Tiedown fitting for ship decks

May 7, 1968

N. HIGUCHI

3,381,925

TIEDOWN FITTING FOR SHIP DECKS

Filed Sept. 2, 1966

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United States Patent Office

3,331,925

Patented May 7, 1968

3,381,925

TIEDOWN FITTING FOR SHIP DECKS

Nori Higuchi, Northport, N.Y., assignor to Davis Aircraft Products, Inc., Northport, N.Y., a corporation of New York

Filed Sept. 2,1966, Ser. No. 576,954

Claim. (Cl. 248—361)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

This invention relates to anchoring fittings for attaching a tiedown means to a floor or deck. The device includes a shank member with means attached to its lower end adapted to be inserted through an opening provided in the floor to engage the underside of th floor panel, spring biased washer means slidably mounted on the shank member and adapted to engage the upper surface of the floor panel to hold the shank member in an upright position. A ring for connection to a tiedown means is attached to the upper end of the shank member.

The invention herein disclosed relates to fittings used on shipboard to provide anchorage for securing tiedown loads. ²⁵ . Objects of the invention particularly are to provide a simple, low cost anchorage fitting which can be quickly installed or removed and which will safely and securely hold any loading for which it may be intended. θθ Further special objects of the invention are to provide a fitting of this type consisting of but few readily assembled parts and which will be relatively small in size so as to not take up useful deck space.

Other desirable objects and the novel features through 35 which the purposes of the invention are attained, are set forth or will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification _ illustrates a present commercial embodi- 40 ment of the invention. Structure, however, may be modified and changed as regards the immediate illustration, all within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

FIG. 1 in the drawing is a front elevation of one of 45 the tiedown fittings, as installed in a ship deck, the decking being indicated in cross section.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device.

FIG. 3 is a detail showing how the device may be collapsed to engage it in or remove it from a ship deck. ⁵⁰

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the fitting.

The body of the device is shown in the form of a substantial bolt or stud 5, having a head 6, at the upper or outer end and having a screw thread 7 at the inner or lower end. 55

The head of the stud has a transverse opening 8 therethrough receiving a ring 9 or equivalent, for connection of tiedown gear.

A nut 10 and washer 11 confine an anchorage bar 12 on the lower end portion of the stud. 60

A feature of this bar is that it is longer than the diameter of the hole 13, FIG. 1, in the deck 14 in which the device is to be used and of a width, FIGS. 2 and 4, less than the diameter of such hole so that as shown in FIG. 3, this bar may be entered through the hole and ⁰⁵be brought up into engagement with the underside of the deck.

The anchor bar is provided with a substantially center opening 15 of a larger diameter than the stud, so as to be freely movable for ease in passing the bar down through the deck opening.

The stud and anchor bar are positioned and centered in the deck opening by a cup 16 swivelled in sliding engagement on the stud above the bar.

This positioning cup has a downwardly tapered or bevelled underside at 17 to approximately fit the deck opening, and an outstanding annular flange 18 of larger diameter than the opening to rest on the upper side of the deck plating.

A coiled spring 19 surrounding the stud and disposed between the head 6 and the cup, serves to normally retain the parts as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

To engage the fitting in a deck opening, it is only necessary to lift the centering cup against the tension of the spring, as shown in FIG. 3, whereupon the fitting may be tipped to one side to clear the bar from the deck opening.

After passing the bar down through the deck opening, the device will automatically center itself, with the bar engaging beneath the deck, by release of the hold on the cup, which then under pressure of the spring, will automatically center itself and hence the complete device, in the opening, where the spring will automatically hold it clamped in place ready for connection of any kind of tiedown gear.

. The device consists of but few parts and is of particularly simple and low cost construction.

To facilitate the collapsing of the device for insertion into or removal from a deck hole, the conical cup 16, may be equipped with oppositely disposed outstanding finger grips 20, so that with thumb pressure on the upper end of the stud, the cup may be lifted by the two fingers of the same hand, enabling single handed operation of the device.

While practical to provide a head at the upper end of the stud for connection of tiedown gear and to use a nut and washer on the lower end of the stud to provide an abutment for the anchorage bar, it is contemplated that this relation may be reversed, as by forging a rounded head on the lower end of the stud to provide the abutment and screw-threading or otherwise connecting the tiedown ring with the upper end of the stud and the invention will be understood as including this possibility.

Other changes are included within the scope of the invention, as for example, the substitution of other forms of tiedown connecting means in place of the simple swivel ring shown.