Adjustable tire tie-down apparatus

• US 7,025,545 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jay Robison
• Original Assignee: Jay Robison
• Inventors: Robison, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US11/081,924
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 410/9, 410/10, 410/12, 410/19, 410 20- 21, 410/23, 242/65.CD, 24/68.CD, 248/499
• US Class Current: 410/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/075 for wheels, hubs, or axle shafts

Abstract

A tie-down apparatus includes a plurality of O-rings and a plurality of fasteners laterally situated from the O-rings such that the fasteners become disposed at opposite ends of the apparatus. The apparatus further includes a plurality of central straps having a fixed length and oppositely registered looped end portions. The central straps are permanently conjoined to the O-rings and slidably adjustable about a circumference of the O-rings. The present invention further includes a first strap having oppositely registered looped end portions and a second strap having opposed end portions. A mechanism for adjusting a length of the second strap is also included. The adjusting mechanism includes a ratcheting come-a-long and a third strap having oppositely registered looped end portions. A plurality of anchoring brackets are fastened to the flat bed of the pick-up truck and are permanently secured to selected regions of the flat bed of the pick-up truck.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjustably securing an ATV tire to a flat bed of a pick-up truck, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of coextensive O-rings spaced along a longitudinal length of said apparatus;

a plurality of fasteners oppositely registered along the longitudinal length of said apparatus and laterally situated from said O-rings such that said fasteners become disposed at opposite ends of said apparatus;

a plurality of central straps having oppositely registered looped end portions, each of said looped end portions defining a passageway for receiving at least a portion of said O-rings therethrough respectively, said central straps being permanently conjoined to said O-rings and slidably adjustable about a circumference of said O-rings for assisting a user to position said central straps about an outer surface of an ATV tire;

a first strap having oppositely registered looped end portions, one of said end portions of said first strap defining a passageway for receiving at least a portion of one of said O-rings and being permanently conjoined thereto, another one of said looped end portions of said first strap defining a passageway for removably receiving one of said fasteners therethrough;

a second strap having opposed end portions, one of said end portions of said second strap being permanently conjoined to one of said O-rings, said second strap and said first strap being axially registered and medially alignable with one of said central straps;

means for adjusting a longitudinal length of said second strap for assisting a user to secure an ATV tire to the flat bed of the pick-up truck; and

a plurality of anchoring brackets fastened to the flat bed of the pick-up truck, said brackets being permanently secured to selected regions of the flat bed of the pick-up truck and arranged in such a manner that at least one ATV tire becomes medially nested between a pair of said brackets so that said bracket pair becomes centrally registered forward and rearward of the at least one ATV tire, each of said brackets having a monolithically formed D-shaped portion extending vertically therefrom for receiving a hook therethrough.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adjusting means comprises;

a ratcheting come-a-long; and

a third strap having oppositely registered looped end portions, one of said end portions of said third strap being connected to said come-a-long, another of said end portions of said third strap defining a passageway for removably receiving another of said fasteners therethrough;

wherein said come-a-long includes a spool for receiving another one of said end portions of said second strap when a user selectively adjusts the longitudinal length of said second strap.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first strap and said second strap and said third strap are formed from flexible, non-stretchable material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said central straps has a fixed length.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said anchoring brackets comprise:

a non-planar top member having a monolithically formed central region defining a passageway through which said hook is positional.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said central straps are coextensive such that a user can symmetrically orient said apparatus along inner and outer faces of the at least one ATV tire with said central straps being centrally aligned along an outer surface of the at least one ATV tire.

7. An apparatus for adjustably securing an ATV tire to a flat bed of a pick-up truck, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of coextensive O-rings spaced along a longitudinal length of said apparatus;

a plurality of fasteners oppositely registered along the longitudinal length of said apparatus and laterally situated from said O-rings such that said fasteners become disposed at opposite ends of said apparatus;

a plurality of central straps having oppositely registered looped end portions, each of said looped end portions defining a passageway for receiving at least a portion of said O-rings therethrough respectively, said central straps being permanently conjoined to said O-rings and slidably adjustable about a circumference of said O-rings for assisting a user to position said central straps about an outer surface of an ATV tire;

wherein longitudinal lengths of said central straps are smaller than a diameter of an ATV tire;

a first strap having oppositely registered looped end portions, one of said end portions of said first strap defining a passageway for receiving at least a portion of one said O-ring and being permanently conjoined thereto, another one of said looped end portions of said first strap defining a passageway for removably receiving one of said fasteners therethrough;

