Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VArious ~orma of tool and storage boxe~ are pre~ently man~factured
for support from the upper marginal edges of ~he 6idewalls of pickup trucks~
Various fastening structures are provided for securing such tool and storage
bo~es upon load bed sidewalls, but mo~t of these structures require alteration
of the load bed sidewalls, guch as by drilling holea therethrough for the
reception of anchor fasteners. However, the forming of fastener receiving
bores in the upper marginal edges of load bed sidewalla detracts from the
resale value of trucks and conventional threaded fasteners secured through
sheet metal sidewall upper marginal edge portions tend to eventually upwardly
displace the surrounding portions of the sheet metal with the result that the
securement of tool and storage boxes thereto beco~es loosened. Further, this
upward distortion of the sheet metal around fastener receiving bores further
reduces the resale value of a trufk.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved form of tool or storage
box anchor for use in securing a tool or storage box to upper sidewall
portions of ~ pickup truck load bed. Accordingly, the present invention
resides in the provision of an anchor assembly for removable securement
in an upwardly opening existing stake receiving socket, which stake
receiving sockets are provided on substantially all pickup truck load
beds.
Although various forms of socket receiving anchors heretofore have
been provided such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,5~5,125, 3,623,690,
3,779,502 and 4,191,108, many of these previously known forsns of load bed
stake socket receivable anchors are not cons~ructed in a manner such that
considerable anchoring force for the support of a heavy tool or storage box
fxom an associated load bed sidewall is provided.
The anchor assembly of the instant invention has been specifically
designed for removable securement in the upper portion of a stake receiving
sock~t such as that provided in the upper marginal portions of the sidewalls
of many pickup trucks. The anchor assembly is heavily constructed and may be
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used either to securely mount a heavy tool or storage box on a pickup load
bed sidewall or as an anchor for ~ether ropes and straps to be secured over
a load disposed within an associated pickup load bed.
The main object of this invention i9 to provide a heavy duty anchor
assembly for removable securement within the upper portion of a stake receiv-
ing socket formed in a pickup truck load bed sidewall upper marginal portion.
Another object of this invention is to provide an anchor which may
be used not only to anchor a tool or storage box to an associated load bed
sidewall but which may alternately be used as an anchor for tie-down straps
or ropes to be secured over a load disposed in an associated load bed.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an anchor
assembly which will enable high tension fastening means to be utili~ed in
securing the bottom wall of a tool or storage box to the upper marginal
portion of a pickup truck load bed sidewall.
A final object of thi~ invention to be specifically enumerated
herein i8 to provide an anchor assembly in accordance with the preceding
objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of
simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device which will
be economically Eeasible~ long lasting and relatively trouble free in
operation.
Figu~e 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional form
of pickup truck as seen from the right rear corner thereof and with a tool or
storage box disposed transverse of the pickup truck load bed illustrated in
position as supported from the forward portions of the opposite sidewalls of
the load bed;
Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken
substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2--2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional vLew
taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the sectional line 3--3 of
Figure 2;
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Figure ~ i9 a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially
upon the plane indicated by the section line 4~-4 of Figure 3; and
Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view illustrating
the manner in which the upper end of the threaded shank portion of an anchor
as&embly constructed in accordance with the present invention may be utilized
to support an anchor eye therefrom for anchoring tie-down straps or ropes to
the associated load bed sidewall~
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the mlmeral 10
generally designates a conventional form of pickup truck including upstanding
opposite side load bed sidewalls 12 and 14 interconnected at their forward
ends by an upstanding transverse front wall 16 and having a swingable tailgate
18 disposed between their rear ends. The walls 12, 14 and 16 as well as the
tailgate 18 define the load bed of the pickup truck.
As is conventional, each of the sidewalls 12 and 14 includes
integral structures 20 spaced longitudinally therealong defining sockets 22
which open upwardly through the upper marginal horizontal edge or flange
portions 24 of the sidewalls 12 and 14.
With attantion invited more specifically to Figures 3 and 4 of the
drawings, the anchor assembly of the instant invention is referred to in
general by the reference numeral 26 and includes a single one-piece
hori~ontal base plate 28 which is generally rectangular in configuration.
