摘要 |
<p>An article carrier comprises a crossbar (16) to be detachably engaged with carrier rails (18, 20) secured to a motor vehicle body panel (12). The longitudinal rails may be aligned to correspond with style lines of the body panel and need not be aligned parallel to each other in order to receive the crossbar. The crossbar (16) includes an elongated rail (22) carrying at least one slider (24), the slider having an end removably engageable with the longitudinal rail. A guide carries the slider along an elongated rail of the crossbar while a latch fixedly locates the position of the slider along the elongated rail of the crossbar. In addition, a lock retains the latch in an engaged position to restrict manual operation of the latch. In the preferred embodiment, the longitudinal rails include a track adapted to accommodate correspondingly conforming ends on the slider.</p> |