Tie-down rail for truck bed

Claim 1

A tie-down rail for a truck bed, which truck bed has a pair of opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having an elongated top ledge, comprising: (a) an elongated unitary rail member having an angular cross-section and a length less than the length of the corresponding top ledge, and comprising a coextensive bottom flange and a coextensive singular substantially upright flange, (b) said bottom flange having a bottom surface adapted to fit substantially flush against and along the corresponding top ledge in an operative position, and having an inboard edge portion and an outboard edge portion, (c) said singular upright flange having a free upper edge portion and a bottom edge portion integrally merging with said outboard edge portion in an intersecting portion coextensive with both said flanges, the thickness of said intersecting portion being substantially greater than the thickness of said flanges, (d) said singular upright flange projecting upward and inboard over said bottom flange in said operative position, supported only by said intersecting portion, and forming an acute angle in the range of 45-80 deg. with said bottom flange, (e) said free upper edge portion terminating integrally in an upper elongated rod portion enlarged in cross-section, (f) a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots extending through said upright flange immediately below said rod portion, to receive a tie-down member through a slot and around said rod portion, (g) fastener means for securing said bottom flange in said operative position on a corresponding top ledge.