`
`[19]
`
`Cummings
`
`U5005101537A
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`a
`9
`5 101 537
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Apr. 7, 1992
`
`[54] RATCHET TIE-DOWN
`[75]
`Inventor' David S Cummings Princeton Mass
`'
`'
`’
`’
`[73] Assignee:
`Lowell Corporation, Worcester,
`Mass.
`561 005
`a
`Aug. 1, 1990
`
`[21] A 1 N
`PP .
`[22] - Filed:
`
`0-1
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63]
`
`Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 260,001, Oct. 19, 1988,
`abandoned.
`[51]
`Int. Cl.5 .............................................. A443 21/00
`
`[52] U.S. Cl. ............................ 24/68 CD; 24/71.2
`[58] Field of Search ............. 24/68 R, 68 CD, 68 SK,
`24/68 B, 71.2, 68 CT; 410/100
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`................... 24/68 R
`3,988,007 10/1976 Freiburger, Jr.
`4,045,002
`8/1977 Miller ................... 24/68 on x
`
`4,234,166 11/1980 Cederblad ..
`..... 24/68 CD
`
`4,799,297
`1/1989 Baggio et al.
`.................... 24/68 SK
`
`Primary Examiner—James R. Brittain
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Shlesinger, Arkwright &
`Garvey
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`‘
`
`-
`
`A ratchet tie down structure is shown that is designed
`to hold heavy objects in place on a transport vehicle
`such as a flat bed trailer, a car carrier, a railroad car and
`the like. The mechanism includes a base element at-
`
`tached to the transport vehicle that has pair of cooperat-
`ing elements having interfitting ratchet teeth and a latch
`that permit a shaft to be turned in one direction to
`tighten a flexible holding element attached to the object
`with the latch holding the tension therein until
`the
`ratchet teeth on the two elements are disengaged. The
`structure includes a driving connection by which the
`shaft may be rotated in one direction to wind a tension
`in the flexible holding element and the latch being selec-
`tively operative to disengage one of the elements with
`the ratchet teeth from the other in order to release the
`
`”“510“ m the [lemma h°ldmg means When the heavy
`Obie“ is to be unloaded.
`
`7 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`Boydstun v. Cottrell, IPR2017-OO962
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`Cottrell, EX. 2005
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`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
`Boydstun v. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
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`
`US. Patent
`
`Apr. 7, 1992
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`5,101,537
`
`
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`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-OO962
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`Cottrell, EX. 2005
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`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
`Boydstun v. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
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`
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`US. Patent
`
`Apr. 7, 1992
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
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`5,101,537
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`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-OO962
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`Cottrell, EX. 2005
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`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
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`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Apr. 7, 1992
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
`
`5,101,537
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`[5
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`Fig.9
` ”Iii—”E21704
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`45
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`'NJill/I"
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`7 _
`.
`SW
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`
`I5
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`44
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`I
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`Fig.8
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`I?
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`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-OO962
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`Cottrell, EX. 2005
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`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
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`1
`
`RATCHET TIE-DOWN
`
`5,101,537
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`This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser.
`No. 07/260,001, filed Oct. 19, 1988, abandoned, for
`Ratchet.
`This invention relates to a means for anchoring ob-
`jects to be transported onto the flat beds or decks of
`transport vehicles such as auto transport trailers, flat
`bed trucks and trailers, railroad flat cars by tensioning a
`flexible strap or chain or the like around the object to
`fasten it to the transport means.
`BACKGROUND
`
`5
`
`10
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`In the transport or freight hauling industry there is a
`need for means to quickly and easily apply a suitable
`tension to chains, straps, cables and ropes that are
`adapted to fix heavy objects in place on the transport
`means. The device for pulling the tension in the flexible
`means must also be constructed and arranged to hold
`the tension in the flexible tie-down while the objects are
`being transported and yet that device must be adapted
`to be quickly and safely operative to release the tension
`in the flexible tie-down means for unloading the objects
`when the destination has been reached.
