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A ratcheting tie down apparatus and system. Embodiments include a ratchet assembly affixed to a tie down shaft having a longitudinal axis, the ratchet assembly including a ratchet gear, a ratchet head, a ring pawl between the ratchet gear and the ratchet head, and a compression spring between the ri

A ratcheting tie down apparatus and system. Embodiments include a ratchet assembly affixed to a tie down shaft having a longitudinal axis, the ratchet assembly including a ratchet gear, a ratchet head, a ring pawl between the ratchet gear and the ratchet head, and a compression spring between the ring pawl and the ratchet head. A plurality of ramped protrusions of the ring pawl engage a plurality of ramped indentations in a back surface of the ratchet gear, such that when the ratchet head is rotated in a first direction, the ring pawl engages the ratchet gear so that the ratchet head and ratchet gear rotate as a single unit, and when the ratchet head is rotated in a second direction the ring pawl disengages from the ratchet gear such that the ratchet head and ratchet gear rotate independently.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A ratcheting tie down system for a transport trailer, the system comprising: a ratchet assembly affixed to an end of a tie down shaft having a longitudinal axis, the tie down shaft being affixed to the transport trailer; anda pawl mechanism coupled to the ratchet assembly,wherein the ratchet asse

1. A ratcheting tie down system for a transport trailer, the system comprising: a ratchet assembly affixed to an end of a tie down shaft having a longitudinal axis, the tie down shaft being affixed to the transport trailer; anda pawl mechanism coupled to the ratchet assembly,wherein the ratchet assembly comprises: a ratchet gear, the ratchet gear having engagement teeth on an outer circumference of the ratchet gear configured to receive the pawl mechanism and a plurality of ramped indentations formed in a back surface of the ratchet gear,a ratchet head with a front surface positioned in opposition to and in mechanical contact with the back surface of the ratchet gear, the ratchet head have a spline extending from an inner face,a ring pawl disposed between the ratchet gear and the ratchet head, the ring pawl having an inner circumference configured to engage the spline of the ratchet head, the ring pawl further having a plurality of ramped protrusions extending from a front surface of the ring pawl and in contact with the ramped indentations of the ratchet gear, anda compression spring disposed between the ratchet head and the ring pawl, the compression spring configured to cause ramped protrusions of the ring pawl to engage the ramped indentations of the ratchet gear,wherein the ring pawl is configured to engage the ratchet gear when the ratchet head is rotated in a first direction such that the ratchet head and ratchet gear rotate as a single unit, and the ring pawl is configured to disengage from the ratchet gear when the ratchet head is rotated in a second direction such that the ratchet head and ratchet gear rotate independently. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl are configured to engage the ramped indentations of the ratchet gear when the ratchet head is rotated in the first direction, and the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl are configured to slidably disengage from the ramped indentations of the ratchet gear when the ratchet head is rotated in the second direction. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport trailer comprises a vehicle trailer with a plurality of vehicle platforms and the tie down shaft is affixed to one of the one or more of the vehicle platforms. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein: the spline of the ratchet head further includes a plurality of spline teeth in an outer circumference of the spline, andthe inner circumference of the ring pawl further includes a plurality of pawl teeth configured to engage the spline teeth of the spline such that the ring pawl moves rotationally as a unit with the ratchet hub. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the engagement of the pawl teeth with the spline teeth further allows the ring pawl to move with respect to the spline in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein when the ratchet head is rotated in the first direction, the compression spring is placed into an extended position and a plurality of vertical portions of the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl engage a corresponding plurality of vertical portions of the ramped indentations of the ratchet gear. 7. The system of claim 5, wherein when the ratchet head is rotated in the second direction, a plurality of ramp surfaces of the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl slide on a corresponding plurality of ramp surfaces of the ramped indentations of the ratchet gear disengaging the ring pawl from the ratchet gear. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sliding of the plurality of ramp surfaces of the ring pawl on the plurality of ramp surfaces of the ratchet gear causes the ring pawl to move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spline in a direction toward the ratchet head and places the compression spring into a compressed position. 