Patent Abstract:
An adjustable cargo tie down tensioning device for securing cargo in an aircraft and the like comprises, a spring loaded tie down chain restraint release and an adjustable connector having a surface engagement hook. The hook has an integrated threaded shaft with a spring urged retainment release for axle rotation once engaged assuring tie down device tensioning surface orientation for visual inspection of spring engaged chain restraint release required for load surface safety requirements.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to cargo tie down devices, particularly in aircraft for securing cargo pallets that require quick release adjustment tensioning devices retaining the cargo pallets within the aircraft before release and airborne delivery. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art devices of this type are directed to cargo securing and tensioning devices that are used to secure cargo in vehicles including aircraft. Such devices have been specifically developed for these environments with a variety of adjustable features that are required; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,334,955, 7,249,907, 5,702,196 and 5,159,729. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,729, a tie down device is disclosed for cargo that includes a first and second end with an adjustable turnbuckle assembly so that an engagement strap and hook can be adjusted by rotation longitudinally. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,196 claims a turnbuckle type adjustable link wherein the turnbuckle has a threaded engagement first rod and a threaded second rod with an intermediate adjustment sleeve and intermediate resilient springs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,907 illustrates a spring-loaded turnbuckle with a quick disconnect having a spring-loaded rod with an attachment hook. A pivot housing is provided on an opposing upper end with an aperture for locking via a pin or padlock. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,955 discloses a turnbuckle assembly for a tension member wherein a pivot handle has a bottom pivot housing allowing for adjustable end and angular pivot orientation thereto. 
     Other prior art cargo tensioning tie downs have been disclosed including an air cargo device that has an adjustable hook for an aircraft engagement with a spring release load chain retainment release in a fixed orientation to one another. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An improvement to an air cargo adjustable tensioning tie down device which is used to selectively secure loaded cargo pallets within an aircraft. Specifically, cargo tie down requirements entail the use of quick release tensioning devices wherein secured cargo must be released in flight for air cargo drop by transport aircraft. Such cargo tie downs must be visual inspected to assure proper and safe engagement and therefore the orientation of the cargo tie down for inspection is critical. The adjustable cargo tie down device of the invention allows for the engaged tie down to be axially rotated while engaged under tension to enable ease of visual inspection. A spring urged sliding rod engagement bracket can be disengaged allowing the entire tie down assembly to be rotated 180 degrees for inspection without effecting the cargo tie engagement. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the tie down with a portion cut-away. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial top plan view illustrating the spring-urged tension rotational adjustment in engaged position and alternately in displaced position for imparted axle rotation as shown in broken lines. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial bottom plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view on lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged top plan view of the rotational adjustment broken away in lock engaged non-rotational position. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged top plan view thereof in unlocked rotational position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An adjustable cargo tensioning device  10  of the invention can be seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings having a hook portion  11  and a release portion  12 . The hook portion  11  has a hook member  13  with an integrated spring-urged pivot access arm  14  that selectively pivots open for hook engagement as will be well known by those skilled in the art. 
     The hook  13  has and is integral with a threaded adjustment rod  15  which extends therefrom to the release portion  12 . An annularly adjustment fitting  16  is threadably disposed on the rod  15  between the hook  13  and the release portion  12  which allows for incremental longitudinal rod adjustment effective length and therefore that of the hook  13  as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     The release portion  12  has an elongated U-shaped support frame  17  enclosing same with spaced parallel sidewalls  18 A and  18 B with an interconnecting integral end wall  19 , best seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. The sidewalls  18 A and  18 B are additionally interconnected by three primary cross support rod fittings  19 ,  20  and  21 . The support fitting  19  functions as a bearing pivot rod for a common load chain engagement and release fitting  22  having a cast contoured body member  23  with a pair of engagement paws  24  extending therefrom in spaced parallel relation to one another. 
     A chain release assembly  25 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings, selectively engages with the chain engagement fitting  22  for retainment and release thereof when so engaged by a chain under load. The chain release assembly  25  has a activation release handle  26  with integrated spaced parallel apertured end tabs  27  extending therefrom and is pivotally secured to apertured aligned detents  28  in the respective sidewalls  18 A and  18 B by a support rod  29  extending therethrough as best seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. 
