Patent ID: 7111764

Claim:
In combination with a ladder rack adapted for mounting on a vehicle, a clamp assembly for securing a ladder to said ladder rack, said clamp assembly comprising: first and second spaced-apart holders adapted for engaging the ladder and said ladder rack, respectively; an elongated gear rack interconnecting said first and second holders; a pinion operatively engaging said gear rack, and comprising a plurality of uniformly spaced teeth formed along an entire circumference of said pinion; a hand knob rotatable about a notional axis extending centrally through said pinion, and adapted for rotating said pinion to thereby move said first article holder along said gear rack relative to said second article holder; a locking bar comprising a plurality of spaced teeth adapted for meshing with respective teeth of said gear rack in a locked position; and means for moving said locking bar between the locked position and a released position, such that: (i) in the locked position, the meshing teeth of said locking bar and gear rack cooperate to prevent linear movement of said first holder relative to said second holder, thereby securing the ladder to said ladder rack; and (ii) in the released position, the teeth of said locking bar and gear rack are sufficiently disengaged to allow free linear movement of the first holder along said gear rack relative to the second holder.