AU621877B2 - Rope tying device - Google Patents

Description

OPI DATE 16/10/89 AOJP DATE 09/11/89 APPLN. ID 33646 89 PCT NUMBER PCT/AU89/00122 1 TIvr PC. Y TE PO T INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UN E A RATN N TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 (I International Publication Number: WO 89/ 09350 F16G 11/12, B60P 7/03 Al (43) International Publication Date: 5 October 1989 (05.10.89) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU89/00122 (22) International Filing Date: (31) Priority Application Number: (32) Priority Date: (33) Priority Country: 28 March 1989 (28.03.89) PI 7423 24 March 1988 (24.03.88) SE (European patent), US.

Published With international search report.

(71X72) Applicant and Inventor: BOYLAND, Russell [AU/ AU]; 136 Evans Road, Wilberforce, NSW 2756 (AU).

(74) Agent: MAXWELL, Peter, Francis; Peter Maxwell Associates, Blaxland House, 5-7 Ross Street, North Parramatta, NSW 2151 (AU).

(81) Designated States: AT (European patent), AU, BE (European patent), CH (European patent), DE (European patent), FR (European patent), GB (European patent), IT (European patent), JP, LU (European patent), NL (European patent), (54) Title: ROPE TYING DEVICE :i (57) Abstract A device to assist manual tightening of a rope passed over a load on a vehicle. In use the device is first attached to the lope by passing the rope over ridge through hole (13) and around neck tensioning may then be achieved by pulling on the rope, after it has been looped (by 180 degrees) around a fixed anchorage on the vehicle and then around hook-like tensioner The taut rope is secured by again passing it around a fixed anchorage p'int and then winding it around neck (19) and under the rope lying between ridge (14) and hole An alternative device has two tensioners and is used similarly to the above.

-1- ROPE TYING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for securely tightening a rope across a load.

BACKGROUND ART Commonly, the payload on trucks is stabilised by the process of tying one end of a rope to one fixed point of the .truck, extending the other end of the rope around the load, looping the rope about a fixed receiving point, then securely tightening the rope around the load by tying a hitch knot 10 back at a point along the length of the rope. However, the jolting motion of the truck causes the load to exert a force against the rope, leading to a loosening of the grip of the knot. The risk of the load moving independently of the truck poses a foreseeable risk of danger. Furthermore, the knot itself may threaten to interfere with vehicles passing nearby. For instance the loop of the hitch knot normally "extends some distance from the side of the truck when not properly concealed, and can attach to vehicles passing in close proximity.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the abovementioned disadvantages.

The present invention provides a device for securely tying down a load to a loadbed using a rope, said loadbed having at least three rope anchoring sites, said rope being tied with one end to said loadbed at a first anchoring site, Th- A 1 k;l 1 1 1 1 1 :i:l ~i -2fed through a second and a third rope anchoring site, providing a loop between said second and said third rope anchoring sites and a free end at said third anchoring site, said device comprising: rope fixing means for attaching said rope to said device; tensioning means for receiving said loop of said rope; receiving means for securing said free end of said rope; said rope fixing means including an opening for threading said rope through and a first double hook for looping said rope around thereby afixing said device to a desired location of said rope and dividing said rope into a secured section between said device and said first end of said rope tied to said first anchoring site, and a free end section; said tensioning means including a single hook for receiving said loop of said rope; said receiving means including a second double hook for looping said free end of said rope around, thereby securing said free end of said rope to said device.

Optionally, the device may include more than one tensioning hook. Where the device includes two tensioning hooks, the arrangement is such that after a portion of the free end of the rope is fixed to the fixing means and the free end of the rope is passed around a second anchoring site external of the device with a portion of the free end of the rope, being engaged on the first tensioning hook and 3. 1 i i -3maintained thereon under tension, the remaining free end of the rope is passed around a third anchoring site external of the device and a portion of the free end of the rope engages on the second tensioning hook and is maintained thereon under further tension before being passed around a fourth anchoring site external of the device and being secured to the receiving means.

The device may be permanently fixed to the rope or be S 10 capable of separation therefrom.

0 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now S be made to the accompanying drawings of a preferred S embodiment of the invention, in which: 15 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rope tying device, Fig. 2 is a side view of the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an end view as seen from the left hand side of the device of Fig. 2,

S.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device of Figs.

1, 2 and 3 Fig. 5 is a view from the end of a vehicle supporting a load where there is a rope passed over the load and the device of Figs. 1 to 4 is fixed to the rope and is shown enlarged, Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the load supported on ithe vehicle of Fig. 5 with the rope, to which the device is fixed, being passed thereover and i the remaining portion of the rope shown in a i -A partly completed load tightening arrangement, and Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 that shows the remaining portion of the rope in a completed load tightening arrangement.

