Patent ID: 7311176

Claim:
A ladder retaining assembly retaining a multiplicity of ladders to a vehicle rack, wherein said vehicle rack has a first horizontal member and a first vertical member attached to an end thereof, a pair of facing U-shaped brackets mounted on opposite sides of the first horizontal member to define therewith first and second hollow vertical members, wherein said ladder retaining assembly comprises: a pair of spaced vertical rails forming a channel therebetween and interconnected at their upper ends by a first end of a horizontally extending attachment member, a vertically extending sleeve attached to a second end of the attachment member, said pair of vertical rails disposed within respective said first and second hollow vertical members and capturing the rungs of said multiplicity of ladders within said channel, said first vertical member being received within the sleeve, said sleeve and said first vertical member having aligned apertures receiving a locking means therein for retaining the retaining assembly to the vehicle rack.