Cargo strap winch rewinding tool

A winch bar is provided for use in combination with a strap winding winch for flatbed trailers. The bar has a rotatable link member at one end thereof which is provided with a hook portion adapted to interface with the apertures of the hub on one end of a reel of the winch. Upon the hook engaging the apertures, the bar can be rotated at a safe distance from the truck bed in order to rapidly, safely and securely rewind the strap onto the winch reel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hand tool that allows convenient winding or rewinding of a strap onto a winch, and more particularly, to an apparatus that provides rapid winding or rewinding onto a winch of a load strap of the type used to secure cargo on a flatbed of a truck.

2. Description of the Related Art

Over the road trucking is the most economical common carrier available today to transport relatively large loads of commodities such as lumber, building materials, gardening supplies, cement or plastic culverts, steel rolls, and the like. These and other commodities are generally transported on flatbed carriers such as trucks, semi-trailers, and full-trailers to move these goods on roads and highways. To maintain economic transportation advantages, the loads are large and generally have a high profile. Therefore, in order to maintain these loads on the flatbed trailers, binders, or straps under high tension must be used to hold the loads fixed on the truck beds during the transportation mode. For this purpose tie-down devices are used in the form of a plurality of winches that are selectively mounted on a side bar rail which is attached to the bottom or side of one side of the vehicle bed. Typically, the winch utilizes a ratchet and cam mechanism that is selectively disengaged from the ratchet so that when one end of the strap is inserted into the winch and passed over the cargo with the opposite end of the strap being directly fixed to the opposite side of the trailer bed. The strap is pulled tight to engage the load. When the desired tension is obtained, the cam re-engages the ratchet to prevent the strap from further unwinding.

To obtain sufficient tension on the strap, the driver will often use a wrench tool or bar. Since the bar is used to obtain sufficient leverage to tension the strap, the tip of the bar is generally sized to fit the hole in the winch hub so as to enable the driver to fit the tip of the bar into the winch hub and get sufficient leverage to turn the winch rotating cylinder a quarter turn with each placement of the winch bar.

After the vehicle has delivered the load to its destination, the strap is disengaged from the load, the load is unloaded, and the strap needs to be rewound onto the winch. Rewinding the loading strap is a very tedious process since as many as ten to twelve winches may be mounted along the longitudinal length of the flatbed truck. Rewinding all of the loading straps is a costly, time consuming process whether it is accomplished by the driver or other unloading personnel. A further problem associated with the rewinding of the straps of the various winches mounted on a flatbed vehicle is that of safety. Since most of the winches are mounted along the underneath edge of the flatbed, any tool that is used to assist in the rewinding of the strap must take into account the lack of space between the winch and the steel plate that generally is mounted at the edge of the flatbed. It is not uncommon for a user of a tool to assist in the rewinding of the strap to injure a hand or forearm as a result of the hand slipping from the tool and colliding with the edges of the flatbed.

Many solutions to this ongoing problem have been proposed in the prior art. For example, Webster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,141, proposes the use of an L-shaped frame having a first leg clamped to a selected stake hole of a conventional flatbed truck with a right angle second leg extending horizontally in a direction away from the truck bed. Intermediate the ends of the second leg, a strap reel handle and strap reel assembly are journalled for relative engagement during the winding operation. Stanley, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,061, also proposes a specially designed holding means to attach to a truck rub rail with a C-clamp.

Mocci, U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,637, discloses a strap winding tool which utilizes the existing winch holes designed to accept the winch bar. A hook configuration at the end of the winding tool provides a positive engagement to the winch drum. The winding tool is bent in a fashion that enables the user to rotate the rod using a simple hand motion while grasping steel sleeves mounted on the winding bar.

Power actuated winding tools are also proposed in the prior art to solve the problem. Reilly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,597, discloses a sleeve tool that is inserted into the axial opening of the winch spindle. The tool includes a longitudinal slot that receives the inner end of the strap. The opposite end of the tool terminates in a head portion that is lockably interchangeable with a drive component of a powered drive apparatus such as a power drill or a hand crank. Similarly, Claycomb, U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,604, discloses a hand crank which is attached to a spindle having an engagement pin that fits inside the hole in the winch drum. The hand crank can be replaced with a power driven device allowing the operator to rapidly and conveniently rewind the load securing strap.

Finally, Goulet, U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,588, discloses a strap winder which is actuated by a power operated driver, e.g., a pneumatic torque, a wrench, or an electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic motor and includes a shaft having at one end, a slot configured for receipt of a strap and an opposite end configured to connect with the power operated driver.

