Patent ID: 8162574

Claim:
A vehicular cargo retention apparatus reconfigurable between a free, non-compression configuration and a locked, vehicular cargo compressive retention configuration, and comprising: two adjustable releasable vertical compression force transfer elements, each of said force transfer elements comprising first and second ends, each of said force transfer elements established between a first horizontal, elongated structural element and a second horizontal, elongated structural element, and each of said second ends slidingly engaged with at least a portion of said second horizontal, structural element when said apparatus is in said free, non-compression configuration; two lateral immobilization devices that adjustably, releasably connect said first ends of said two adjustable releasable vertical compression force transfer elements with said first, horizontal, elongated structural element, said first ends slidingly engaged with at least a portion of said first horizontal, structural element when said apparatus is in said free, non-compression configuration and capable of being immobilized in a desired position upon operation of said two lateral immobilization devices; two engagement elements that each are configured to releasably attach said apparatus to at least one vehicle part; and a lever: pivotally connected with and substantially between said second ends of said two adjustable releasable vertical compression force transfer elements, pivotable about a lever horizontal axis, and configured to enable reconfiguration of said apparatus from said free, non-compressive configuration to said locked, vehicular cargo compressive retention configuration via activation of said lever by manual application of a torque to rotate said lever about said lever horizontal axis and thereby apply a vertical compressive force that retains said vehicular cargo, wherein, during said activation of said lever, said torque passes through a threshold, maximum resistant torque, then passes through a zero torque, and then becomes a terminal, assisting torque.