Abstract The disclosure relates to tiedowns for securing loads to a platform which can be carried on moving vehicles or dropped from a plane by parachute. These platforms, usually made of wood, are reinforced at their edges by lengths of angle iron or rails having openings along the upper leg for receiving the tiedowns. Strips of woven plastic webbing are used as the tiedown elements on account of its tensile strength and ability to yield under stress. The tiedown webbing is threaded through the eye of a clevis, the bolt of which passes through one of the openings in the longitudinally extending rail of the platform. At the load end, the webbing is received by a slot in an improved adaptor or webbing link. The lower edge of the slot has a curved shape so that the webbing can be looped around this surface without abrasion. From this point, the webbing is returned toward its starting point to form, in effect, two parallel lengths of the webbing with the clevis at one end of the double length and the adaptor at the other end. A belt tightener of standard design is inserted in one of these lengths. Each end of the webbing length, where the tightener is employed, is provided with a metal loop attachment sewn into the webbing material for detachably receiving the oppositely disposed hooks of the belt tightener. The adaptor has an opening therein for receiving the closed end link of a grab chain terminating in a load attachment hook which can be attached to one of the binding straps encircling the load or attached to a mechanical part of the load in any suitable manner.
Apparatus for securing an air drop vehicular load to a platform having metal rails along its edges with strap engaging tie down clevices attached to the rails, comprising a chain member having a grab hook at one end adapted to engage a chain link for securing the chain to the axle shaft housing of the vehicle load; said chain member having a strap engaging hook member at the other end thereof; said hook member having an aperture adapted to receive a chain link and an elongated slot with an opening at one edge for receiving a strap; a strap member of a woven webbing material engaging the tie down clevis secured to the rail and the elongated slot in the hook member and having eyelet members with strap engaging loops at each end thereof; and a strap tightener having hook members at each end engaging to the eyelet members at the ends of the strap.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for securing an air drop vehicular load to a platform having metal rails along its edges with strap engaging tie down clevices attached to the rails, comprising a chain member having a grab hook at one end adapted to engage a chain link for securing the chain to the axle shaft housing of the vehicle load; said chain member having a strap engaging hook member at the other end thereof; said hook member having an aperture adapted to receive a chain link and an elongated slot with an opening at one edge for receiving a strap; a strap member of a woven webbing material engaging the tie down clevis secured to the rail and the elongated slot in the hook member and having eyelet members with strap engaging loops at each end thereof; and a strap tightener having hook members at each end engaging to the eyelet members at the ends of the strap.