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A rack for supporting guns in a motor vehicle which includes end plates which can be easily installed between the surface of a rear window and the resilient molding, which encircles the edge of the rear window, with one or more cradle elements being integral with one component of the rack and the ot

A rack for supporting guns in a motor vehicle which includes end plates which can be easily installed between the surface of a rear window and the resilient molding, which encircles the edge of the rear window, with one or more cradle elements being integral with one component of the rack and the other component of the rack including structure to enable adjustment of the length of the rack and relative pivotal movement when the rack is installed, whereby the two end plates may be engaged with the resilient molding when the two components of the rack are in angular relation and the two components then are moved to an in-line condition and secured in that condition to enable quick installation. Each end plate is provided with foldable edge wings to facilitate packaging and each of the cradle elements is provided with a gun retaining structure to retain the gun in a pair of spaced gun racks.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A rack for supporting guns comprising an upper component and a lower component each having an end plate for engagement with a supporting structure, means connecting adjacent ends of the components, and means on at least one of the components for supportingly engaging a gun each of said end plates

1. A rack for supporting guns comprising an upper component and a lower component each having an end plate for engagement with a supporting structure, means connecting adjacent ends of the components, and means on at least one of the components for supportingly engaging a gun each of said end plates being relatively thin and provided with laterally extending side edges, hinge means connecting the laterally extending side edges to the remainder of the end plate to enable the side edges of the end plates to fold into parallel relationship to provide compact packaging of the rack. 2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said components is constructed of plastic material with the end plates being also constructed of plastic material unitary with the components, said hinge means including a living hinge formed in the plastic material by forming a groove in one surface of the plastic material to define a hinge axis for pivoting the side edges of the end plate into perpendicular relation to the remainder of the end plate. 3. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said means on one of said components for supporting a gun includes a generally hook-shaped, upwardly opening cradle, and means on said cradle to retain the gun in place therein. 4. The structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said means retaining the gun in the cradle includes an elongated resilient member having the free ends thereof anchored to the cradle adjacent the component on which the cradle is mounted, the central portion of the resilient member extending outwardly to engage the outer end portion of the hook-shaped cradle in overlying relation to a gun positioned in the cradle. 5. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said resilient member is in the form of resilient tubing, a pin projecting from each side of the component adjacent the inner portion of the cradle and securely anchoring the tubular ends of the resilient tubing thereto, and an outwardly projecting lug on the exterior of the cradle below the upper outer corner thereof for receiving the central portion of the resilient tubing when it is stretched into overlying relation to the gun and pulled downwardly over the outer surface of the cradle. 6. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said means securing the upper and lower components together includes a pivot bolt securing overlapping portions of the upper and lower components together to enable the end plates to be engaged with opposed surfaces of a supporting structure when the components are in angular relation to each other, after which the components can be moved to a straight line condition, and a second bolt securing the components in their straight line condition with the end plates expanded outwarly for secure engagement with the supporting structure. 7. In combination with the structure as defined in claim 6, a window of a motor vehicle having a peripheral molding of resilient material forming the supporting structure for the gun rack with outward movement of the end plates serving to anchor the rack to the upper and lower portions of the molding around the vehicle window such as the rear window of a truck. 8. The structure as defined in claim 7, wherein said upper component has an elongated member of transverse channel-shaped configuration telescopically receiving the upper end portion of the lower component with the means supporting the gun being located on the lower component. 9. A support rack comprising an upper component and a lower component, each of said components having an end plate at the outer end thereof for engagement with opposed surfaces of a supporting structure, the inner ends of said components being disposed in overlapping relation, means connecting the overlapping inner ends of the components to enable pivotal movement between a position with the components in angular relation to a position with the components in a straight line, and means on one of said components to support an article, said means connecting the overlapping inner ends of said components including a plurality of longitudinally spaced aperture means in each of said components, a first fastener means engaged with one pair of said aperture means and forming a pivot axis enabling the components to pivot from their angular relation position with the end plates disposed between the opposed surfaces of the supporting structure to a straight line position thereby projecting the end plates outwardly into secure engagement with the opposed surfaces and a second fastener means engaged with a second pair of aperture means when the components have been moved to their straight line position thereby securing the rack to the supporting structure. 10. The rack as defined in claim 9 wherein said means supporting an article includes an upwardly opening cradle on one of said components, a resilient member extending across said cradle in overlying relation to an article positioned in said cradle, and means anchoring the resilient member to said one component to resiliently bias the article against the surface of the cradle and enable easy release and attachment of a portion of the resilient member to enable placement of the article in the cradle and removal therefrom when desired. 11. The rack as defined in claim 10 wherein said resilient member has a pair of ends, said means anchoring the resilient member to said one component including means anchoring the ends of the resilient member to said one component inwardly of the cradle and a projection on the outer surface of the cradle, the central portion of the resilient member being positioned under the projection to retain the article in the cradle. 12. The rack as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said end plates includes side edge portions extending laterally beyond the components, hinge means connecting the side edge portions of the end plates to the remainder of the end plates to enable the side edge portions to fold into parallel relation to each other adjacent the component. 13. The rack as defined in claim 12 wherein said components are of one-piece plastic material and said hinge means is a living hinge formed by a groove in the end plates, said upper component being channel-shaped and receiving the upper end portion of the lower component therein, said means supporting an article including an upwardly opening cradle on the lower component. 14. The rack as defined in claim 9 wherein said first fastener means is engaged with aperture means spaced from the inner end of one of said components with the second fastener means being longitudinally spaced therefrom when the components are in straight line position. 15. In combination with the rack of claim 9, the supporting structure comprising a vehicle panel having a peripheral molding of resilient material, said end plates having a thin outer edge engaged with the molding when the end plates are projected outwardly when said components are pivoted from their angular relation position to their straight line position. 16. The combination as defined in claim 15 wherein said means supporting an article includes an upwardly opening cradle on one of said components, a resilient member extending across said cradle in overlying relation to an article positioned in said cradle, and means anchoring the resilient member to said component to resiliently bias the article against the surface of the cradle and enable easy release and attachment of a portion of the resilient member to enable placement of the article in the cradle and removal therefrom when desired, said member having a pair of ends, said means anchoring the resilient member to said one component includes means anchoring the ends of the resilient member to said one component inwardly of the cradle and a projection on the outer surface of the cradle, the central portion of the resilient member being positioned under the projection to retain the article in the cradle. 17. The combination as defined in claim 16 wherein each of said end plates includes side edge portions extending laterally beyond the components, hinge means connecting the side edge portions of the end plates to the remainder of the plates to enable the side edge portions to fold into parallel relation to each other adjacent the component, said components are of one-piece plastic material and said hinge means is a living hinge formed by a groove in the end plates, said upper component being channel-shaped and receiving the upper end portion of the lower component therein, said means supporting an article including an upwardly opening cradle on the lower component.