9. The system of claim 5, further comprising an outer seal disposed between the front surface of the ratchet head and the back surface of the ratchet gear. 10. The system of claim 5, wherein: the end of a tie down shaft is affixed to a front surface of the ratchet gear,the ratchet gear further includes a hub extending outwardly past the back surface of the ratchet gear, andthe ratchet head further includes an inner bore extending through the center of the ratchet head, the inner bore of the ratchet head sized to receive the hub of the ratchet gear. 11. The system of claim 5, further comprising: a ratchet hub with a generally circular first end, whereinthe ratchet head further includes an inner bore extending through the center of the ratchet head, the inner bore sized to receive the first end of the ratchet hub,the ratchet gear further includes a gear bore extending through the center of the ratchet gear, the gear bore sized to receive the first end of the ratchet hub, andthe end of the tie down shaft includes an opening sized to receive the first end of the ratchet hub. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the end of the tie down shaft is affixed to a front surface of the ratchet gear. 13. A ratcheting apparatus for use with a transport trailer, the apparatus comprising: a ratchet gear, the ratchet gear having engagement teeth on an outer circumference of the ratchet gear configured to receive the pawl mechanism, the ratchet gear having a spline extending from a back surface with a plurality of spline teeth formed on a circumference of the spline,a ratchet head with a front surface positioned in opposition to and in mechanical contact with the back surface of the ratchet gear, the ratchet head having a plurality of ramped indentations formed the back surface,a ring pawl disposed between the ratchet gear and the ratchet head, the ring pawl having an inner circumference containing a plurality of pawl teeth configured to engage the spline teeth of the ratchet gear, the ring pawl further having a plurality of ramped protrusions extending from a front surface of the ring pawl and in contact with the ramped indentations of the ratchet head, anda compression spring disposed between the ratchet gear and the ring pawl, the compression spring configured to cause ramped protrusions of the ring pawl to engage the ramped indentations of the ratchet head,wherein the ring pawl is configured to engage the ratchet head such that when the ratchet head is rotated in a first direction, the ratchet head and ratchet gear rotate as a single unit, and the ring pawl is configured to disengage from the ratchet head when the ratchet head is rotated in a second direction such that the ratchet head and ratchet gear rotate independently. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl are configured to engage the ramped indentations of the ratchet head when the ratchet head is rotated in the first direction, and the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl are configured to slidably disengage from the ramped indentations of the ratchet head when the ratchet head is rotated in the second direction. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a tie down shaft affixed to the transport trailer such that the tie down shaft rotates around a longitudinal axis, wherein an end of the tie down shaft is affixed to a front face of the ratchet gear. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of pawl teeth are configured to engage the spline teeth of the spline such that the ring pawl moves rotationally around the longitudinal axis as a unit with the ratchet gear and the ring pawl moves with respect to the spline of the ratchet gear in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein when the ratchet head is rotated in the first direction, the compression spring is placed into an extended position and a plurality of vertical portions of the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl engage a corresponding plurality of vertical portions of the ramped indentations of the ratchet head. 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein when the ratchet head is rotated in the second direction, a plurality of ramp surfaces of the ramped protrusions of the ring pawl slide on a corresponding plurality of ramp surfaces of the ramped indentations of the ratchet head disengaging the ring pawl from the ratchet head. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sliding of the plurality of ramp surfaces of the ring pawl on the plurality of ramp surfaces of the ratchet head causes the ring pawl to move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spline in a direction toward the ratchet gear and places the compression spring into a compressed position. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein: the ratchet gear further includes a hub extending outwardly past the back surface of the ratchet gear, andthe ratchet head further includes an inner bore extending through the center of the ratchet head, the inner bore of the ratchet head sized to receive the hub of the ratchet gear.