Freight accommodation on freight carrier – Rigid members retainer – e.g. – wraparound type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-11-27
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Freight accommodation on freight carrier
Rigid members retainer, e.g., wraparound type
C410S077000, C410S034000, C410S035000, C410S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322304
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates broadly to apparatus for securing equipment to vehicles and, more particularly, to an apparatus for securing equipment, particularly ladders to an exterior portion of the vehicle with the apparatus being controllable from an interior portion or an exterior portion of the vehicle.
Ladders, hoses and other elongate equipment that may be required at a job site, rescue site or other event can typically be difficult to transport to and from the event. Construction workers, house painters, firemen, rescue personnel and even homeowners may need to transport ladders or other elongate equipment over highways with their vehicle. Typically, the vehicle may be a truck or van. The equipment is typically sufficiently elongate that the ladders or other equipment cannot be carried within the confines of the vehicle body, or the bed of a pick-up truck.
Typically, ladders and other elongate equipment are lashed to an overhead rack with rope, bungee cords, chains or other strandlike elements. Such impromptu tiedown arrangements can provide an unsafe condition when the vehicle is operated on a roadway. Further, should the vehicle be left unattended, the lack of any locking or securing of the ladders can lead to theft.
Danger also exists when placing ladders on the racks. Typically, when bungee cords or ropes are used, the person securing the ladder to the rack must stand on the bumper, tires, or other body structure to gain access to the ladders that are disposed on the roof or other elevated portion of the vehicle. Similar safety hazards exist when trying to remove ladders stowed on the ladder rack and lashed down with bungee cords or other strands.
The equipment can also become missile hazards in the event of a vehicle crash.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a device which will securely attach ladders or other elongated equipment to overhead racks or other body panel mounted support structures that can quickly and safely secure the equipment while providing an added measure against theft.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective equipment securing apparatus that will securely retain the equipment against a support structure or against the vehicle itself.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an equipment securing apparatus that will provide interior control while providing exterior securing support.
To those ends, an equipment securing apparatus is provided for securing equipment to an exterior surface of a vehicle. The vehicle includes body panels defining an interior vehicle portion and an area exterior to the vehicle with at least one of the body panels having a body panel opening formed therein. The equipment securing apparatus is operable from the interior portion of the vehicle to secure equipment exterior to the vehicle. The equipment securing apparatus includes a support member attached to an interior portion of the vehicle adjacent the body panel opening with the first support member having a shaft retaining portion with a passageway formed therein. The equipment securing apparatus also includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with the shaft being slidably mounted through the passageway of the shaft retaining portion and projecting away from the vehicle. The present invention includes an equipment engagement member formed on the distal end of the shaft for securing engagement with equipment on the vehicle and a latching assembly operatively associated with the shaft and selectively operable to retain the engagement member in a securing relationship with the equipment and to release the engagement member from the engagement.
It is preferred that the latching assembly include an arrangement for biasing the shaft against operation of the control arm to assist in retaining the latching assembly in a condition whereby the engagement member is engaged with the equipment. The biasing arrangement preferably includes a spring support member and a spring surrounding the shaft intermediate the support member and the spring support member. It is further preferred that the present invention include a plurality of openings formed in the shaft and a pin arrangement for locking the latching assembly in a latched condition to secure equipment to the vehicle. The pin arrangement includes a stop pin configured to extend through a select one of the openings provided in the shaft to lock the control arm in a fixed disposition with the biasing arrangement in abutment with the stop pin. It is further preferred that the latching assembly include a link member having a pivot end attached to the support member and a free end. A manually operable control arm is preferrably pivotally attached to the free end of the link member and operatively attached to the biasing arrangement to selectively move the biasing arrangement into and out of an engaging relationship with the stop pin.
It is preferred that the engagement member be formed on the shaft and include a first engagement arm projecting laterally away from the distal end of the shaft. It is further preferred that the engagement arm be curved to form a hooklike member. It is additionally preferred that the engagement member include a second engagement arm projecting laterally away from the distal end of the shaft generally oppositely from the first engagement arm.
Preferably, the shaft is rotatably mounted to the shaft retaining portion of the support member for selectively rotating the shaft to move the engagement member to a desired orientation with respect to the equipment to be secured.
It is further preferred that the equipment secured by the present invention be ladders.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an equipment securing apparatus for securing equipment to a vehicle includes a support member attached to a portion of the vehicle the support member having a shaft retaining portion with a first passageway formed therein. Further, an elongate shaft is provided with the shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a plurality of openings formed therein, the shaft being slidably mounted to the support member and extending through the first passageway of the shaft retaining portion and projecting away from the vehicle. An equipment engagement member is provided and is formed on the distal end of the shaft for securing engagement with equipment on the vehicle. Also provided is a latching assembly operatively associated with the shaft and including a spring support member and a spring surrounding the shaft intermediate the support member and the spring support member, a stop pin selectively mountable in one of the openings in the shaft, a link member having a pivot end pivotally attached to the support member and a free end, a manual control arm pivotally attached to the free end of the link member and operatively connected to the spring support member to selectively move the spring support member into and out of an engaging relationship with the stop pin to retain the engagement member in a securing relationship with the equipment and to release the engagement member from engagement with the equipment.
When the equipment securing apparatus according to this embodiment is to be used to secure the equipment to the exterior of a vehicle having body panels defining an interior vehicle portion and an area exterior to the vehicle with at least one of the body panels having at least one body panel opening formed therein, the equipment securing apparatus is operable from the interior of the vehicle. The elongate shaft extends through the at least one body panel opening. The vehicle body panel preferably includes a plurality of body panel openings and the shaft extends through a selected one of these body panel openings.
The equipment sewing apparatus according to this embodiment, preferably further includes an arrangement for attaching the support member to the vehicle body panel. The support member preferably includes a generally cylindrical member having the f
Gordon Stephen T.
Hunton & Williams
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