`Heretofore, one form of a tie-down system has been
`used which makes used of a manually manipulated ro-
`tating take up shaft for wrapping a flexible tie-down '
`means around its periphery, the shaft having a toothed
`wheel integral therewith that coacts with a pawl to hold
`the tension in the flexible tie-down. A suitable winding
`or cranking means is provided to wind the flexible tie—
`down on the shaft and the pawl must be released at the
`destination to permit the unloading of the heavy object
`from the transport. In practice at the freight depot, the
`tension in the tie-down is released by using a pry bar or
`a crank on the toothed wheel to slightly tighten the
`flexible tie-down in order to release the load on the
`pawl and then the operator can move the pawl to its
`unlocked position whereupon the toothed wheel can be
`turned to reverse the rotation of the shaft to fully re-
`lease the pull on the tie-down. The use of the fingers
`near the pawl adjacent the toothed wheel to unlock the
`pawl as has been the practice in the past, has resulted in
`some painful accidents to the operators including even
`the loss of fingers when the crank or pry bar has been
`accidentally released during the tension releasing pro-
`cess.
`
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`PRIOR ART
`
`In my prior application, the following art was made
`of record:
`
`65,386 to Hubbard
`June 4, 1867
`78,245 to Weiland
`May 26, 1868
`351,735 to Brill
`November 2, 1886
`416.996 to Cook
`December 10, 1889
`£11,529 to Burns
`June 27. 1893
`2,899,841 to Melloy
`August 18, 1959
`3,988,007 to Freiberger Jr.
`October 26, 1976
`
`4,635,773 to Llewllin January 13, 1987
`
`While all of the above cited patents illustrate various
`one-way drive systems making use of a ratchet drive
`means, only Cook and Freiburger show means to ten-
`sion a flexible or other means and lock the flexible ele-
`ment in its tensioned condition.
`Hubbard and Weiland show one way ratchet drive
`means for use on agricultural equipment. Brill and
`
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`
`2
`Burns show manually driven crank means operating
`through a ratchet drive for applying the brakes on rail-
`road cars and Melloy shows a one way ratchet drive for
`a control knob on a household appliance. Not one of
`these prior art patents describes a locking means associ—
`ated with the ratcheting device.
`The patent to Cook discloses a means that forms a
`clutch in a device for applying the brakes on a railroad
`car or the like wherein a pawl or foot dog 18 is shown
`that coacts with a toothed ratchet 8 to enable a brake-
`man to pull a tension in a chain to apply the brakes on
`a railroad car. When the brakes have been set, the pawl
`or foot dog 18 engages the ratchet to hold the brakes set
`hard. In order to unlock the brakes, the brake-handle
`may be moved to a position to turn the ratchet for-
`wardly “with his entire strength" (page 2, column 1,
`line 28) to give the ratchet some additional forward
`movement to enable the brakeman to move the foot-dog
`to release the ratchet.
`
`The Freiburger Jr. patent discloses a device adapted
`for a sedentary use such as for holding down a mobile
`home. This construction makes use of a bolt rotatably
`mounted in a holder adapted to be anchored to the
`ground. The bolt is driven to wind up a strap to place a
`constant pull on the structure to which the strap is
`attached by connecting the strap supporting means to
`an anchoring device that is resiliently supported from a
`rod driven into the ground.
`’
`The Freiburger Jr. structure includes a series of co-
`acting ratcheting teeth associated with a fixed means
`that supports the bolt. The teeth are resiliently urged
`into engagement by means of a spring that cooperates
`with the bolt as the bolt is rotated by a hand held
`wrench to wind up the strap to place it under tension.
`Once the holding means is placed under tension. This
`device is intended to be mounted permanently in one
`place and no means are shown for unloading the resil-
`ient tension pulled on the strap.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`This device finds use particularly in the heavy duty
`transport field and includes a ratchet having an input
`element and an output or hold-back element arranged
`for relative rotation about a common axis of a take up
`shaft and in this disclosure the output element has a
`limited relative resilient longitudinal movement along
`the shaft relative to the input element. Each element has
`a circular array of teeth that engages a similar array of
`teeth on the other element. Each tooth has an axially-
`extending forward face and an inclined rearward face.
