Freight accommodation on freight carrier – Load lashing retainer or load lashing adjunct – Anchor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-14
2001-01-23
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Freight accommodation on freight carrier
Load lashing retainer or load lashing adjunct
Anchor
C410S101000, C410S102000, C410S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176658
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to support bars with tie-down posts, for pick-up trucks, flatbed trailers, car toppers and the like, and particularly to support bars with tie-down posts that have open bases, for pick-up trucks.
2. Description of Related Art
Pick-up trucks have become a standard general use vehicle as compared to the strict working class vehicle that was produced years ago. As a result of this change, many commercial features have been added to them, including luxury interiors, bed liners, bed covers, and support rails. The support rails run along the length of the truck bed sides. Items can be placed on the rails and then tied, to hold them securely. To provide enough strength for the rails, support posts are placed between the ends of the rails. There may be one, two, three, or more of these posts, depending on the length of the bed. The posts are designed to be fastened to the top of the truck bed. Although this design is strong, it has one major flaw. Because the posts extend down to the top of the truck bed, a rope or other tie down means must be passed around the posts when being used a tie down. This often slows down the job and can make the task more difficult. Lacing a rope, for example, around a large object may require several passes over and around the object, as well as the rails, and the truck. In many cases, two people are needed to ensure the job gets done properly, without tangling the rope.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention solves this problem. It uses a rail made of structural steel that does not need as many braces to ensure its strength. The rail is secured to the truck bed at the ends of the rail. Along the rail are posts, but these posts do not extend down to the truck bed sides. They end short of the bed sides, leaving a space. This space allows a rope to be passed under the post, thereby making the job of tying down objects much simpler. In the preferred embodiment, the posts are also tapered from top to bottom (narrower at the top, wider at the bottom). This allows the posts to be used as tie points, with the ability to keep the rope from slipping. However, straight bar stock can be used for the posts with some slight deterioration in performance. Thus, these rails and posts provide the benefits of the rails without the problems typically found with ordinary posts. The rails are sized for long or short bends. On longer beds, a double rail system can be used.
Because the rails do not have supports between the ends of the rails, as is done in the prior art, the rails of the instant invention must be made of stronger material than that normally used. The rails are attached to the side walls of a truck using a mounting plate. The mounting plate has a place for an eyebolt, that can be used as a tie down point as part of the overall system.
Although the system is described for pickup trucks, it can be easily adapted for flatbed trailers or car top carriers. Such changes involve only the dimensions of the rails to fit the various vehicles.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4650382 (1987-03-01), Johnson
patent: 4872719 (1989-10-01), Cardwell
patent: 5364211 (1994-11-01), Lund
patent: 5445482 (1995-08-01), Davis
patent: 5476349 (1995-12-01), Okland
patent: 5642971 (1997-07-01), Ragsdale
patent: 5738471 (1998-04-01), Zentner et al.
patent: 5827024 (1998-10-01), Davenport
patent: 5904458 (1999-05-01), Bundy
Carpenter Scott
Dayoan D. Glenn
Tavella Michael J.
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