Tie down fitting

A tie down fitting adapted to fit within a stake hole in a side wall section of a pickup truck. The fitting includes a clamping plate dimensioned for insertion through the stake hole for engagement with the underside of the wall section. A cover plate engages the upper side of the section and is secured to the clamping plate by threaded fasteners. Aligned slots in the plates receive a hook member for pivotal movement between a recessed position flush with the wall section to a projected position where it is adapted for engagement by a cargo securing line or the like. A number of such fittings enable securement of cargo on the truck bed. In its recessed position the fitting is pressed to pivot it toward its projected position. Its center of gravity tends to maintain it in either its recessed or its projected position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a tie down fitting and more particularly 
to a retractable tie down fitting for removable mounting within the stake 
hole of a pickup truck to aid in securing truck bed cargo. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It is common to use tie downs to secure cargo in place on a pickup truck. 
The tie downs are fixed around the perimeter of the truck bed to provide 
anchorages for cargo securing lines. 
The usual tie down is in the form of an eye cleat or hook fastened to the 
truck bed side wall by screws or the like which extend through openings 
specially drilled in the side wall. Tie downs of this type are illustrated 
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,223,375 (J. E. Bernascone, issued Dec. 14, 1965); 
3,357,670 (C. 0. Larson, issued Dec. 12, 1967); and 4,295,765 (Burke, 
issued Oct. 20, 1981. Proper location of the drilled openings is tedious 
and time consuming. Further, if bolts are used rather than screws, access 
to both sides of the side wall section is required. 
It is impractical for a truck owner to remove such tie downs for use on 
another truck because of the semipermanent nature of the installation and 
because of the unsightly fastener openings which remain. 
There is a need for a tie down fitting which can be quickly and removably 
fitted to a pickup truck side wall without any need for drilling or 
cutting of the wall. Preferably the fitting should be retractable to a 
flush relationship with its mounting surface so that it is unobtrusive and 
out of the way when not in use. However, it should be easily movable to a 
projected position for engagement by a cargo securing line. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, a tie down fitting is provided which 
can be mounted within the standard post or stake hole found in many 
current models of pickup truck. Using the existing stake hole eliminates 
any need for specially drilled fastener openings in the truck side wall. 
The fitting includes a centrally slotted clamping plate which is 
dimensioned so that it can be manipulated through the stake hole and into 
the inside of the side wall. Access from the inside of the side wall is 
not required. A cover plate is provided for engagement with the outside of 
the side wall, and fasteners extend between the plates to firmly secure 
them in position. 
A hook member carried within slots provided in the plates is pivotable 
between a recessed position flush with the cover plate, and a projected 
position for engagement by a cargo securing line or the like. Simply 
pressing the hook member in its recessed position pivots it upwardly for 
use. Its center of gravity tends to maintain the hook member in its 
recessed or projected position, depending upon its location. 
The tie down fitting thus constitutes an inexpensive means for quickly 
providing a cargo securing line anchorage. There is no need for the 
cutting or drilling of special fastener holes in the truck side wall, and 
the fitting can be easily removed at any time for remounting on another 
truck if desired. When not in use the retracted fitting is aesthetically 
attractive and does not interfere with other uses of the truck. 
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from 
consideration of the following description taken in connection with the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a tie down fitting 10 
according to the present invention which comprises, generally, a flat, 
rectangular clamping plate 12 adapted to engage the underside of a 
horizontal section 14 of a hollow sheet metal side wall 16 of a pickup 
truck (not shown). 
The section 14 includes a plurality of rectangular post or stake holes, one 
of which is illustrated at 18. These are punched or otherwise formed 
through the material of the section. In some pickup trucks the edge 
margins of the holes are reversely formed to provide a reinforcing bead, 
but in the side wall structure illustrated the four edge margins of each 
hole are downwardly deformed to provide flanges. As best seen in FIG. 5, a 
rectangular reinforcing frame 20 is fitted against these flanges and is 
welded in position. 
In the description which follows, the term "underside" is denotes the inner 
or underside of the wall section 14, whether it is constituted only of the 
sheet metal material of the truck side wall, or of such sheet metal plus 
the reinforcing frame 20. 
It is important that the clamping plate 12 be dimensioned so that it can be 
easily manipulated or maneuvered through the stake hole 18 for engagement 
with the underside of the section 14. This eliminates any need for access 
to the inside of the hollow side wall to install the fitting 10. 