     An index engagement release arm  30  extends from the central portion of the support rod  29  with a split spring assembly  31  positioned on the rod  29  on either side thereof providing resilient retainment thereto when the release handle  26  is so engaged with the chain engagement retainment and release fitting  22 . 
     The cross support rod  21  extends in spaced parallel relation thereto and acts as a spring stop at 32 for the terminal end of the split coil spring  33 . 
     It will therefore be seen that the spring urged release chain engagement fitting release assembly  25  maintains the chain engagement fitting  22  in locked position holding the chain, not shown, securely therewithin during use as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Upon lifting the release handle  26  as indicated in broken lines in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the interengagement with the chain engagement fitting  22  is achieved, releasing it from its locked safety position. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  of the drawings, the hook release and tensioning device rotation assembly  10  of the invention can be seen. The hooks  13  integral threaded rod  15  extends, as noted, through an adjustment engagement fixture  35 , best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings having the “fine” annular adjustment fitting  16  threadably disposed thereon with a selective thread rod engagement assembly  36  within the support frame  17  which allows selective rod rotational release for incremental “fine” longitudinal positioning adjustment by rotation of the annular adjustment fitting  16  to assure proper tensioning of the cargo load, not shown. A release and lock activation lever tab  37  can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings to afford selective release allowing for rotatable adjustment as hereinbefore described. 
     The key improvement introduced by the nature of the invention is a rotational rod release assembly  38  which can be seen as having a rod rotation retainment bar  39  extending transversely between the respective sidewalls  18 A and  18 B, each of which has a correspondingly longitudinally extending guide bar receiving slots  40 A and  40 B therein, in spaced parallel aligned relation to one another. 
     The rod rotation retainment bar  39  has oppositely disposed slot support engagement rods  41 A and  41 B extending therefrom for registration through the respective slots  40 A and  40 B with corresponding enlarged finger engagement fittings  42 A and  42 B on their respective free ends beyond the outer surface of the sidewalls  18 A and  18 B for tactile engagement by the user, not shown, as will be described hereinafter indicated by direction engagement arrows A. 
     The rod rotational retainment bar  39  has a central bore at  43  extending transversely therethrough with an intersecting bar retainment channel  44  in a bar&#39;s surface  45  best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6  of the drawings. Correspondingly, the hereinbefore described threaded rod  15  has a non-threaded end portion  46  extending inwardly from its free end  47 . A rotation fixation pin  48  extends through a pin receiving bore  49  transversely through the non-threaded end portion  46  of the rod  15  as shown in  FIG. 6  of the drawings and in broken lines in  FIG. 5  of the drawings. A spring  50  is positioned on the non-threaded rod end portion  46  so as to engage between the rod rotation retainment bar  39  and a threaded transition shoulder  51  formed on the rod  15  as will be understood within the art. 
     As assembled, the rotational rod release assembly  38  maintains a fixed orientation between the frame  16  and the hook  13 . However, by engagement of the respective finger engagement fittings  42 A and  42 B the rod rotation retainment bar  39  can be moved against the resistance of the spring  50  so as freeing the rotation fixation pin  48  from the bar retainment channel  44  allowing the frame  16  to be rotated relative to the engaged position of the hook  13  orientation to assure that visual inspection of the cargo tensioning device  10  and its associated chain engagement fitting  22  has been achieved. 
     It will be evident from the above description that the effective “fine” longitudinal adjustment of retainment tension can still be achieved, as noted, by rotation of the annular adjustment fitting  16  without effecting the functional retainment of the rotational rod release assembly  38 . 
     Therefore given the effective longitudinal placement under length associated requirements dependent on load configuration, the rod rotation retainment bar  39  within its respective guide slots  39  and  40  will accommodate operation within the full linear range adjustment possible to the threaded rod  15  and integral hook  13 . 
     It will thus be seen that a new and novel adjustable cargo tensioning device for securing a load in an aircraft has been illustrated and described and that by utilization of the rotational rod release assembly  38 , the effective orientation of the frame  16  and thus visual inspection of proper engagement and securing of the load retaining elements therewithin can be achieved. 
     It will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, therefore I claim:

Technology Classification (CPC): 1