Abstract:
An adjustable rack and clamping apparatus for removably retaining surfboards or the like to the roof of a vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof, includes a plurality of two types of mounting block assemblies that slideably attach to two transversely disposed mounting bars removably affixed to the vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for rigidly and removably retaining surfboards or the like to a vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof. 
     2. Discussion of the Relevant Art 
     The prior art discloses devices used for affixing surfboards and the like to the roof of vehicles that are provided with a roof carrier, roof bars or brackets that fasten to the walls of a truck bed. However, none disclose affixing a device to the conventional rain gutter provided over the doors of a conventional vehicle. 
     The prior art abounds with devices for affixing surfboards or the like to the roof of vehicles during transport, such as, the patent issued to Langbauer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,070) on Apr. 26, 1983. This device does not disclose a means for preventing theft of the transported article. 
     The patent to San Juan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,055) issued on Jan. 5, 1988, discloses a bracket that utilizes conventional ski and surfboard racks to position the skis and surfboards over the truck bed. The patents to Finnegan et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,362) issued Sep. 19, 1989 and Tittel (U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,71) issued Jun. 5, 1990 disclose means for mounting a ski carrier attachment onto the carrier bar of an automobile roof carrier. 
     However, there is no showing or suggestion of an apparatus for rigidly and removably retaining surfboards or the like to a vehicle utilizing the conventional rain gutter, door jam or the like, provided over the doors of a conventional vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a simple apparatus that is readily installed on the roof of a vehicle, while preventing the theft of the article mounted thereon. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive apparatus for transporting surfboards while preventing damage thereto, as well as, protecting the vehicle on which it is mounted. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to transport a single surfboard or a pair thereof, with the same theft protection. 
     An adjustable rack and clamping apparatus for rigidly and removably retaining surfboards or the like to a vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof, according to the principles of the present invention, include a pair of mounting bars with support means disposed beneath the distal ends of each of the mounting bars disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a pair of generally I-shaped clamping mechanisms, one of which is generally centrally disposed on each of the mounting bars, at least two generally C-shaped clamping mechanisms, one of which is slideably disposed on each said mounting bar on at least one side of the generally I-shaped clamping mechanisms, each of the I-shaped and said C-shaped clamping mechanisms are provided with an anchor means adapted to cooperate with mating anchor means disposed on the mounting bars to hold the I-shaped and the C-shaped clamping mechanisms in a fixed position and means for fastening the mounting bar support means together with the mounting bar to the roof of the vehicle. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. Like-reference characters are utilized to designate like or corresponding components in the various views, in order for the reader to better understand features of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pair of surfboards removably affixed upon the roof portion of an automobile, according to the principals of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear view of the of the vehicle of FIG. 1, showing the roof portion thereof with two surfboards disposed thereon; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a mounting bar and clamping devices used to hold a surfboard to the roof of the vehicle; and 
     FIG. 4 is an end view in elevation, partially in cross-section of the mounting bar, along the line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3, showing the C-shaped and the I-shaped clamping mechanisms, with a cooperating locking device disposed therein; and 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view, in elevation and partially broken away, showing the C-shaped clamping mechanism, shown in FIG. 4, disposed upon a mounting bar affixed to the roof of a vehicle, by means of a hook member affixed to the rain gutter of a vehicle. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the figures and in particular to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown an adjustable lower rack and clamping apparatus  10  for removably retaining surfboards  12  and  12 ′ or the like, on the roof  14  of a vehicle  16 , according to the principals of the present invention. The adjustable rack and clamping apparatus  10  is seen to include a generally C-shaped (in cross-section) clamping mechanism  18  and  18 ′ that includes an anchor pin device  20  (see FIG. 5) designed to cooperate with any one of the anchor receptacles (apertures)  22 , as needed, provided in the upper surface  24  of the mounting bars  26  and  28 . 
     The lower surface  25  of the mounting bars  26  and  28  are provided with an outwardly extending skirt portion  27  (see FIG.  5 ), adapted to slideably cooperate with a skirt portion  29  provided on the I-shaped clamping mechanism  52  and the C-shaped clamping mechanism  18 . 
     The mounting bars  26  and  28  are spaced apart and are disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis  30  of the vehicle  16 , onto which the rack and clamping apparatus  10  is to be mounted. The mounting bars  26  and  28  are each supported by a pair of mounting bar supports  32 ,  32 ′ and  34 ,  34 ′, respectively, disposed at the distal ends of the mounting bars  26  and  28 . The mounting bar supports  32 ,  32 ′ and  34 ,  34 ′, respectively, have a resilient protective pad, such rubber,  36  placed between the bar supports  32 ,  32 ′ and  34 ,  34 ′ and the roof  14  of the vehicle  16  to prevent any damage to the roof  14 , when the adjustable rack and clamping apparatus  10  is affixed thereon. 
