Abstract:
In a vehicle wheel tie-down system for tying a wheel of a vehicle at a load carrying platform having an associated engagement receiving member by use of a strap, a wheel chock and winch assembly has a winch for receiving an end of the strap and a springable chock arm for resting against a surface of the wheel when the wheel chock and winch assembly is positioned at the wheel.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is related to application U.S. Ser. No. 11/623,768 filed Jan. 17, 2007 titled: “Improved Vehicle Tire Tie-Down System and Method”, inventor Richard A. Tatina. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present application relates to a vehicle tire tie-down system and method. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,729, a vehicle tire tie-down system is disclosed employing first and second winch and chock assemblies which lock to a load carrying platform such as on a railcar or other load carrying vehicle which supports a vehicle to be transported. Tires (also called wheels herein) of the vehicle being transported are secured to the platform by use of the first and second winch and chock assemblies together with a tire harness. Ends of the tire harness are secured to the first and second winch and chock assemblies. A winch of at least one of the two winch and chock assemblies is tightened to tighten a tire harness. An anchor channel is provided at a top surface of the platform. The anchor channel has upper inwardly extending flanges and notches at spaced locations. Each of the winch and chock assemblies has respective downwardly extending bar-shaped lugs at a front and back end received within the notches. A lock mechanism is provided having a rectangular rotatable lock element. When a lock handle is pushed, the winch and chock assembly is placed onto the channel with a longitudinal extent of the lock element aligned with the longitudinal extent of the channel. Thereafter the lock handle is pushed back and ends of the lock element then lie beneath the flanges to prevent upward movement of the assembly. The lugs prevent lateral and longitudinal movement. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    It is an object to improve upon the system and method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,729 described above. 
         [0004]    A vehicle wheel tie-down system is provided for tying a wheel of a vehicle at a load carrying platform having an associated engagement receiving member by use of a strap. A wheel chock and winch assembly is provided having a winch for receiving an end of the strap and a springable chock arm for resting against a surface of the wheel when the wheel chock and winch assembly is positioned at the wheel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an improved vehicle tire tie-down system and method; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an end view of  FIG. 2  showing of a deck of the system; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a wheel chock and winch assembly employed in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of a platform engagement member of the assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the wheel chock and winch assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a wheel chock and strap end securement assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of a platform engagement member of the assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is an end view showing a torsion spring in a releasable platform engagement assembly used both in the wheel chock and winch assembly of  FIG. 4  and in the wheel chock and strap end securement assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view showing an end of a wheel securement strap engaged with and wrapped around a mandrel of a winch of the wheel chock and winch assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of the wheel securement strap of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the strap of  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiment/best mode illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates are included. 
         [0019]    The improved vehicle tie tire-down system of a preferred/best mode embodiment is generally shown at  10  in  FIG. 1 . A tire or wheel  11  has a securement strap  12  partially wrapped therearound having cleats  4 . On a platform  9 , such as a railcar (although other types of platforms may be employed), a deck  17  is provided formed of a plurality of deck panels  17 A each mounted to deck  9  with a plurality of mounting holes  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D with bolts  2 A,  2 B,  2 C and  2 D. On the deck  17 , a wheel chock and winch assembly  19  is provided at one end  13  of the tire or wheel securement strap  12 , and at the other end  14  of the strap  12  a wheel chock and strap end securement assembly  20  is provided. A springable chock arm  21  is provided on assembly  19  which preferably contacts one part of the wheel at a bent loop  21 A. Similarly, springable chock arm  22  of assembly  20  contacts the tire at another location at bent loop  22 A. The assembly  19  has a winch  23  and the assembly  20  has a strap end engagement member such as a stud or projection  15  with a lip  15 A. 
         [0020]    Each deck panel  17 A has a plurality of longitudinal channels  18  defined by a floor  18 C and overhanging flanges  18 A and  18 B above the floor  18 C. The flanges each have a plurality of spaced notches  18 D and  18 E. The assemblies  19  and  20  both mount to the channel  18  in a similar fashion. Each assembly has a deck engagement member  26  ( FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  7 , and  8 ) with lateral projections  26 A,  26 B,  26 C, and  26 D receivable in the notches  18 D or  18 E. 
         [0021]    A releasable deck engagement assembly  25  is provided in each assembly  19  and  20 . The assembly  25  has a push tab or handle  25 A ( FIGS. 4-10 ) causing rotation of a rotatable engagement member  25 B. The rotatable engagement member  25 B has a longitudinal extent greater than a distance between facing edges of the overhanging flanges  18 A and  18 B of the deck panel  17 A. When the engagement member  25 B is rotated against the force of a torsion spring so that its longitudinal extent is parallel to the longitudinal extent of the channel, the engagement member fits between the flanges. When the releasable engagement assembly  25  is released, it automatically flips back due to spring action of torsion spring  25 D shown in  FIG. 10  such that the longitudinal extent of the rotatable engagement member  25 B is now perpendicular to the edges of the flanges, and ends of the rotatable engagement member  25 B, which are preferably rounded, overlap the edges of the flanges. Thus the releasable deck engagement assembly  25  prevents vertical travel of the assembly  19  or  20  relative to the deck panel, and the deck engagement member  26  prevents lateral and longitudinal movement of the assembly  19  or  20 . 