The base plate 28 is downwardly loosely received within an associated
socket 22 and the oppo~ite end marginal por~ions of the base plate 28 have
corresponding leaves 30 of a pair of hinges 32 supported therefrom in any
convenient ~anner such as by welding. Each of the hinges 32 includes a
second pair of corresponding leaves 34 and the leaves 34 are secured in
any convenient manner such as by welding to the outside surfaces of the
upper ends of the bight portions 36 of a pair of vertically elongated arms
38 which are generally U-shaped in horizontal cross section and open
horizontally toward each other. Each of the U-shaped arms includes a pair
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of opposite side generally parallel legs 40, interconnected by the
corresponding bight portion extending therebetween, which project toward
the legs of the opposing channel member and the free end edges or surfaces
of the legs 40 remote from the bight portions 36 are inwardly and upwardly
convergent as at 42 and define wedge surfaces. In addition, the upper
ends of each pair of legs 40 are interconnected at their free edge portions
by a transverse brace 44 extending and secured therebetween.
The base plate 28 is provided with a central bore 46 upwardly through
which the threaded shank portion 48 of upright fastener means in the form
of an inverted bolt 50 is slidably received. The undersurface of the base
plate 28 has a threaded nut 52 secured thereto as nut 52 and projects
appreciately above the upper surface of the base plate 28~ The lower end
of the inverted bolt 50 includes an enlarged head 52 and a washer 54 i9
disposed about the shank portion 48 immediately above the head 52.
In addition, a centrally apertured abutment plate 56 is slidably disposed on
the shank portion 48 immediately above the washer 54 and the abutment plate
5b is generally rectangular in configuration with its opposite end edges
; opposing the wedge surfaces 42.
The upper end portion of the shank portion 48 projects above the
base plate is provided with rotary torque receivable means in the form of
a pair of diametrically opposite flats 58 formed thereon whereby a suitable
tool may be non-rotatably engaged with the upper end of the shank por-
tion 48 in order to rotate the latter and thus upwardly thread the shank
portion 48 through ~he nut 52 and the base plate 28. Of course, upward
movement of the abutment plate So enables the latter to slidably engage
the wedge surfaces 42 of the arms 38 and cause the lower end portions of
the arms 38 to be displaced outwardly away from each other and into eight
frictional engagement with the opposing remote wall portions or surfaces
60 of the socket 22. Accordingly, the anchor assembly 26 may be secured
within the socket 22 against longitudinal displacement relative thereto
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and with the upper surface of the base plate 28 substantially flush
with or slightly below the plane of the upper surface of the flange
portion 24.
After ehe anchor assembly 26 has thu~ been installed within the
socket 22, the upper end portion of the shank portion 48 projects upwardly
through a bore 62 formed in the bottom wall portion 64 of a tool or ~torage
box referred to in general by the reference numeral 66 to be supported in
position spanning the sidewalls 12 and 14. Thereafter, an anchoring nut 68
may be downwardly threaded on the upper end of the shank portion 48 above the
bottom wall 64 and turned into tight engagement therewith. In this manner,
with ~he elongated tool or storage bo~ 66 bridging between the forward ends
of the sidewalls 12 and 14, a pair of anchor assemblies 26 may be utilized
to rigidly anchor the opposite ends of the bottom wall 64 of the box 66
; to the front ends of the flange portions 24 of the sidewalls 12 and 14.
If it is desired to use the anchor assembly 26 for anchoring a
load retaining strap or rope to associated sidewall, the anchor as~embly 26
may be installed as hereinbefore set forth. However, instead of the upper
end of the shank portion 48 being passed upwardly through the bore 62 for~ed
in the tool box bottom wall 64, the upper end portion of the 6hank portion 4
has a fitting 70 equipped with a downwardly opening threaded blind bore down-
wardly threaded thereon. The upper end of the fitting 70 includes an upwardly
opening threaded blind bore 72 and has the externally threaded end of the shank
o~ an anchor eye 76 threadedly engaged therein. In this matter, a load retain-
ing strap or rope end may be readily anchored relative to the sidewall 14
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