Tie-down and locking system

Claim 2

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the underframe of the vehicle comprising a rear flexible link chain extending from the rear portion of said carriage, a front flexible link chain extending from the front portion of said carriage, a connecting member joined to the ends of said link chains and adapted to be connected to the underframe of the vehicle so that said rear link chain extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom to said carriage to restrain the vehicle from forward movement and said front link chain extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom to said carriage to restrain the vehicle from rearward movement, means on said carriage engageable with any link of each chain depending on the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle to hold said chain in tension, said last-mentioned means comprising an anchor member having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chains and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member for each chain engaging the same between said connecting member and said anchor member.

Claim 3

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the underframe of the vehicle comprising a flexible linear member extending from said carriage, a connecting member for connecting the end of said linear member to the underframe of the vehicle, and means for taking up said linear member to adjust the length thereof in accordance with the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle and to hold said linear member in tension, said linear member being a link chain, said last-mentioned means comprising an anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chain and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member on said carriage under which said chain passes between said connecting member and said anchor plate.

Claim 4

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the underframe of the vehicle comprising a flexible linear member extending from said carriage, a connecting member for connecting the end of said linear member to the underframe of the vehicle, and means for taking up said linear member to adjust the length thereof in accordance with the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle and to hold said linear member in tension, said linear member being a link chain, said last-mentioned means comprising an anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chain and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member on said carriage under which said chain passes between said connecting member and said anchor plate.

Claim 5

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail disposed upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage slidably engageable with said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for connecting said Carriage to the vehicle, and locking mechanism operable to lock said carriage against movement and thereby secure the vehicle in substantially fixed positioon on the deck, said locking mechanism comprising an elongated member mounted on the deck along one side of said rail and having a plurality of locking lugs equally spaced apart longitudinally thereof, said elongated member being movable between locking and released positions, said carriage having locking elements spaced apart lengthwise of said elongated member, said locking elements on said carriage comprising plungers extending transversely of said elongated member and being retractable from a normally extended position, said plungers when extended being engageable in the spaces between said locking lugs on said elongated member in the locking position of said elongated member to lock said carriage as aforesaid and being disengageable therefrom in said released position of said elongated member to release said carriage, said plungers being adapted to retract if contacted by a locking lug aligned therewith during movement of said elongated member from its released to its locking position.

Claim 6

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail disposed upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage slidably engageable with said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for connecting said Carriage to the vehicle, and locking mechanism operable to lock said carriage against movement and thereby secure the vehicle in substantially fixed positioon on the deck, said locking mechanism comprising an elongated member mounted on the deck along one side of said rail and having a plurality of locking lugs equally spaced apart longitudinally thereof, said elongated member being movable between locking and released positions, said carriage having locking elements spaced apart lengthwise of said elongated member, said locking elements on said carriage comprising plungers extending transversely of said elongated member and being retractable from a normally extended position, said plungers when extended being engageable in the spaces between said locking lugs on said elongated member in the locking position of said elongated member to lock said carriage as aforesaid and being disengageable therefrom in said released position of said elongated member to release said carriage, said plungers being adapted to retract if contacted by a locking lug aligned therewith during movement of said elongated member from its released to its locking position.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein said elongated member is rotatable between locking and released positions.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein means are provided resiliently urging said plungers to their extended positions.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the spacing and width of said plungers being such that they will lock against the remote sides of two locking lugs and alternatively against the adjacent sides of two locking lugs.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the distance between the inner sides of said plungers n x d + w and the distance between the outer sides of said plungers (n+ l) x d -w, wherein n is any whole number d is the distance between lug centers w is the width of said lugs.

Claim 11

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the distance between plunger centers n x d + w1 + W2 and also (n+ 1) X d - (w1 + w2) wherein n is any whole number d is the distance between lug centers w1 is the width of the lugs w2 is the width of the plungers.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 7, including means for resiliently urging said plungers to their extended positions, the spacing and width of said plungers being such that they will lock against the remote sides of two locking lugs and alternatively against the adjacent sides of two locking lugs.

Claim 13

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the underframe of the vehicle comprising a rear flexible link chain extending from the rear portion of said carriage, a front flexible link chain extending from the front portion of said carriage, a connecting member joined to the ends of said link chains and adapted to be connected to the underframe of the vehicle so that said rear link chain extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom to said carriage to restrain the vehicle from forward movement and said front link chain extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom to said carriage to restrain the vehicle from rearward movement, means on said carriage engageable with any link of each chain depending on the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle to hold said chain in tension, said last-mentioned means comprising an upright anchor plate for each chain having a vertical slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chains and open at the top to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a transverse tension member on said carriage for each chain under which the same passes between said connecting member and said anchor member.

Claim 14

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the underframe of the vehicle comprising a rear flexible link chain extending from the rear portion of said carriage, a front flexible link chain extending from the front portion of said carriage, a connecting member joined to the ends of said link chains and adapted to be connected to the underframe of the vehicle so that said rear link chain extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom to said carriage to restrain the vehicle from forward movement and said front link chain extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom to said carriage to restrain the vehicle from rearward movement, means on said carriage engageable with any link of each chain depending on the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle to hold said chain in tension, said last-mentioned means comprising an upright anchor plate for each chain having a vertical slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chains and open at the top to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a transverse tension member on said carriage for each chain under which the same passes between said connecting member and said anchor member.

