Claims
- 1. A carrier for a roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a threaded rod having two oppositely wound threaded segments and rotatably mounted within said cross bar;
- an end member attached to an end of said threaded rod and being rotatable therewith;
- said cross bar having a channel which extends to an end of said cross bar, said channel being adapted to receive article constraining members therein;
- said end of said cross bar including a surface that is substantially adjacent to and parallel to a surface of said end member, said end member being provided with a portion that closes said channel at said end of said cross bar, and another portion that opens said channel at said end of said cross bar by rotation of said end member.
- 2. A carrier according to claim 1 further comprising:
- a support leg adjacent each end of said cross bar and positioned within and movable linearly along a track formed within said cross bar;
- each of said threaded segments of said threaded rod being threaded onto a nut member that communicates with one of said support legs, whereby rotation of said end member in one direction causes said support legs to move toward each other and rotation in the opposite direction causes said support legs to move away from each other.
- 3. A carrier according to claim 2 further comprising a roof engaging member attached to said support leg.
- 4. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein said roof engaging member is slidably attached to said support leg.
- 5. A carrier according to claim 3 that is adapted for securing to a roof having fixed guides preassembled thereon, wherein said roof engaging member is integral with said support leg, said carrier further comprising two brackets mounted within said cross-bar such that when said end member is rotated, said support legs move toward each other until said fixed guides are sandwiched between said roof engaging members and said brackets.
- 6. A carrier for the roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a support leg extending from said cross bar and movable in a direction parallel to said cross bar;
- a roof engaging member attached to said support leg such that said roof engaging member is freely movable relative to said support leg along a selected direction that is angled relative to said cross bar, whereby as said support leg is moved inwardly, said roof engaging member engages said roof, and said support leg is pulled downwardly as said roof engaging member moves relative to said support leg along said selected direction.
- 7. A carrier according to claim 6 further comprising:
- a threaded rod having two oppositely wound threaded segments and positioned within said cross bar and rotatably mounted therein.
- 8. A carrier according to claim 7 further comprising:
- an end member attached to an end of said threaded rod and being rotatable therewith;
- said cross bar having a channel which extends to an end of said cross bar, said channel being adapted to receive article constraining members therein;
- said end of said cross bar including a surface that is substantially adjacent to and parallel to a surface of said end member, said end member being provided with a portion that closes said channel at said end of said cross bar, and another portion that opens said channel at said end of said cross bar by rotation of said end member.
- 9. A carrier according to claim 7 including two of said support legs wherein each of said threaded segments is threaded onto a nut member that communicates with one of said support legs, whereby rotation of said rod in one direction causes said support legs to move toward each other and rotation in the opposite direction causes said support legs to move away from each other.
- 10. The carrier of claim 6, wherein said support leg includes a first inclined surface having a first flange extending therefrom, and said roof engaging member includes a second inclined surface having a second flange extending therefrom, wherein said first flange and said second flange are interconnected, thereby forming a track aligned with said selected direction upon which said roof engaging member movably engages said support leg.
- 11. A carrier according to claim 10, further comprising a threaded rod having two oppositely wound threaded segments and positioned within said cross bar and rotatably mounted therein.
- 12. A carrier according to claim 11 further comprising:
- an end member attached to an end of said threaded rod and being rotatable therewith;
- said cross bar having a channel which extends to an end of said cross bar, said channel being adapted to receive article constraining members therein;
- said end of said cross bar including a surface that is substantially adjacent to and parallel to a surface of said end member, said end member being provided with a portion that closes said channel at said end of said cross bar, and another portion that opens said channel at said end of said cross bar by rotation of said end member.
- 13. A carrier according to claim 11 including two of said support legs, wherein each of said threaded segments is threaded onto a nut member that is coupled with one of said support legs, whereby rotation of said rod in one direction causes said support legs to move toward each other and rotation in the opposite direction cause said support legs to move away from each other.
- 14. A carrier for a roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a support leg extending from said cross bar and movable in a direction parallel to said cross bar;
- a roof engaging member attached to said support leg by floating quadrilaterals, such that as said roof engaging member is moved inward and engages said roof, said cross bar and said support leg are pulled downward.
- 15. A carrier according to claim 14 further comprising:
- a threaded rod having two oppositely wound threaded segments and positioned within said cross bar and rotatably mounted therein.
- 16. A carrier according to claim 15 further comprising:
- an end member integrally attached to an end of said threaded rod and being rotatable therewith;
- said cross bar having a channel which extends to an end of said cross bar, said channel being adapted to receive article constraining members therein;
- said end of said cross bar including a surface that is substantially adjacent to and parallel to a surface of said end member, said end member being provided with a portion that closes said channel at said end of said cross bar, and another portion that opens said channel at said end of said cross bar by rotation of said end member.
- 17. A carrier according to claim 15 including two of said support legs wherein each of said threaded segments of said threaded rod are threaded onto a nut member that communicates with one of said support legs, whereby rotation of said rod in one direction causes said support legs to move toward each other and rotation in the opposite direction causes said support legs to move away from each other.
- 18. A carrier for a roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a support leg extending from said cross bar and movable in a direction parallel to said cross bar;
- roof engaging member attached to said support leg;
- a four-bar linkage associated with said support leg and said roof engaging member such that when said roof engaging member engages said roof, said cross bar and said support leg are pulled downward.
- 19. A carrier according to claim 18 wherein the four-bar linkage comprises a quadrilateral formed by a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and said support leg interconnected by four pins.
- 20. A carrier according to claim 19 wherein said first arm acts as an input link, and said roof engaging member is associated with said first arm such that as said roof engaging member engages said roof, said roof engaging member acts as a lever on said first arm.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
BO91A0256 |
Jul 1991 |
ITX |
|
BO92U0142 |
Jun 1992 |
ITX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/912,808, filed Jul. 13, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,570.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
912808 |
Jul 1992 |
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