disengaged positions relative to said one aperture.

Claim 3

An article carrier as set forth in claim 1 including spring means for urging said locking member into said engaged position.

Claim 4

An article carrier as set forth in claim 2 wherein said securing means includes actuating means cooperable with said spring means for moving said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions.

Claim 5

An article carrier as set forth in claim 3 wherein said spring means comprises a spring member having first and second ends.

Claim 6

An article carrier as set forth in claim 4, further including fastening means for securing said first end of said spring member to said bracket.

Claim 7

An article carrier as set forth in claim 5 wherein said locking member is secured to said second end of said spring member.

Claim 8

An article carrier as set forth in claim 6 wherein said locking member includes a finger extending outwardly.

Claim 9

An article carrier as set forth in claim 7 wherein said bracket includes means forming an interior chamber having upper and lower ends, said finger of said locking member extending through said lower end.

Claim 10

An article carrier as set forth in claim 8 wherein said actuating means comprises an actuating member having an outer surface substantially flush with an outer surface of said bracket.

Claim 11

An article carrier as set forth in claim 9 wherein said actuating means further comprises a protrusion extending inwardly from said actuating member to move said spring member and said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions.

Claim 12

An article carrier as set forth in claim 10 wherein said spring member includes first and second detents defining said engaged and disengaged positions, said protrusion cooperating with said first and second detents.

Claim 13

An article carrier as set forth in claim 11 wherein said actuating member includes a recess in the outer surface thereof to allow an operator to place a portion of a hand therein to move said actuating member and said protrusion between said first and second detents.

Claim 14

An article carrier for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior vehicle body surface, said slats extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle; a pair of brackets disposed upon certain of said slats and a restraining bar extending laterally between and secured adjacent its opposite ends to said bracket; and said certain of said of slats including means defining a channel for permitting sliding movement of at least one of said brackets along the length thereof, and means defining one or more apertures located within said channel; at least one of said brackets including a locking member cooperable with said one or more apertures and movable between an engaged and a disengaged position for locking and unlocking said bracket at a position along said certain of said slats; and spring means disposed within said at least one bracket and coupled to said locking member for moving said locking member into and out of said aperture; an actuating member associated with said at least one bracket and movable slidably relative to said at least one bracket for abutting said spring means and moving one end of said spring means away from said aperture, to move said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions relative to said aperture, thereby enabling longitudinal adjustment of said restraining bar and said at least one bracket at predetermined positions along said certain of said slats.

Claim 15

An article carrier for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior vehicle body surface, said slats extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle; a pair of brackets disposed upon certain of said slats and a restraining bar extending laterally between and secured adjacent its opposite ends to said bracket; and said certain of said of slats including means defining a channel for permitting sliding movement of at least one of said brackets along the length thereof, and means defining one or more apertures located within said channel; at least one of said brackets including a locking member cooperable with said one or more apertures and movable between an engaged and a disengaged position for locking and unlocking said bracket at a position along said certain of said slats; and spring means disposed within said at least one bracket and coupled to said locking member for moving said locking member into and out of said aperture; an actuating member associated with said at least one bracket and movable slidably relative to said at least one bracket for abutting said spring means and moving one end of said spring means away from said aperture, to move said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions relative to said aperture, thereby enabling longitudinal adjustment of said restraining bar and said at least one bracket at predetermined positions along said certain of said slats.

Claim 16

An article carrier as set forth in claim 13, further including spring means for urging and maintaining said locking member in said engaged position in response to sliding movement of said actuating member.

Claim 17

An article carrier as set forth in claim 14 wherein said spring means comprises a spring member having first and second ends.

Claim 18

An article carrier as set forth in claim 15 including fastening means for securing said first end of said spring member to said bracket, said locking member being secured to said second end of said spring member.

Claim 19

An article carrier as set forth in claim 16 wherein said actuating member comprises a protrusion extending inwardly relative to said spring member to move said spring member and said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions.

Claim 20

An article carrier as set forth in claim 17 wherein said spring member includes first and second detents defining said engaged and disengaged positions, said protrusion cooperating with said first and second detents to move said spring member between said engaged and disengaged positions.

Claim 21

An article carrier for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior vehicle body surface, said plurality of slats extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle; a pair of brackets disposed upon certain of said plurality of slats and a restraining bar extending laterally between and secured adjacent its opposite ends to said pair of brackets; said certain of said plurality of slats including means defining a channel for permitting sliding movement of at least one of said brackets along the length thereof, and means defining one or more apertures located within said channel; at least one bracket of said pair of brackets including a locking member cooperable with said one or more apertures of said certain of said slats and movable between engaged and disengaged positions for locking and unlocking said at least one bracket at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined positions along said certain of said slats and allowing longitudinal adjustment of said restraining bar and said pair of brackets at said predetermined positions along said certain of said slats; spring means responsive to movement of said locking member for urging said locking member into said engaged and disengaged position; an actuating member associated with said at least one bracket slidably movable relative to said at least one bracket, and cooperable with said spring means for slidingly abuttingly moving said locking member from said engaged position into said disengaged position, and for slidingly enabling said spring means to urge said locking member from said disengaged position into said engaged position; said spring means comprising a spring member having first and second ends; fastening means for securing said first end of said spring member to an interior surface of said at least one bracket, said locking member being secured to said second end of said spring member; said at least one bracket including means forming an interior chamber having upper and lower ends, said locking member including a finger extending outwardly through said lower end; said actuating member having inner and outer surfaces, said outer surface being substantially flush with an outer surface of said bracket, and said inner surface having a protrusion extending inwardly into said interior chamber to slidably, abuttingly move said spring means and said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions as said actuating member is moved slidably between said positions; and said spring including first and second detents, said protrusion engaging within said first and second detents to move said second end of spring member and said locking member about said first end between said engaged and disengaged positions and to maintain said spring and said locking member in said positions.

Claim 22

An article carrier for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of slats fixedly secured on a generally horizontally extending exterior vehicle body surface, said plurality of slats extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle; a pair of brackets disposed upon certain of said plurality of slats and a restraining bar extending laterally between and secured adjacent its opposite ends to said pair of brackets; said certain of said plurality of slats including means defining a channel for permitting sliding movement of at least one of said brackets along the length thereof, and means defining one or more apertures located within said channel; at least one bracket of said pair of brackets including a locking member cooperable with said one or more apertures of said certain of said slats and movable between engaged and disengaged positions for locking and unlocking said at least one bracket at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined positions along said certain of said slats and allowing longitudinal adjustment of said restraining bar and said pair of brackets at said predetermined positions along said certain of said slats; spring means responsive to movement of said locking member for urging said locking member into said engaged and disengaged position; an actuating member associated with said at least one bracket slidably movable relative to said at least one bracket, and cooperable with said spring means for slidingly abuttingly moving said locking member from said engaged position into said disengaged position, and for slidingly enabling said spring means to urge said locking member from said disengaged position into said engaged position; said spring means comprising a spring member having first and second ends; fastening means for securing said first end of said spring member to an interior surface of said at least one bracket, said locking member being secured to said second end of said spring member; said at least one bracket including means forming an interior chamber having upper and lower ends, said locking member including a finger extending outwardly through said lower end; said actuating member having inner and outer surfaces, said outer surface being substantially flush with an outer surface of said bracket, and said inner surface having a protrusion extending inwardly into said interior chamber to slidably, abuttingly move said spring means and said locking member between said engaged and disengaged positions as said actuating member is moved slidably between said positions; and said spring including first and second detents, said protrusion engaging within said first and second detents to move said second end of spring member and said locking member about said first end between said engaged and disengaged positions and to maintain said spring and said locking member in said positions.