US 3,942,454 AGranted

Adjustable compression unit and lading band anchor

AssigneePortec, Inc.

InventorKeith W. Broling

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Abstract

The system comprises band anchors uniformly spaced along opposite sides of a flat-decked vehicle, such as a railway flatcar. Each band anchor includes a pair of transversely extending facing channels flush with the deck of the car and having ratchet teeth depending from the top legs of the channels. An anchoring member is adjustably mounted between the channels and has teeth engageable with the ratchet teeth of the channels as tension on the band is taken up. The ratchet teeth cam and retain the anchoring members into engagement with the sides of the load as the bands are under tension. The anchoring members are non-flexible when under no load and each has an outer link with a compression member interposed between the outer link and anchoring member to accommodate extension of the outer link upon longitudinal shifting of the load.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A tie anchor for anchoring stacked lading to the deck of a flat-decked vehicle, comprising

a load restraining member placing said tie anchor under tension,
a pair of facing channels extending transversely of the deck of the vehicle and having vertically spaced upper and lower legs,
ratchet teeth depending from the upper legs of said channels,
an anchoring member adjustably movable between said channels and resting on the lower legs thereof upon release of tension on the load restraining member,
spaced upwardly facing ratchet teeth on opposite sides of said anchoring member and engageable with said downwardly facing ratchet teeth upon the taking up of tension on the load restraining member,
said anchoring member having an outer link forming a solid member with said anchoring member and extensible relative thereto upon the placing of said load restraining member under a predetermined tension,
a compressible member disposed between said anchoring member and said outer link and compressible as the loads on said outer link increase, and the connection between said anchoring member and outer link accommodating angular movement of said outer link to enable said load restraining member to conform to the load upon longitudinal shifting of the load caused by impacts.

4 more elements

In a system for tying down stacked loads to a transportation vehicle having a flat deck,

tie anchors spaced along each side of the deck and load restraining bands passing over the load and connected between laterally aligned tie anchors under tension,
each tie anchor comprising
a pair of facing channel members having longitudinally spaced top and bottom legs,
ratchet teeth depending from the top legs of said channel members,
an anchoring member guided between said channel members for lateral movement therebetween into engagement with the load,
each anchoring member having upwardly facing ratchet teeth engageable with said downwardly facing ratchet teeth upon tensioning of the band over the load,
said anchoring members each having a flat load engaging face cammed into engagement with the load by cooperation between the ratchet teeth on said anchoring members with the ratchet teeth depending from the top legs of said channel upon angular movement of the anchoring members toward the load and tensioning of the load restraining band,
each anchoring member having an outer link mounted for retractable movement with respect thereto and forming a connector for a load restraining band, and
a compressible member connected between said anchoring member and outer link, retaining said anchoring member and outer link and compressible upon the taking up of tension on the band and shifting of the load.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.