Since the typical stake hole 18 is rectangular, the plate 12 is easily 
insertable if it is made rectangular and slightly smaller than the 
rectangular hole. Once the plate is passed through the hole it can be 
rotated sideways or 90 degrees, with its long dimension below the short 
dimension of the hole. Of course, other options are possible, such as 
tipping the plate 12 to fit it within a narrower hole, or orienting it to 
fit it diagonally through the hole. The main object is to make the 
relative dimensions of the plate and hole so that the plate can be fitted 
through the hole from the outside. As will be seen, this is facilitated 
when the plate is supported by other parts of the fitting during initial 
installation. 
The fitting 10 further comprises a rectangular cover plate 22 having 
lateral dimensions slightly larger than the corresponding dimensions of 
the hole 18 so that in its installed position it is capable of covering 
the hole and engaging the upper side of the section 14 adjacent the hole 
margins, in the manner of an escutcheon plate. 
The edges of the plate 22 are preferably downwardly rounded or curvilinear 
to allow objects such as ropes to slide over the plate without 
entanglement, and also to present an aesthetically pleasing shape. The 
corners of the plate are rounded for the same reasons. 
The cover plate 22 includes a centrally located, elongated slot 24 and a 
pair of openings 26 on opposite sides of the slot. A pair of fasteners or 
machine screws 28 are carried by the plate 22, with the flat heads of the 
screws fitting within countersunk portions of the openings 26 so that the 
screw heads are flush with the outer surface of the plate. The threaded 
shanks of the screws preferably are significantly smaller than the 
openings 26 so that the screws are loosely carried and can tip or waggle 
relative to the plate. As will be seen, this facilitates installation of 
the fitting 10. 
The clamping plate 12 also includes a central elongated slot 30 and 
openings 32 on opposite sides of the slot. The slot 30 and openings 32 are 
vertically aligned with the slot 24 and openings 26 in the cover plate 22. 
The openings 32 are threaded to threadably receive the machine screws 28, 
as seen in FIG. 3, so that the plates 12 and 22 can be tightly urged 
against the under side and upper side, respectively, of the wall section 
14 on tightening of the screws, as seen in FIG. 4. 
A hook means or hook member 34 is disposed within the slots 24 and 30. It 
is carried by a transverse pivot pin 36 which carries the hook member 34. 
The pin 36 is pivotally supported at its opposite ends by a pair of 
channels 38 which depend from and which form an integral part of the cover 
plate 22. The channels 38 are spaced apart to form a continuation of the 
cover slot 24. 
The hook member 34 includes a hook portion 40 and a body portion 42 through 
which the pin 36 extends. The body portion is characterized by a flat 
surface 44 on one edge and a curvilinear surface on the opposite edge. The 
curvilinear surface merges with an adjacent curvilinear surface of the 
hook portion 40 to define a hooking surface adapted for engagement by a 
cargo securing line or the like (not shown). 
The hook member is pivotable about the axis of the pin 36 between the 
recessed position of FIG. 6 and the projected position of FIG. 7. In the 
recessed position the flat surface 44 is flush with the upper surface of 
the cover plate 22. In the projected position the flat surface 44 is 
engaged upon one end margin of the cover slot 24. This engagement prevents 
further outward pivotal movement of the hook member and acts as a stop to 
take the strain of any securing line engaged upon the hook portion 40. 
To install the fitting 10 a user first assembles the components with the 
screws 28 threaded out of the plate 12 somewhat to allow easy insertion of 
the plate 12 within the stake hole 18, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The 
fitting is next rotated to the position of FIGS. 2 and 4, and the screws 
28 are tightened to complete the installation. 
The retracted hook member 34 can be pivoted from the recessed position of 
FIG. 7 by pressing on the flat surface 44 on the side of the pivot pin 
axis opposite the hook portion 40. The partially projected hook portion 40 
can then be grasped and pivoted to the position of FIG. 7. The center of 
gravity of the hook member 34 is such that it tends to maintain the member 
34 in its projected position, in readiness for use as a securing line 
anchorage. 
The fitting 10 is thus quickly mountable to a pickup truck side wall 
without having to drill any special openings. Conversely, it is quickly 
demountable for transfer to another vehicle, if desired. 
The retraction capability of the fitting makes it aesthetically attractive 
and removes any potential for snagging of foreign objects when it is not 
in use. 
Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing 
detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention.