Releasable holddown device

Claim 2

A releasable holddown device comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into a hole, said unit including a pair of movable wedge members having relatively broad opposed end walls, means to normally retain the wedge members in a retracted position, actuating means between the wedge members to selectively control the movement of the end walls laterally away from one another and against the wall of the hole whereby to effect full surface engagement between the end walls of said wedge members and the wall of the hole, said movable wedge members being channel-shaped and oppositely directed so that one slidably fits in the other.

Claim 3

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining means for the wedge members is a flexible sleeve encompassing said movable wedge members and frictionally engaging wall surfaces of the pocket.

Claim 4

A releasable holddown device for securing a load to a vehicle bed comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into an opening in a pocket of the vehicle bed including opposed cooperative outer and inner movable wedge members, said outer wedge member having surfaces to guide the movement of the inner wedge member therein, means to retain the wedge members together while allowing the inner wedge member to move within the outer wedge member, actuating means between wedge members to selectively control the lateral movement of the wedge members against opposed walls of the pocket to releasably anchor the unit in the pocket and an attaching member mounted on the anchoring unit externally of the pocket adapted to releasably connect to the load.

Claim 5

A releasable holddown device for securing a load to a vehicle bed comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into an opening in a pocket of the vehicle bed including opposed cooperative outer and inner movable wedge members, said outer wedge member having surfaces to guide the movement of the inner wedge member therein, means to retain the wedge members together while allowing the inner wedge member to move within the outer wedge member, actuating means between wedge members to selectively control the lateral movement of the wedge members against opposed walls of the pocket to releasably anchor the unit in the pocket and an attaching member mounted on the anchoring unit externally of the pocket adapted to releasably connect to the load.

Claim 6

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said attaching member extends across the top of the anchoring unit to seat on a top wall of the vehicle bed and extend across the pocket opening.

Claim 7

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said actuating means includes a bolt extending through the attaching member and between the wedge members, said bolt having a head disposed on the top of the attaching member.

Claim 8

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes a generally cylindrical nut threaded on the bolt laterally of its longitudinal axis with its curved external surfaces adapted to engage opposed inner surfaces of the wedge members.

Claim 9

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said attaching member is in the form of a bracketlike arm whIch extends outwardly and downwardly from a side of the base and is adapted to attach to a portion of the camper body overhanging the truck bed.

Claim 10

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said attaching member is in the form of a right-angle bracket including an upstanding leg having apertures in the upstanding leg thereof.

Claim 11

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said attaching member is in the form of a U-shaped bracket adapted to slidably insert into a hollow leg of a stockrack and the like.

Claim 12

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said attaching member is in the form of a cradlelike support bracket which extends outwardly, downwardly and the upwardly from the expandable base.

Claim 13

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said attaching member is in the form of a flat, platelike bracket.

Claim 14

A releasable holddown device comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into a hole, said anchoring unit including a pair of laterally opposed, inner and outer channel-shaped wedge members, each provided with an end wall and opposite sides in overlapping relation to the opposite sides of at least one of said wedge members having forwardly tapered free end surfaces and movable through an open side of the other wedge member to anchor the anchoring unit in the hole, resilient means to normally retain said wedge members in a retracted position, an actuating screw-threaded bolt extending between said wedge members having a nut threaded thereon, said nut being engageable with the tapered end surfaces of the one wedge member and the end surfaces on opposite sides of the other wedge member to advance the wedge members laterally away from the bolt as the bolt is rotated in a direction to advance the nut rearwardly out of the hole whereby to effect full surface engagement between the end walls of said wedge members and the wall of the hole.

Claim 15

A releasable holddown device comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into a hole, said anchoring unit including a pair of laterally opposed, inner and outer channel-shaped wedge members, each provided with an end wall and opposite sides in overlapping relation to the opposite sides of at least one of said wedge members having forwardly tapered free end surfaces and movable through an open side of the other wedge member to anchor the anchoring unit in the hole, resilient means to normally retain said wedge members in a retracted position, an actuating screw-threaded bolt extending between said wedge members having a nut threaded thereon, said nut being engageable with the tapered end surfaces of the one wedge member and the end surfaces on opposite sides of the other wedge member to advance the wedge members laterally away from the bolt as the bolt is rotated in a direction to advance the nut rearwardly out of the hole whereby to effect full surface engagement between the end walls of said wedge members and the wall of the hole.

Claim 16

A releasable holddown device for securing a load to a vehicle bed comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into the opening of a stake pocket in the bed of a vehicle, said anchoring unit including an outer channel-shaped wedge member, an inner oppositely directed channel-shaped tapered wedge member narrower at the bottom and wider at the top slidably fitted in the outer wedge member and movable through an open side of the outer wedge member to anchor the base in the pocket, a resilient sleeve encompassing the wedge members to normally retain the wedge members in a retracted position and frictionally engage the inner wall surfaces of the pocket, an actuating screw-threaded bolt extending between the wedge members having a cylindrical shaped nut threaded thereon, said nut being in engagement with a tapered surface of the inner wedge member and an inner side wall of the outer wedge member to advance the wedge members laterally as the bolt is rotated in a direction to advance the nut out of the pocket, and an attaching member extending across the top of the base adapted to seat on the bed and extend across the pocket opening and arranged to releasably connect to the load.

Claim 17

A releasable holddown device for securing a load to a vehicle bed comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into the opening of a stake pocket in the bed of a vehicle, said anchoring unit including an outer channel-shaped wedge member, an inner oppositely directed channel-shaped tapered wedge member narrower at the bottom and wider at the top slidably fitted in the outer wedge member and movable through an open side of the outer wedge member to anchor the base in the pocket, a resilient sleeve encompassing the wedge members to normally retain the wedge members in a retracted position and frictionally engage the inner wall surfaces of the pocket, an actuating screw-threaded bolt extending between the wedge members having a cylindrical shaped nut threaded thereon, said nut being in engagement with a tapered surface of the inner wedge member and an inner side wall of the outer wedge member to advance the wedge members laterally as the bolt is rotated in a direction to advance the nut out of the pocket, and an attaching member extending across the top of the base adapted to seat on the bed and extend across the pocket opening and arranged to releasably connect to the load.

Claim 18

A releasable holddown device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said wedge members include oppositely disposed notches along their upper ends to clear overhanging ledges at the pocket opening.

Claim 19

A releasable holddown device comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into a hole, said unit including cooperative outer and inner wedge members having opposed end walls, said outer wedge member having spaced sidewalls arranged to slidably receive and guide the movement of the inner wedge member within the outer wedge member, and actuating means between said wedge members to selectively control the movement of the end walls of said wedge members toward and away from one another and against the wall of the hole whereby to effect a substantial surface engagement between the end walls of said wedge member and the wall of the hole.

Claim 20

A releasable holddown device comprising an anchoring unit releasably insertable into a hole, said unit including cooperative outer and inner wedge members having opposed end walls, said outer wedge member having spaced sidewalls arranged to slidably receive and guide the movement of the inner wedge member within the outer wedge member, and actuating means between said wedge members to selectively control the movement of the end walls of said wedge members toward and away from one another and against the wall of the hole whereby to effect a substantial surface engagement between the end walls of said wedge member and the wall of the hole.