         [0022]    It should be noted that because of the plurality of notches associated with the channels  18 , the assemblies  19  and  20  have a longitudinal adjustment capability equal to a longitudinal spacing between the notches  18 B or  18 E in their respective flanges  18 A and  18 B. 
         [0023]    The springable chock arms  21  or  22  are formed from an overall strip  8  or  7  of the respective assemblies  19  and  20  wherein an end of the strip is bent up to form the springable chock arm  21  or  22 , and a remaining portion of the respective strip serves as a base  8 A or  7 A. For assembly  19 , the winch  23  is mounted on the base  8 A along with the engagement member  26 . Also the releasable deck engagement assembly  25  is mounted to the base  8 A, as shown in  FIG. 4 . And for assembly  20  as shown in  FIG. 7 , the releasable deck engagement assembly  25  and the stud or projection  15  are mounted to the base  7 A of strip  7 . The stud  15  is mounted to an L-shaped strip  5  having a vertical portion  5 A and a horizontal portion  5 B as shown in  FIG. 7 . Stud  15  mounts at the vertical portion  5 A. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the winch  23  has a mandrel comprising mandrel bars  23 C and  23 D forming a central slot  23 E therebetween. Ends of the mandrel bars are attached to retaining nuts  23 A and  23 B by flattening the ends of the mandrel bars. Attached to each nut  23 A or  23 B is a respective ratchet wheel  23 F or  23 G engaged by a respective pawl  24 B of pawl member  24 . Pawl member  24  has a foot plate  24 A engageable by an operator for disengaging the pawl from the teeth of the respective ratchet wheels. Ratchet member  24  rotates about the pivot axle  24 C. Pawl member  24  is spring loaded by a torsion spring  28  having spring sections  28 A and  28 B with a central spring arm  28 C most clearly shown in  FIG. 6 . Spring arm  28 C is biased against the foot plate  24 A. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , an end  13  of the strap  12  shown in  FIG. 13  is inserted through the slot  23 E of the mandrel. Preferably a retaining bolt or pin  16 A may be attached by engaging a nut  16 B with bolt  16 A at the leading end  16  of strap  12  after the end  16  has been inserted through the slot (see  FIGS. 11-13 ). 
         [0026]    Details of the strap  12  are shown in  FIG. 12 . The strap  12  has at one end an attachment member  27  with an aperture such as a key hole slot  27 A engageable with the stud or projection  15  and retained by the stud flange or end rim  15 A. Strap  12  also has a plurality of cleats  4  which are hollow and which are slid onto the strap  12  and retained in place by sewing a folded over section of strap at locations  12 A to the strap  12 . 
         [0027]    The functionality of the system and method of the best mode/preferred embodiment will now be described. The platform is formed of individual deck panels attached to the platform, such as on a railcar, with the mounting holes  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D and the appropriate bolts  2 A,  2 B,  2 C,  2 D through these holes. Alternatively, the longitudinal channels could be provided directly in the platform  9 . 
         [0028]    The wheel chock and winch assembly  19  is placed up against one portion of the wheel, and the wheel chock and strap end securement assembly  20  is placed against an opposite portion of the wheel. Since the springable chock arms  21  and  22  can deflect during transportation of the vehicle, there is play provided by the chock arms. They dampen movement of the vehicle and also provide additional tolerance and flexibility for longitudinal placement of the assemblies  19  and  20  relative to the wheel. The strap end attachment member  27  is then engaged with the projection or stud  15  such as by use of the key hole slot  27 A. Strap  12  is then wrapped around the tire with the cleats  4  in position on the periphery of the wheel. The opposite end  13  with leading end  16  of the strap is then passed through the slot  23 E of the mandrel and the securement bolt  16 A with nut  16 B is attached. One of the winding nuts  23 A or  23 B of winch  23  is then engaged, such as with a socket tool, to turn the mandrel to tighten the strap. To release the strap, the foot plate or pedal  24 A is engaged by the operator to release the respective pawls  24 B relative to the respective ratchet wheels  23 F,  23 G. 
         [0029]    Many variations are contemplated. Although only one wheel chock and winch assembly has been shown, two of these assemblies  19  may be provided so that the second wheel chock and winch assembly  19  would replace the wheel chock and strap end securement assembly  20 . In this case, the mandrel of either winch at either side of the wheel may then be rotated to tighten the strap. 
         [0030]    Although in the preferred embodiment/best mode one type of engagement member  26  has been shown, other types of engagement members may be employed with different shapes and arrangements. Similarly, the notches in the overhanging flanges may be of different designs. Similarly the releasable deck engagement assembly  25  can have various designs, as may the rotatable engagement member  25 B. 
         [0031]    Furthermore, the springable chock arm  21  or  22  may have various designs, as may the base attached to the springable arm, such as by separate pieces, rather than contiguous and integral as shown. 
         [0032]    The winch  23  may also have a variety of designs, and different types of release mechanisms may be employed in connection with the winch  23 . 
         [0033]    The securement strap may also have a variety of designs, including the use of various types of web assemblies with the strap. 
         [0034]    The provision of the longitudinal channels for locking the assemblies  19  or  20  thereto may also have a variety of designs. Instead of separate deck panels, a single deck panel could be employed. The longitudinal channels could be part of the platform. 
         [0035]    The design of the longitudinal channel may also have a variety of different designs for engagement with different types of engagement members and releasable engagement members. 
         [0036]    While a preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention both now or in the future are desired to be protected.