Abstract:
The present invention is briefly named “The tightener” for fastening a selected securing member around an object and carrying it comprising a set of two independent devices. One of them is an ordinary clamp being in common use everywhere in the world with a strap permanently attached to it and said clamp is modified to enable connecting it with a tightening device and named a jamming clamp to distinguish one clamp from the other. The tightening device comprises a shaft with its ends and with a ratchet mechanism is mounted in a two-arms handle. Said handle operating as a lever of the ratchet mechanism turning said shaft. The securing member exiting the jamming clamp is initially pulled by hand then is pulled by winding it onto the shaft turned by said ratchet mechanism to reach needed tension in said securing member, which is the main idea of the invention and it is impossible to attain said task by pulling said securing member only by hand, automatically jammed in said jamming clamp when the pulling of it is stopped. The handle is detached if an object is prepared for transportation only, not for carrying it.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device for fastening, fixing, or binding a securing member around a variety of goods of different shapes and dimension. It especially relates to a device allowing universal, practical, end effective use for closing or securing goods such as suitcases, luggage-carriers, or in case of damage of luggage or goods during transportation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A variety of devices exist for fastening a securing member about packs, boxes, etc. Those devices, used while preparing goods for transportation, are typically steel or plastic tape. Special devices are used for the purpose of tightening such a securing member. Often these special devices are structure fixed to a means of transportation and are of no use for general purposes. No general purpose solution to this problem exist. Rope, wire or electrical cable etc. are generally used, for example, stores frequently provide rope to customers to fasten merchandise on top of their cars. Tighteners with a tape exist on the market, but said tape is tightened by pulling it with hand only, automatically jamming said tape when pulling it is stopped, but not provided with a handle for carrying said goods, and without any means for increasing tension on the tape. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention of which tightening the securing member is the basic function, is hereinafter called “The tightener” to avoid using the full name of said invention described below. The tightener solves the problems existing in the prior art, by providing a tightener means for use with a variety of securing members for many different purposes. The present invention allows to ensure strong or light binding, fastening and preparing luggage or merchandise for transportation. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tightener of simple construction for universal utility consisting of a few pieces made of common materials, such as steel, plastic, which makes the cost of production very low, implying mass production, but using present day materials for functioning loaded parts would allow to produce said investion of smaller size and less of weight. Only the handles should be of suitable size. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a tightener which is simple, easy to use and reliable. 
     One more object of the present invention is to provide a tightener which connects the two endings of a securing member, with the strength which can be regulated according to needs and desires because the securing member can be stopped and locked at any of a variety of positions 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a tightener means which allows for fast changing of the tape for another one of different length and thickness according to needs, even for an ordinary string or set of strings. 
     A succesive object of the present invention is to provide it with means which allows the tightener to be used as an auxiliary device for popular jamming clamps with the tape being in common use as mentioned above, enabling to achieve much greater increase of the tightening strength applied to the tape, which in normal use is pulled dirrectly by hand only. 
     The tightener is made of U-shaped bed plate put on the object around which the securing member is to be fastened. The present invention is formed and acts as an auxiliary device provided with means named “The tightening device” temporarily connecting with the bed plate of the tightener. It enables preparing goods and merchandise for transportation, as well as carrying a bound object. Such structure of the tightener with enables using many tighteners with independent means maintaining only the securing member in tensioned state. The first end of the securing member is secured to the tightener&#39;s bed plate and the second one is threaded through a slot made across the shaft between both sides of the bed plate. The sewing together of the first end of the tape with its next part creates an eylet through which is slid a bolt which with its ends is placed in slideways made in both sides of the tightener bed plate and said slideways are inclined towards the bed plate bottom. Said bolt with a knurled sleeve slid over said bolt allows for very fast changing of the tape into another one of different length or thickness, or into an ordinary string or set of strings. The end of said tape or string or set of strings folded in two is threaded through a rectangular opening made in the bed plate bottom. Pulling said end of the tape, the string or set of strings causes movement of the bolt with said knurled sleeve towards the bottom of the bed plate along slideways causing automatical jamming of the tape, string or set of strings between the knurled sleeve and edges of said rectangular opening. A jamming clamp being in common use and modified to be a part of present invention constitutes a device maintaining the securing member in tensioned state. The ratchet wrench built-in the handle&#39;s arm and connected with the shaft constitute the tightening device winding onto said shaft the securing member. Said tightening device is disconnected from the tightener bed plate, i.e. from the jamming bed plate, as a device completely unnecessary during transportation. In effect, the said structure of the tightener enables using unlimited tighteners with means maintaining only the securing member in tensioned state for the duration of the transportation, and one tightening device only. By comparing said tighteners with heavy duty steel ratchets being in common use at present it is as though every nut or screw would be permanently coupled with the wrench, for example in a car, tractor, harvester, bicykle etc., because every heavy duty steel ratchet is provided with the lever including ratchets being its integral parts, operating as said tightening device. 