`The teeth in the input element face in one direction
`opposite to the direction of the teeth on the output
`element, so that rotation of the input element in one
`direction causes the rearward faces to act in a carnming
`mode with relative axial movement of the output ele-
`ment to the input element, while rotation of the input
`element in the other direction causes the forward faces
`to engage in a locking mode.
`In its preferred form, the tie-down is mounted along
`a side of a trans-port means. For this use the input ele-
`ment is integral with the shaft for winding a flexible
`hold-down means around its periphery and the rela-
`tively longitudinally movable output element is non-
`rotatably mounted relative to the input means. When
`the input element is driven to wind up the flexible strap.
`or other holding means for engaging the object to be
`held on the transport, the teeth on the input and output
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`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
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`Cottrell, EX. 2005
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`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
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`3
`elements coact to first allow the shaft to be rotated to
`pull the tension in the flexible means and then lock the
`input means in its wound up position to retain the ten-
`sion pulled in the flexible holding means in order to hold
`that object bound to the transport means. After the
`transport has arrived at its destination, the output ele-
`ment may be moved longitudinally away from the input
`element to release the tension in the flexible holding
`means to permit the object to be unloaded from the
`transport vehicle.
`IN THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing
`one form of the ratchet tie-down device of this inven-
`tlon;
`FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the device looking at
`the tie-down along the plane 2—2 of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevation partly broken away
`showing one form of an output element for the tie-down
`of this invention;
`FIG. 4 is an end view of the output element of FIG.
`3 looking along line 4—4 of FIG. 3;
`FIG. 5 is a perspective View partly broken away
`showing the device of FIG. I mounted on a car carrier
`transport means;
`FIG. 6 is a side elevation of an alternate form of the
`tie-down device, shown partly in section;-
`FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the device of
`FIG. 6 mounted in a typical manner on the side of a
`flat—bed transport means;
`FIG, 8 is a side elevation of the output element of the
`device shown in FIG. 6 partly broken away;
`FIG. 9 is a top view partly broken away showing the
`output element of FIG. 6 assembled together with the
`support frame for the device;
`FIG. 10 is an end view of the output element shown
`in FIG. 9 looking at the inside end of that element;
`FIG. 11 is side view of a tool that can be used for
`
`operating the tie-down of this invention; and
`FIG. 12 is a view showing the forked end of the tool
`in position for moving the output element of this inven-
`tion way from the input element to release the tension in
`the flexible tie-down holding means of this invention;
`and
`
`FIG. 13 is a detailed top view of the mechanism
`shown in FIG. 5.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`Referring first to FIGS. 1, and 2 wherein are shown
`the general features of one form of this invention, the
`ratchet tie-down includes a generally cup shaped input
`element 11 integral with a shaft for wrapping up a flexi-
`ble holding means and a holdback or output element 15
`that is non-rotatable for holding the tension in the hold-
`ing means after the tension has been pulled in the hold-
`ing means. The output element may provide a bearing
`for the outer end of the wrapping shaft and the output
`‘ element is longitudinally slidable relative to the shaft.
`For the purpose of turning the shaft, the wall of the cup
`portion of the input element is provided with apertures
`13 for receiving the end of a driving bar as will appear
`fully below and the input element 11 has a bottom disk-
`like configuration having a face 12 with a circular band
`or array of ratchet teeth 14 extending axially therefrom.
`Similarly, the output element 15 has the general shape
`of a disk that has a face 16 from which protrudes a
`circular array of ratchet teeth 17 that are shaped to and
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`4
`are disposed to cooperate with the teeth 14 on the disk
`11.
`As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a resilient means such as
`the coil spring 18, presses against the side wall 19 of the
`auto track element of an automobile car carrier trans-
`
`port trailer upon which this device is mounted, for
`example to bias the output element toward the input
`element so that the cooperating ratchet teeth 14 and 17
`are pressed into engagement. Each tooth 14 of the input
`element has a forward face and a rear face, the forward
`face lying in a plane that passes through an axis A—A
`and the rear face that is sloped relative to the forward
`face. In the same way, the teeth 17 of the output element
`are formed with a forward face and a rear face that face
`in the opposite direction from the teeth on the input
`element. In other words, the forward faces of the input
`element are directed toward the forward faces of the
`output element to lock together in one direction of
`rotation as will appear more fully below and rotation in
`the opposite direction causes the rear faces to act in a
`slipping or camming mode to unlock the engaged teeth.