The rope tying device 10 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 consists of an elongated rib 11 having at one end an enlarged head portion 12 containing an aperture or opening 13 and ridge 14 and having at the other end a hook 15. Between the head 10 portion 12 and hook 15 and on both sides of the rib 11 are winged portions or double hooks 16 and 17 fixed to the rib 11 by respective necks 18 and 19. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show that the ridge 14, hook 15 and winged portions 16 and 17 are raised above the plane of the rib 11.

15 Figs. 5 to 7 show a procedure for using the device of Figs. 1 to 4 to securely tighten a rope 20 about a load 21 carried on a vehicle 25, which rope 20 is tied at one end to the vehicle at a first anchoring site 22, is slung across the oU load 21 and left untied at its other end situated at the opposite side of the load 21. The rope 20 is preferably of a diameter that will fit tightly in the recess between the head portion 12 and any of the winged portions 16 or 17.

As shown in Fig. 5, and referring to the features enumerated in Fig. 4, a length of the free end of the rope is fed over ridge 14, through the aperture 13 and a portion I thereof is tightly looped through a 3600 angle around neck j 19 of the winged portion 17. In this configuration, the i device 10 is restricted from moving along the length of the aA A 9 i i I

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*9 rope 20 and so the aperture 13 and winged portion 17 cooperate to serve as the fixing means.

Referring to Fig. 6, the free end of the rope 20 is then looped through an angle of 1800 about a second anchoring site 23 of the vehicle, and then looped through an angle of 1800 about the hook 15. The hook 15 serves as the tensioning means.

The free end of the rope 20 is then pulled in the direction of the axis of the rib 11 away from the device so as to bring the device 10 closer to the second anchoring site 23, thereby increasing the tension of the rope 20 about the load 21.

Whilst at its desired tension, Fig. 7 shows that the remaining end of the rope 20 is looped through an angle of 1800 about a third anchoring site 24 of the vehicle 25 and then secured to the device 10 by firstly being looped through an angle of 3600 around the neck 18 of the winged portion 16 and then having the remaining short leading portion of the rope 20 fed between the head portion 12 and the portUon of the rope 20 that rests upon the head portion 12 down from the ridge 14. In this embodiment the winged portion 16, the ridge 14 and the rope threaded through aperture 13 and over ridge 14 when under tension co-operate to serve as the receiving means. Essentially however, sufficient securing of the free end of the rope to the device may be achieved by looping tightly the rope around the winged portli 16 only.

It is apparent that the length of the free end of the rope from the site at which the device 10 is fixed to the l~:P i A9.

-6rope must be sufficient to enable the user to perform the manipulations suggested as above.

When the device 10 is in operation across a load the device maintains the desired tension on the rope, thereby effectively restricting independent movement of the load.

Various modifications may be made in details of design and construction without departing form the scope or ambit of the invention.

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Claims (7)

1. A device for securely tying down a load to a loadbed using a rope, said loadbed having at least three rope anchoring sites, said rope being tied with one end to said loadbed at a first anchoring site, fed through a second and a third rope anchoring site, providing a loop between said second and said third rope anchoring sites and a free end at said third anchoring site, said device comprising: rope fixing means for attaching said rope to said device; tensioning means for receiving said loop of said rope; receiving means for securing said free end of said rope; said rope fixing means including an opening for threading said rope through and a first double hook for looping said rope around thereby affixing said device to a desired location of said rope and dividing said rope into a secured section between said device and said first end of said rope tied to said first anchoring site, and a free end section; said tensioning means including a single hook for receiving said loop of said rope; said receiving means including a second double hook for looping said free end of said rope around, thereby securing said free end of said rope to said device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiving means further includes a ridge separated from said opening by a space in the direction towards said first end of said rope i 'ii ~pA -8- tied to said first anchoring site, said space being provided for receiving said free end of said rope after it has been looped around said second double hook and securing it between said device and said secured section of said rope when said rope is under tension.

3. The device of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said device is permanently connected to said rope.

4. The device of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said device is removably connected to said rope.

5. A method for securing a load to a loadbed using the rope tying device of claim 1 or claim 2, including the steps of a) securing one end of the rope to a first anchoring site of said loadbed, b) threading said rope through the opening of said device until said device is located at a predetermined location of said rope, ese eo saidc? winding said rope around the first double hook of said device, d) connecting said. rope to second and third anchoring sites of said loadbed thereby providing a rope loop 2 therebetween; e) placing said rope loop over said tensioning hook of said device and applying tension to said rope; and f) winding said free end of said rope around the second double hook of said device.

6. The method of claim 5 when appendant to claim 2, further including the step of securing the free end into said T J 14 -9- space between the secured section of said rope, said opening and said ridge.

7. A device for securely tying down a load to a loadbed using a rope, said device being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 16th day of January, 1992. RUSSELL BOYLAND Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: ?ETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES *e.G S S. S. S S S 55 S S S S. S S S S 55 S *55S 0~ S S .5 59556 S *SS* S S. S S 5* S 'V ~M'