Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Strap tighteners – Accordion straps
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-13
2004-03-30
Sakran, Victor (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Strap tighteners
Accordion straps
C024S0690CT, C024S196000, C024S2650AL, C024S909000, C410S105000, C410S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06711786
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ratcheted lashing strap assembly containing a lashing strap that can be wrapped around the goods to be cinched, and a tightening device for the lashing strap. The tightening device includes a frame and a rotatable winding drum, in particular driven manually, in the frame for winding up the lashing strap. A fixation end of the lashing strap is in the form of a loop that grips a retention strut firmly attached to the frame and oriented parallel to the axis of the winding drum. An eye of the loop is penetrated by a support strut extending approximately parallel to the retention strut. An end run of the lashing strap, adjoining a loop base, is fixed, by clamping by the support strut, between the loop and the lashing strap. One such lashing strap is known from German Patent DE 28 45 227 C (see
FIG. 3
in particular).
In the known ratcheted lashing strap assembly, the tightening device is a manually actuatable “tension ratchet”. This is preferably the case in the subject of the invention as well. In this reference, the fixation of the fixed end of the lashing strap, that is, the end opposite the cinching end wound onto the winding drum, is accomplished by two parallel bolts positioned side by side that are stationary in the housing. The two bolts are the retention strut and the support strut disposed parallel to the retention strut. Both struts are solidly connected to other parts of the frame. As fixed components of the frame, they form a unit with it.
The fixation of the fixed end of the lashing strap in the previously known tension ratchet is a clamping fixation. It thus avoids the usual seam connections between the upper run and lower run of the strap region that forms the curve of the loop, and in the relieved state it enables a variable preadjustment of the length of the lashing strap.
For its fixation on the frame, the fixation end of the lashing strap is wrapped around both the retention strut and the support strut extending parallel to it. Because of the invariable stationary fixation of the two struts in the frame, the operation involves threading something in, which requires special manual skill and attention on the part of the worker. Only when there is an exact relative position of the upper run and lower run of the end of the band relative to the retention strut and to the support strut is a secure clamping fixation assured. The security of the clamping fixation is indispensable, for reasons of job safety (protection of personnel).
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,923, a strap tightener for securing a strap around a load is known. The strap tightener has four pins mounted parallel to one another on a frame. Each two pins form a pair of pins, with one fixed pin and one movable pin. For securing the strap webbing, the strap is wrapped in a loop around the pins of one pair of pins at a time. The strap webbing is fixed to the strap tightener solely by the loop and the friction generated by the loop. Moreover, prestressing the strap tightener requires an additional device.
Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 88 09 854 A shows a strap connector on the end of a tension strap for securing loads. Once again, the strap webbing is disposed in a loop around two parallel bolts in a housing. For threading in the end of the strap, individual bolts can be removed from the housing, which makes handling the strap connector much simpler. If strap webbings of comparatively very slight thickness are used, three axially parallel bolts are provided as retention ribs. Here again, the fixation of the strap webbing is done solely by the friction generated by the loop.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a ratcheted lashing strap assembly that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, in which a secure clamping fixation of the fixed end of the lashing strap to the frame is facilitated in terms of manipulation.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a ratcheted lashing strap assembly. The lashing strap assembly contains a lashing strap for wrapping around goods to be cinched and a tightening device engaging the lashing strap. The tightening device has a frame, a rotatable winding drum for winding up the lashing strap and supported in the frame, and a retention strut firmly attached to the frame and oriented parallel to an axis of the rotatable winding drum. A support strut extends substantially parallel to the retention strut. The lashing strap has a fixation end in a form of a loop gripping the retention strut and disposed remote from the rotatable winding drum. The loop has a loop base and an eye penetrated by the support strut. The support strut protrudes as a separate component from the tightening device. The support strut has ends protruding from the eye of the loop and are braced on the frame. The support strut is disposed on a side of the retention strut opposite the rotatable winding drum, and the support strut assumes a variable distance from the retention strut. The lashing strap has an end run adjoining the loop base. The end run is fixed between the loop and the lashing strap by clamping by the support strut.
The support strut is embodied as a separate component from the tightening device and protrudes by both ends from-the eye of the loop, and with the two ends it is merely braced on the frame, on the side of the retention strut opposite the winding drum, and therefore rests, in the relieved state of the lashing strap, in a way that can be easily released at any time. The support strut assumes a variable spacing from the retention strut.
As a result, the retention strut but not the support strut is solidly connected to the frame of the tightening device. Wrapping the fixation end of the lashing strap around the retention strut can be achieved without problems, since access to the retention strut is not—as in the known tightening device—hindered by the support strut fixed in stationary fashion beforehand. The use of the ratcheted lashing strap of the invention enables simple, secure fixation of the fixed end of the lashing strap.
Especially the fixation end of the ratcheted lashing strap, that is, the eye of the loop put in place, that is wrapped to make a loop and therefore is intrinsically harder to manipulate, can be wrapped more easily around the retention strut, which according to the invention is accessible from outside freely and without hindrance. The support strut that forms a separate single part is easily inserted first into the eye of the loop, that is, thrust through from the side, once the eye of the loop has already been wrapped around the retention strut. The shape of the loop itself can be adapted to the support strut during the fastening process. Only after that is the lashing strap fixed to the frame with the aid of the support strut. Maintaining the spacing of the support strut, with its two ends protruding from the eye of the loop, relative to the retention strut is done either directly by the frame or indirectly by separate spacer elements, fundamentally automatically, and in a manner that is stationary, particularly under the tensile load on the lashing strap.
A contact position of the ends of the support strut on the frame, or more generally their bracing relative to the retention strut, can likewise be secured or perpetuated in an easily releasable fashion by a snap connection between the bracing or contact parts. The snap connection can be achieved by simple shaping provisions on the frame of the tightening device. Such a snap connection is a familiar machine element that can be made in various embodiments (see the reference by Bauer, titled “Handbuch der verbindungstechnik” [Manual of Connection Technology], Carl Hanser Verlag München Wien, 1991, ISBN 3-446-14609-1, pages 294-324).
The ratcheted lashing strap of the present invention can be produced simply and economically. It meets the most stringent possibl
Ehnimb David
Mamié André
Greenberg Laurence A.
Maybach Gregory L.
Sakran Victor
Spanset Inter AG
Stemer Werner H.
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