Roof rail for vehicles

A roof rail adapted for use with a motor vehicle and adapted to be fixedly secured to an outer body surface of the motor vehicle in a manner which enables same to be quickly and easily removed, without accessing an interior area of the vehicle, and without significant disassembly of mounting structure secured to said outer body surface, the roof rail comprising:

• a side rail;
• at least one support leg adapted to be fixedly secured to the side rail;
• an adaptor adapted to be fixedly secured within a roof channel of said outer body surface for supporting said one support leg thereon;
• said adaptor having a first bore and a second bore extending at generally right angles to one another and in communication with each other, said second bore being a threaded bore, and a third threaded bore spaced apart from said first and second bores,
• a first fastening element extending through said first bore and being adapted to fasten to a bottom surface of said support leg;
• said first fastening element including a radial groove;
• a second fastening element adapted to be threadably inserted into said second bore of said adaptor to engage with said radial groove, to thereby hold said support leg to said adaptor;
• a third fastening element for engaging with said third threaded bore and adapted to receive an external fastening nut such that said adaptor can be fixedly secured within said roof channel of said outer body surface;
• and
• whereby partial removal of said second fastening element allows said support leg and said side rail secured thereto to be lifted off of said adaptor without requiring disassembly of said adaptor from said roof or access to said interior area of said vehicle.

A roof rail adapted for use with a motor vehicle and adapted to be fixedly secured to an outer body surface of the motor vehicle in a manner which enables same to be quickly and easily removed, without accessing an interior area of the vehicle, and without significant disassembly of mounting structure secured to said outer body surface, the roof rail comprising:

• a side rail;
• at least one support leg adapted to be fixedly secured to the side rail;
• an adaptor adapted to be fixedly secured within a roof channel of said outer body surface for supporting said one support leg thereon;
• said adaptor having a first bore and a second bore extending at generally right angles to one another and in communication with each other, said second bore being a threaded bore and extending generally parallel to said roof channel, and a third threaded bore spaced apart from said first and second bores and extending generally perpendicular to said second bore;
• a first fastening element extending through said first bore and being adapted to fasten to a bottom surface of said support leg;
• said first fastening element including a radial groove disposed at a point along said first fastening element where said radial groove is longitudinally aligned with said second bore when said first fastening element is secured to said support leg;
• a second fastening element adapted to be threadably inserted into said second bore of said adaptor to engage with said radial groove, to thereby hold said support leg to said adaptor;
• a third fastening element adapted to extend through an opening in said roof channel for engaging with said third threaded bore of said adaptor, and adapted to receive an external fastening nut such that said adaptor can be fixedly secured to said outer body surface within said roof channel;
• said adaptor including a centering set projecting outwardly therefrom, and said bottom surface of said support leg including a recess for receiving said centering set to thereby enable said support leg to be aligned on said adaptor;
• and
• whereby partial removal of said second fastening element allows said support leg and said side rail secured thereto to be lifted off of said adaptor without requiring disassembly of said adaptor from said roof or access to said interior area of said vehicle.