GB2238993A

GB2238993A - Carrying elongate articles in private road vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2238993A
Application number: GB9026008A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart James Mckie
Original assignee: MCKIE AGNES
Current assignee: MCKIE AGNES
Priority date: 1989-12-01
Filing date: 1990-11-29
Publication date: 1991-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-29
Also published as: GB2238993B; GB9026008D0

Abstract

An accessory for supporting an elongate article, such as a fishing rod extending fore-and-aft in a private road vehicle, comprises a bridge means 14 disposed in the gap between the front passenger seats 10, 11 of the car. Conveniently, the bridge means is releasably engaged with the mutually adjacent fixings 13 of head restraints 12 mounted to the top of the front passenger seat backrests. Alternatively, the bridge means is coupled with simple support brackets resting on the tops of the seat backrests. <IMAGE>

Description

CARRYING ELONGATE ARTICLES IN PRIVATE ROAD VEHICLES This invention relates to road vehicle accessories and is particularly concerned with carrying elongate articles by private road vehicle.

Usually, elongate articles transported by private road vehicle ("passenger car") are mounted to extend fore-and-aft on the roof of the vehicle, using mounting arrangements generally of a kind known by the term "roof rack", or of specialised designs particularly to suit the articles concerned, eg. skis, fishing rods etc.

Disadvantages of roof-mounting arrangements include vulnerability to unauthorised interference, theft, possible loss or damage due to faulty fastenings etc.

An alternative is to attempt to carry the articles inside the car, but this can inconvenience passengers and/or constitute a danger to them because the interior of a passenger car is not designed or laid out for accommodating elongate articles. In this context, fishing rods are especially a problem because they are easily damaged in such surroundings.

According to the present invention, there is provided in a private road vehicle an accessory for use in supporting an elongate article when extending fore-and-aft of the vehicle and comprising a bridge means disposed in a gap between front passenger seats of the car.

Preferably, the bridge means is adjacent the tops of the backs of said seats.

Preferably, the seats have respective head restraints disposed above said tops with fixing means extending into the seat backs, and the bridge means is adapted for attachment to said fixing means.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view forwards from the rear seat of a passenger car and showing a bridge means between the front passenger seats in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the arrangement of Fig. 1 and including part of the rear passenger seat; Fig. 3 is a view similar to part of Fig. 1, but showing a preferred construction of bridge means; and Fig. 4 is an "exploded" perspective view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, and to a larger scale.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the near side and off side front passenger seats of a private road vehicle are indicated by reference numerals 10 and 11 respectively. The seats 10, 11 are provided with head restraints 12 which are mounted above the tops of the seat backs by fixing means 13 which extend into the seat backs in known manner and include tubular members of circular cross-section to which spring-leg clips can be.

attached easily and conveniently.

A bridge means 14 is disposed in the gap between the seats 10, 11. In the drawings, the bridge means 14 is represented diagrammatically as being a rigid support bar the opposite ends of which are clipped to the fixings 13.

In use, an elongate article such as a fishing rod 15 (Fig. 2) is supported on the bridge means 14 and on the top of the rear seat back rest 16 of the car. The article 15 may conveniently be secured to the bridge means 14 by means of a simple tie 17; and the rear portion of the article 15 may be secured centrally on the rear back rest 16 by means of a second tie 18 anchored to the back rest 16 by an anchor screw or clip 19.

In order to accommodate differences in span between the near side and off side seats 10, 11 the bridge means 14 may comprise a telescopic rod or support bar.

Alternatively, the end portions of the bridge means may be provided with adjustable brackets capable of swinging to adopt different positions. Such brackets may also be used to effect adjustment of the height or level of the support bar.

Such an arrangement is that shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of drawings. In these Figs., parts corresponding with those in Figs. 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 3 shows only the off-side front passenger seat, and it should be assumed for the purposes of this description that the opposite ends of the bridge means are mutually identical. In Fig. 3 and 4, the bridge means 14 consists of a rod 20 of a substantially rigid material and provided at each end with a slot 21 to receive one end of a slotted arm 22 for pivotal connection with the rod 20 using a pivot pin 23. A support bracket 24 for resting on the top of the backrest of the front passenger seat 11 is made of a bendable material, for example aluminium or a bendable plastics material, so that the support bracket 24 may be configured to fit snugly on the top of the seat backrest.A rear leg 25 of the bracket 24 is provided with a bolt hole 26 of square configuration to receive a "coach" bolt 27 which in conjunction with a wing nut 28 and washer 29 is used to clamp the arm 22 in a desired position.

In Fig. 3, the passenger seat 11 is not provided with a head restraint, and the support bracket 24 simply rests on the top of the seat backrest. However, in a modification where the passenger seat is provided with a head restraint and fixing such as fixing 13, the support bracket 24 is adapted for engagement with the head restraint fixing, for example by hooking or alternatively by clipping.

In another arrangement in accordance with the present invention, the bridge means comprises å flexible member extending between the fixings 13, and may incorporate means for adjusting the length of the flexible member. The flexible member may incorporate an elastic or resiliently yieldable portion.

By providing a bridge means in the gap between the front passenger seats, elongate or long slender articles can most conveniently and readily be disposed inside a passenger car without inconvenience to the passengers or the driver, and at a level with in most passenger cars provides maximum fore-and-aft length.

Claims

1. In a private road vehicle, an accessory for use in supporting an elongate article when extending fore-and-aft of the vehicle and comprising a bridge means disposed in a gap between front passenger seats of the car.

2. An accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge means is adjacent the tops of the backs of said seats.

3. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the seats have respective head restraints disposed above said tops with fixing means extending into the seat backs, and the bridge means is adapted for attachment to said fixing means.

4. An accessory as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bridge means comprises a telescopic rod or support bar.

5. An accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bridge means comprises a flexible member.

6. An accessory as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flexible member incorporates means for adjusting the length of the flexible member.

7. An accessory as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flexible member incorporates an elastic or resiliently yieldable portion.

8. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bridge means has end portions shaped simply to rest on the mutually facing portions of the tops of the front passenger seat backrests.

9. An accessory substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.