CA3033751A1 - Tensioning device - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a tensioning device for tensioning chains to secure loads on a transport vehicle. The tensioning device comprises first and second U-shaped yokes with parallel arms and an open end for coupling to fitments. The first yoke bottom has a threaded hole, while the second yoke bottom has an unthreaded hole. A threaded bolt rotatably extends through the unthreaded hole and engageably extends through the threaded hole, coupling the first and second yokes together. A limiter with a limiter leg is secured to the first yoke at the open end.
The leg limits rotation of a fitment relative to the first yoke. The tensioning device comprises a drive assembly having a universal type joint releasably coupleable with the threaded bolt, and an extension bar extending therefrom. Actuating the extension bar of the drive assembly rotates the threaded bolt, moving the first yoke relative to the second yoke.

Description

Background A chain binder is a devise, used in the transportation industry, to tension chains passing over, around or through a load to secure it in position while being transported. The binder is installed between two points on the chain, between the chain and anchor point and or directly to the object being secured.
There are a number of binder types in use for tensioning lashing devises such as chains, cables, and straps, that secure loads being transported by trucks, ships, aircraft or rail.
Most of these binders have inherent operating safety problems since they require substantial physical and repetitive effort and or require the operator to be on the deck of the vehicle or in other awkward positions while they are being installed or tensioned.
- Lever type binders have little lengthwise adjustment and require the operator to apply excessive physical effort to close the binder and this can result in physical injury.
The handles have a tendency to spring back injuring the operator or nearby personnel, especially if an extension bar is being used on the lever handle to close it. Also, operation of the binder can over stress and damage the lashings due to the excessive forces applied. It is now common for transportation companies and their customers to ban lever binder use on their vehicles or their premises. Lever binders can spring open if not properly fully closed, thus loosening the lashing during transport and now, laws specifically require the handles to be secure in position.
- double screw ratchet binders require the operator to ratchet a handle while applying a considerable force to the handle to achieve proper lashing tension. Injury to shoulders, arms, wrists and backs associated with this operation are common, especially when a significant number of the binders are in use, operated repetitively and were access to the binder is awkward, due it's position or orientation.
- Power operated binders are now available, however, they are generally ratchet style binders with a gearbox in place of the ratchet handle or in addition to the handle. A power unit at the center of the binder, drives the binders through the gearing mounted in the middle of a rotating tube, which screws on to threaded eye bolts, one at either end, thus drawing the eye bolts and hooks together.
The truck driver must reach into the center of and usually at right angle, to engage the power driver to the gearing of this type of binder. The threaded tube with the gear housing tends to rotate when power is applied to the binder. This rotation requires the operator to apply a force to counteract rotational torque and this is very difficult for the truck driver while standing on the ground and reaching into the middle of the binder. Therefore, in most situations, the operator installs and tensions ratchet and powered binders while on the truck deck .
The operator is often in an unstable position at the edge of the vehicle while tensioning these binders. Also, while walking on the truck deck, he is exposed to tripping hazards such as binders, lashing and cribbing that is already in place or lying on the deck, or the cargo itself. In numerous cases truck drivers have fallen from the truck deck to the ground and been seriously injured.