     The present invention using the jamming clamp allows to use a ratchet or even ordinary wrenches to turn the shaft while preparing luggage or goods for transportation. Moreover, said wrenches can be used as with extension rods when, for example, too little space exists between items of transported goods to put into swinging motion the arm of said wrench, or the handle of the present invention. The handle is put in the swinging motion, working as a lever actuating the ratchet wrench which turns the shaft winding onto itself the securing member. Simultaneously the said handle is used for carrying the bound object it ensures wrapping of said object, comfort and convenience. The present invention provided with the jamming clamp and designed for transportation of goods, merchandise etc., only can simply use only a shaft winding onto itself the securing member, coupled with a ratchet or ordinary wrench or being the integral part of said wrench. Said shaft seated in U-shaped cuts formed in the side walls of the jamming clamp bed plate only for the time of pulling the securing member exiting the jamming clamp. The present invention can be used as said heavy duty steel ratchet for restraint of load during transportation, for example containers, boxes, cars, tractors etc. Instead of one securing member two parts of the securing member put to use, the ends of which are provided with arresting hooks and one of their opposite ends is attached to the bed plate, the other one is tightened by the tightening device, winding it on the shaft. Very important and essential is the difference between the jamming clamp of the present invention and jamming clamps being in common use. Lifting up the longer arm of the jamming clamp&#39;s pressure pad makes bigger the passage between the knurled ending of said pressure shorter arm and the same knurled edge of the tightener bed plate in which the securing member is jammed. In effect, said operation makes the securing member free. Said solution excludes the possibility of any accidental lifting up of the pressure pad&#39;s longer arm because it is placed between the side walls of the jamming clamp bed plate. Said operation is realised by jamming clamps being in common use in the opposite direction. The longer arm of the pressure pad is pressing down towards the bottom of the jamming clamp bed plate. All the time, in said devices being in common use there exists a risk of accidental pressing down of said longer arm of the pressure pad. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  represents a general view of the tightener adapted to be used as auxiliary tightener with the use of a jamming clamp and a ratchet wrench. 
         FIG. 2  represents a partial cross section of the tightener of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  represents a view of the method of the connection of the tightening device with the tightener bed plate. 
         FIG. 4  represents a longitudinal cross section of the tightener bed plate, i,e, the jamming bed plate. 
         FIG. 5  represents a cross section of the pressure pad of the jamming clamp. 
         FIG. 6  represents a side view of the jamming clamp bed plate with cut for placing in the shaft of the ratchet wrench. 
         FIG. 7  represents a general view of the ratchet wrench with the shaft placing in the cuts in side walls of the jamming clamp bed plate. 
         FIG. 8  represents a cross sectional view of the shaft&#39;s end with the dead hole in it for putting in the working tip of the ratchet wrench. 
         FIG. 9  represents a partial longitudinal cross section of the tightener&#39;s handle with the lever elongating said handle. 
         FIG. 10  represents a partial longitudinal cross section of the tightener&#39;s handle with the cover plate elongating the handle, movable up and down. 
         FIG. 11  represents a set of tapes interlacing each other, for fastening it around an object of any shape. 
         FIG. 12  represents the enlarged drawing of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 13  represents the enlarged drawing of  FIG. 3   
         FIG. 14  represents the enlarged drawing of  FIG. 2  with the use of locking cover plates maintaining the shaft placed in the cuts of the jamming clamp bed plate in position. 
