Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to new and useful im-
provements in hooks for tie-down straps associated with said
hooks.
Normally these devices are known as BUNGEE cords and
consist of substantially circular cross section elastic material
either synthetic or natural with a hook permanently attached to
each end, usually by a clamping or clinching method. This means
that although the cords can be utilized as hold-down devices in
a variety of locations, adjustability is not possible except by
tying knots in the cords or by the limited adjustability provid-
ed by the elasticity of the cord itself.
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Therefore, it is usual to have a selection of such
Bungee cords of varying lengths so that the required length
can be selected depending upon circumstances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages
of fixed lengths cords by providing a hook element and an
elastomeric strap therefor which is adjustable as desired as to
the position of the hook upon the strap and which furthermore
is firmly clamped in the desired position as soon as the strap
is extended as it would be during use.
'
One aspect of the invention consists of a hook element
for adjustable connection to an elastic type hold-down strap
having a substantially rectangular cross section; said element
comprising in combination a substantially U-shaped hooked one
end, said hooked one end including a free standing leg and a `
further leg spaced therefrom, a connecting bar extending as an
extension of said further leg, and a strap engaging other end
formed on the distal end of said connecting bar, said strap en-
gaging other end including a first strap engaging cross bar
situated perpendicular to said connecting bar and a closed loop ~`-
extending from said first cross bar and being spaced from said
first cross bar to define an opening between said first cross
bar and said closed loop, said opening being open on one side
thereof and closed on the other side thereof to facilitate the
engagement and disengagement of the associated hold-down strap.
.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a hook
element for adjustable connection to an elastic type hold-down ~-
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strap having a substantially rectangular cross section; said
hook element including a substantially U-shaped one end, one
leg of said U-shaped one end continuing substantially spaced
and parallel to the other leg thereof and forming a connecting
bar, connected by one end thereof to said one leg, the other
end of said connecting bar angulating substantially at right
angles to said connecting bar and in the same plane as said
U-shaped one end thus forming a first strap engaging cross bar,
and then angulating substantially at right angles to lie parallel :
to but spaced away from said connecting bar, then angulating
again substantially at right angles to lie spaced and parallel
to said first cross bar and thereby forming a third cross bar,
then angulating back towards said first cross bar and extending
inwardly to form a second cross bar spaced and parallel to and
lying between said first and third cross bars, thereby defining
an opening between said first and second cross bars, said open-
ing being open on one side thereof and closed on the other side
~ thereof. :~
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A further aspect of the invention is to provide a de-
vice of the character herewithin described which is simple in
construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suit-
ed to the purpose for which it is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as
will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this
invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention
consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of
parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings in which:
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the hook element
per se.
Figure 2 is an isometric view of Figure 1.
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Figure 3 is an isometric view of the hook ele-
ment showing one end of an elastomeric strap engaged there-
with.
Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3 taken from
the right-hand side thereof.
In the drawings like characters of reference in-
dicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention
in detail, the hook element collectively designated 10 is
preferably formed from spring steel wire having a circular
cross section, but it will be appreciated that other mate-
rials and other cross sectional configurations can be used,
depending upon design parameters.
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It is designed to be used with an elastomeric
or resilient strap 11 which is in the form of a flat strap
having a substantially elongated rectangular cross section-
al configuration so that it is particularly suited for use
- with the hook element as will hereinafter be described.
.
The hook element consists of a substantially U-
shaped hook portion collectively designated 12 having a free
~tanding leg 13 on one side and a further leg 14 spaced and
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parallel therewith, with the substantially semi-circular
curved portion 15 joining the inner ends of the two legs
as clearly illustrated.
Leg 14 then continues in the form of a connect-
ing bar 16, substantially spaced and parallel with leg 13
then terminates in a strap engaging other end collectively
designated 17.
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This strap engaging other end is formed by an-
gulating the distal end of the connecting bar 16 substan-
10. tially at right angles and towards leg 13 thus forming a ~ -
first strap engaging cross bar 18 clearly illustrated in
. the drawings. The portion forming the first cross bar 18
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`c, then angulates again at right angles to form a portion 19 ~.
`~ which is substantially parallel to the connecting bar 16, ..
but extends in a direction opposite to the connecting bar
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; 16. It then angulates again substantially at right angles ~
:i to form a second cross bar 20 spaced and parallel to the
first cross bar 18 and then extends upwardly as indicated --
~r by reference character 21 and then inwardly to form a third
cross bar 22 lying spaced and parallel and between the first ~ -
and second cross bars 18 and 20 so that part of the portion
19, the portion 21 and the second and third cross bars 20
and 22, form a closed 1QP designated 23 in the drawings.
It will be observed that the said strap engaging
~s 25 other end is in the same plane as the hook end 12.
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' In use, the end of the strap 11 is first passed ~ ~
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through the loop 23 from one side thereof and then passes
over the third cross bar 22 and between the first and third
cross bars 18 and 22, then curves over the first cross bar
and again engages the closed loop 23 from the opposite side
thereof so that it lies over the portion of the strap which
first passed through the closed loop 23. The distal end of
the strap 11 then exits and lies upon the standing part of
the strap with this portion engaging behind the second cross
bar 20.
The configuration and threading of this strap
with the end 17 is clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. This,
together with the elastomeric material from which the strap
is made of, enables the strap to readily be adjusted yet
to clamp firmly in position as soon as tension is placed
`~ 15 upon the strap which occurs when the strap is extended and
the hook engaged upon anchoring point as is conventional.
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It will be appreciated that various sizes can
be manufactured as desired.
Since various modifications can be made in my
invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit
; and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit ~
and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the -
accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustra-
tive only and not in a limiting sense.
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