2 SUMMARY
The Ultimate Binder consists of two opposing yokes 1 and 2, connected by a fully threaded bolt 3 which axially passes between the arms of and through the hole in the bottom of yoke 2, engaging with a threaded hole in the bottom of the yoke 1 and having hooks pined at their open ends Fig. 1 and 2.. The hook limiter holds the hook on yoke 1 in a position that facilitates engagement with the chain when the operator extends it to engage the chain Fig.10. The swivel, consisting of yoke 4, swivel fitting 5, and a nut 6, is pined between and to yoke 2 and the hook 7 and allows yoke 2 to rotate relative to hook 7, providing the drive assembly improved access to the bolt head when it is limited When the binder is installed on the chain and the bolt is rotated, the distance between yoke 1 and 2 is reduced, slack in the chain is removed and the chain is tensioned Fig.11. Rotating the bolt in the reverse direction increases the slack and the tension in the chain is removed.
The bolt is engaged and rotated by a combination of a socket, a universal joint and ratchet style extension bar mated to a powered driver, crank or ratchet handle in a position at or near the end of the binder Fig. 8 The Ultimate Binder a. - minimizes the safety hazards and injuries related to presently used chain binders by - allowing the operator to install and operate the binder while standing on the ground beside the vehicle rather than on it and bending to operate the binder. Fig.
10 & 11.
- reduces the torque the operator must counter when a power driver is operated since.
a single screw requires one half the torque to generate the same tension in the chain as does a double screw power and ratchet style binders.
- reduces the repetitive physical exertion associated with operating ratchet and lever binders, which in turn results in reduced related muscle and tendon injuries.
b.- improves the efficiency of the binding operation - operator can affix the binder to the lashing quickly and easily and tension it with the power driver located approximately chest high at the side of the vehicle deck or platform. Fig. 10 & 11.
- significantly reduces the tensioning and slackening time versus a manual ratchet and other power binders.
c.- provides other features, where in, - the fixtures for attaching to the lashing can be changed to suit the type of lashing to be tensioned by utilizing the clevis pins at the ends of the yokes and or the swivel.
- reduces the possible damage to cargo by ratchet handles, gear boxes and projections associated with lever, ratchet and power binders. The ultimate binder is relatively uniform along it's length and moving parts are inside binder yokes.
- the binder is lighter and more easily stored due to the absence of ratchet handles, gear boxes and chain links present on other binders, .
- when the binder is open ( bolt mostly rotated out of the yoke 1 ) in the slack condition, the bolt can slide into the yoke 2, thus shortening the binder and protecting the screw when not in use, without having to rotate the screw back into the yoke 1.
- by sliding bolt 3 into the yoke 2, when in the slack configuration, the binder is ready to use by pulling the yokes apart and the bolt out of yoke 2. This eliminates having to open and ,

3 closed two screw type binders by operating the power driver and or ratcheting to create the required slack configuration. .
- the position of the power driver relative to the binder can be adjusted by changing the length of extension 15 Fig. 7.
- The binder has a hook rotation limiter Fig. 9 on the Yoke 1. With other binders the hook 7 is attached to the binder with chain links and the operator must reach to the far end of the binder and hold hook 7 to engage it with the chain. The hook rotation limiter allows the operator to hold the end of yoke 2 and use the binder as an handle, extending the operators reach by approximately one half of the length of the binders Fig. 11 while engaging the oriented hook 7 on yoke 1 to the chain.
- a crank or ratchet handle can be used to replace the power driver.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING OF Ultimate Binder (HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE "binder") FIG. 1 is an illustration of the top view of the binder indicating general arrangement of the ultimate binder and it's components FIG. 2 is an illustration of the side view of the binder indicating general arrangement of the ultimate binder and it's components FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating the optional configuration of the binder without the swivel assembly installed FIG. 4 is an illustration of the general layout of the main Yokes, 1 and 2 FIG. 5 is an illustration of the general layout of the Swivel Yoke FIG. 6 is an illustration of the configuration of a Swivel Fitting FIG. 7 is a top view illustrating the orientation, application and engagement of the socket, universal joint and the extension unit when being driven by a power unit.
FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the orientation, application and engagement of the socket, universal joint and the extension when being driven by a power unit.
FIG. 9 is an illustration of the hook rotation limiter FIG. 10 is an illustration showing the method of installing a the binder onto a chain, by a truck driver who is standing on the ground beside a truck..
FIG 11 is an illustration showing the operation of the binder and tensioning of a binding chain, by a truck driver who is standing beside a unit.

