Spring-biased take-up clamp assembly for mobile home tie-down straps

A tie-down assembly for securing mobile homes or the like, comprising:

• an earth anchor adapted to be embedded within the earth and including an elongated shaft having the upper end thereof protruding from the earth, and a generally transversely extending load-bearing member attached to said shaft adjacent the lower embedded end thereof;
• a mounting plate secured to said protruding end of the anchor shaft;
• an elongated, axially slotted and rotatable spindle in engagement with one side of said mounting plate;
• an elongated tie-down strap having one end thereof inserted within said spindle slot and wrapped around the spindle;
• and
• spring means including spaced torsion spring portions respectively in gripping engagement with said spindle and on opposite sides of said strap, and a bail portion connected between said torsion spring portions and engaging the side of said mounting plate remote from said spindle,
• said torsion spring portions being configured for loosening upon axial rotation of said spindle in a direction for takeup winding of said strap about the spindle, and for substantially blocking rotation of said spindle in a direction for loosening of the strap.

A tensioning device for use in a tie-down assembly including anchoring means and an elongated tie-down element, said device comprising:

• an elongated element-receiving spindle;
• spring means including a pair of spaced torsion spring portions respectively in gripping engagement with said spindle, and a bail portion interconnected between said torsion spring portions and having a bight section in spaced relationship to said spindle;
• and
• means for engaging said bail portion for holding said element against loosening under tension loads experienced by the latter.

A clamp assembly for securing a tie-down element such as an elongated cable or strap to anchoring structure, comprising:

• axially rotatable spindle means for receiving one end of said element;
• mounting structure for said spindle means and adapted to be affixed to said anchoring structure;
• and
• spring means operatively coupling said spindle means and mounting structure for precluding significant loosening of the element under tension loads normally experienced thereby,
• said spring means comprising spaced torsion spring portions respectively in gripping engagement with said spindle means, and a bail portion interconnecting said torsion spring portions and engageable with said mounting structure for precluding loosening of said element.