Systems and methods for securing cargo on a flatbed carrier

Abstract

The cargo system secures at least one steel coil for transport on a flatbed carrier. Each coil sits on movable cargo supports coupled on top of a base with support beams. Support brackets couple the support beams to anchoring beams that are coupled to the flatbed carrier. Once a coil is loaded, arms with adjacent upper and lower segments connected by cross members pivot on arm mounts to make contact with the coil. The arms adjust by lengthening or shortening based on the size of the coil. Tethers pass through anchor brackets and over the coil to hold the coil to the base. The arms apply pressure to the coil based on the tension of tethers that extend from the ends of the arms and couple to tethering brackets coupled to the frame of the carrier.

1 . A system for transporting a coil, comprising:
 a flatbed carrier;   a plurality of anchoring beams mounted on the flatbed carrier;   a plurality of support beams coupled to the anchoring beams;   a plurality of cargo supports coupled to the support beams, wherein the coil is situated on the cargo supports;   a plurality of arms extending from the anchoring beams and pressed against the coil for securing the coil to the flatbed carrier, the plurality of arms including a first arm pressed against a first side of the coil, a second arm pressed against the first side of the coil, a third arm pressed against a second side of the coil, and a fourth arm pressed against the second side of the coil, wherein a first cross member couples the first am to the second arm, and wherein a second cross member couples the third arm to the fourth arm; and   a plurality of tethers coupled to the arms for holding each of the arms against an outer surface of the coil.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the anchoring beams comprises at least one tab for securing the at least one anchoring beam to the flatbed carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchoring beams comprises a plurality of support brackets for holding the support beams. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a pin couples one of the support beams to one of the support brackets. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cargo support mounted on the support beams for holding the coil. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchoring beams comprises a plurality of arm mounts. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first arm is coupled to at least one of the plurality of arm mounts. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first arm is configured to pivot about the at least one of the plurality of arm mounts to contact an upper portion of the coil. 
     
     
         9 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for securing a coil to a flatbed carrier, comprising:
 mounting a base on the flatbed carrier;   rotating a plurality of arms coupled to the base such that each of the arms engages the coil, wherein the plurality of arms includes a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm, wherein a first cross member couples the first arm to the second arm, wherein a second cross member couples the third arm to the fourth arm, and wherein the rotating comprises:
 rotating the first arm such that the first arm engages a first side of the coil; 
 rotating the second arm such that the second arm engages the first side of the coil; 
 rotating the third arm such that the third arm engages a second side of the coil; and 
 rotating the fourth arm such that the fourth arm engages the second side of the coil; 
   holding each of the plurality of arms against an outer surface of the coil via a plurality of tethers coupled to the plurality of arms; and   coupling each of the plurality of tethers to the flatbed carrier.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising adjusting a length of the first arm thereby accommodating a size of the coil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the adjusting comprises moving a first segment of the first arm relative to a second segment of the first arm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the moving comprises sliding the second segment within a sleeve that is coupled to the first segment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of tethers comprises a first tether, a second tether, a third tether, and a fourth tether, and wherein the method further comprises:
 coupling the first tether to the first arm;   coupling the second tether to the second arm;   coupling the third tether to the third arm; and   coupling the fourth tether to the fourth arm.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the coupling each of the plurality of the tethers to the flatbed carrier comprises coupling the first tether to a bracket mounted on an underside of the flatbed carrier. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first tether comprises a chain. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first arm comprises a first segment and a second segment that is movable relative to the first segment for adjusting a length of the first arm in order to accommodate a size of the coil. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first arm comprises a sleeve coupled to the first segment, wherein the second segment is inserted into the sleeve