Abstract:
An attachment structure for the bed rail of a truck includes a mounting plate welded to each end of the bed rail and a rail foot adapted to mount to the side wall of the truck bed wherein the mounting plate and rail foot are releasably attached to one another by fasteners and adjustable with respect to one another in a front-to-back direction along the length of the truck bed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to accessories for trucks, and, more particularly, to an improved attachment system for mounting bed rails to the top edge of the side wall of the bed of a truck. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A growing market has developed for aftermarket accessories designed for trucks, and particularly pickup trucks, of all sizes. A wide variety of accessories are currently available, including such items as tool boxes, tailgate covers, tailgate caps, front end bed covers, step plates, antenna mounts, running boards, grille guards, step rails, muffler tips and others. 
     One popular accessory is known as a “bed rail, ” which is a tubular-shaped section of pipe mounted to the top edge of each side wall of the bed of a truck. The bed rail extends horizontally, parallel to the top edge of the truck bed side wall, except at its ends which are bent at a 90° angle to engage the side wall of the truck bed. 
     In the past, a flat plate or rail foot was welded directly to each end of the bed rail and secured to the side wall of the truck with fasteners such as screws or bolts. This design presented at least two problems. First, it has been found that the weld connection between the rail foot and an end of the bed rail is relatively weak and failures often occur at that location. Additionally, such attachment design does not allow for any adaptability to trucks made by different manufacturers. Although trucks are currently advertised and promoted as having a “full-size ” bed or beds of other size, in practice the actual length dimension of the side wall of truck beds differ to some extent depending on the manufacturer of the vehicle. Since a rail foot is welded to the bed rail at each end in current designs, it is necessary to fabricate separate bed rails for each make of truck to ensure it properly fits the length of the truck bed side wall. Otherwise, one bed rail of fixed length intended for all “full-size” trucks, for example, would be too short for some makes and too long for others. It is costly for manufacturers to stock bed rails of many sizes, and to repair bed rails which are returned with a failure at the weld between the bed rail and rail foot. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore among the objectives of this invention to provide a bed rail structure for attaching the bed rail, and to the bed of a truck, which is rugged in construction and which can be used with trucks having a different bed length. 
     These objectives are accomplished in an attachment structure for the bed rail of a truck which includes a mounting plate welded to each end of the bed rail, and a rail foot adapted to mount to the side wall of the truck bed, wherein the mounting plate and rail foot are releasably attached to one another by fastners and adjustable with respect to one another in a front-to-back direction along the length of the truck bed. 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, the attachment structure for the bed rail of this invention comprises a pair of mounting plates, each having side-by-side threaded bores, which are internally welded within the opposed ends of the bed rail. Each end of the bed rail also includes a rail foot formed with a throughbore and an elongated slot having a countersunk recess, a foot gasket, and, a locking bar having a threaded bore. Each rail foot rests on the foot gasket atop the outer surface of the top edge of the side wall of the truck bed, and is secured in position by the locking bar located within the interior of the side wall against the inner surface of top edge thereof. 
     The bed rail is mounted to the truck bed by first aligning each end of the bed rail with a respective rail foot so that the elongated slot in the rail foot aligns with the threaded bores in the mounting plates. Screws are extended through the elongated slot of the rail foot and threaded into the threaded bores of the mounting plate to secure the bed rail to the rail foot. Preferably, the head of the screws seat within the countersunk recess formed by the elongated slot in the rail foot. Each rail foot is then secured to the bed side wall by a bolt which extends through the throughbore in the rail foot and into threaded engagement with the bore in the locking bar. 