         FIG. 15  represents structure using said locking cover plates shown in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  represents a general view of  FIG. 14  looking in the direction of arrow A. 
         FIG. 17  represents the side view of the locking cover plate with a partial cross section showing its channel. 
         FIG. 18  represents the locking cover plates in opened position allowing the shaft to be put in and taken out from the cuts of the jamming clamp bed plate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows the present invention, called “The tightener” as auxiliary device, in general view with the jamming clamp in use.  FIG. 2  shows it in partial sections details. The handle  10  provided with a ratchet wrench mounted inside its body  42  attached to one of the handle arms, or can be constituting the integral part of said arm. The handle  10  with its means which are tightening the securing member called below “The tightening device” is connecting with the tightener bed plate for the process of tightening the securing member. The name “The tightener bed plate”  12  is in this description tantamount to the name “the jamming clamp bed plate” in case of using the jamming clamp. A head bar  64  with its ends located in and movable along the channels  68  operating as slideways shown in  FIG. 4 , made in the bed plate&#39;s sides, and inclined towards said bed plate&#39;s bottom. The bar&#39;s  64  end protruding from the slideway  68  is prevented from slipping out of said slideway by a self-locking nut  66  screwed on said end of the bar  64 . A knurled sleeve  62  slid over the bar  64  and simultaneously slipped through an eylet  63 , shown in  FIG. 4  which is the first end of the tape and created by folding it in two around said sleeve  62  then by seving or riveting said end of said tape with its next section. In case of changing said tape for any other one or even ordinary string or set of strings, said eylet is created by folding the end of any said securing member without sewing or riveting, then slipped through a rectangular opening  73  in the bed plate bottom. The handle  10  with the ratchet wrench is left in connected position with the tightener bed plate if the fastened object will be carried. The handle  10  put into swinging motion by hand actuates the ratchet wrench mounted in the body  42  hereinafter called “The ratchet wrench housing” is attached to the arm of the handle  10 . Said handle is connected with the shaft  14  by the working tip  16  of the ratchet wrench which turns the shaft  14 . Said working tip  16  is placed in the dead hole  18  made in the head  20  of the shaft  14 . Said dead hole  18  is of the shape and size similar to said working tip  16 . The shaft  14  is rotationally seated in the tube  22  which in turn with its cylindrical external ending slips into one of the two dowel holes  28  formed on both sides of the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . The opposite end of the shaft  14  is seated in identical way as described above inside the tube  24  which is identical as the tube  22  and in the same way slipped into opposite dowel hole  28 . The distal ending of the shaft  14  is turnably seated in a hole made in the bottom of the dead hole  46  which in turn is made in the body  50  attached to the arm of the handle  10 . Said body hereinafter called “The shaft housing”  50 . The sleeve  32  placed between side walls of the jamming clamp bed plate  12  is slipped over the shaft  14  connected with it by using rivets or other means. Across said sleeve  32  and the shaft  14  is formed the slot  34  for threading the second end of the securing member  70  exiting the jamming clamp shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Cylindrical hole  36  made at end of the tube  22  opposite the end slipped in dowel hole  28  of equal or a little bigger diameter as the diameter of the shaft&#39;s  14  head  20  which enables displacing of the tube  22  along said head  20  of the shaft  14 . Simultaneously, suitable diameter of the bore chamber  40  made in the ratchet wrench housing  42  enables the same end of the tube  22  with its external surface to displace along said bore chamber  40 . The coil spring  38  is located in the hole  36 , slid over the shaft  14  and compressed between the head  20  of said shaft  14  and a ring surface created by the difference between the diameter