US20070224011A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20070224011A1
Application number: US11/389,628
Authority: US
Inventors: Jeffrey Cunningham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-03-24
Filing date: 2006-03-24
Publication date: 2007-09-27

Abstract

A locking device for securing loads in the bed of a pick-up truck, moving truck hauler, and for use generally in locking loads being transported in any type of truck.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention

This invention relates to a locking device for securing loads in the bed of a pick-up truck, moving truck hauler, or any other type of transport vehicle and for use generally in locking loads being transported in any type of truck.

Pick-up trucks are very popular vehicles and in part, this popularity is due to their load carrying capacity and compact size, together with other factors such as maneuverability, fuel economy and versatility. One disadvantage of pick-up trucks, however, is that they are not generally equipped with anchor points to secure and restrain loads. In some cases, stake pockets are provided in the rim or lip of the box but these are often inadequate and of course, it may be necessary to keep them free for their intended purpose.

Currently, pick-up truck drivers use two-by-fours and other such types of support bars across the width of the bed to secure and restrain loads. Pick up drivers typically create entire blocks of two-by-fours in order to secure the loads that are being transported in the bed of the trucks. Such efforts are significantly time consuming. Also, the construction of such blocks are not durable over time to be used and reused with different loads. While the use of two-by-fours is the trusted method among drivers to secure loads, currently there are no means by which to quickly, easily and safely secure such two-by-fours or other support bars to the bed of the pick-up truck, moving truck hauler or other type of transport vehicle.

The object of this invention is to provide a locking device for use with a pick-up truck bed, moving truck hauler or other type of transport vehicle, which will facilitate the safe transportation of loads which may be installed with minimal effort and minimum alteration to the vehicle. The present invention allows the user to quickly, easily and safely secure a load in the bed of the pick-up truck at any point along the length of the bed, even towards the front of the bed. The present invention further allows the user to safely secure a load in the bed of the pick-up truck at any point along the height of the bed, even towards the bottom of the bed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The locking device of the present invention is attached to the side walls of the bed of a pick-up truck, moving truck hauler or other type of transport vehicle, and comprises of at least two support rails affixed to each interior side wall of the bed and extending lengthwise or height wise along the interior of the bed, at least two lock blocks having at least two right angled projections extending from the top and bottom portions of each lock block in order to slide onto each support rail, at least two housing units into which the ends of at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams fit where each housing unit fits over each lock block and each housing unit has at least four projections that push into the top and bottom grooves of each of the support rails, and at least two hinged locking handles connected to each housing unit where each hinged locking handle has at least one locking arm at the housing unit end that forms a cam that when the hinged locking handle is engaged locks each housing unit and lock block into each corresponding support rail and also secures the at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams into place in each housing unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of two locking devices each designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the figure illustrating each locking device in the engaged (locked) position.

FIG. 2 top perspective view of two locking devices each designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the figure illustrating each locking device in the engaged (locked) position.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of two locking devices each designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the figure illustrating each locking device in the disengaged (open) position.

FIG. 4 is a side cutaway view of a pair of locking devices designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the figure illustrating a locking device pair securing a two-by-four or other type of support beam, wherein one locking device is in the engaged (closed) position and the other locking device is in the disengaged (open) position; and

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a locking device designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the figure illustrating the locking device in the engaged (locked) position securing a two-by-four or other type of support beam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A locking device, according to the present invention, is shown at1 inFIG. 1.FIG. 1 illustrates two embodiments of the locking device wherein one embodiment may be used to secure a two-by-four or other type of support beam and another embodiment that may be used to secure rope, thread or other securing means. The locking device1 of the present invention that may be used to secure a two-by-four or other type of support beam has at least twosupport rails3 affixed to each interior side wall of the bed of a pickup truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle, and extending lengthwise or height wise along such interior, at least two lock blocks (not shown) having at least two right angled projections extending from the top and bottom portions of each lock block in order to slide onto eachsupport rail3 and each lock block (not shown) having a center projection with at least one through hole, at least twohousing units9 into which the ends of at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams fit where eachhousing unit9 fits over each lock block (not shown) and each having at least one through hole or opening (not shown) that aligns with the through hole in each lock block (not shown) and having at least fourprojections41 on the back side of eachhousing unit9 that push into thetop groove5 andbottom groove7 of each of thesupport rails3, and at least two hingedlocking handles13 connected to eachhousing unit9 where each hingedlocking handle13 has at least onelocking arm15 at the housing unit end that forms a cam that when the hingedlocking handle13 is engaged locks eachhousing unit9 andlock block51 into eachcorresponding support rail3 and also secures the at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams into place in eachhousing unit9.

In one embodiment, the at least twosupport rails3 may be E shaped in profile, as shown inFIG. 4, such that each support rail contains alip55 at the top side and bottom side of thesupport rail3 and acenter projection57. Theside walls59 of the center projection of thesupport rail3 may angle outward such that the height of thecenter projection57 may be greater at its distal end than the height of thecenter projection57 at its proximal end near the back wall of thesupport rail3. Preferably, theside walls59 of thecenter projection57 may angle out at an angle approximate to 60 degrees from the center of thecenter projection57.

