Patent ID: 7198184

Claim:
A vehicle article carrier for supporting articles elevationally above an outer body surface, comprising: a pair of support rails adapted to be secured to said outer body surface at spaced apart locations on said outer body surface; at least one cross bar having end supports at each terminal end thereof for engaging said support rails and spanning a distance between said support rails, said cross bar being adapted to support said articles thereon; each said end support including: an internally disposed biasing member having a first and second spaced apart portions, and being supported within said housing for free rotational translating movement between two spaced apart positions within said housing; an actuating member pivotally mounted for pivotal movement between a locked position and an unlocked position; said first portion of said biasing member being disposed against an internal portion of said end support; said second portion of said biasing member being disposed against a portion of said actuating member, and relative to a pivot point of said actuating member, such that said biasing member provides an over center biasing action on said actuating member; wherein said over center biasing action enables said biasing member to automatically urge said actuating member into said locked position, relative to a respective one of said support rails, once said actuating member is moved past a predetermined point of travel when moving said actuating member toward said locked position; and wherein said over center biasing action enables said biasing member to automatically urge said actuating member into said unlocked position, relative to said respective one of said support rails, once said actuating member is moved past said predetermined point of travel when moving said actuating member toward said unlocked position, and to hold said actuating member in said unlocked position.