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4 DESCIPRTION
Binders are usually manufactured to comply with specifications laid down for specific uses. by government, industrial associations and other users, such as Departments of Transport, the American Association of Railways.. These specifications set out requirements such as Working Load Limits, Breaking Strength, lashing type and sizes (example - 5/16 grade 7 chain), etc. and therefore, the dimensions, thread type, bolt style , thread length, materials used, method of manufacture, etc. are predicated by these requirements.
The binders function is to apply tension to a chains when the single bolt 3, aligned along the centerline of the binder and passing through yoke 2 , is rotated into the threaded Yoke 1. This in turn, draws yoke 1 and 2 closer together and with them the hooks 7, attached at the end of the yoke arms, which are engaged with the chain, thus tensioning the chain.
The bolt is rotated by a power source 12 or manually with a crank or handle, through a combination of an extension 15 of appropriate dimension, universal joint 17 and socket 16 which engages the bolt. A swivel is installed between joke 2 and the hook at the end of yoke 2 were access to the bolt head is restricted by the rotational orientation of the yoke.
COMPONENTS
1 - is a yoke, a U shaped component, comprising two parallel arms , spaced equally apart, joined at one end by a member forming the bottom of the U, and open at the other end.
A hole 9 on the center line of the yoke, through the bottom member, is threaded to engage with bolt 3 and holes through the ends of the arms, at the open end, accept a clevis pin 18 which also pass through the clevis holes in hook 7. The length of the arms of the yoke are of sufficient length to allow the bolt to be fully engaged with the_yoke 1 and not contact clevis pin 18.
When the dimensions of the yoke, at the bottom of the U, is insufficient to provide adequate thread engagement with bolt 3, an appropriate nut or threaded washer, secured in the bottom of the yoke, can be used to provide the required threads. A rectangular washer in the bottom of the yoke 2 can be used under a nut to assist in transferring forces from the bolt to the yoke arms. The distance between the arms must be greater than the diameter of the bolt and wide enough to allow the hook 7 to fit between the arms..
2 - is a yoke, a U shaped component, similar to yoke 1 but the hole in the bottom member is slightly larger than the bolt 3 diameter and is not threaded. The surface of the yoke were bolt 3 bears against the yoke must made to properly seat the bolt head without binding, when rotated. A washer can be used between the bolt head and the bottom of the yoke to reduce friction and torque required to rotate the bolt and distribute forces from the bolt into the yoke arms. The holes 8 in the end of the arms of the yoke accept the clevis pin 18 which passes thought the clevis holes in the swivel yoke 5 and or hook 7 which in turn hooks to the lashing when the swivel is not in use. The distance between the arms must be greater than universal joint 17 and socket 16 outside diameter to allow them to pass between the arms and engage with bolt 3. This distance must also be wide enough to allow the hook 7 to fit between the arms when the swivel is not in use.

5 3 - is a fully threaded bolt that passes through a hole in bottom of yoke 2, engages with threaded hole in yokel and when rotated, reduces the distance between yoke 1 and 2 and the two hooks 7 thus tensioning the chain. The bolt 3 must be of sufficient length to remain engaged with yoke 1 when the binder is open and eliminate the slack in the chain and tension it when the bolt is rotated.
The appropriate head style on the bolt, diameter, thread type, and grade is determined by the specifications to be meet, and or the manufacturer. When a socket head bolt is used, universal or wobble joint may be engage directly without a socket being required. The bolt may also consist of a threaded rod portion with a nut secured to one end.
4 - is a U shaped swivel yoke Fig. 5, similar to yoke 2 but with the hole in the bottom member, slightly larger than the threaded portion 10 of swivel fitting Fig.6 , through which the threaded portion passes. Holes 20 at the end of the arms accept clevis pin 18 that engage yoke 4 with yoke 2.
The Arms of yoke 4 can be configured to be secured between or outside of the Yoke 2 arms and are long enough to insure the swivel fitting 5 and nut 6 do not interfere with the clevis pin 17. A
rectangular washer can be used between _nut 6 and yoke 4, to distribute the forces to the arms of the yoke.
- is swivel fitting Fig.6, one end of which is a tang 13 and the other is a threaded portion 10, which passes through hole 9 in the swivel yoke a sufficient distance to fully engage the nut 6 and then is locked onto the threads, thus allowing the swivel fitting to rotate in hole 9. The tang portion may be separated from the threaded portion by a washer or washer shaped ridge 14 which is a bearing surface against the bottom of Yoke 5. The hole 11 in the center of the tang accepts the hook clevis pin 19 which pins hook 7 to the tang of swivel fitting 5 and allows the hook to rotate around the end of the tang 13 as well as the centerline of the binder.

6 - is a nut that engages with the threaded portion of the swivel fitting 10, sufficiently to fully engaging the nut threads, and is locked to it with sufficient thread left to allow the fitting to rotate in the Yoke 4..

7 - are hooks attached to the swivel fitting 5 with a clevis pin 19 through the hole 11 in the tang 13 and also to the holes 8 at the end of Yokes 1 and 2, with clevis pins.

8 - are holes in the end of the arms of yokes 1 and 2 through which clevis pins 18 and 17 pin the hooks 7 and swivel yoke 4 to yokes 1 and 2.

