Patent ID: 7094014

Claim:
An adjustable latching device for tying down a load carried on a flatbed truck, said device comprising: a plurality of elongated rails securable to selected portions of the truck, said rails being aligned along a substantially horizontal plane and extending parallel to each other; an elongated fastening member extendable along a top portion of the load for traversing and laterally spanning across a width of the truck so that the load can be maintained at a substantially stable position during operating conditions; and means for selectively tightening said fastening member such that tension of said fastening member is adjustable from a remote location; wherein said fastening member has opposed end portions operably connected to said tightening means and removably attachable to an opposed side of the truck respectively; wherein said tightening means comprises a control panel electrically coupled to said tightening means, said control panel including a user interface having a plurality of buttons for toggling said device between selected operating modes, an air cylinder having a piston adaptable between retracted and extended positions, said cylinder including a pair of conduits operably connected thereto and to an air supply source for selectively channeling air having a predetermined pressure level to and from said cylinder respectively, said cylinder being slidably attachable to one said rails and movable therealong, said conduits being provided with a pair of quick-disconnect couplings for retrofitting said device to alternate air supply sources, a bracket slidably attachable to another said rails and positionable laterally of said one rail adjacent a bed of the truck, a spool having opposed end portions connected to said bracket and aligned along the horizontal plane, a gear operably attached to one said spool end portion, and a sprocket operably attached to another said spool end portion; wherein said gear and said sprocket are axially rotatable about said spool along a selected direction and in sync, said fastening member being operably connected to said sprocket and having a tension that can be selectively adjusted.