Tie-down track fitting

May 1, 1956

E. C. ELSNER

TIE-DOWN TRACK FITTING

Filed July 12, 1952

2,743,684

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United States Patent Office

2,743,684

Patented May 1, 1956

2,743,684

TIE-DOWN TRACK FITTING

Edwin C. Eisner, Glendale, Calif., assignor to Gordon D. Brown, Beverly HiHs, Calif.

Application My 12, 1952, Serial No. 298,513

Claims. (Cl. 105—369)

The present invention relates generally to connecting and fastening devices, and is more particularly concerned with an attachment fitting of the type which may be quickly connected and disconnected by simple manipu-♦ lation.

Fittings of the herein described character are in general susceptible of wide and general application, but are especially advantageous of use in connection with aircraft, and provide means by which various objects may be releasably secured in a desired position, and are particularly adapted for cargo tie-down system where it is desired to secure the cargo to a floor or deck for shipment.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention in accordance with its general concepts proposes to provide a quick attachment fitting of two-part construction, which embodies a releasable part adapted to have a tie member secured thereto, and which is quickly engageable and disengageable with a second part in the form of a track to which the first part is adapted to be secured at selected positions therealong.

One object of the herein described invention is to provide a fitting wherein the tie-down forces will be distributed over a considerable section of the associated rail or track, rather than be applied at one point of the rail or track.

A further object is to provide a fitting which will be free from tilt or canting under obliquely applied pulling forces, and which is not apt to become inadvertently disconnected from the associated rail or track due to the application of the pulling forces.

Another object is to provide a fitting of simple construction, which may be attached and detached to a complementary member such as a rail by simple operation, ¹ and when so attached is efficiently retained against move- ♦ ment to a releasable position, but which by a simple man- &gt; ual operation may be quickly and easily detached, when desired.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view showing the complementary parts of a fitting embodying the present invention, in interconnected relationship.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, to show the cooperative relationship of certain elements of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially on line 3—3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 4—4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now generally to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the invention is. shown in Fig. 1 as comprising complementary structures A and B which are in accordance with the broad concepts of the invention ar2 ranged to be connected and disconnected quickly, and when connected provide a floor or deck fitting to which an associated member may be anchored. For example, the associated fittings may form an anchor for cargo tie5 downs, and the like.

More specifically, structure A may comprise an extruded or otherwise formed track or rail structure having side flanges 10 and 11 which project toward each other and have spaced apart confronting edges 12 and 13 10 respectively, these flanges mutually cooperating to form a T-slot 14 including an entrance opening 15 which extends longitudinally throughout the rail or track length.

The edges 12 and 13 are provided with pairs of transversely aligned edge notches 16 and 17 which are formed 15 at spaced intervals longitudinally of the rail or track, so that in effect the material between the adjacent pairs of notches forms confronting projecting portions 18 and 19, the purpose of which will subsequently become apparent.

The structure B, which forms a complementary part of ²θ the fitting, is disclosed as comprising an elongate body 20, which may assume various configurations, but is in this instance depicted as being elongate, and rather flat with rounded ends. The body 2» is constructed of suitable material, metal being shown as having the desired 25 strength and rigidity.

The body 20 is provided with a plurality of studs 21 and 22 which project in the same direction from one surface of the body 20.

Each of the studs has an enlarged head portion 23 and ³⁰ an adjacent shank portion 24 of reduced diameter. The studs 21 and 22 are aligned on the longitudinal central axis of the body 20 in symmetrically spaced apart relation, the studs 21 being mounted adjacent the respective ends of the body 20 and fixedly secured thereto, whereas ³⁵ the stud 22 is positioned centrally between the end studs and is mounted with its shank portion 24 supported in the body 20 for rotational as well as longitudinal or endfor-end movement, the opposite end of the stud 22 from its head portion being provided with an end piece 25 T) which may have threaded engagement with the stud and supports a loosely associated ring 26.

The studs 21 and 22 have head portions of a diameter which will enable passage of the respective heads through a pair of the notches 16 and 17 of the rail member, and ^{4 3} the shank portions of these studs is of a diameter which will permit their movement to a position lying between transversely aligned projecting portions 18 and 19, in which latter position the head portions will engage, upon slight pulling force being applied to the ring 26, with the ⁵⁰ under side of the tooth portions 18 and 19 associated with each stud. Due to the fact that the stud 22 is rotatably supported in the body 29 and may be moved axially of itself therein, it will be appreciated that a pulling force initially applied on the ring 26 will be transmitted to ⁵⁰ the projecting portions 18 and 19 which are associated with the stud 22, and that upon continued application of this force, the force will thereafter be distributed between all of the studs, due to slight flexing or bending of the adjacent rail structure. With such an arrangement, the ¹ structure B, upon releasing the pulling force, may be easily slid along the rail to any desired position.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the body 20 has a recess 27 drilled or otherwise formed in the surface thereof on the side from which the studs project. This recess has ⁰⁵ mounted therein a latching member 28 having a central stem 29 mounted for reciprocable movement in the body 20. The latching member is formed on diametrically opposite sides with arcuate notches 30 and 31 for engaging the adjacent wall surfaces of the shank portions of ⁷⁰ the adjacent stud 21 and adjacent stud 22, so as to retain the latching member against rotation and assist in its guiding movement into a seated position in recess 27 or a

2,743,684 position wherein it projects beyond the adjacent surface of the body 20, as shown in Fig. 2. The latching member is biased towards the latter position by means of diametrically positioned coiled springs 32—32, these springs having their body 20 engaging ends seated in 5 suitable shallow recesses 33—33.

Biased movement of the latching member 28 to latching position is arrested by means of a digitally engageable member 34 which is secured to the end of stem 29 on the opposite side of the body from the headed portion 23 10 thereof. It will be appreciated that by exerting a pull on the member 34, the latching member 28 may be moved into the recess 27 against the spring action, in which position the latch member will be released. Upon release of the latching member, the body 20 may be -~&gt; shifted to a position which permits separation of structures A and B by passage of the head portions 23 of the respective studs through the aligned associated pairs of notches 16 and 17.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those -³skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form or forms shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.