9 - is the hole in the bottom member of the swivel yoke 4 through which the threaded portion 10 of swivel fitting 5 passes.
- is the threaded portion of the swivel fitting 5 which is only long enough to allow the nut 6 to fully engage the threads 10 to which it is locked, allow the fitting to rotate in the hole 9 11 - is the hole in the swivel fitting tang through which hook clevis pin 19 passes and attaches the hook 7 to the fitting 5.
12 - is a power driver used to rotate bolt 3 through the extension 15, universal joint 17 and socket 16 and when not available, can be replaced with a crank style handle (speed wrench) or socket wrench handle.
13 -is the tang on the swivel fitting 5 which has the holel 1 to accept the hook clevis pin 19 and attach the hook 7 to the fitting 5. The end of the tang is semi circular in form with a radius that allows the hook to rotate around the clevis 19 with out interference.
14 - is an (optional) washer shaped disk or washer between the threaded portion 10 and the tang 11 which may bear against the bottom of swivel yoke 4 15 - is a socket wrench type extension that joins the power driver 12 to the universal joint 17.
The length of the extension is chosen by the operator to accommodate his operation.
16 - is the socket wrench style socket suitable for engaging with the head of the bolt 3. The socket 16 is not required when bolt 3 is a socket head bolt which can engage directly with the toggle or universal joint .
17 - is a universal or wobble style joint between the extension 15 and the socket 16 or the bolt head.
18 - is the hook 7 clevis pin that passes through the end of yokel and 2 to pin hooks 7 to yokes 1 or 2.
19 - is the clevis pin that attaches the hooks 7 to the swivel fitting tang 13.
20 - is the clevis pin that joins the swivel yoke 4 to yoke 2.
21 - is an L shaped hook rotation limiter Fig. 9. One leg of the angle shaped section, has a hole in the center the same diameter as the clevis pin 18. This limiter is located on clevis pin 18, on the outside of Yoke 1 or inside the hook clevis arms, and with the other leg passing over the yoke 1 arm and the clevis arms of hook 7. When the hook 7 rotates toward the limiter, it's rotation is stopped when both the hook and the yoke contacts the limiter arm. There in, the operator This positions the hook so that the operator can hold the drive end, yoke 2, of the binder and engage the hook on yoke 1 into the lashing (chain) without holding the hook in position. The limiter can be reversed on the clevis pin to accommodate left or right handed operators. The limiter can be made as part of the Yoke 1.
Moreover, the descriptions and illustrations set out herein are an example and the invention may be not limited to the exact details shown or described.

OPTIONAL CONFIGURATION AND COMPONENTS.
1. Fig. 3 - Were the operator has easy access to bolt 3, without the drive yoke 2 being rotated, the swivel assembly yoke 4, fitting 5 and nut 6 is not installed as part of the binder and hook 7 can be affixed directly to joke 2 using clevis pin 18.
2. Yoke 1 can be manufactured from tubular material with one end having a threaded portion to accept the bolt 3 and which performs the same functions in the same manner as Yoke 1. The other end being configured in a similar way as Yoke 1, to accept clevis pin 18 and hook 7.and the rotation limiter 21 3. Yoke 2 can be made with the distance between the arms wide enough to allow a powered or hand ratchet and socket to engage the bolt head directly without using the universal joint or extension.
4. The swivel assembly consisting of Yoke 4 fitting 5 and nut 6, can be substituted with any appropriate components that allows Hook 7 to swivel around the centerline of the binder.

Claims (9)

What is claimed ; a chain binder A chain binder to tension chains used to secure loads during transport, that is safe to operate, light in weight, compact, and can, in many situations, be installed and operated from the ground, beside a vehicle.

1. A devise used to tension load securing chains, consisting of;
- a U shaped yoke (1) also referred to as a clevis, comprising two parallel identical arms, spaced equally apart, joined at one end by a member forming the bottom of the U, and open at the other end, with a threaded hole through the bottom member on the center line of the yoke and holes through the ends of each arm, at the open end, so as to accept a clevis pin passing thought both holes.
- a second apposing U shaped yoke (2) with the similar configuration as the first yoke(1), but having an unthreaded hole in the bottom member of a diameter that allows the bolt to easily pass through.
- a fully threaded bolt that passes through the bottom of the second said yoke (2) and engages the threads in the bottom hole of the said apposing first yoke (1).
- a swivel assembly .
- two hooks fitted with clevis pin attachment points - three clevis pins - an L shaped hook rotation limiter with a hole in one leg.
- a drive assembly consisting of a socket, universal type joint and extension bar.
-wherein, the first (1) and second opposing yoke (2) are connected by the bolt axially passing between the arms of and through the hole in the bottom of the second yoke (2) and engaging with the hole in the bottom of the apposing first yoke (1), the swivel assembly being pined to the end of the second yoke (2), a hook pined to the end of the swivel tang and with a hook and the rotation limiter pined to he end of the first yoke (1), constitutes the binder.
-therein, a chain is tensioned or relaxed when the bolt is rotated by a power driver, through the drive assembly ,with the first and second yokes and the attached hooks engaged with the chain, being drawn together or apart.
- wherein, the drive assembly has adequate access to the bolt without the second yoke being axially rotated relative to the hook, the swivel assembly is not essential and the hook may be pined directly to the end of the second yoke.