The problem with most of the prior art devices proposed to rewind truck cargo straps is that many are quite cumbersome, require considerable time to mount or secure to the cargo bed and/or winch, and few provide any protection from possible damage to the operator's hands where the winding device is operated near the edge of the truck bed and the operator's hand inadvertently slips off the winding tool and/or handle resulting in scrapes and bruises caused by the metal edge of the truck bed because there is very little clearance between the winding handle and the truck bed or guide rail to which the winch is mounted.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a truck cargo strap rewinding tool that requires no modification of a typical winch, enables rewinding of a winch cargo strap at a safe distance away from the truck bed so as to avoid any injury to the user's limbs by inadvertent interference with the winch or vehicle cargo bed, is very simple to operate, is easy to use, and requires no alteration of the typical cargo strap winch used in the prior art.

In accordance with the above stated advantageous features, the present invention provides a cargo strap rewind tool bar having a unique combination of features allowing the invention to perform the task of rewinding the winch strap webbing with speed, convenience, and safety never before enjoyed by any prior art device used for this task. The winch winding tool bar has at one end thereof a pivotable hook link configuration to provide positive engagement with the existing winch hub holes designed to accept a prior art winch bar. The hook is rotatably suspended about a shaft portion which is attached to the terminal end of the handle. The handle has a transverse boss terminating in a shoulder to which the shaft is mounted. Straddling the hook link and mounted on the shaft are two thrust washers which may take the form of threaded bolts if the shaft is threaded. The thrust washers are spaced on either side of the rotatable hook link to provide a predetermined clearance so that the hook link can rotate about the shaft and is able to move axially along the shaft. Some distance along the tool bar, there is provided an ergonomic hand grip which provides a holding position of the bar so that after the hook link is positively engaged to the holes in the hub of the winch, the tool bar can be conveniently held by the hand grip with one hand and manipulated to rapidly rewind the load strap onto the rotating cylinder of the winch while the other hand can easily be used to guide the strap, during rewinding, if necessary. Opposite to the end having the hook link attached is a reduced diameter portion which as in prior art tool bars can be used to insert the reduced diameter portion into the holes of the winch hub to assist in tensioning the strap to secure it from coming loose when cargo is loaded on the bed of a truck.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new truck bed cargo strap rewind toolbar which is economical to manufacture.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new truck bed cargo strap rewinding tool bar which is securely attached to existing winch holes and is adapted to extend in a direction away from the truck bed to provide a working environment whereupon rewinding of the winch can be accomplished at a safe distance from the truck bed to prevent injury to the user's hand by accidentally sliding off the handle and ramming the truck cargo bed resulting in significant injury to the user of the tool bar.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a truck bed cargo strap tool bar which allows the user to use only one hand to rewind the strap while the other hand is used to keep the strap perpendicular to the winding reel.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a truck bed cargo strap rewinding tool bar having one end used to rapidly and effortlessly rewind the cargo strap on the winch reel and further having the opposite end of the tool bar to be able to couple with the winch to permit its tightening of the strap to tension the strap.

These and other objects and features of novelty which characterize the invention are highlighted with particularity in the claims following and forming a part of this disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and descriptive matters in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular, toFIGS. 1-6, a new tool bar for a truck bed cargo restraint system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention will be described.

The present invention, as shown inFIG. 1, is intended to be used while transporting cargo laden vehicles10, each load of the cargo12being generally secured to the truck bed14by some sort of tie down or load strap16. Generally, these load straps16are tightened using a winch mechanism18mounted to the truck bed14either on top, along side, or underneath the truck bed14. As shown inFIGS. 2-4, the winch mechanism18consists of a rotating cylinder or reel20mounted between two legs22extending from a web26of a U-shaped bracket24. The web26of the U-shaped bracket24is mounted directly to the truck bed14. The reel20has a central portion28to which the webbing of the load strap16is mounted and secured. Co-axially mounted with the reel20; on the opposite side of one leg22is a hub32in the form of a hollow tube which has a plurality of apertures36which provides an interface for the tool bar. The plurality of apertures36are through apertures and spaced at 90 degree intervals about the circumferential distance of the hub32. The reel20also extends beyond the other of the two legs22to provide a mounting surface for a conventional ratchet and pawl mechanism40. When the reel20is rotated in one direction, the ratchet and pawl mechanism40will override the gear teeth of the ratchet to allow rewinding of the load strap16and when the reel20is rotated in the opposite direction the pawl will lock to the ratchet in order to maintain the tension on the load strap16as the load strap16is tensioned to secure the cargo12to the truck bed14, as shown inFIG. 1.

