Safety chain tie down apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931898-B2
Application number	US-201414504763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2014
Priority date	Oct 2, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A tie down apparatus for securing an item is shown and described herein. The tie down apparatus may include first and second body members, where the first body member is configured to be located and rotated about a first axis within a first receiving member and the second body member is configured to be located and rotated about a second axis within a second receiving member. The tie down apparatus may also include first and second locking members each extending through the first and second body members, respectively, where rotating the first and second body members about the respective first and second axes engages the first and second locking members and generally prevents removal of the first and second body members from the first and second receiving member, and a safety chain holding member selectively engaged with either of the first and second body members.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A tie down apparatus for securing an item, the tie down apparatus comprising:
a first mounting member configured to be located and rotated about a first axis within a first receiving member;
a second mounting member configured to be located and rotated about a second axis within a second receiving member;
first and second locking members each attached to the first and second mounting members, respectively, wherein rotating the first and second mounting members about the respective first and second axes generally prevents removal of the first and second mounting members from the first and second receiving members, respectively;
a safety chain engaging body member connected directly to and between the first and second mounting members, the safety chain engaging body member being contoured and including a portion to selectively engage with a safety chain or a hook, the safety chain engaging body member directly and selectively attached with a handle.

2. The tie down apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the handle is attached with the second mounting member.

3. The tie down apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the handle rotates the second mounting member about the second axis.

4. The tie down apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first mounting member is fixed relative to the safety chain engaging body member.

5. The tie down apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the safety chain engaging body member is rotated approximately 90 degrees to selectively engage the first mounting member with the first receiving member.

6. The tie down apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the handle is rotated approximately 90 degrees to selectively engage the second mounting member with the second receiving member.

7. The tie down apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the safety chain engaging body member is configured to operatively handle a load of at least 30,000 pounds.

8. The tie down apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first locking member and second locking member are of substantially a similar configuration.

9. The tie down apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second receiving members are of substantially a similar configuration.

10. The tie down apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the handle is generally aligned with the safety chain engaging body member when the first and second locking members are engaged to the receiving members.

11. A tie down apparatus for securing an item, the tie down apparatus comprising:
a first mounting member;
a second mounting member;
a safety chain engaging body member directly connected to and between the first and second mounting members, wherein the first mounting member is configured to be received by a first receiving member whereby rotating the first mounting member about a first axis selectively engages the first mounting member with the first receiving member;
wherein the second mounting member is configured to be received by a second receiving member whereby rotating the second mounting member about a second axis selectively engages the second mounting member with the second receiving member,
wherein the first and second mounting members being engaged to the first and second receiving members, respectively generally prevents axial movement of the safety chain engaging body member; and
a handle attached with the second mounting member, the handle directly and selectively attached with the body member.

12. The tie down apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first mounting member is fixed relative to the safety chain engaging body member.

13. The tie down apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first and second mounting members include first and second locking members, respectively to selectively engage the respective first and second receiving members.

14. The tie down apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the handle rotates the second mounting member relative to the safety chain engaging body member to operatively secure the second mounting member to the second receiving member.

15. The tie down apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the handle conforms to a surface of the safety chain engaging body member when the second locking member is engaged to the second receiving member.

16. A tie down apparatus for securing an item, the tie down apparatus comprising:
a first mounting member;
a second mounting member;
a safety chain engaging body member, wherein the first and second mounting members extend from and are directly connected with the safety chain engaging body member, wherein the first and second mounting members are configured to be received by first and second receiving members, respectively; and
a handle operatively secured with the second mounting member, wherein rotating the handle about a second axis selectively engages the second mounting member to the second receiving member generally preventing axial movement of the safety chain engaging body member relative to the second receiving member, the handle operatively secured to the safety chain engaging body member by a locking pin.

17. The tie down apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first and second mounting members include first and second locking members, respectively to selectively engage the first and second receiving members.

18. The tie down apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first mounting member is fixed relative to the safety chain engaging body member.

19. The tie down apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the safety chain engaging body member is rotated approximately 90 degrees to selectively engage the first mounting member with the first receiving member.

20. The tie down apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the handle is rotated approximately 90 degrees to selectively engage the second mounting member with the second receiving member.

21. The tie down apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the safety chain engaging body member is configured to operatively handle a load of at least 30,000 pounds.

22. The tie down apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the handle is generally aligned with the safety chain engaging body member when the apparatus is engaged to the receiving members.

23. The tie down apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the handle further comprises a channel configured to receive a surface of the safety chain engaging body member therein as the second mounting member is operatively engaged to the second receiving member.

Assignees

• Cequent Performance Prod Inc
• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Mccoy Richard W

Classifications

• B60D1/28 Primary

  for preventing unwanted disengagement, e.g. safety appliances · CPC title

• B60D1/488

  mounted directly to the chassis of the towing vehicle · CPC title

• B60D1/06

  Ball-and-socket hitches · CPC title