Patent ID: 6561471
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: A01K,F16M

Abstract:
A rod holder comprising:a pair of spaced apart brackets for supporting therebetween a rod; each of said brackets including a generally C-shaped portion having opposed ends to define an opening therebetween; a mounting plate connected to said C-shaped portion; a complementary latch pivotally connected to one of said opposed ends for pivoting between an open and closed position and the other end of said opposed ends having a cutout portion with opposed sides; each of said opposed sides of said cutout portion having a groove formed therein; said latch having a pair of spaced apart elongated flexible arms having their respective free ends insertable into said cutout portion in the latched position; said flexible arms having an inherent resiliency for normally maintaining said free ends in a spaced apart position; and each of said flexible arms having a laterally outwardly extending flange adjacent the free ends thereof; said flanges being receivable in said grooves in the latched position; means formed on said flexible arms for imparting a squeezing force thereto; opposed cam surfaces on said opposed sides of said cutout portion for camming said flexible arms inwardly to render said latch self-locking in the latched position; and complementary means formed on said flexible arms and said cutout portion for positively locking said flexible arms within said cutout portion in the latched position of said latch whereby unintentional unlatching of said latch is prohibited, and wherein said complementary means comprise an elongated transverse slot in said other end extending at least a distance equal to a transverse distance of said flexible arms in said spaced apart position and defining a transverse lip connected between said opposed sides of said cutout portion; and a detent comprising a catch normal to said flexible arm connected to each of said free ends of said flexible arms for detachably engaging said transverse lip, whereby the inherent resiliency of said flexible arms maintains said detent positively engaged in locked position with said transverse lip until intentionally released by the application of a positive squeezing force on said squeezing means formed on said flexible arms.