Adjustable load binding hook

An adjustable load binding hook for use on truck beds and trailers utilizes a generally rectangular base support having first and second base support flanges along opposite sides of the base support member. The first and second base support flanges are angled inwardly toward each other to partially wrap around and engage the flange of an I-beam under the bed of a truck or trailer. One or more hooks are attached to the base support member which are adapted to received ropes chains or the like for binding a load to the bed of the truck or trailer. A threaded hole or the like in one of the base support flanges is adapted to receive a bolt or the leg portion of a hook. The end of the bolt or hook is adapted to frictionally engage and bar against the web of the I-beam to fasten the device rigidly to the I-beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART 
This invention relates generally fastening devices and in particular to 
devices for binding loads on trucks and other vehicles. 
It is currently the practice in the trucking industry to attach load 
binding ropes, chains and other bindings, to hooks that are welded to the 
peripheral metal frame surrounding the truck bed or to other metallic 
structural parts of the truck or trailer that are convenient and 
accessible. 
The common locations for these load binding hooks are generally exposed and 
subject to frequent damage from unintentional bumps, impacts, overloads 
and the like, causing the welds to fail and the hooks to be lost or made 
unusable. 
These hook failures almost always occur while the vehicle is on the road 
where spare hooks and welding equipment are not available. 
Because most truck and trailer beds are constructed from a base support 
frame of I-beams, and because these I-beams extend laterally under the 
truck or trailer bed, they represent a good location for attachment of a 
load binding hook. 
The prior art methods of attaching devices, such as hooks or the like, to 
an I-beam include two-part devices having U-shaped legs that wrap around 
the I-beam flange with a clamping device to hold the two parts together. 
Other prior art methods include a plier-like gripping member whose jaws 
engage the two edges of the I-beam flange in combination with a cam device 
for maintaining the gripping pressure against the flange edges. 
All the prior art devices are more complicated and costlier to produce than 
the device of the present invention. 
In addition, there is no indication that these prior art devices were eve 
used or were conveniently adaptable for use on a truck or trailer. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The adjustable load binding hook of the present invention is a simple one 
piece device fabricated out of a generally rectangular strap or bar of 
sheet metal defining a generally flat base support member. The opposite 
sides of the base support member are deformed to define first and second 
base support flanges sloping toward each other and projecting from the 
same side of the base support member. A means for attaching the base 
support member to the flange of an I-beam is included in one of the base 
support flanges. One or more hooks are attached to the base support member 
and the two base support flanges. The base support flanges can make equal 
or different acute angles with the base support member. 
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an 
adjustable load binding hook for binding or holding a load. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a load binding 
hook that can be connected to the web of an I-beam. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a load binding 
hook that is easily connected to the web of an I-beam. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a load 
binding hook for a truck, trailer of the like that is adjustable along the 
length of an I-beam. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an 
adjustable load binding bracket having multiple hooks attached thereto. 
These and other object of the present invention will become manifest upon 
review of the following detailed description when taken together with the 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a typical adjustable load 
binding hook 10 of the present invention fabricated from a generally 
rectangular, flat piece of sheet metal or a rectangular metal bar 
comprising a base support member 12 having opposite sides deformed to 
define an first base support flange 14 and a second base sport flange 16 
projecting from the upper side of base support member 12 and sloping 
toward each other at an acute angle to base support member 12. 
As an alternative, first and second base support flanges 14 and 16 can be 
attached, as by welding or the like, to the opposite edges of base support 
member 12. 
A hook 18 is attached, as by a hole and threaded leg or by welding or the 
like, to base support member 12 proximate the center thereof. The plane of 
hook 18 is adapted to be generally parallel to the sides of base support 
member 12 from which are deformed or attached to first and second base 
support flanges 14 and 16, respectively. 
A bolt 20, threadably engaging and passing through first flange 14, is used 
to bear against and frictionally engage web 30 of I-beam 32 to connect 
base support member 12 to flange 34 of I-beam 32. 
In FIG. 1, adjustable load binding hook 10 is shown as it would be 
connected to a typical I-beam 32 on the underside of a typical truck or 
trailer bed. 
Adjustable load binding hook 10 of FIG. 1 is typically connected to I-beam 
32 near the periphery or side of the truck or trailer bed (not shown) 
which would be proximate the end of the I-beam seen projecting out of the 
drawing. The rope, chain or the like (not shown) binding the load to the 
bed of the truck or trailer would then pass over the edge of the bed and 
down under the bed to engage or be tied to hook 18. 
With reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an end elevational view of 
the adjustable load binding hook 10 of FIG. 1 showing how base support 
member 12 is connected to I-beam 32. 
In FIG. 2, threaded bolt 20 is adapted to engage threaded hole 38 in base 
support flange 14 and pass therethrough to bear against and frictionally 
engage web 30 of I-beam 32. Bolt 20 thus forces the edge of I-beam flange 
34 against base support flange 16 to cause them to become frictionally 
engaged proximate the intersection of base support flange 16 with base 
support member 12. 
Since base support flange 16 slopes inwardly toward base support flange 14 
and forms an acute angle with respect to base support member 12, it will 
resist any movement from the moment forces applied to it by the binding 
means connected to hook 18. 
