Patent ID: 7073313

Claim:
A stirrup mounting device comprising: a frame having opposite, substantially parallel, longitudinal side members each having a lower end and an upper end, a stirrup attachment bar extending between and rigidly joining the lower ends of the opposite longitudinal side members in spaced relationship, and upper frame members extending inwardly from the upper ends of the side members; a rear housing section having an upper end mating portion and a lower end mating portion; a front housing section secured to the rear housing section to form a device housing capturing the frame, said front housing section having an upper end mating portion adapted to mate with the upper end mating portion of the rear housing section and a lower end mating portion adapted to mate with the lower end mating portion of the rear housing section when the front and rear housing sections are secured together to form the device housing, the lower end mating portions cooperating to form opposite side receiving and guiding grooves for slidingly capturing the opposite side members of the frame inserted between the housing sections prior to the housing sections being joined, and forming a receiving area between the rear housing section and the front housing section between the upper end mating portions and the lower end mating portions for capturing the upper frame members therein and allowing sliding movement of the frame with respect to the housing to allow the stirrup attachment bar to move toward the housing to a retracted position and away from the housing to an extended position; and locking apparatus for locking the frame in retracted position and releasing the frame to allow the frame to slide to extended position.