AN ASSEMBLY FOR A LOAD SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR A VEHICLE

1 . An assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle which includes,

a support frame adapted to be connected to the vehicle, the support frame comprising two longitudinally extending side rails, a front rail and a rear rail, each of the side rails having at least one channel longitudinally extending along at least a portion of the length of the underside surface thereof, which faces the vehicle;

a plurality of modular longitudinal base elements, each having at least one channel longitudinally extending along at least a portion of the length of the underside surface thereof, which faces the vehicle;

one or more mounting bars adapted to mount the load supporting structure to the vehicle, which extend laterally between the two side rails, and which are adapted to be connected to the side rails and the base elements via the respective longitudinally extending channels therein by a plurality of connector assemblies;

wherein at least one of the one or more mounting bars is slidable forward and aft at least partially along the length of the longitudinally extending channels of the side rails and base elements.

2 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 1 wherein the one or more mounting bars can be positioned at any location forward or aft along the length of the longitudinally extending channels of the side rails and base elements.

3 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 1 wherein when each of the connector assemblies are unlocked, the one or more mounting bars can be slid along the length of the longitudinally extending channels of the side rails and base elements in order to position the one or more mounting bars at a desired position.

4 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 2 wherein when each of the connector assemblies are locked, the one or more mounting bars are secured at the desired position along the length of the longitudinally extending channels of the side rails and base elements.

5 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 3 wherein each of the connector assemblies includes a flat base portion adapted to be received in the longitudinally extending channels and having an engagement surface adapted to urge against an interior surface of the channels, the base portion is further connected to a threaded post extending from the engagement surface, which is adapted to receive a nut on the distal end thereof, the nut can be tightened onto the threaded post to lock to connector assembly, thereby urging the engagement surface of the base against the interior channel surface to secure the mounting bars in the desired position, and where the nut can be loosened from the threaded post to unlock the connector assembly, thereby allowing the mounting bars to be slid forward and aft along the length of the longitudinally extending channels of the side rails and base elements.

6 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one channel longitudinally extends along at least a portion of the length of an underside surface of the longitudinal base elements.

7 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one channel longitudinally extends along at least a portion of the length of an underside surface of the side rails.

8 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal base elements and the side rails include two channels.

9 . The assembly for a load supporting structure for a vehicle of claim 1 wherein the internal thread of the threaded post of the connector assembly includes a 30° wedge ramp at the root thereof to provide vibration resistance, whereby the nut does not become loosened from the threaded post by vibrations caused by the movement of the vehicle.