a second strap having opposed end portions, one of said end portions of said second strap being permanently conjoined to one of said O-rings, said second strap and said first strap being axially registered and medially alignable with one of said central straps;

means for adjusting a longitudinal length of said second strap for assisting a user to secure an ATV tire to the flat bed of the pick-up truck; and

a plurality of anchoring brackets fastened to the flat bed of the pick-up truck, said brackets being permanently secured to selected regions of the flat bed of the pick-up truck and arranged in such a manner that at least one ATV tire becomes medially nested between a pair of said brackets so that said bracket pair becomes centrally registered forward and rearward of the at least one ATV tire, each of said brackets having a monolithically formed D-shaped portion extending vertically therefrom for receiving a hook therethrough.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said adjusting means comprises;

a ratcheting come-a-long; and

a third strap having oppositely registered looped end portions, one of said end portions of said third strap being connected to said come-a-long, another of said end portions of said third strap defining a passageway for removably receiving another of said fasteners therethrough;

wherein said come-a-long includes a spool for receiving another one of said end portions of said second strap when a user selectively adjusts the longitudinal length of said second strap.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first strap and said second strap and said third strap are formed from flexible, non-stretchable material.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of said central straps has a fixed length.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of said anchoring brackets comprise:

a non-planar top member having a monolithically formed central region defining a passageway through which said hook is positional.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said central straps are coextensive such that a user can symmetrically orient said apparatus along inner and outer faces of the at least one ATV tire with said central straps being centrally aligned along an outer surface of the at least one ATV tire.

13. An apparatus for adjustably securing an ATV tire to a flat bed of a pick-up truck, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of coextensive O-rings spaced along a longitudinal length of said apparatus;

a plurality of fasteners oppositely registered along the longitudinal length of said apparatus and laterally situated from said O-rings such that said fasteners become disposed at opposite ends of said apparatus;

a plurality of central straps having oppositely registered looped end portions, each of said looped end portions defining a passageway for receiving at least a portion of said O-rings therethrough respectively, said central straps being permanently conjoined to said O-rings and slidably adjustable about a circumference of said O-rings for assisting a user to position said central straps about an outer surface of an ATV tire;

wherein longitudinal lengths of said central straps are smaller than a diameter of an ATV tire;

a first strap having oppositely registered looped end portions, one of said end portions of said first strap defining a passageway for receiving at least a portion of one of said of O-rings and being permanently conjoined thereto, another one of said looped end portions of said first strap defining a passageway for removably receiving one of said fasteners therethrough;

a second strap having opposed end portions, one of said end portions of said second strap being permanently conjoined to one of said O-rings, said second strap and said first strap being axially registered and medially alignable with one of said central straps;

wherein one of said end portions of each said of central straps and one of said end portions of said first strap are conjoined to one of said O-rings respectively, another one of said end portions of said central straps and another one of said end portions of said second strap are connected to another one of said O-rings respectively;

means for adjusting a longitudinal length of said second strap for assisting a user to secure an ATV tire to the flat bed of the pick-up truck; and

a plurality of anchoring brackets fastened to the flat bed of the pick-up truck, said brackets being permanently secured to selected regions of the flat bed of the pick-up truck and arranged in such a manner that at least one ATV tire becomes medially nested between a pair of said brackets so that said bracket pair becomes centrally registered forward and rearward of the at least one ATV tire, each of said brackets having a monolithically formed D-shaped portion extending vertically therefrom for receiving a hook therethrough.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said adjusting means comprises;

a ratcheting come-a-long; and

a third strap having oppositely registered looped end portions, one of said end portions of said third strap being connected to said come-a-long, another of said end portions of said third strap defining a passageway for removably receiving another of said fasteners therethrough;

wherein said come-a-long includes a spool for receiving another one of said end portions of said second strap when a user selectively adjusts the longitudinal length of said second strap.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said first strap and said second strap and said third strap are formed from flexible, non-stretchable material.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of said central straps has a fixed length.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of said anchoring brackets comprise:

a non-planar top member having a monolithically formed central region defining a passageway through which said hook is positional.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said central straps are coextensive such that a user can symmetrically orient said apparatus along inner and outer faces of the at least one ATV tire with said central straps being centrally aligned along an outer surface of the at least one ATV tire.