of the hole  36  and the hole (not numbered) made in the bottom of said hole  36  being the bearing for the shaft  14 . The other coil spring  44  slid over opposite end of the shaft  14  is located in the dead hole  46  made in the shaft housing  50 . Said coil spring  44  is compressed between two ring surfaces. The first one is the same as for the tube  22  described above, created by the difference between the diameter of the hole  36   a  made in the tube  24  equal in the diameter of the hole  36  in the tube  22  and the diameter of the shaft  14 . The hole (not numbered) made in the bottom of the hole  46  constitutes the bearing for the distal end of the shaft  14 . The ratchet wrench housing  42  and the shaft housing  50  on their top surface have the niches (not numbered) which have the same shape and size as endings  48  of the handle  10  arms which are forced into said niches and are held in position by head screws  52 . Said ratchet wrench housing  42  and the shaft housing  50  can be as mentioned above, the integral suitably shaped parts of the handle  10  arms. Both tubes  22  and  24  have on their external surfaces knurled collars  54  and  54   a  constituting their integral parts. They are designed to apply pressure to them, to compress springs  38  and  44  to uncover shaft&#39;s  14  sections to slip the tightening device with said uncovered sections of the shaft  14  in the dowel holes  28  through their channels  30 . One of them is shown in  FIG. 3 . The reversing switch  56  being the standard equipment of ratchet wrenches, allows turning back the shaft  14  loosening a section of the securing member between said shaft  14  and the pressure pad  58  of the jamming clamp. This result in easing the disconnection of the tightening device from the jamming clamp bed plate  12 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show the bed plate  12  with the jamming clamp which represents one of many types of such devices being in common use. One end of the tape is permanently attached to the bed plate of the jamming clamp and the other end of the tape fastened around an object is threaded through a passage, as well as, for example through the passage  72  shown in  FIG. 5 . Said tape is tightened by pulling it by hand only and automatically jammed when the pulling of it is stopped. The main detail of the jamming clamp shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is the pressure pad  58 . Its knurled, cam-shaped ending  60  of its shorter arm cooperates with the same knurled edge  76  of the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . Said cam-shaped ending  60  of said pressure pad&#39;s  58  shorter arm is defined by the difference between the length of the radius R 1  and the radius R 2  shown in  FIG. 5 . Radius R 1  is the distance from the axis of rotation of the pressure pad  58  to the one edge of the ending of the pressure pad  58  shorter arm and the radius R 2  is the distance to the other edge of the said ending of the pressure pad  58  shorter arm. Between said knurled ending  60  of the pressure pad&#39;s  58  shorter arm and the knurled edge  76  of the bed plate  12  is created the passage  72  for threading the securing member  70 . The rotation of the pressure pad  58  causes enlarging or decreasing of the passage  72  depending upon the direction of said rotation. The coil springs  74  slid over ends of the axle  80  of the pressure pad  58  constantly turn it making the passage  72  smaller, thereby jamming the securing member  70 . The first end of the securing member  70  is attached to the bed plate  12  permanently or temporarily using the quick-release joint, as described above using the same details. The longer arm  78  of the pressure pad  58  by applying pressure to it from below overcoming resistance of springs  74  makes the passage  72  bigger thereby making the securing member  70  free. The direction of teeth of the pressure pad  58  shorter arm&#39;s knurled ending  60  and also the teeth of the knurled edge  76  of the bed plate  12  greatly increases the strength of the jamming effect on the securing member. The ordinary shaft  82  and the sleeve  84  slid over said shaft  82  shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  can be use only in the case of using present invention with jamming clamps for transportation of any goods, merchandise, excluding carrying them. The slot  86  made across the