In the present invention, the at least twolock blocks51, as shown inFIG. 4, slide onto the at least twosupport rails3 that have been attached to the interior side walls of the bed of the pickup truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle. The at least two rightangled projections43 of eachlock block51 slide into thetop groove5 andbottom groove7 of eachsupport rail3. Eachlock block51 has acenter projection57 containing at least one through hole or opening29 that aligns with a through hole or opening (not shown) in thecorresponding housing unit9.

Eachhousing unit9 of the present invention has onebottom wall34, atop wall39, twoside walls35, a cavity (not shown) in the backside of thehousing unit9 into which thelock block51 fits, and aback wall19 with at least fourprojections41 extending from the back side of eachhousing unit9 that fit into thetop groove5 andbottom groove7 of thesupport rail3. The front side of theback wall19 has at least two indentations orgrooves61 into which the end of thelocking arm15 of the hingedlocking handle13 fits. Theback wall19 of thehousing unit9 further has at least one through hole (not shown) that extends throughout thehousing unit9 and is aligned with the throughhole29 in thelock block51.

The hingedlocking handle13 may have atop portion17 which the user may depress to activate the hingedlocking handle13, and twoside panels63 each containing alocking arm15 that fit into the indentations orgrooves61 of theback wall19 of thehousing unit9, wherein eachlocking arm15 of the hingedlocking handle13 ends in a cam. The end of eachlocking arm15 further has a through hole or opening65 that is aligned with the through hole in the housing unit (not shown) and throughhole29 in thelock block51.

In the present invention, there may be one pin that is placed through the throughholes65 of the lockingarms15 of each hingedlocking handle13, the through hole of each housing unit (not shown) and the throughhole29 of eachlock block51, in order to transform the components of the locking device1 into a single functioning unit.

In the disengaged (open) position of the locking device1, as shown inFIG. 3, the hingedlocking handle13 is in a raised position. To move the hingedlocking handle13 into the engaged (locked) position, as shown inFIG. 2, to secure the two by four or other type of support bars into thehousing unit9, the user depresses thetop portion17 of the hingedlocking handle13 to cause thelocking arm15 to rotate downward toward thebottom wall34 of thehousing unit9 and the end of thelocking arm15 that forms a cam rotates relative to the pin placed through the through holes to then become engaged with the back wall of the indentations orgrooves61 of thehousing unit9.

The cam at the end of thelocking arm15 is preferably a solid design and is substantially round in shape including aflatter portion45.FIG. 4 illustrates the locking device1 in a disengaged (open) position wherein the hingedlocking handle13 is raised above the at least one two-by-four or other types ofsupport beams67 placed in eachhousing unit9.FIG. 4 further illustrates the locking device1 in the engaged (locked) position, where thetop portion17 of the hingedlocking handle13 has been depressed such that thetop portion17 is nearly parallel with the at least one two-by-four or other types ofsupport beams67 that is secured in place in eachhousing unit9.

In one embodiment of the invention, there may be at least two cushions that are placed between eachhousing unit9 andsupport rail3. While the user is depressing thetop portion17 of the hingedlocking handle13 to engage the locking device1, the at least twocushions11 are compressed to enable the at least fourprojections41 extending from the back side of eachhousing unit9 to be further forced into thetop groove5 andbottom groove7 of thesupport rails3. The at least twocushions41 allow for greater amount of give to further secure the locking device1. The at least twocushions11 further have slots or openings (not shown) that allow the at least fourprojections41 to protrude through the at least twocushions11 into thetop groove5 andbottom groove7 of thesupport rails3.

The hingedlocking handle13 may also have oneside wall63 that contains an opening or throughhole33 through which a lock may be placed when the hingedlocking handle13 is engaged to further secure the two-by-four or other support beams into place and to prevent theft of the locking device1.

Thebottom wall34 of thehousing unit9 may contain at least one notch orgroove31 into which the end of at least oneside wall63 of the hingedlocking handle13 may fit when the hingedlocking handle13 is in the engaged (closed) position.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the locking device1 may be used to secure rope, thread or other securing means. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, thehousing unit21 has anopening27 though which a user may pass through an end of a rope, thread or any other securing means. As in the embodiment used to secure the at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams, thehousing unit21 fits over each lock block (not shown) and has at least one through hole or opening (not shown) that aligns with the through hole in each lock block (not shown). Also, as in the embodiment used to secure the at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams, thehousing unit21 has at least fourprojections41 on the back side of eachhousing unit21 that push into thetop groove5 andbottom groove7 of each of thesupport rails3. In this embodiment, the locking device1 has least one hingedlocking handle25 connected to eachhousing unit21 where each hingedlocking handle25 has at least onelocking arm23 at the housing unit end that forms a cam that when the hingedlocking handle25 is engaged locks eachhousing unit21 and lock block (not shown) into eachcorresponding support rail3.

