Patent ID: 7234617

Claim:
An apparatus for securing an object to a vehicle load carrier, said apparatus comprising: a gripping assembly for lockably securing said object to said apparatus; a mounting assembly for lockably mounting said apparatus to said load carrier; and a locking assembly, said locking assembly movable between at least first and second positions, wherein in a first position said gripping assembly and said mounting assembly are substantially prevented from free movement and wherein in a second position said gripping assembly and said mounting assembly are freely movable and wherein said gripping assembly comprises a lever having a gripping surface, said lever pivoting between a first position and a second position; said gripping assembly including a gripper cable contacting said gripping surface of said lever to prevent movement of said gripper cable when said lever is in said first position, said gripper cable released for movement thereof when the lever is in the second position; said lever coupled to at least one latch of said mounting assembly, said latch movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said latch preventing rotation of a connecting knob when said lever is in said first position and said latch is in said extended position, said connecting knob free to rotate when said lever is in said second position and said latch is in said retracted position; and said locking assembly having a locked position to confine said lever to said first position, said locking assembly further having a release position, permitting movement of said lever from the first position to the second position.