A luggage carrier for vehicles.

(54) Title: Cargo hold for vehicles (56) Published publications: US 3,524,572 (224-42.1), US 4,015,760 (224-42.1), US 4,132,335 (224-42.1) (57) Abstract:

The invention relates to a load carrier of the type comprising a support bar with supporting legs connected to the ends of the support bar, which have fasteners for securing the load carrier to a vehicle, preferably to the drip bar of the vehicle roof.

The load carrier carrier bar is formed by at least two concentrically arranged portions (18, 20) which are slidable relative to each other to allow adjustment of the carrier rod length and thereby adaptation of the load carrier to the width of the vehicle. As a result, the support bar can be disassembled or pushed into a space-saving position of the load carrier. For fixing the parts of the support rod in the desired position relative to each other, the load carrier comprises a locking device.

According to the invention, the locking device is formed by two complementary, each of the members (18, 20) of the members (11, 30) arranged in 11 (24-30; 32). At least one of the means (24-30) of the locking device is fixable at its part (20) of the support rod in a relative position between the parts of the support rod, when the means of the locking device are in contact with one another, the desired location of said length.

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The present invention relates to a load carrier for vehicles comprising a carrier rod with supporting legs connected to the ends of the carrier bar, which have fasteners for securing the load carrier to a vehicle, preferably to the drop bar of the vehicle roof.

Cargo holders of the kind in question were used to an increasing extent to hold roof rails, holders for skis, holders for windsurfing boards, etc. in vehicle roofs. Cargo holders of the type described are a simple and advantageous means of allowing the transport of bulky objects in passenger cars.

&gt; With the increasing fuel costs, attention has been directed to the increase in the vehicle's air resistance and thus fuel consumption, which the load carriers of the kind in question entail. It is therefore essential that the load brackets are placed on the roof of the vehicle only when in use. Accordingly, it is a desire to provide a vehicle load carrier which, when not in operation, takes up little space so that it can be carried continuously in the vehicle and mounted on the roof of the vehicle only when needed.

In order to achieve this, it is known at a vehicle load carrier to pivotally connect the support legs to the support bar, so that the support legs can be pivoted between a storage space, which is folded in towards the support bar and in a transverse, folded out, effective position towards the support bar. Furthermore, it is known to design the load carrier of the load carrier so that it comprises two concentrically arranged parts which are slidable relative to each other to allow adjustment of the length of the carrier rod and thus adaptation of the load carrier to the width of the vehicle. This design of the carrier bar also makes it possible to disassemble the carrier bar or push the bar into a space-saving position of the load carrier. The load carrier hereby includes a locking device for fixing the two parts of the support rod in the desired position relative to each other, the locking device consisting of complementary, each locking means assigned by the parts of the support rod which, when in engagement with each other, fix the parts of the support rod in relation to each other. to each other and, when displaced from each other, allow disassembly and / or displacement of the carrier rod;

Although through the ov^-" '. the design of the load carrier is possible to arrange the load carrier in a storage position, in which it takes up little space when not in use, as regards the known design of the carrier bar, it is a disadvantage that the carrier rod after disassembly or pushing to the storage position must be adjusted with the correct length in relation to the width of the vehicle each time the load carrier is to be mounted on the vehicle again.

The object of the invention is to provide a load carrier for vehicles where the latter disadvantage is not present.

For the purpose of this purpose, the load carrier according to the invention is characterized in that at least one of the locking means of the locking device is fixable at its part of the support rod in a relative position between the parts of the supporting rod, when the locking means of the locking device are in contact with each other, the desired location the length of the part.

Thus, in a load carrier according to the invention, the length of the carrier rod and thus the size of the carrier holder is adjusted in relation to the width of the vehicle by fixing said one member of the locking device at its part of the carrier rod to a desired relative position between the parts of the carrier rod when the means of the locking device is engaged. with each other, the desired location of the length of said part. Thereafter, the carrier can be disassembled or pushed together by disengaging the means of the locking device with one another in order to arrange the load carrier in a stowed space-saving storage position, and the load carrier can be re-arranged in the use position by pulling the carrier rod into the locking device, when each other, automatically the preset is obtained, taking into account the actual length of the vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the two complementary members of the locking device are formed by an aperture formed in one of the parts of the support bar and a fixable member of the other part of the support bar, with a member provided for engaging the opening.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a load carrier according to the invention. Fig. 2 partially shows in section a portion of the load carrier shown in Fig. 1 on a larger scale. Fig. 3 shows a cross section along the line III-III in Fig. 2.

A load carrier according to the invention comprises a support bar 2 and two support legs connected to each end of the support bar. The support legs are intended to be connected to the drip rails of the vehicle roof, so that the carrier rod extends across the vehicle roof. Usually, a vehicle is provided with two load carriers spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The load carriers can be used to carry etc roof rails, ski racks, windsurfing board holders, bicycle holders, etc.

