Pick-up truck rail assembly and tie-down device

Claim 1

In combination with a hollow sidewall of a bed of a pickup truck, which sidewall includes an upper elongate flange in which a plurality of longitudinally spaced rectangular openings are formed that are each partially defined by a transversely spaced, longitudinally extending pair of downwardly extending ribs, a rail assembly, that may be removably secured in a longitudinally extending position to said flange, said assembly including: a. a rigid rail that has a generally U-shaped inverted transverse cross section and includes two laterally spaced, downwardly extending sides, which on the lower free ends thereof define two short first legs that extend inwardly towards one another, with said rail including an upper portion in which a plurality of longitudinally spaced first bores are formed that are vertically aligned with said openings in said flange when said rail is disposed in a longitudinal position thereabove; b. first longitudinally extending means inside said rail that removably rest on said legs, said first means having a plurality of second bores formed therein longitudinally aligned with said first bores; c. a plurality of hollow, longitudinally spaced supports, each of which supports have upper and lower edges, with a portion of said upper edges of each of said supports abutting against said legs, and with the hollow interior of each of said supports being in vertical alignment with said second bores; d. second longitudinally extending means that rest on said flange and have a plurality of third bores formed bores therein vertically aligned with said second bores, said second means being of greater width than that of said openings; e. a plurality of elongate threaded rods that have protuberances on first ends thereof that are of greater transverse cross section than that of said first bores, said protuberances resting on said first means, and said rods extending downwardly through said first, second and third bores to below said flange, each of which protuberances include tool engageable means thereon; and f. a plurality of rectangular, rigid adapter plates of greater width than said openings disposed in said sidewall below said openings, each of said adapter plates having a pair of spaced recesses therein that can engage said ribs, said adapter plates having centered tapped bores therein that engage said threaded rods, and with said rail assembly being rigidly secured to said flange when each of said threaded rods is rotated in a direction to force said first means into pressure contact with said legs, said legs into pressure contact with said supports, said supports into pressure contact with said second means, said second means into pressure contact with said flange, and said adapter plate into pressure contact with said ribs.