`This structure provides a ratchet drive having a positive
`drive connection when the input and output elements
`are driven in one direction and a ratcheting connection
`when these elements are driven in a reverse direction.
`As shown in FIG. 5, this tie-down means is adapted
`to be mounted on a car carrier transport means. In this
`use, the input element 11 is fixedly mounted on the
`outboard end of the wrapping shaft that is rotated to
`pull the tension on the holding means and shaft 25 is
`rotatably carried in the output element. The body of this
`output element is slidably mounted in a suitable aperture
`in the outside wall 19 of the inverted channel member
`23 that provides the track for supporting the cars on the
`carrier vehicle, with the shaft 25 extending under the
`track 23. The free end of the shaft extends inwardly
`toward the center of the carrier and is made to be
`fixedly attached to the end of the flexible holding means
`so that upon rotation of the shaft the flexible tie-down
`will be wrapped about the axis A—A shown in FIG. 1.
`The output element supported in the wall 19 is a bearin g
`support for one end of the shaft 25 and an inboard bear-
`ing 24 is provided for the inner end of the shaft to sup—
`port the shaft for rotation as well as to provide a thrust
`bearing to hold the shaft in place under the channel 23.
`The flexible hold down means may take the form of a
`chain or a cable or other suitable strapping means, the
`end of which is fixed to the shaft 25 that is adapted to be
`connected at its opposite end with one comer of the
`frame or some other rigid element of a car on the car~
`rier, to hold that comer of the car in a fixed position on
`the carrier. There will be one tie~down means for each
`comer of a car on the carrier. The output element 16 is
`mounted concentrically about axis A—A for sliding
`motion on the shaft 25 and is normally urged toward the
`input element 11 by spring 18. The output element is
`restrained from rotation about the axis by a latch 26, the
`output element having opposed pegs which engage in
`apertures 29 in the side arms of the latch 26.
`The latch 26 is generally U shaped with the legs
`hinged at their top ends for swinging action on a base 31
`fixed to the wall 19 of the car carrier track. A pivot pin
`30 that passes through the legs of the latch is carried by
`the base and provides a generally horizontally disposed
`bearing means for a coil spring 33 that surrounds the pin
`and has one leg that engages the wall 19 and another leg
`at its other end that engages one leg of the latch to bias
`the latch toward the input element. With this arrange-
`
`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-OO962
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`5,101,537
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`5
`ment the pegs 28 add the further pressure of spring 33
`pressure through the latch to the pressure of spring 18
`to urge the ratchet teeth on the output element into firm
`contact with the ratchet teeth on the input element. The
`bottom of the latch has an integral socket means having
`apertures 34 and 35 to receive the end of a release bar as
`will be explained below.
`When a car carrier has been equipped with a plurality
`of these tie-down means each one of which is adapted to
`cooperate with a respective comer of a car on the car-
`rier and a full complement of cars have been driven
`onto the carrier, the respective flexible hold-downs 20
`each keyed to their respective shafts 25 can then each
`one be connected to a fixed element at the respective
`comers of each of the cars on the carrier. The plain end
`of a bar 36 like that shown in FIG. 11 can then be in-
`serted in the apertures 13 in the walls of the cup shaped
`input elements to rotate each one of the respective
`shafts 25 in a direction to wrap each flexible hold-down
`20 around its shaft. As the input element is rotated the
`ratchet
`teeth of the non-rotatable output element
`ratchet over the teeth of the driven input element and
`the spring 18 constantly urges the output teeth into
`engagement with the input teeth. Each tie-down means
`is operative to first draw and then hold the tension
`drawn in the flexible means since the output element is
`constantly restrained from rotation by the pegs 28 inte-
`gral with the output means and which are engaged in
`bearings in the legs of the latch 26. A tie-down at each
`corner of each car is operated in this manner to posi-
`tively restraint each car on the carrier during transport
`over the highways.