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The support bar 2 is connected to the support legs 4 by means of pivot pins 6, which make it possible that when the load carrier is not used, the support legs 4 are folded against the support bar to a space-saving position. The load carrier is provided with devices not particularly shown for locking the support legs in the folded, operative position. At its lower end, the support legs 4 have a fastening device consisting of a hook 8 and a clamping screw 10. The clamping screws 10 are provided with a rotating wheel 12. The support legs 4 have an end portion 14, which is intended to rest in the drip bar next to the vehicle roof, while the hooks 8 on each support leg are intended to grip under the bar to hold the support legs to the respective drip bar. By means of the rotary wheel 12 it is possible to rotate the respective clamping screw 10 for clamping the support legs 4 at the drip bar. At each end, the load carrier has a protective cap 16, which is not pivotally attached to the respective support legs 4. According to Fig. 1, the protective hoods 16 are in a position where the rotary knobs 12 are covered. Since the protective hoods 16 can be locked in the position shown, the protective hoods can be used to prevent the actuation of the rotary knobs 12 to prevent the load carrier being removed from the vehicle in an unauthorized manner. The protective hoods 16 may also be designed to prevent the seizure of such devices which are attached to the load carrier, i.e., for example, ski holders, windsurfing board holders, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment of the load carrier according to the invention, the support bar 2 consists of three parts, namely two end portions 18 and one of these connecting center portions 20. The end portions 18 are connected to each of the support legs 4 and have a substantially C-shaped cross section. The end portions 18 are arranged with their aperture facing upwards to allow such accessories as, for example, ski holders, to be easily connected to the support bar 2. Also, the center portion 20 is substantially C-shaped in cross-section and has dimensions such that it can be accommodated in the end portions 18 to allow displacement between the end portions 18 and the middle portion 20. The center portion 20 is provided with its open portion facing downward, i.e. toward the end portion 20.

In that the end portions 18 and the middle part 20 are displaceable in their longitudinal direction relative to each other, it is possible to adjust the distance between the support legs of the thighs 4 on the appropriate distance from each other with respect to the width of the vehicle to which the load carrier is to be attached. The load carrier includes locking devices 22 which are arranged to fix the end portions 18 relative to the center portion 20 in the set relative position.

When the locking devices 22 are inoperative, the load carrier can be disassembled by pulling the middle portion 20 from the end portions 18 and the supporting legs 4 being pivoted in towards the respective end portions 18. Thereafter, the load carrier will then be disassembled into three parts with small dimensions. The load carrier can thereby without taking up too much space

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S3 claims are stored inside the vehicle when not in use.

In accordance with the invention, the locking devices 22 are designed to automatically adjust the relative position between the end portions 18 and the center part 20 when assembling the load carrier so that the load carrier obtains the correct distance between the support legs 4 according to the vehicle width. Accordingly, each locking device 22 consists of a block 24. which has substantially the same cross-sectional size as the cavity in the middle portion 20. The block 24 is thus slidably disposed in the middle portion 20. By means of a locking screw 26 which extends through a threaded portion of the block 24, this can be fixed at the desired location in the center part 20 by tightening the locking screw to engage the body part 20. Attached to the block 24 is a member 28 formed as a leaf spring, which has a curved protruding portion 30. The portion 30 of the spring element 28 engages in an opening 32 in the end portion of the end portion 20.

Thus, when the block 24 is fixed in the middle part 20 by the locking screw 26 and the spring ele- ment 28 with its part 30 engages in the opening 32 in the end part 18, the end part 18 and the middle part 20 are thus fixed in relation to each other. By pressing the part 30 of the spring element 28, it is possible to move the part 30 out of engagement with the opening 32, so that the respective end part 18 can be pulled away from the middle part 20, where the load carrier should take up the storage position described above. Thus, in the storage position, block 24 sits at the respective end portions of the center portion 20.

When assembling the load carrier, it is only necessary to insert the end portions of the middle member 20 into the end portions 18, the parts 30 of the spring members 28 being formed such that they spring away when struck by the end edge of the end portions 18 and so that they spring into the associated opening 32 in the end portions 18, when the proper relative position between the end portions 18 and the middle port 20 is achieved.

It will thus be appreciated that it is possible to set the blocks of the locking devices 22 in the middle portion 20 in such a position that the proper relative position between the middle portion 20 and the end portions 18 and thus the proper distance between the support legs 4 is automatically obtained at each assembly of the load carrier from the dismounted storage position. .

The invention can be modified within the scope of the following claims. For example, in some cases it may be orderly with only one locking device of an adjustable type, while the other locking device is of a fixed type.

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