The invention is intended to be used with a typical prior art winch mechanism as described above and consists of a rewinding or elongated tool bar42having at one end thereof a cylindrical reduced diameter portion44which is intended to be mounted through the plurality of apertures36in the hub32, as shown inFIG. 2, and used as a pry bar when it is desired to utilize the tie down strap16to secure a cargo12on the truck bed14. One end of the load strap16is secured to a side area of the trailer (not shown) in a conventional manner. The other end of the load strap16is extended over the cargo12and inserted into the central portion28of the reel20between the upstanding legs22of the winch mechanism18and wound onto the reel20of the winch mechanism18. The reel20of the winch mechanism18is then rotated through the use of the elongated tool bar42as shown inFIG. 2to cause a load strap16to be wound upon the reel20until the cargo12is securely tied down with appropriate tension and the ratchet and pawl mechanism40is locked in place. The ratchet and pawl mechanism40prevents unwinding of the reel20in a conventional fashion. Accordingly, the reduced diameter portion44of the winch rewinding tool bar42in conjunction with the apertures36in the hub32, are used to tension the load strap16around the cargo12in a conventional manner.

The opposite end of the rewinding tool bar42includes an offset boss46terminating in a shoulder48from which a cylindrical shaft or cantilevered rod50portion extends. For purposes of the preferred embodiment, this cylindrical shaft50portion is threaded to receive a lock nut52on either side of a freely pivotable hook link member54having a through aperture56at one end thereof, mounted to the threaded cylindrical shaft50, and at the opposite end thereof, a hook member58to engage the plurality of apertures36in the extending hub32of the rotating cylinder20of the winch mechanism18. The 90 degree hook member58on the hook link member54, as shown inFIG. 3in the preferred embodiment, is created so that the end face60of the hook link member54faces the elongated tool bar42. However, a further variant of this arrangement encompasses the use of a hook link member62which faces in a direction away from the cylindrical body of the elongated tool bar42, as shown in phantom line inFIG. 6. In either case, the elongated tool bar42is assembled through an aperture36of the hub32, as shown inFIG. 3, so that the elongated tool bar42can be rotated in a direction, as shown inFIG. 4, to rewind the tie down or load strap16back onto the reel20of the winch mechanism18. The center portion of the elongated tool bar42provides an ergonomic handle64which can be held in one hand once the hook link member54is inserted into the aperture36of the hub32so that by manipulating the elongated tool bar42in a counter clockwise direction, as shown inFIG. 4, the load strap16can be rapidly rewound onto the reel20of the winch mechanism18and stored directly on the winch mechanism18after the cargo12has been removed from the truck bed14. The rewinding can be accomplished with one hand while the other hand helps to guide the load strap16between the two legs22of the U-shaped bracket member24of the winch mechanism18.

As clearly shown inFIG. 4, the inventive elongated tool bar42is mounted to the winch mechanism18in such a way as to face in a direction away from the truck bed14so that the hand that manipulates the rewinding tool during the rewinding process is at a safe distance from the truck bed14to avoid injury to the user.

In operation, and with reference toFIGS. 1-6, in use, the reduced diameter portion44of the elongated tool bar42is engaged through two opposing apertures36in the hub32of the reel20as shown inFIG. 2. Leverage is applied to the elongated tool bar42to rotate the rotating cylinder20through a one-quarter to one-half turn at a time while the ratchet and pawl mechanism40locks into place to maintain the tension being applied to the cargo12with the load strap16. After the cargo12is properly secured to the truck bed14, the reduced diameter portion44of the elongated tool bar42is retracted from the apertures36and stored in some convenient fashion. Each truck bed14, as shown inFIG. 1, has a plurality of winch mechanisms18which are mounted along the longitudinal length of the truck bed14. When it is desired to unload the cargo12from the truck bed14, the hook link member54mounted to the opposite end of the elongated tool bar42is inserted into one of the apertures36of the hub32of the reel20after the opposite end of the load strap16is released on the opposite side of the truck bed14or after the cargo12has been unloaded so that by conveniently rotating the elongated tool bar42with one hand and guiding the load strap16onto the reel20, the load strap16can be easily and rapidly, as well as safely rewound onto the winch mechanism18and stored between uses.

Thus, it can be seen that the novel tool bar has been provided for use in conjunction with a typical winch assembly on a flat bed trailer which can be mounted any place along the trailer and safely operated without the possibility of creating damage to the user's hands.