In the field of transport of goods via truck, trailer, or rail car, it is necessary to secure the load to the vehicle to prevent load shifting. There are known in the prior art a great variety of load tiedown devices for securing loads to a frame or truck bed. Generally speaking, these devices are designed to use only 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch rope and are limited to a 500 lb. tensile load. Such devices usually provide a two to one mechanical advantage at most, and are required to be tied by various methods to jam cleats provided on the truck frame or truck bed.
Prior art tiedown hitches are usually three-dimensional devices that are relatively expensive to produce, considering the large numbers of the devices that are required in the transportation business. It is commonplace for tiedown hitches to be lost from truck loads as the loads are removed piecemeal, or to be dropped carelessly on the ground or pavement. Once a tiedown hitch has been run over by a truck, it is damaged beyond use, and must be replaced.
There is a need in the transport business for a tiedown hitch that is inexpensive to manufacture and cheap to replace. Moreover, the industry is in need of a tiedown device that provides a greater mechanical advantage to secure loads more firmly. It would also be advantageous to have a tiedown hitch that can be used in the absence of jam cleats on the truck frame or bed.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds