A cargo carrier tie-down assembly that utilizes a fastener made up of a shackle element that includes a wall in a form that is closed in two dimensions, defining an opening and wherein the wall also defines a pair of opposed apertures, a pin that can be inserted through the two apertures and a knob fastener element, having a head, that is sized to be passed through the opening when the pin is withdrawn from the wall, and that is retained when the pin is inserted into the two apertures. A tension member has one of the fastener elements attached to at least one end. The other fastener element is attached to the cargo carrier.

BACKGROUND

Much cargo is transported without being placed into a complete enclosure. For example, a large piece of construction equipment is typically tied-down on a flat-bed truck and loose agricultural produce may be loaded into trailer that is open on top, but covered with a tarp that is tied-down with cables that are hitched to the sides of the truck, typically by means of a hook on the end of the cable fastened to a D-ring on the side-bottom of the truck.

There are a number of problems with this type of arrangement. First, there is the possibility that the hook will work its way loose from the D-ring. The occasional truck on the side of the road, spotted by travelers, may have been waylaid by exactly this type of problem.

Although a carabineer on the end of a bungee has been sold and used to tie down loads on pickup trucks, it appears that this type of closed attachment has not been adopted in the commercial trucking business, perhaps because a carabineer might get bent under the greater forces encountered.

SUMMARY

In a first separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of a cargo carrier tie-down assembly that utilizes a fastener made up of a shackle element that includes a wall in a form that is closed in two dimensions, defining an opening and wherein the wall also defines a pair of opposed apertures, a pin that can be inserted through the two apertures and a knob fastener element, having a head, that is sized to be passed through the opening when the pin is withdrawn from the wall, and that is retained when the pin is inserted into the two apertures. A tension member has one of the fastener elements attached to at least one end. The other fastener element is attached to the cargo carrier.

In a second separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of a method of tying down cargo on a cargo carrier, which makes use of a fastener that has a shackle fastener element that includes a wall in a form that is closed in two dimensions, defining an opening, and wherein the wall also defines a pair of opposed apertures, a pin that can be inserted into the two apertures and a knob fastener element having head and a neck, the head being sized to be passed through the central area when the pin is withdrawn from the wall, and that is retained when the pin is inserted into the two apertures. One of the fastener elements is attached to a tension member and attaching the other fastener to the cargo carrier. The other fastener element is engaged to the tension member and to the fastener element on the cargo carrier and the pin is inserted into the shackle fastener element.

In a third separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of a heavy-duty fastener that has a shackle element, that includes a wall of greater than 1 cm thick material in a form that is closed in two dimensions, defining an opening that is greater than 3 cm across at it's narrowest. The wall also defines a pair of opposed apertures, a pin that can be inserted through the two apertures and a knob element, having a head and a neck, the head being sized to be passed through the opening when the pin is withdrawn from the wall, and that is retained when the pin is inserted into the two apertures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of a cargo carrier tie-down system, according to the present invention, makes use of a fastener10, as best shown inFIG. 2. Fastener10includes a first element12that includes a wall14in closed form, defining an opening16. Wall14also defines a pair of aligned apertures18, through which a pin20may be inserted, thus partitioning opening16into two smaller openings. Pin20is preferably a locking pin with release button21and pair of locking bumps, that lock into an outward position when button21is released. A “snap-lock” or spring pin, having a rod and a wire closure that is permanently attached at one end of the rod and securely engageable at the other end of the rod, could also be used for pin20.

A pair of arms22extend outwardly from wall14and are bridged by a spring pin24(FIG. 3) that anchors a chain26. The second element30is in the form of a knob having a head32, a neck34and shoulders36.

To use fastener10, the head32is fit through opening16, while the pin20is disengaged. Pin20is then inserted into apertures18, thus trapping element30by the neck34, with the head32on one side of opening16and shoulders36on the other, and the pin20blocking removal of the head32.

Referring toFIG. 3, a truck tie-down system uses the fasteners ofFIGS. 1 and 2, with knobs30(which may be trailer hitch knobs) attached to the bottom-side of the truck trailer38, shackle elements14attached to knobs30, as shown, with chains26connecting shackle elements14, to tie down a load40. In an alternative preferred embodiment, knobs30are attached to the chains26and engage with shackle elements14, attached to the bottom-side of truck trailer.

The advantages of this system should now be apparent. Shackle element14has the strength of a permanently closed form, as opposed to a device such as a carabineer that has an open construction and is only closed by a moveable piece. This cannot impart the same strength as a closed form. Nevertheless, even though shackle element14is always closed, it still can be locked and unlocked by means of pin20, which effectively reduces the size of opening16, to retain head32. It should also be noted that the only part that must be made is shackle element14, with knobs30being generally available as trailer hitches and pins20also being an already available commercial item.

Shackle elements14may be machined from a steel plate or drop forged and then machined to create the apertures18. In one preferred embodiment, shackle element14has been machined from a 2.54 (1 inch) thick steel plate. Shackle element14may be painted to prevent corrosion and to be readily visible to a user.