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be noted that an additional 
threaded hole 40 has been provided in second base support flange 16. The 
purpose of this hole is to provide of a further hook (not shown) having a 
threaded leg adapted to engage hole 40 and provide and additional means 
for binding the load to the truck or trailer bed. 
This further embodiment can be seen in FIGS. 5 through 7. 
With reference to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a 3-hook adjustable load 
binding hook 100 of the present invention comprising a generally 
rectangular, flat piece of sheet metal or rectangular bar of metal 
comprising a base support member 112 having opposite sides deformed to 
define a first base support flange 114 and a second base support flange 
116. Both base support flanges 114 and 116, respectively, project from the 
upper side of base support member 112 and slope, at an acute angle to base 
support member 112, toward each other. 
As an alternative, first and second base support flanges 114 and 116 can be 
attached, as by welding or the like, to the opposite edges of base support 
member 112. 
A first hook 118 is attached, as by a hole and threaded leg or by welding 
or the like, to base support member 112 proximate the center thereof. The 
plane of hook 118 is adapted to be generally parallel to the sides of base 
support member 112 from which have been deformed top define, or have 
attached thereto, first and second base support flanges 114 and 116, 
respectively. 
A second hook 120, having a threaded leg 122, is adapted to engage and 
passing through first flange 114 and is used to frictionally engage an 
bear against web 30 of I-beam 32 to connect base support member 112 to 
flange 34 of I-beam 32. 
A third hook 124 is attached to second base support flange 116 as by hole 
or threaded leg or the like. 
The plane of second and third hooks 120 and 124, respectively, are adapted 
to be parallel to the plane of base support member 112 and have their 
openings facing the in same direction as the opening for hook 118. 
Thus, two additional hooks are provided as an additional convenience in 
tying a load to the bed of the truck or trailer. 
With reference to FIG. 8, there is illustrated an end elevational view of 
base support member 12 with first and second flanges 14 and 16 showing the 
method by which base support member 12 is inserted on flange I-beam 32. 
In order for base support member 12 to be retained on I-beam flange 34 in a 
relatively fail-safe configuration, the distance between first base 
support flange 14 and second base support flange 16 where they meet base 
support member 12 (proximate points 50 and 52, respectively) must be 
greater than the width of I-beam flange 34. 
At the same time, the distance between the top inside corner 54 of base 
support flange 14 and the top inside corner 56 of base support flange 16 
must be less than the width of I-beam flange 34. 
Furthermore, the distance between one of the points of intersection 50 or 
52 of a base support flange 14 or 16, respectively, with base support 
member 12 and the a point 58 at which I-beam flange 34 is perpendicular to 
either base support flange 14 or 16 when one edge of I-beam flange 34 is 
engaged proximate either point of intersection 52 or 50, respectively, 
must be slightly less than the width of I-beam flange 34, as shown in FIG. 
8. This will allow base support member 12 to be installed on I-beam flange 
34 by placing, for example, one edge of I-beam flange 34 proximate point 
of intersection 50 and, using that as a pivot, rotating base support 12 to 
bring the other edge of I-beam flange 34 to rest proximate point of 
intersection 52. 
Applicant has found that the most satisfactory installation of base support 
12 occurs when acute angle 60, the angle first or second base support 
flanges 14 and 16, respectively, make with respect to base support member 
12 is between 60 and 85 degrees. 
With reference to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a further embodiment of the 
base support portion of the adjustable load binding hook of the present 
invention in which the two side flanges are placed at different angles to 
the base support. 
In FIG. 9, base support member 212 utilizes a first base support flange 214 
making an angle of 85 degrees with respect to base support member 212. The 
second base support flange 216 makes an angle of 60 degrees with respect 
to base support member 212. In addition, retaining member or bolt 220 is 
adapted to threadably engage first base support flange 214 perpendicular 
thereto such that it bears against web 30 of I-beam 32 proximate the point 
of connection of web 30 with I-beam flange 34. At the same time, it forces 
the edge of I-beam flange 34 against both second base support flange 216 
and base support member 212 proximate the corner 224 defined by the 
intersection of second base support flange 216 with base support member 
212. 
With reference to FIG. 10, there is illustrated an isometric view of the 
underside of the adjustable load binding hook 10 of the present invention 
showing the use of a double-ended load binding hook 218 attached thereto. 
Double-ended load binding hook 218 comprises hooks 219 and 221 disposed at 
opposite ends of hook 218 and is attached to base support member 12 as by 
welding or the like. The longitudinal axis of hook 218 can be arranged 
parallel to the the longitudinal axis of the I-beam to which load binding 
hook 10 is connected, as shown, or hook 218 can be attached at right 
angles to the beam axis should the truck or trailer bed construction so 
dictate. 
The use of hook 218 serves several purposes. By being attached as shown, it 
allows the binding of larger loads. In addition, since it is reversible, 
damage to one hook would not cause the entire assembly to become useless. 
To use the adjustable load binding hook of the present invention, base 
support member 12 (or 112 or 212) is placed on flange 34 of I-beam 32 as 
shown in FIGS. 2 (or 5, 8 or 9) and bolt or fastening device 20 is 
tightened to force I-beam flange 34 against the opposite base support 
flange. Hook 18 (or 118 or 218 is now ready to receive a load binding 
rope, chain or the like. 
Although the invention has been described in detail, other oonfigurations 
are possible. The above description is not intended to limit the scope of 
the invention which is only so limited by the following claims.