Tie down brackets for flexible members

Claim 2

A tie down bracket for engaging a bight in a flexible member comprising: a base plate; a spring supporting body secured to said base plate and having a dished-out central portion; an arcuate surface curving upwardly from one end of said spring supporting body toward said dished-out central portion, and curving away from said base plate toward said central portion of said spring supporting body; and a retainer finger projecting from said dished-out central portion on the opposite side thereof from said arcuate surface whereby said dished-out central portion of said spring supporting body is located between the arcuate surface and said retainer finger, said retainer finger being spaced from, and defining, a retainer space with said base plate, and having an opening therethrough communicating with said retainer space; and a spring plate mounted on said body and having a first portion positioned in the dished-out central portion of said body, and further having a convoluted portion extending through said opening in said retainer finger and across said retainer space between the retainer finger and said base plate, said convoluted portion of said spring plate forming a pair of guide surfaces inclined away from said base plate in opposite directions, one guide surface facing the interior of said retainer space and the other guide surface facing exteriorly thereof.

Claim 3

A tie down bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein said retainer finger extends substantially parallel to said plate as a cantilever with respect to the remaining portion of said body.

Claim 4

A tie down bracket as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including a retainer pin extended through said body over said dished-out central portion and said spring plate for retaining said spring plate on said body.

Claim 5

A tie down bracket as defined in claim 3 wherein said convoluted portion of said spring plate is of substantial circular shape when viewed from a side thereof.

Claim 6

A tie down bracket for engaging a bight in a flexible member comprising: a spring supporting body adapted for securement to a base structure and including a flat back surface for abutting contact with a substantially monoplanar surface of such base structure upon which said spring supporting body is mounted; a dished-out central portion; an arcuately shaped surface tapering from said dished-out central portion to an end portion of said body which is relatively thinner than said dished-out central portion as measured along lines extending substantially perpendicular to said flat back surface of said spring supporting body; and an elongated retainer finger projecting as a cantilever from said dished-out central portion on the opposite side of said dished-out central portion from said arcuate surface, said finger extending substantially parallel to the plane of said flat back surface, and being spaced from said plane in a direction substantially normal to said plane, said retainer finger having an opening extending therethrough and spaced from said dished-out central portion; a spring plate having a portion positioned in the dished-out central portion of said body and further having a portion projecting along said retainer finger and downwardly through the opening in said retainer finger to a position of maximum extension from the retainer finger which is adjacent the plane in which said flat back surface of said spring supporting body lies, said last mentioned portion of said spring plate including a pair of interconnected guide surfaces inclined away from said plane in opposite directions; and retainer pin means extended through said spring supporting body and retaining said spring plate on said body.

Claim 7

A tie down bracket for engaging a bight in a flexible member comprising: a spring supporting body adapted for securement to a base structure and including a flat back surface for abutting contact with a substantially monoplanar surface of such base structure upon which said spring supporting body is mounted; a dished-out central portion; an arcuately shaped surface tapering from said dished-out central portion to an end portion of said body which is relatively thinner than said dished-out central portion as measured along lines extending substantially perpendicular to said flat back surface of said spring supporting body; and an elongated retainer finger projecting as a cantilever from said dished-out central portion on the opposite side of said dished-out central portion from said arcuate surface, said finger extending substantially parallel to the plane of said flat back surface, and being spaced from said plane in a direction substantially normal to said plane, said retainer finger having an opening extending therethrough and spaced from said dished-out central portion; a spring plate having a portion positioned in the dished-out central portion of said body and further having a portion projecting along said retainer finger and downwardly through the opening in said retainer finger to a position of maximum extension from the retainer finger which is adjacent the plane in which said flat back surface of said spring supporting body lies, said last mentioned portion of said spring plate including a pair of interconnected guide surfaces inclined away from said plane in opposite directions; and retainer pin means extended through said spring supporting body and retaining said spring plate on said body.