Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Trw Limited

Mascotech, Inc.

Advanced Accessory Systems, LLC

William D Batterson

Craig A Stapleton

Gregory L Eilers

Douglas Lee Wickham

James A Lee, Jr

Jim G Striese

John E Iafret

An article carrier includes spaced longitudinal rails, at least one of the rails having an upper arm coupled by a hinge to a lower arm. A crossbar having an end portion adapted to be entrained between the upper and lower arm portions includes a conformingly shaped mating surface to one of the members of the longitudinal rail. Preferably, both ends of each crossbar include conforming surfaces that mate with corresponding configurations on the rail to fixedly position the crossbar along the longitudinal rail. The position of the crossbar is easily adjusted by opening the upper member of the longitudinal rail by displacement about the hinge, and the hinge axis may be transversely, longitudinally or vertically aligned as desired. Preferably, two upper arms are provided on a longitudinal rail, hinged at opposite ends of the longitudinal rails, and include overlapping portions retained by a single latch mechanism. In addition, the crossbar preferably includes a retainer that engages a lip in the lower arm of the rail so that the lower arm resists lifting of the crossbar from the rail.

Hinged rail article carrier

An article carrier includes spaced longitudinal rails, at least one of the rails having an upper arm coupled by a hinge to a lower arm. A crossbar having an end portion adapted to be entrained between the upper and lower arm portions includes a conformingly shaped mating surface to one of the members of the longitudinal rail. Preferably, both ends of each crossbar include conforming surfaces that mate with corresponding configurations on the rail to fixedly position the crossbar along the longitudinal rail. The position of the crossbar is easily adjusted by opening the upper member of the longitudinal rail by displacement about the hinge, and the hinge axis may be transversely, longitudinally or vertically aligned as desired. Preferably, two upper arms are provided on a longitudinal rail and supported by hinges located at opposite ends of the longitudinal rail. The opposite ends of the two upper arms include overlapping portions which can be retained by a single latch mechanism. The upper arms are closed to a spaced apart position from the lower member of the longitudinal rail. The fixed positioning of the crossbars permits additional accessories such as a locking grid to be movably entrained between the longitudinal rails. In addition, the article carrier may include a retainer arm which locks to the grid and between the upper arm and lower arm of a longitudinal rail.

Article carrier

An adjustable strike incorporates a bracket defining a slide, a striker plate including a latch-engaging section and an integral slider slidably positioned in the slide and an adjusting screw recessed into the bracket underneath the slide, said screw having a head accessible at an edge of the bracket and a thread threadedly engaging the slider. Projections are provided at the opposite sides of the slide which overhang the edge margins of the slider to slidably retain the slider in the slide. The bracket and screw are simple molded plastic parts and the striker plate is a simple formed metal part. All three parts can be assembled quickly without any tools by placing the screw in the bracket recess and engaging an edge of the striker plate slider under the projections at one side of the slide and pressing the slider down into the slide whereupon its opposite side edge becomes engaged under the projections at the opposite side of the slide.

Adjustable strike

Growing community of inventors

Grand Blanc, MI, United States of America

William D Batterson