shaft  82  and the sleeve  84  is for threading the end of the securing member and then winding it onto said sleeve  84 , The shaft  82  can be integral part of the ratchet wrench or connected to it by using described above dead hole  18  formed in the end of the shaft  84  of the same shape and size as working tip  16  of the ratchet wrench  88 . Said device is located with its shaft in U-shaped cuts  90  made in both sides of the tightener bed plate  12   a . To make the connecting and disconnecting of the tightening device with the jamming clamp bed plate  12  much comfortable one can use the small protrusions  29  constituting the integral parts of the tube  22  and  24  ends with which are slipped in the dowel holes  28 . Said protrusions  29  are of the same width as the width of the channels  30  leading to said dowel holes Compressing the coil springs  38  and  44  by applying pressure on the collars  54  and  54   a  causes tube  22  and  24  ends to exit the dowel holes  28 , then slight rotation of the collars  54  and  54   a  is enough to lead said tubes against surfaces of the side walls of the jamming clamp bed plate  12  under the force exerted by the expanding springs  38  and  44 .  FIG. 9  shows an elongating, upon need, version of a handle  10   a  by introducing into use of an extra lever  10   b  which is pivotally attached to said handle by a pivot  172  in upright position elongating the handle  10   a . The extra lever  10   b  in overlying position is placed in a hollow  174  on the top surface of the handle  10   a .  FIG. 10  shows another version of elongating the handle  10   c  by use of a handle-shaped cover plate  10   d  which overlies a working handle  10   c  and slipping with two arms along said working handle  10   c  elongating it, which allows for applying a greater torque to said working handle thereby applying it to the ratchet mechanism. Said cover plate  10   d  is prevented from slipping off the handle  10   c  by two screwed bolts  180  which are screwed in the handle&#39;s  10   c  arms and said screw&#39;s ends are located in leading channels  178  made in and along the internal surfaces of the cover plate&#39;s arms. Said cover plate  10   d  overlies the handle and is placed in a hollow  176  made on the top surface of the handle  10   c  and along the external surfaces of said handle arms, which are used as slideways for said cover plate  10   d .  FIG. 11  shows a set of tapes  70   a  used for present invention interlaced with each other by using numerous cuts  182  made along the middle lines of these tapes fastened one after another around any shape of given object, ensuring strong wrapping by using present invention, then used for carrying said object.  FIG. 15  shows the shaft  14   a  placed in U-shaped cuts  108  made in the thickened sides of the jamming clamp bed plate  12   a . Locking cover plates  92  are seated on the flat surfaces of the lowered sides of the U-shaped cuts  108 . Head bolts  100  pass across said locking cover plates&#39; channels and are screwed in the said lowered sides of the cuts  108  They are protected in order to avoid their accidental turning by rivets  104 . The upper parts  98   a  of the channels  98  are widened to allow for the placement of the heads of the bolts  100 . Said bolts function as axles allowing the locking cover plates  92  to turn as well as move simultaneously. This movement is alloved by the channels  98  of the locking cover plates  92 . Wedge shaped protrusions  96  at the ends of the cover plates  92  fit tightly into the hollows  112  formed at the opposite sides of the cuts  108  holding said cover plates  92  in position. Adjacent to them, other protrusions  94  fit underneath of the protrusions  110  of said opposite sides of the cuts  108  and allow the object, fastened around with the securing member, to be carried. Flat springs  102  are attached to the said thickened part of the jamming clamp bed plates&#39; sides by the use of the screws  106  or other means. These springs  102  constantly press on the locking cover plates  92  locating their protrusions  96  into the said hollows  112  with simultaneous locking of the protrusion  94  underneath of the said cuts&#39;  108  protrusions  110 . Circular shaped niches  116  formed at the lower sides of the locking cover plates  92  create bigger adhering surfaces thus closing the said locking cover plates to the shaft. 
