Load restraining apparatus for vehicles

A load/cargo restraining apparatus for vehicles of the type including a cargo area having opposing upstanding walls and a floor, said apparatus comprising:

• a pair of opposing elongated, rigid support rails extending generally parallel with one another when mounted on the opposing walls of the cargo area of a vehicle, said rails each having a series of support holes extending therethrough at spaced locations therealong;
• securing means for attaching each of said rails to one of the walls at a position spaced outwardly from that wall;
• said rails being aligned with one another across the cargo area such that respective pairs of said support holes in said opposing rails are aligned with one another;
• the space between each of said rails and its respective wall being accessible from adjacent said rails;
• a rigid, load restraining cross member mounted on and extending between said support rails at a selected position along said rails;
• said support rails and cross member generally extending in a first plane;
• removable fastening means for engaging the ends of said cross member to retain said cross member in said position on said rails;
• a pair of spaced, elongated rigid retaining members mounted on said cross member and extending generally perpendicular to said first plane;
• a first, elongated, rigid support member;
• said retaining members including releasable clamping means for engaging said cross member and for holding said support member in a position spaced from said one cross member whereby a load or cargo extending beyond said first plane may be restrained against movement.

A load/cargo restraining apparatus for vehicles of the type including a cargo area having opposing upstanding walls and a floor, said apparatus comprising:

• a pair of opposing elongated, rigid support rails extending generally parallel with one another when mounted on the opposing walls of the cargo area of a vehicle, said rails each having a series of support holes extending therethrough at spaced locations therealong;
• securing means for attaching each of said rails to one of the walls at a position spaced outwardly from that wall;
• said rails being aligned with one another across the cargo area such that respective pairs of said support holes in said opposing rails are aligned with one another;
• the space between each of said rails and its respective wall being accessible from adjacent said rails;
• a rigid, load restraining cross member mounted on and extending between said support rails at a selected position along said rails;
• said support rails and cross member generally extending in a first plane;
• removable fastening means for engaging the ends of said cross member to retain said cross member in said position on said rails, said fastening means positioned in the space between said support rails and the cargo area walls when said rails are mounted on the cargo area walls such that said cross member is retained on said support rails without reliance upon engagement of said cross member or fastening means with the cargo area walls;
• a second of said elongated, rigid, load restraining cross members mounted between a second pair of said support holes in said rails and generally parallel to but spaced from the first of said cross members, said first and second cross members being mounted in a first plane;
• and an elongated, rigid brace member mounted on and extending between and generally perpendicular to the direction of elongation of said cross members;
• said brace member being generally in said first plane and including releasable clamping means engaging each of said cross members for retaining said brace member in a desired location on said cross members;
• whereby said brace member resists movement of loads or cargo in the vehicle in a direction generally parallel to said cross members while said cross members resist movement of loads or cargo in the vehicle in a direction generally parallel to said brace member.

A kit for assembling a load/cargo restraining apparatus for vehicles having opposing upstanding walls and a cargo supporting floor, said kit comprising:

• a pair of elongated, rigid support rails extending in opposition to and generally parallel with one another when mounted on the opposing walls of the cargo area of a vehicle, said rails each having a series of support holes extending therethrough at spaced locations therealong;
• said rails adapted to be aligned with one another across the cargo area such that respective pairs of said support holes in said opposing rails are aligned with one another;
• securing means for attaching each of said rails to one of the walls at a position spaced outwardly from that wall, the space between each of said rails and its respective wall when said rails are mounted being accessible from adjacent and above said rails;
• an elongated, rigid, load restraining cross member adapted to be mounted on and to extend between said support rails when mounted on the walls of the cargo area, said cross member including a pair of mounting pins, one pin mounted on and extending from each end of said cross member, said pins each adapted to extend through one support hole in a selected pair of opposing support holes in said rails and into the space between said rail and its respective wall such that the end of each pin is spaced from the wall and is accessible in that space;
• removable fastening means for mounting on each of said pins in the space between said rail and its respective wall to retain the pins in said support holes and said cross member on said rails without reliance upon engagement of said pin, or any part of said cross member, or said fastening means with the opposing walls of the vehicle cargo area, said fastening means adapted for access for attachment and removal in the space from adjacent and above the rails when said rails are mounted on said cargo area walls;
• whereby when assembled in a vehicle and a load or cargo is positioned adjacent said cross member in the cargo area, the cargo will be supported and restrained against movement by said cross member and support rails without pressure being exerted by said cross member on the walls of the cargo area.

A load/cargo restraining apparatus for vehicles of the type including a cargo area having opposing upstanding walls and a floor, said apparatus comprising:

• a pair of opposing elongated, rigid support rails extending generally parallel with one another when mounted on the opposing walls of the cargo area of a vehicle, said rails each having a series of support holes extending therethrough at spaced locations therealong;
• securing means for attaching each of said rails to one of the walls at a position spaced outwardly from that wall;
• said rails being aligned with one another across the cargo area such that respective pairs of said support holes in said opposing rails are aligned with one another;
• the space between each of said rails and its respective wall being accessible from adjacent said rails;
• a first rigid, load restraining cross member mounted on and extending between said support rails at a selected position along said rails;
• said support rails and cross member generally extending in a first plane;
• a first pair of spaced, elongated rigid retaining members mounted on said cross member and extending generally perpendicular to said first plane;
• a first, elongated, rigid support member;
• said retaining members including releasable clamping means for engaging said cross member and for holding said support member in a position spaced from said one cross member whereby a load or cargo extending beyond said first plane may be restrained against movement;
• a second of said elongated rigid, load restraining cross mmebers mounted on and extending between said support rails and generally parallel to but spaced from the first of said cross members, said first and second cross members being mounted in said first plane;
• removable fastening means for engaging the ends of each of said cross members to retain said cross members in said positions on said rails;
• a second pair of said spaced, elongated, rigid retaining members mounted on said second cross member and also extending generally perpendicularly to said first plane;
• a second, elongated, rigid support member;
• said second pair of retaining members also including releasable clamping means for engaging said other cross member and for holding said second support member in a position spaced from said other cross member;
• an elongated, rigid brace member interchangeably mounted on and extending beween either (a) said first and second support members or (b) a pair of said retaining members comprised of one retaining member from each of said first and second pairs of retaining members.