Claim 15

The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said anchor plates are spaced apart lengthwise of said carriage to provide a space therebetween for the accumulation of unused chain, and said chains are portions of the same continuous link chain member.

Claim 16

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the vehicle comprising a link chain extending from said carriage and being adapted to be connected to the underframe of the vehicle, and means for taking up said link chain to adjust the length thereof in accordance with the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle and to hold said link chain in tension, said last-mentioned means comprising an anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chain and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member on said carriage under which said chain passes between said anchor plate and the vehicle.

Claim 17

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail secured upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage mounted on said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for securing said carriage against movement with respect to said rail, means for connecting said carriage to the vehicle comprising a link chain extending from said carriage and being adapted to be connected to the underframe of the vehicle, and means for taking up said link chain to adjust the length thereof in accordance with the distance between said carriage and the underframe of the vehicle and to hold said link chain in tension, said last-mentioned means comprising an anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of said chain and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member on said carriage under which said chain passes between said anchor plate and the vehicle.

Claim 18

A carriage for use in a tie-down structure which includes a longitudinally extending guide adapted to be anchored lengthwise upon a longitudinally extending deck of a transport and which is adapted to secure a vehicle on such deck, said carriage being adapted to be carried by and locked in longitudinally adjusted position on the guide, means on said carriage adapted to take up a flexible link chain to adjust the length thereof in accordance with the distance between said carriage and the underframe of a vehicle to which the link chain is adapted to be connected, said lastmentioned means comprising an anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of the chain and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member on said carriage under which the chain is adapted to pass between said anchor plate and the vehicle.

Claim 19

A carriage for use in a tie-down structure which includes a longitudinally extending guide adapted to be anchored lengthwise upon a longitudinally extending deck of a transport and which is adapted to secure a vehicle on such deck, said carriage being adapted to be carried by and locked in longitudinally adjusted position on the guide, means on said carriage adapted to take up a flexible link chain to adjust the length thereof in accordance with the distance between said carriage and the underframe of a vehicle to which the link chain is adapted to be connected, said lastmentioned means comprising an anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of the chain and open at one end to receive a link inserted edgewise therein, and a tension member on said carriage under which the chain is adapted to pass between said anchor plate and the vehicle.

Claim 20

The carriage defined in claim 13, including means adapted to take up a second flexible link chain comprising a second anchor plate on said carriage having a slot of a width greater than the thickness but less than the width of the links of the second chain and open at one end to receive a chain link inserted edgewise therein, said anchor plates being spaced apart lengthwise of said carriage to provide a space for the accumulation of unused chain, and a second tension member on said carriage under which the second chain is adapted to pass between said second anchor plate and the vehicle, said first-mentioned tension member and said second tension member extending transversely of said carriage at the front and rear respectively thereof.

Claim 21

The carriage defined in claim 14, said carriage having locking elements for securing said carriage in adjusted position along the guide, said locking elements being carried by said tension members and being spring urged to extended positions.

Claim 22

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail disposed upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage slidably engageable with said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for connecting said carriage to the vehicle, and locking mechanism operable to lock said carriage against movement and thereby secure the vehicle in substantially fixed position on the deck, said locking mechanism comprising an elongated member mounted on the deck parallel and adjacent to said rail and having a plurality of locking lugs equally spaced apart longitudinally thereof, said elongated member being movable between locking and released positions, said carriage having locking means comprising a plunger extending transversely of said elongated member and being spring-urged to a normally extended position, said plunger when extended being engageable in the spaces between said locking lugs on said elongated member in the locking position of said elongated member to lock said carriage as aforesaid, and being disengageable therefrom in said released position of said elongated member to release said carriage, said plunger being adapted to retract if contacted by a locking lug aligned therewith during movement of said elongated member from its released to its locking position.

Claim 23

Apparatus for securing a vehicle on the elongated deck of a transport, comprising guide means including a rail disposed upon and extending lengthwise of the deck, a carriage slidably engageable with said rail for movement lengthwise thereof, means for connecting said carriage to the vehicle, and locking mechanism operable to lock said carriage against movement and thereby secure the vehicle in substantially fixed position on the deck, said locking mechanism comprising an elongated member mounted on the deck parallel and adjacent to said rail and having a plurality of locking lugs equally spaced apart longitudinally thereof, said elongated member being movable between locking and released positions, said carriage having locking means comprising a plunger extending transversely of said elongated member and being spring-urged to a normally extended position, said plunger when extended being engageable in the spaces between said locking lugs on said elongated member in the locking position of said elongated member to lock said carriage as aforesaid, and being disengageable therefrom in said released position of said elongated member to release said carriage, said plunger being adapted to retract if contacted by a locking lug aligned therewith during movement of said elongated member from its released to its locking position.