The at least twosupport rails3 of the present invention may contain openings for means of attaching the at least twosupport rails3 to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle. The opening in the at least twosupport rails3 may be used to drill attachment means into the interior side walls of the vehicle.

One advantage of the present invention is that the locking device1 may be moved anyplace along the length or height of the interior of the bed and then locked into placed at any point along the length or height of the interior of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

Preferably, the at least twosupport rails3 may be affixed to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck or any other type of transport vehicle directly beneath the lip of the bed. Preferably, the width of thesupport rail3 is equal to or less than the width of such lip such that thesupport rail3 does not impede any loading or unloading of objects into the bed when the locking device1 is not in use. Alternatively, the at least twosupport rails3 may not be affixed to the interior side wall of the bed but rather is mounted to the lip of the bed by bracketing means.

In another embodiment of the invention, the lockingarm15 does not end in a cam but is replaced with a one way clutch mechanism. In this embodiment, the indentation or groove61 of the back wall of thehousing unit9 and the end of the lockingarm15 of the hinged locking handle13 create a one way clutch mechanism such that the depression of thetop portion17 of the hinged locking handle13 locks the hinged locking handle13 and raising thetop portion17 of the hinged locking handle13 unlocks the hinged locking handle13. The one way clutch may be accomplished through any conventional clutch means including but not limited to sprags, v-type springs, according springs, ribbon springs or any other conventional type of spring, or a freewheel clutch.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Alternative modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention will occur to persons skilled in the art, and accordingly the invention should be construed to include everything that falls within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A locking device for use in securing loads in the bed of a pick-up truck, moving truck hauler, or any other type of transport vehicle comprising:

at least two support rails affixed to the interior side wall of the bed of a pick-up truck, moving truck hauler, or any other type of transport vehicle;

at least two lock blocks that each slide on to each support rail;

at least two housing units that each fits over each lock block and into which the ends of at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams may fit; and

at least two hinged locking handles that each is connected to each housing unit and may be engaged to secure at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams into place and to secure the at least two lock blocks and at least two housing units into the corresponding support rails.

2. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two hinged locking handles have a locking arm ending in a cam that when the at least two hinged locking handles are engaged the cam rotates and applies a force upon the at least two housing units and the at least two lock blocks securing the at least two housing units and the at least two lock blocks into the corresponding support rails.

3. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein there are at least two cushions placed between the at least two housing units and corresponding support rails that may be compressed when the hinged locking handle is engaged to secure the at least two housing units and at least two lock blocks into the at least two support rails.

4. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein there is a pin placed through the openings or through holes in the at least two hinged locking handles, at least two housing units, and at least two lock blocks to secure the locking device as a single functioning unit.

5. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the hinged locking handle may have an opening to allow the locking device to be locked with a padlock or deadbolt.

6. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two support rails may have openings or through holes for means of attaching the at least two support rails to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

7. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two hinged locking handles and at least two housing units create a one way clutch mechanism to secure the at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams into place.

8. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two support rails are affixed lengthwise to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

9. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two support rails are affixed height wise to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

10. A locking device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two housing units and at least two hinged locking handles are of a durable rigid plastic.

11. A locking device for use in securing loads in the bed of a pick-up truck, moving truck hauler, or any other type of transport vehicle comprising:

at least two lock blocks that each slide on to each support rail;

at least two housing units that each fits over each lock block and into which the end of a piece of rope, thread or other securing means may pass through; and

at least two hinged locking handles that each is connected to each housing unit and may be engaged to secure the at least two lock blocks and at least two housing units into the corresponding support rails.

12. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the at least two hinged locking handles have a locking arm ending in a cam that when the at least two hinged locking handles are engaged the cam rotates and applies a force upon the at least two housing units and at least two lock blocks securing the at least two housing units and at least two lock blocks into the corresponding support rails.

13. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein there are at least two cushions placed between the at least two housing units and corresponding support rail that may be compressed when the hinged locking handle is engaged to secure the at least two housing units and at least two lock blocks into the at least two support rails.

14. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein there is a pin placed through the openings or through holes in the at least two hinged locking handles, at least two housing units, and at least two lock blocks to secure the locking device as a single functioning unit.

15. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the hinged locking handle may have an opening to allow the locking device to be locked with a padlock or deadbolt.

16. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the at least two support rails may have openings or through holes for means of attaching the at least two support rails to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

17. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the at least two hinged locking handles and at least two housing units create a one way clutch mechanism to secure the at least one two-by-four or other types of support beams into place.

18. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the at least two support rails are affixed lengthwise to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

19. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the at least two support rails are affixed height wise to the interior side walls of the bed of a pick up truck, moving truck hauler or any other type of transport vehicle.

20. A locking device ofclaim 11, wherein the at least two housing units and at least two hinged locking handles are of a durable rigid plastic.