     The mounting bar supports  32 ,  32 ′ and  34 ,  34 ′, respectively, are affixed to the roof  14  of the vehicle  16  with a mounting bar anchor  38 , which has a hook portion  40  that clamps the rain gutter  44 , or inner door jam of the vehicle  16 . The tension on hook portion  40  is adjusted by the control screw  42  (see FIG. 5) that is inaccessible once the end cap bracket  46  is in position. The end cap bracket  46  includes a locking device  48 , which is locked in place with the aid of a key  50 . The key  50  may also be used to lock the C-shaped clamping mechanism  18  and the I-shaped clamping mechanism (in cross-section), described hereinafter, with like numerals referring to similar components. The I-shaped clamping mechanism  52  may be considered two C-shaped clamping mechanisms  18  connected back-to-back having only one anchor pin mechanism  20 . 
     The anchor pin device  20 , disposed in the C-shaped clamping mechanism  18  or  18 ′ may be raised or lowered by the lever  54  affixed on the anchor pin  56 . A spring  58  disposed on the anchor pin  56  raises the anchor pin  56  so that it may readily move within the channel  60  provided between the anchor receptacles  22  provided in the anchor bars  26  and  28 , where it is stopped when it comes into contact with the edges  62  and  62 ′ of the surfboards  12  and  12 ′, respectively. The anchor pin  56  is then lowered into one of the anchor receptacles  22  and locked into place with the key  50 , which rotates a cam, not shown, to hold the anchor pin in a depressed or locked position. In a like manner, the I-shaped clamping mechanism  52  may be locked in position. 
     Generally, the I-shaped clamping mechanism  52  is disposed in the central portion of the mounting bars  26  and  28  to allow for the mounting of a second surfboard  12 ′, which has one edge  64 ′ locked therein. Thus, one I-shaped clamping mechanism  52 , will clamp a surfboard  12  on one side and another surfboard  12 ′ on the other side. A pair of C-shaped clamping mechanisms  18  juxtaposed on either side of I-shaped clamping mechanism  52  will anchor the surfboard  12  and  12 ′ on one end  68  and  68 ′ thereof and in a like manner the other end  70  and  70 ′ will also be clamped by two C-shaped clamping mechanisms  18 ′ juxtaposed on either side of I-shaped clamping mechanism  52 ′. 
     Both of the I-shaped clamping mechanisms  52  and  52 ′ and the C-shaped clamping mechanisms  18  and  18 ′ are provided with a vertical clamping device  72  for providing pressure on the top portions of the clamping mechanisms to hold the surfboards in the open portions thereof The device  72  includes a central shaft  72  provided with a knob  78  disposed on one distal end thereof and a central gear  76  disposed on the other distal end thereof The gear  76  has a pair of juxtaposed gears  80  and  82  cooperating therewith, that are coupled to a plate  84  that moves up and down in a vertical plane depending upon the direction of rotation of the knob  78 . By increasing the pressure that can be placed on the resilient lining  86  provided in the circumferential openings of the I-shaped clamping mechanisms  52  and  52 ′ and the C-shaped clamping mechanisms  18  and  18 ′ the surfboards can be firmly clamped therein. 
     In operation, the adjustable rack and clamping apparatus  10  is affixed to the roof of vehicle  16  by means of the hook  40  clamping on to the rain gutters  44 , or the like, provided thereon. The I-shaped clamping mechanisms  52  and  52 ′ are positioned and locked in place on the mounting bars  26  and  28 . Thereafter a surfboard or the like is placed with one edge thereof into the openings of the I-shaped clamping mechanisms  52  and  52 ′. Then the C-shaped clamping mechanisms  18  and  18 ′ are placed on the mounting bars and moved into position to firmly contact the edge  62  of the surfboard can be locked in position. This procedure may be repeated when a second surfboard is to be carried along side the first one. The vertical clamping devices  72  are then adjusted by rotating knobs  78  until firm pressure is exerted on the surfboards  12  and  12 ′, clamping them into the adjustable rack and clamping apparatus  10 . The end cap brackets  46  are then locked into position on the mounting bar supports  32 , 32 ′ and  34  and  34 ′. 
     Hereinbefore has been disclosed a simple, reliable and relatively inexpensive adjustable rack and clamping apparatus for removably retaining surfboards or the like on the roof of a vehicle and preventing them from theft.