Unitary tie-down panel apparatus

Claim 1

A tie-down panel apparatus comprising: a plurality of panel elements, each said panel element comprising a unitary, extruded structure including an upper plate having lengthwise opening means therein, a lower plate positioned substantially parallel to said upper plate, side portions at opposed sides of said upper and lower plates integrally secured thereto, and a tie-down section secured to said upper and lower plates positioned between Said side portions and at said upper plate opening means, said side portions and said tie-down section being the sole means for integrating said upper and lower plates into a substantially rigid structure; said side portions having a Sigma -shaped configuration to enable interlocking of said plurality of said panel elements, one with the other, to extend the width of said panel elements to a desired width; each of said panel elements capable of being cut along the length thereof perpendicular to the sides of said elements to enable tailoring of said panel elements to a desired length; said tie-down section of each of said panel elements comprising a U-shaped channel extending through the length of each of said panel elements and including a bottom wall parallelly positioned with respect to said upper and lower plates, a pair of side walls extending between said bottom wall and said upper and lower plates, said side walls having integral connections to said bottom wall and said upper plate, said upper plate having a pair of portions defining said upper plate opening means and overlapping said U-shaped channel, said connections of said side walls to said upper plate spaced adjacent to said opening means, and a pair of segments secured between said bottom wall and said lower plate; and a tie-down mechanism having means disposed between said upper plate opening means and in said U-shaped channel between said upper plate portions and said bottom wall for securing equipment, containers, and the like to said panel elements.