Patent ID: 8747037

Claim:
A tie-down apparatus comprising: a first clamp half having a first end and a second end; a second clamp half having a first end and a second end; wherein the first end of the first clamp half has a first through hole and a second through hole, and the first and second through holes are axially aligned; wherein the first end of the second clamp half has a third through hole, wherein the third through hole is disposed between, and axially aligned with, the first and second through holes; a pin disposed in the first, second, and third through holes and defining an axis of rotation about which said first and second clamp halves are pivotable between a first position and a second position; wherein in the first position, the second end of the first clamp half and the second end of the second clamp half overlap, and in the second position the second end of the first clamp half and the second end of the second clamp half do not overlap; wherein the second end of the first clamp half and the second end of the second clamp half each have a curvature; a first concave shoulder disposed on the second end of the first clamp half and having a curvature that mates with the curvature of the second end of the second clamp half; and a second concave shoulder disposed on the second end of the second clamp half and having a curvature that mates with the curvature of the second end of the first clamp half.