`When the carrier reaches its destination, each ten-
`sioned flexible holding means is released to free the cars
`for removal from the carrier. This release of the tension
`is easily accomplished by simply fitting the plain end of
`the bar 36 in one of the sockets 34 or 35 of the latch
`means and pushing the latch inwardly against the bias of
`the spring 33. When the latch swings in, the pegs 28
`force the output element 15 to slide inwardly along
`shaft 25 and the ratchet teeth 17 of the output element
`are thus moved to be disengaged from the ratchet teeth
`14 of the input element.
`Because the locking torque forces are transmitted by
`engagement between the forward faces of all the teeth
`14 of the input element to the forward faces of the teeth
`17 of the output element, the total force absorbed in the
`ratchet means can be very large, while the force carried -
`by any one pair of mating teeth is quite small. Further-
`more, because each tooth is connected to the flat face of
`its respective input or output element, it has a broad
`base to resist
`the shear forces that develop during
`torque transmittal. Also it is possible to use relatively
`fine teeth to obtain small torquing increments without
`sacrificing strength. In addition, the extent of the teeth
`in the radial direction can be made as wide as may ever
`be necessary to carry all the load that could possibly be
`required for the purposes described herein.
`In some instances when a car is being attached to or
`disconnected from the tie-down, it may be desirable to
`hold the output element disengaged from the input
`element. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner end of
`the output element has a hexagonal shape 22 and ramps
`21 are cut into the hex. With this construction, when the
`output element is at its innermost position as shown in
`dotted form in FIG. 1, the output element can be manu-
`ally rotated to lock this element in its innermost position
`when the comers of the hex will be turned to be en-
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`gaged behind the wall 19 to hold the output element
`locked in the disengaged position so that the shaft 25
`can free wheel to permit the flexible holding means to
`be more easily arranged as desired. When the device is
`to be used on a car or the tie-down is to be stored while
`the car carrier is running empty, the corners of the hex
`portion of the output element should be released from
`their engagement behind the wall 19 so that the flexible
`hold-down can be held in a properly wrapped up posi-
`tion.
`
`This device can be used on other flat bed transport
`means such as is shown in FIGS. 6—10. In this form the
`invention can be adapted for mounting along the side of
`a flat bed transport means to pull a strap or other flexi—
`ble holding means tightly bound around an object on
`the bed. As shown in FIG. 7 a load of plywood sheets
`are shown strapped onto. the bed of a trailer.
`One form of such a portable tie-down means is shown
`in FIG. 6 where a roughly U shaped bracket is provided
`that may be bolted to the underside of the edge of the
`flat bed as shown in FIG. 7. It is suggested that a num-
`ber of different mounting arrangements can be provided
`for fixedly securing the bracket to the edge of a trans-
`port means in any position where needed to properly
`draw a flexible holding means around the object. Since
`many different shapes and sizes of articles are trans-
`ported over the roads on flat bed vehicles of different
`kinds it is essential that the tie-down unit be made in a
`form to be easily attached to such a vehicle wherever it
`may be needed to pull the flexible holding means taut.
`The tie-down assembly of FIG. 6 is essentially the
`same as that shown in FIG. 1, the input element 11
`being mounted integral with the shaft at one end to
`cooperate with the output element 15 that is resiliently
`urged into contact with the input element by the coil
`spring 18. The opposite end of the shaft has an integral
`hub 41 that is provided with apertures 42 and 43 to
`receive the end of the rod 36 of FIG. 11 to turn the shaft
`for drawing a tension in the holding strap when a load
`is being strapped to the flat bed. When the shaft is
`turned a strap or other
`flexible holding means is
`wrapped on the shaft and the ratchet teeth 14 and 17 on
`the input and output elements interact as above de-
`scribed to hold the tension until the ratchet teeth are
`disengaged to free the shaft for reverse rotation when
`the output element is moved inwardly along shaft 25 by
`means of the forked end of the rod 36.