2. A devise used to tension load securing chains as in claim 1, where in, the swivel assembly consisting of - a swivel yoke with a configuration similar to said second U shaped yoke (2) but having the shortest practicable arms without the swivel fixture or nut, when installed, interfering with portions of the said second yoke or clevis pin .
-a swivel fixture, one end of which is a tang drilled in the center to accept a clevis pin and configured to allow a hook pined to it, to rotate around the said clevis pin and with the opposite end being a threaded member which passes through the hole in the bottom of the swivel yoke -a swivel nut - where in, the threaded end of the swivel fixture passes through the bottom of the swivel yoke, engages the swivel nut located between the arms of the yoke sufficiently to engage the nut threads and is welded to it, allows the fixture and a hook pined to the tang to rotate within the swivel yoke .
- therein, with the swivel assemble pinned to the arms of the said second yoke, the second yoke is free to rotate relative to the hook on the swivel tang, allowing the second yoke to be oriented to optimize the accessibility of the drive assembly to the bolt.

3. . A devise used to tension load securing chains as in claim 1, where in, the drive assembly comprises - a ratchet type extension bar, - a universal or wobble type joint and - a drive socket compatible with the head of the bolt -where in, an external power driver, ratchet handle or crank transfers a rotational force through the assembly comprised of the extension bar, the universal type joint and the drive socket, which in turn rotates the bolt to which it is engages;
- there in, the driver being located at a distance from the bolt head and the center of the binder near the end of the second yoke, the chain can be tensioned by the operator from a position near the end of the second yoke (2), while standing beside the a vehicle or were the binder is installed in a confined space.
-where in, the bolt is a socket head bolt compatible with the wobble or universal joint, a drive socket is not required as a part of the drive assembly.

4. A devise used to tension load securing chains as in claim 1, wherein, the bolt being free to axially pass through the bottom hole of the second yoke (2), with the binder in a relaxed open condition, having the majority of the bolt rotated out of the first yoke (1), the binder is collapsed for storage and protection of the bolt threads, by moving the first yoke to the second yoke and the unengaged portion of the bolt into yoke (2).
- therein, the collapsed binder is prepared for use, in the open slack condition, when the first and second yokes are separated.

5. A device used to tension chains as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the L
shaped hook rotation limiter (21) is pined against the end of the first yoke (1) arm, through the hole in the limiter leg by the clevis pin which pins the hook to the first yoke. The other limiter leg being positioned under the yoke arm, directed toward the centerline of the first yoke, extending past both the first yoke arm and a portion of the hook, restricts rotation of the hook around the clevis pin in one direction. The degree of rotation restriction being determined by the width of the limiter leg between the hook and the first yoke arm.
-Similarly, limited rotation of the hook in both directions can be effected with a second rotation limiter being added with it's arm on the opposite side of the yoke arm from the first.
- where in, the rotation of the hook around the clevis pin is restricted to approximately 65 to 85 degrees from the centerline of the binder, the hook being oriented to readily engaging the chain, an operator holding the first yoke and using the balance of the binder as an extension, can install of the binder while standing safely beside the transporting vehicle.

6. A device used to tension chains as claimed in claim 1, wherein, a threaded washer or nut may be secured between the arms of the first yoke (1), against the bottom member, on the center line of the yoke, to provide the threaded portion of the yoke.

7. A device used to tension chains as claimed in claim 1, 2,and 6, wherein, a rectangular washer may be is secured between the yoke arms in the bottom of the yoke to assist in distributing the tensioning forces from the bolt head, snivel nut or a nut used in the bottom of the first yoke, to the yoke arms.

8. A device used to tension chains as claimed in claim 1 through 3, where in, the hooks pined to the end of the binder arms with clevis pins, can be replaced with fixtures for adjusting the orientation of hooks and the connection to other devises such a anchor points, cables, straps or nets.

9. A devise used to tension load securing chains as in claim 3, where in, a gimbal style universal joint directly engages a square socket head bolt, a compressible, resilient disk is mounted securely on the neck of the gimbal against the body of the gimbal, between the body and the square protrusion.
- there in, orienting the centerline of the square protrusion close to the centerline of the gimbal, eases the engagement operation of the protusion into the bolt socket.
The end of the protrusion can also be relieved and or tapered to assist in engagement.