     One advantage of the attachment structure of this invention is that a stronger connection is provided between the bed rail and rail foot than if the two components were welded directly together as in the prior art. A mounting plate is securely welded within the interior of the bed rail at each of its ends, and then the mounting plate is connected by screws to the rail foot instead of a weld. Additionally, the elongated slot in the rail foot allows for adjustment of the position of the bed rail along the length of the truck bed, in a front-to-back direction, since the screws can be inserted into the mounting plate at any position along the length of the elongated slot. Since there is a rail foot on each end of the bed rail, the total extent of adjustment of the front-to-back position of the bed rail along the truck bed is equal to approximately the total length of the elongated slots of the two rail feet combined. This provides a great deal of flexibility compared to known bed rail mounting designs, and permits one size of bed rail to fit the bed of trucks made by a number of manufacturers, each of which typically designs a truck bed of somewhat different length. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pickup truck having a bed rail mounted to its bed; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the bed rail mounting structure of this invention shown partially disassembled; and 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the mounting structure herein with a portion of the top edge of the side wall of a truck bed depicted in phantom in the drawing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring initially to FIG. 1, a truck  10  is schematically depicted including a cab  12  and a truck bed  14  having a side wall  16  with a top edge  18  upon which the bed rail  20  of this invention is mounted. For purposes of the present discussion, the direction “front-to-back” is meant to refer to a direction along the length of the truck bed  14  from the cab  12  toward the rear of the truck  10 . 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, the bed rail  20  is a hollow, tubular-shaped member having a generally horizontally extending center section  22 , as depicted in the Figures., and a pair of end sections  24  and  26  which are oriented at approximately a 90 degree angle to the center section  22 . The structure for mounting each end section  24  and  26  to the truck bed  14  is identical, and therefore only the attachment of end section  24  is discussed herein, it being understood that the same description applies to the opposite end section  26 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, a generally rectangular-shaped mounting plate  28  is positioned within the interior of the bed rail  20 , immediately adjacent the end  24 , and welded at its opposite ends to the wall of the bed rail  20 . The mounting plate  28  is formed with a pair of threaded bores  30  which are oriented side-by-side and spaced from one another in the front-to-back direction with the bed rail  20  in position on the truck bed  14  as shown. A rail foot  32  is provided having a throughbore  34  and an elongated slot  36  formed with a countersunk recess or seat  38 . The slot  36  extends in the front-to-back direction with the rail foot  32  mounted to the truck bed  14 , as described below. 
     Preferably, a foot gasket  40  made of plastic or the like is provided for insertion in between the top edge  18  of the truck bed  20  and the rail foot  32  upon assembly of the mounting structure herein. Additionally, a locking bar  42  having a threaded bore  44  completes the mounting structure. 
     Assembly of the bed rail  20  on the truck bed  14  proceeds as follows. Initially, a pair of flat head screws  46  are inserted through the elongated slot  38  in the rail foot  32  into the threaded bores  30  of the mounting plate  28  in the end  24  of the bed rail  20 . The same procedure is followed at the other end  26  of the bed rail  20 . The bed rail  20  is then placed on the top edge  18  of the truck bed side wall  16 , preferably with the rail gasket  40  underneath to avoid scratching of the side wall  16 , to check on the appearance of the bed rail  20  and to align the rail foot  32  with the stake pockets  48  formed in the side wall  16  of the bed  14  as depicted schematically in phantom FIG.  1 . If the truck  10  is provided with a cover for the stake pockets (not shown) in the side wall  16  of the bed  14 , a mark is placed on such cover in alignment with the throughbore  34  of the rail foot  32  so that a hole can be drilled in that location. 
     A button head bolt  50  is inserted through the throughbore in the rail foot  32 , through a bore (not shown) in the rail gasket  40  and then is loosely threaded into the threaded bore of the locking bar  42 . The screws  46  are securely tightened within the threaded bores  30  of the mounting plate  28  so that their heads seat within the countersunk seat  38 . With the rail foot  32  connected to the bed rail  40 , the bed rail  40  is then placed in position atop the top edge  18  of the side wall  16  of the bed  14 . As the bed rail  40  is moved into position, each locking bar  42  is inserted within a stake pocket  48  in the bed side wall  16 . The bed rail  40  is now resting atop the top edge  18  of the bed side wall  16 , and final adjustments to its position are made at this time. The bolt  50  is then tightened within the threaded bore of the locking bar  44  to secure the entire assembly in place atop the side wall  16 . The locking bar  44  is thus positioned within the side wall  16  of the truck bed  14  which actually has a hollow interior defined by spaced wall sections (not shown). The construction of the side wall  16 , and the engagement of the locking bar  44  within the side wall  16  interior, are well known in the art and the details of same form no part of this invention. 
     It can be appreciated that the provision of an elongated slot  36  in each of the rail feet  32 , in combination with the mounting plate  28  in each end  24 ,  26  of the bed rail  40 , allows for adjustment of the position of the bed rail  40  on the bed side wall  16  in a front-to-back direction. The bed rail  40  can be moved along the length of the elongated slot  36  of each rail foot  32 , thus allowing a bed rail  40  of one length to accommodate truck beds  14  of somewhat different overall length. This reduces the number of bed rails  40  which a manufacturer must fabricate and keep in stock, which lowers costs. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.