`In the form of the device shown in FIG. 6, the arcu-
`ate hub elements 44 of the output elements are designed
`to be mounted in the arcuate bearing openings 45 and 46
`in the free end of one of the legs of the U shaped frame
`40. The output element is essentially held against rota-
`tion but is permitted to have a limited degree of oscilla-
`tory motion in the bearing openings 45 and 46. The hub
`elements are L shaped and the stem of the L has a length
`such that when the output element is pushed toward the
`leg of the U bracket against the bias of the coil spring 18
`the foot of the L can be engaged behind the leg of the
`bracket to hold the ratchet teeth of the output disen-
`gaged from the ratchet teeth of the input element. This
`permits the device to be held in a free wheeling condi-
`tion to facilitate the attachment of the holding strap to
`or the removal of the holding strap from the shaft 25 as
`the device is made to cooperate with the object on the
`flat bed.
`
`As with the type of tie-down having the latch mecha—_
`nism built in, this last described tie-down is made to
`have its tension released by using the tool shown in
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`FIG. 11 to disengage the ratchet teeth when the device
`is under a tension load. It is merely necessary to use the
`forked end of the rod 36 between the input and output
`elements of this device mounted in the U shaped bracket
`to urge the output element toward the leg of the bracket
`40 to disengage the ratchet teeth in this form of the
`tie-down. As the output element 15 is held in its disen-
`gaged position, it may be manually turned to engage the
`foot end of the L shaped hub elements 44 behind the leg
`of the bracket as shown in dotted lines of FIG. 9 to set
`the device for a free wheeling condition.
`The above is a description of the preferred form of
`this tie-down device and its use. It is possible that modi-
`fications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art
`that will fall within the scope of the following claims.
`I claim:
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`1. A compact hold down device designed to hold
`heavy objects in place within the confines of a transport
`means, which objects are being transported on such
`transport means in commerce such as on car carriers,
`flat bed trailers, rail road cars and the like; said device
`including a ratchet means, said ratchet means including
`a first series of ratchet teeth and a second set of comple-
`mentary ratchet teeth, said device being operative to
`apply a tension to and to hold the tension in a flexible
`holding means such as a chain or a strap adapted to
`coact with an object for holding said object in place on
`said transport means during such movement and then
`said hold down device being operative to release the
`tension applied to the holding means to permit‘ the un-
`loading of said objects from said transport means; said
`hold down device that is mounted on said transport
`means comprising a base element for said hold down
`device that is fixed to said transport means: a shaft to
`which said flexible holding means is attached and said
`shaft being rotatably mounted in said element supported
`on said transport means for' rotation in either a clock-
`wise or counter clockwise direction about an axis; said
`shaft having an end accessible from beyond the confines
`of said transport means; an input means integral with
`said accessible end of said shaft and said input means
`being adapted to be rotatably driven to drive said shaft
`in one of said directions for wrapping said flexible '
`means on said shaft for tensioning said holding means;
`an output element slideably mounted on and being rela-
`tively rotatable with respect to said shaft; latch means.
`pivotally supported on said base element fixed to said
`transport means for engaging with and being operative
`to slide said output element toward and away from said
`input element; means interacting between said latch
`means and said output means to preclude the rotation of
`said output element with said shaft when said shaft
`rotates in either said clockwise or counter clockwise
`direction; means to resiliently bias said latch means
`together with said output element toward said input
`element; said first series of ratchet teeth being integral
`with said input element which teeth are disposed in a
`circular pattern concentric about said axis and which
`face toward said output element; said second set of
`complementary ratchet teeth being integral with said
`output element and being disposed in the same concen-
`tric circular pattern about said axis and which face
`toward said input element; said first series and said
`second set of ratchet teeth being designed to interact
`one with the other; said latch means including a release
`adaptor means which can be engaged to swing said
`latch against said bias of said resilient means to move
`.
`said output element away from said input element to
`.
