Quick Release Mounting Plate Assembly

A mounting plate assembly for securing an item to a rack of a vehicle, the rack having at least one bar, the assembly comprising:

• a mounting plate having a plurality of mounting slots;
• at least one mounting foot removably attached to at least one of the plurality of mounting slots;
• a locking latch having:
• a main body having a left wall and a right wall that are parallel with each other, with a curved groove section cut from a lower part of each of the left wall and the right wall, with the curved groove sections together defining a grooved passageway;
• a curved catch having a free end and an opposing connecting end that is pivotably connected to the lower part of the left wall and the right wall, wherein the free end has an end surface and a locking hole extending from the end surface, and wherein the curved catch is shaped to define a curved inner side such that, when combined with the grooved passageway, together define a generally circular passageway when the curved catch is closed;
• a release knob coupled with the main body and having a locking pin that extends into the grooved passageway to releasably engage the locking hole of the curved catch;
• a biasing member carried on the locking pin and normally biasing the locking pin towards the circular passageway;
• and
• wherein the circular passageway is adapted to receive the at least one bar when the mounting plate is secured to the rack.