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US 12,397,597 B1Granted
Removable tie-down anchor apparatus systems and methods
AssigneeWeigh Safe, LLC
InventorMorgan McAllister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various removable tie-down anchor apparatuses and associated methods are described. In one example, a safety chain anchor apparatus can include a body member having an aperture and a latching member operable to be inserted into an elongate slot of the receiver, and a locking member movably coupled to an outside portion of the body member that allows the locking member to be in: an interference position that obstructs a portion of the aperture when the latching member is in the unlatched orientation, and an unobstructed position that substantially exposes the aperture when the latching member is in the latched orientation.
Claims23
A safety-chain anchor apparatus removably securable within a receiver, comprising:
- a body member having an aperture and a latching member operable to be inserted into an elongate slot of the receiver, wherein when inserted into the elongate slot of the receiver, rotating the body member in a first direction perpendicular to the receiver rotates the latching member to a latched orientation that is at least partially out of axial alignment with the elongate slot of the receiver, and rotating the body member in a second direction perpendicular to the receiver rotates the latching member to an unlatched orientation that is in axial alignment with the elongate slot of the receiver;
- and
- a locking member movably coupled to an outside portion of the body member that allows the locking member to be in:
- an interference position that obstructs a portion of the aperture when the latching member is in the unlatched orientation, and an unobstructed position that substantially exposes the aperture when the latching member is in the latched orientation;
- wherein either:
- inserting the latching member into the elongate slot of the receiver engages at least one leg of the locking member with a top surface of the receiver and causes the locking member to move in an upward direction placing the locking member in the interference position that obstructs the portion of the aperture;
- or
- the locking member comprises an arch structure that is pivotally coupled to a post of the body member to allow the body member to rotate within the arch structure in an axial direction along an axis of the post.
5 more elements
A safety-chain anchor apparatus, comprising:
- a body member having an aperture and a latching member capable of being inserted into an elongate slot of a receiver, wherein when inserted into the elongate slot of the receiver, rotating the body member in a first direction perpendicular to the receiver rotates the latching member to a latched orientation that is at least partially out of axial alignment with the elongate slot of the receiver, and rotating the body member in a second direction perpendicular to the receiver rotates the latching member to an unlatched orientation that is in axial alignment with the elongate slot of the receiver;
- and
- a locking member movably coupled to an upper rim of the body member that allows the locking member to vertically move between:
- an interference position that obstructs a portion of the aperture when the latching member is in the unlatched orientation, and an unobstructed position that substantially exposes the aperture when the latching member is in the latched orientation;
- wherein, coupling a safety chain to the aperture of the body member when the locking member is in the unobstructed position that substantially exposes the aperture of the body member blocks the locking member from moving in an upward direction that would place the locking member in the interference position and prevents rotation of the body member in the second direction to the unlatched orientation.
2 more elements
A safety-chain anchor apparatus, comprising:
- a body member having an aperture and a latching member capable of being inserted into an elongate slot of a receiver, wherein when inserted into the elongate slot of the receiver, rotating the body member in a first direction perpendicular to the receiver rotates the latching member to a latched orientation that is at least partially out of axial alignment with the elongate slot of the receiver, and rotating the body member in a second direction perpendicular to the receiver rotates the latching member to an unlatched orientation that is in axial alignment with the elongate slot of the receiver;
- and
- a locking member pivotally coupled to a post of the body member to allow the body member to rotate within an arch structure of the locking member in an axial direction along an axis of the post allowing the locking member to be in:
- an interference position that obstructs a portion of the aperture when the latching member is in the unlatched orientation, and an unobstructed position that substantially exposes the aperture when the latching member is in the latched orientation.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.