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`8
`disengage said second series of ratchet teeth from said
`first series of ratchet teeth; said latch means being a U
`shaped member with the open ends of the U being
`mounted on bearing means carried by said base element;
`and the closed end of the U shaped latch member hav-
`ing said release adaptor integral therewith; said hold
`down device being constructed and arranged to permit
`said flexible holding means to be placed under tension
`by being wound up on said shaft when said shaft is
`rotated in said one direction while said first series and
`said second set of ratchet teeth are resiliently urged into
`complementary engagement whereby said holding
`means is held in its tensioned state by said interengaged
`first series and second set of ratchet teeth as said shaft is
`rotated in said one direction and said latch means being
`operative through said interactive means to slide said
`output element on said shaft and away from said input
`element to disengage said second set of teeth from said
`first series of ratchet teeth to permit said shaft to rotate
`freely in a direction the opposite to said one direction in
`order to release the tension in said flexible holding
`means to permit said heavy objects to be unloaded from
`said transport means.
`2. A ratchet device for tensioning a flexible holding
`means engaged with a load of one or more objects to
`hold said load in place on the bed of a transport means
`while said load is in transit comprising a rotatable input
`element having ratchet teeth integral therewith, a shaft
`adapted to be rotated by the rotation of said input ele-
`ment to draw a tension in said flexible holding means, a
`hold-back element that is non-rotatable relative to said
`input element, said hold back element having ratchet
`teeth integral
`therewith for cooperating with the
`ratchet teeth on said input element, said hold~back ele-
`ment being movable toward and away from said input
`element to permit said ratchet teeth to be engaged when
`said input and hold-back elements are pushed toward
`each other whereby to hold any tension pulled in the
`flexible holding means while said teeth are engaged, and
`said hold—back means being movable away from said
`input element to disengage the teeth of the hold-back
`element from the teeth of said input element, resilient
`means to bias said hold-back means toward said input
`means so that said ratchet teeth coact with each other
`
`when said input element is rotated, and pivotally opera-
`tive U shaped means to move said hold-back element
`against the bias of said resilient means to disengage the
`ratchet teeth of said hold-back means from said ratchet
`
`teeth of the input means in order to release any tension
`in said flexible hold down means.
`3. A ratchet device as in claim 2 wherein there are
`means to hold said hold-back element in a disengaged
`position.
`4. A ratchet device as in claim 3 wherein said hold—
`back element is slidably mounted on said shaft and can
`be oscillated several degrees in opposite directions
`about the shaft, locking means associated with said hold
`back means and said oscillating motion serving to en-
`gage said locking means to maintain said hold-back
`means with its ratchet teeth disengaged.
`5. A ratchet means as in claim 3 wherein said ratchet
`device is mounted on a fixed support means, and said
`hold-back element includes a cylindrical body‘ that sur-
`rounds said shaft, said hold-back element supporting
`said integral ratchet teeth on one end of its body and
`having locking means formed on its opposite end, said
`locking means being adapted to be positively engaged
`with said fixed support to fixedly position said hold
`
`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
`
`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
`
`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
`Boydstun v. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
`
`
`
`9
`
`5,101,537
`
`.back means with its ratchet teeth in an disengaged posi-
`tion.
`
`6. A ratchet device as in claim 5 wherein said locking
`means takes the form of an L shaped aperture at said
`opposite end of said body defined by walls integral with
`said body, and said fixed support having elongated slot
`means therein for cooperating with said integral walls
`that form said locking means whereby the said L shaped
`locking means may be pushed through said slot and then
`said body can be oscillated therein to engage said L
`shaped means on said fixed support.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`10
`7. A ratchet device as in claim 5 wherein said locking
`means takes the form of a pair of non-congruent hexag-
`onal flanges disposed one next to the other at said oppo-
`site end of said body, said fixed support having a hexag-
`onal aperture formed therein for cooperating with said
`non-congruent flanges such that first one of said pair of
`flanges may be passed through said aperture and after
`that flange has passed completely through the aperture
`the other hexagonal flange of said pair can be fitted
`through the aperture so that the first hexagonal flange is
`turned to a non-congruent position with respect to said
`aperture.
`*
`I!
`a:
`III
`II
`
`Boydstun V. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
`
`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
`
`Cottrell, Ex. 2005
`Boydstun v. Cottrell, IPR2017-00962
`
`