Portable tie-down post for use in truck beds
A portable, removable tie-down apparatus includes telescoping shafts that can be locked in place at various heights. Arms extend from the shafts onto which ropes or straps can be tied. The post can be installed in a cargo hold area and the ropes tied around various articles to keep the articles from shifting during transportation. The post includes both course and fine adjustments for the height. The course adjustment is accomplished via a pin and holes formed in the telescoping shafts. The fine adjustment is accomplished via a threaded rod attached to a post foot member.
A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses for tie-down mechanisms for securing cargo in place, such as in a bed of a pickup truck, during travel, and more specifically to a portable tie-down post.
B. Brief History
It is well known in the art to secure articles or cargo in place during transportation from one location to another. Typically, the vehicle operator will use ropes or straps to wrap around the cargo. The operator then secures the ends of the ropes or straps to the vehicle to prevent shifting of the cargo within the vehicle and to prevent damage to the articles and the vehicle itself. A significant amount of cargo is transported using pick-up trucks and even standard passenger vehicles. Many types of vehicles including commercial vehicles are also used to carry articles from one place to another.
For the purposes of securing cargo in place, some vehicles provide rings or posts fixedly attached to the frame of the vehicle for tying the ropes or straps onto, as mentioned above. However, not all vehicles include these types of rigid rings or posts. Despite the fact that some vehicles do include rings or posts, the rings or posts provide only a single point to which to secure the ropes. Additionally, if multiple rings or posts are provided, they are typically positioned at a uniform level about the perimeter of the cargo hold area. The inventor has discovered a need for a tie-down post for securing cargo in place that can be moved from one position to another and that includes multiple places onto which a rope or strap can be tied. The present invention provides a workable solution to the aforementioned problems.
II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne embodiment of this invention includes removable tie-down post that can be rigidly secured in place about the interior of a cargo hold.
Another embodiment of this invention includes a tie-down post that can be adjusted to varying heights.
Yet another embodiment of this invention includes a tie-down post with multiple places onto which a rope or strap can be tied.
Still another embodiment of the present invention includes a tie-down post including securing ropes having one end fixedly attached at one end.
Yet another embodiment of this invention includes removable tie-down post that can articulate with respect to base portion.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same,
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With reference to all of the FIGURES, a use of the invention will now be described. The operator may grasp the tie-down post 1 and position the tie-down post 1 underneath the ledge of the wall of a cargo hold area for the subject vehicle. The operator may place the foot member 40 onto the bed of the cargo hold area adjacent to the articles that are to be secured in place for transportation. If the surface is of the vehicle bed is slanted, the operator may articulate the shaft 5 of the tie-down post 1 to a substantially vertical position. The operator may then extend the first shaft member 8 upward to bring the lip 19 proximate to the underside of the ledge of the wall and insert the pin 31 to lock the shaft portions 8, 9 together. The operator may further adjust, or extend, the threaded rod 35 so that the tie-down post 1 is firmly held in place. Once the tie-down post has been fixed in place, the operator may unravel one or more of the ropes 3 to tie the articles down preventing movement during transportation. The end of the ropes 3 may then be inserted into the rope locking device 62 and pulled snug talking up slack in the ropes and holding the articles firmly in place. It is noted that the operator may desire to wrap excess rope around one or more of the arms 12 or tie-down loops 15 and then insert the rope end 59 in the rope locking device 62. As discussed in detail above, the tie-down post 1 include multiple arms 12 and tie-down loops 15. These components 12, 15 are positioned at various heights about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 5 to affectively secure articles having varying heights and dimensions in place. During storage of the tie-down post 1, the operator may wrap the ropes 3 around the arms 12 as shown in
The embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A tie-down apparatus, comprising:
- first and second shaft portions, the second shaft portion being telescopically operatively associated with the first shaft portion;
- a foot member extended from a first end of the second shaft portion, wherein the foot member is operatively pivotally connected with respect to the second shaft portion;
- at least a first arm extended from one of either the first and second shaft portions; and,
- securing means for use in securing associated articles in place.
2. The tie-down apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- a lip the lip connected to the first shaft portion for use in hooking to an associated ledge of an associated wall.
3. The tie-down apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first shaft portion has at least a first hole, wherein the second shaft portion has at least a first hole; and,
- further comprising a pin, wherein the pin is operatively received within the holes of the first and second shaft portions for use in fixing the position of the first shaft portion with respect to the second shaft portion.
4. The tie-down apparatus of claim 1, wherein the securing means comprises a first rope.
5. The tie-down apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
- A quick release rope locking device for use in holding the first rope.
6. A method of securing associated articles in place in a cargo hold, the steps comprising:
- providing a tie-down apparatus having one or more ropes;
- securing the tie-down apparatus within the cargo hold;
- tying the ropes around the associated articles; and,
- securing the ropes to the tie-down apparatus.
7. A tie-down apparatus, comprising:
- first and second shaft portions, the second shaft portion being telescopically operatively associated with the first shaft portion;
- a foot member extended from a first end of the second shaft portion, wherein the foot member is operatively pivotally connected with respect to the second shaft portion;
- at least a first arm extended from one of either the first and second shaft portions; and,
- a rope.
8. A tie-down apparatus, comprising:
- first and second shaft portions, the second shaft portion being telescopically operatively associated with the first shaft portion;
- a foot member extended from a first end of the second shaft portion, wherein the foot member is operatively pivotally connected with respect to the second shaft portion;
- at least a first arm extended from one of either the first and second shaft portions; and,
- a strap, the strap being made of a plastic material.
9. The tie-down apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
- a lip connected to the first shaft portion for use in selectively connecting to the ledge of an associated wall.
10. The tie-down apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first shaft portion has a first hole and the second shaft portion has a first hole; and further comprising:
- a pin, wherein the pin is selectively operatively received within the hole of the first shaft portion and the hole of the second shaft portion to fix the position of the first shaft portion with respect to the second shaft portion.
11. The tie-down apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
- A quick release rope locking device for use in holding the first rope in place.
12. A tie-down apparatus, comprising:
- first and second shaft portions, the second shaft portion being telescopically operatively associated with the first shaft portion, such that the first and second shaft portions are selectively moveable relative to the other along a common longitudinal axis;
- a foot member extended from a first end of the second shaft portion, the foot member having a body member and a boot member, the body member of the foot member have a first threaded end received within a threaded portion of the first end of the second shaft portion, the body member also having a ball at a second end of the body member, the ball being received within the boot member, the boot member being made of rubber and being operatively pivotally secureable against an associated floor of an associated cargo hold of an associated vehicle;
- a quick release rope locking device attached to the first shaft portion;
- at least a first arm extended from one of either the first and second shaft portions; and,
- a rope, the rope being selectively attachable to the first shaft portion by the quick release rope locking device.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 31, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2008
Inventor: Robert B. Byard (Akron, OH)
Application Number: 11/469,251