Container tie down and shipping device

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SECURING A GROUP OF AT LEAST THREE CHIMED DRUMS IN AN UPRIGHT AND LATERAL POSITION, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING IN COMBINATION: (A) A DECK PORTION; (B) CHIME ENGAGING MEANS EAUAL IN NUMBER TO THE NUMBER OF DRUMS TO BE SECURED IN A FIXED SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP, EACH OF SAID MEANS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID DECK PORTION (A) AND POSITIONED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO REALIZED THE DESIRED FIXED SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP OF THE DRUMS TO BE SECURED, SAID MEANS BEING FURTHER DEFINED IN THAT EACH IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE BOTTOM CHIME OF A DRUM IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITHOUT ENGAGING THE HEAD OF THE DRUM; (C) TIE-DOWN MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID DECK PORTION (A) AND POSITIONED AMONG THE CHIME ENGAGING MEANS (B), SAID TIE-DOWN MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ONE END OF A TIE-ROD MEANS, HEREINAFTER DEFINED, AND TO LATERALLY POSITION AND SECURE SAID TIE-ROD MEANS WHEN UNDER TENSION; (D) UNITARY UPPER FASTENER MEANS HAVING RECESSES THEREIN EQUAL IN NUMBER TO THE NUMBER OF DRUMS TO BE SECURED, THE RECESSES BEING OF A DEPTH INSUFFICIENT TO ALLOW CONTACT WITH THE HEAD OF A DRUM WHEN SECURED THEREBY AND BEING SPACED APART IN CONFORMITY WITH THE SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP OF THE DRUMS TO BE SECURED UPRIGHT BETWEEN SAID FASTENER MEANS AND CHIME ENGAGING MEANS (B), SAID FASTENER MEANS BEING FURTHER DEFINED IN THAT IT IS ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO THE TIE-ROD MEANS, HEREINAFTER DEFINED; (E) TIE-ROD MEANS HAVING ONE END ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO SAID TIE-DOWN MEANS (C) AND ITS OTHER END ADAPTED FOR FASTENING TO SAID UNITARY UPPER FASTENER MEANS (D); (F) FASTENING MEANS FOR PLACING SAID TID-ROD MEANS (E) UNDER TENSION WHEREBY DRUMS WHEN POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FASTENER MEANS (D) AND SAID CHIME ENGAGING MEANS (B) ARE RESTRAINED; AND (G) GRATE MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID DECK PORTION (A) FOR PROVIDING A FOOT-TRAFFIC PLANE, SAID GRATE MEANS BEING FURTHER DEFINED IN THAT IT HAS CUT-OUT PORTIONS TO ACCOMMODATE SAID CHIME ENGAGING MEANS (B), SAID TIE-DOWN MEANS (C), AND THE END OF SAID TIE-ROD MEANS (E) FOR CONNECTION TO SAID TIE-DOWN MEANS (C), SAID GRATE MEANS HAVING A HEIGHT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT PROTRUSION OF SAID CHIME ENGAGING MEANS (B) AND SAID TIE-DOWN MEANS (C), BUT A HEIGHT INSUFFICIENT TO ENGAGE THE HEAD SURFACE OF DRUM TO BE SECURED.