     Operation of the Tightener Means 
     The present invention as an auxiliary device with the use of the jamming clamp. The bed plate  12  of said jamming clamp is put on the object to be secured with the securing member  70 . One end of the securing member  70  is attached to the bed plate  12  permanently or by using the quick-release joint. Said end of the securing member  70  is folded in two creating the eylet  63 , the said end folded in two is threaded through the rectangular opening  73  in the bottom of the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . Pulling said end of the securing member  70  causes moving of the bolt  64  with its ends along the slideway  80  in both side walls of the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . In effect, said end becomes jammed between edges of said opening  73  and the bolt&#39;s  64  knurled sleeve  62 . Then, after girding the securing member  70  around given object, its second end is put in the passage  72  of the jamming clamp, previously opened by lifting up the longer arm  78  of the pressure pad  58 . Pulling the end of the securing member  70  exiting the passage  72  causes a slight rotation of said pressure pad  58  overcoming resistance of the coil springs  74  enlarging said passage  72 , enabling sliding of the securing member  70  along said passage. Simultaneously said pulling of the securing member  70  creates in result initially tension in said securing member. The passage  72  becomes bigger or smaller depending on the direction of the pressure pad  58  rotation and cam-shaped ending  60 , of the pressure pad  58  shorter arm. Said cam-shaped ending of the pressure pad&#39;s  58  shorter arm is defined by different distance between the axis of rotation of said pressure pad of its shorter arm knurled ending  60 , i.e. radius R 1  and R 2 . The radius R 2  is the longer one. The direction of teeth of the pressure pad&#39;s  58  shorter arm&#39;s knurled ending  60  and the same kind of teeth of the knurled edge of the jamming clamp bed plate  12  make the jamming effect of the securing member much greater. Said effect automatically increases also while pulling the securing member back because said securing member pulling the shorter arm of the pressure pad  58  after it itself makes the passage  72  smaller. The next operation is to connect the tightening device with the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . This operation can be preceded by putting the end of the securing member  70  into the slot  34  of the shaft  14  and the sleeve  32  as operation to be done in a much more comfortable position than after said connection of the tightening device with the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . Applying the pressure, simultaneously to both collars  54  and  54   a  in opposite directions of each other, compressing the springs  38  and  44  causes moving the tubes  22  and  24  thereby uncovering sections of the shaft  14 . Said sections enable putting the tightening device in the dowel holes  28  through the channels  30  with said uncovered sections of the shaft  14 , the diameter of which is the same or a little less than the width of said channel  30 . Releasing springs  38  and  44  causes automatically the sliding of the tubes  22  and  24  ends  26  and  26   a  into the dowel holes  28 . The tightening device in this way is connected with the tightener&#39;s bed plate  12 . Putting the handle  10  into swinging motion causes actuating the ratchet wrench thereby turning the shaft  14  with the sleeve  32  winding onto itself the securing member  70 , which is automatically jammed in the jamming clamp when pulling of it is stopped. Then the tightening device can be uncoupled from the jamming clamp bed plate  12 , or not, if fastened object will be carried. To disconnect said tightening device from said jamming clamp bed plate, first the loosening of the part of the securing member  70  between the jamming clamp and the shaft  14  should be performed by the turning back said shaft with the ratchet wrench mounted in the handle  10  arm previously changing the position of the reversing switch  56  of said ratchet wrench. Then after uncovering sections of the shaft  14  as described above by displacing tubes  22  and  24 , the tightening device is taken out from the dowel holes  28  of the jamming clamp bed plate  12 . Lifting up the longer arm  78  of the jamming clamp pressure pad  58  by applying pressure to said longer arm from below makes the tensioned securing member free. Said operations are much simpler when locking cover plates  92  are used instead of the dowel holes  28 . The shaft is to be placed into the cuts  108  then the locking cover plates  92  are embraced with the fingers and applying pressure on them, overcoming the resistance of said springs  102  and turning them to adjust them perpendicular to the axis of the rotation of the shaft. The knurled sides of the said locking cover plates  92  facilitate this operation. Releasing the locking cover plates causes the plates&#39; protrusions  96  to enter automatically into the hollows  112  of the cuts. Releasing the locking cover plates causes the plates&#39; protrusions  96  to enter automatically into the hollows  112  of the cuts  108 . Simultaneously, the protrusions  94  slide underneath of the sides of the protrusions  110  of the cuts  108 . The locking cover plates  92  are placed closer to the shaft  14   a  thanks to the slants  114  of the protrusions  94  and of the circular shaped niches  116  of the locking cover plates  92 . Said locking cover plates are held in position, thereby maintaining the shaft connected with the handle with built-in a ratchet wrench. This position allows the carrying of the fastened object. Converse operation causes the protrusions  96  to exit the hollows  112  then turning the cover plates until they reach the parallel position against the shaft  14   a . This operation allows the shaft  14   a  to be taken out from the cuts  108 , thereby disconnecting the tightening device from the jamming clamp bed plate  12   a . The bed plates  12  and  12   a  with the dowel holes  28  as well as with the locking cover plates  92  allow the use of the ratchet or an ordinary wrench. The  FIG. 6  represents the realization of this idea.