An interlocking arrangement is provided between the shackle bow portion and a pin assembly wherein connection of the pin assembly and bow is perfected by rotating a drive shaft to extend projecting members that engage a receptacle on one end of a shackle bow.
Fig 1 – a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Fig 2 – a partial sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus.
The invention provides an improved shackle apparatus that has a bow with bow end portions. In the preferred embodiment, the locking members rotate upon the pins. In the preferred embodiment, the pinion gear rotates with the drive shaft, the drive shaft being rotatably attached to the two plates. Thus, the drive shaft and pinion gear are connected together and rotate together.
Fig 3 – a partial sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus; Fig 4 – another partial sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus.
An improved shackle assembly is disclosed that provides a bow having a specially configured receptacle on one end portion that interlocks with a specially configured pin assembly. The pin assembly has locking members or lugs that move between locking and releasing positions. The locking lugs can be moved to a locking position or unlocked using a rotating end portion of the shaft opposite the receptacle.
Technical illustrations
Figs 1-4 show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10. Shackle 10 includes a shackle bow (11) that can be generally u-shaped, providing bow ends (12, 13). A pin assembly (14) interlocks with bow 11 by extending through one pin opening (16) toward another pin opening (15), as shown in the illustrations.
The bow end 12 provides opening 15. The bow end 13 provides opening 16. The opening 12 is internally threaded, providing internal threads (17). The opening 16 of end 13 is not threaded, providing a preferably cylindrically shaped internal surface (18).
Receptacle 19 is attached to bow end 12 using a threaded connection (20), for example. Receptacle 19 has an externally threaded section (20) that provides a hollowed interior (22). Hollowed interior includes an enlarged diameter section (23) and a pair of smaller diameter sections (24, 25). An annular shoulder (26) is provided on receptacle 19 as shown in Fig 5.
Pin assembly 14 provides pin barrel 27 that has a longitudinal open ended bore (28). Shaft 29 occupies longitudinal bore 28 in use as is shown in Figs 2-4.
Plate 30 provides an internally threaded opening (31) and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pins (32). Each of the pins (32) extends radially away from opening 31. Plate 30 provides a plate surface (33) from which each pin (32) extends.
Fig 5 – a partial exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus.
A plurality of locking arms (34) are mounted upon the pins. In the preferred embodiment, each pin (32) has a locking arm (34). Each locking arm (34) has an opening (35) that enables it to be mounted upon pin 32.
Each locking arm (34) has an upper surface (40) and a lower surface (41). Each locking arm has a concavity (37) that engages a part of barrel 27 at the end portion of barrel 27 that is opposite oval shaped end portion 44. Concavities 38 and 39 are provided on each locking arm (34) opposite concavity 37.
End portion 36 of barrel 27 provides preferably three circumferentially spaced apart radially extending slots (42). When moving to an expanded position (Figs 3-4), each locking arm extends through a slot (42).
About the patent
This patent was filed as number 12/112,575 on April 30 2008. The US patent, number 7,540,140, was awarded on June 2 2009.
Disclaimer
As edited versions of the originals, this article and accompanying drawings may omit legally or technically important detail. To see the full patent visit http://patft.uspto.gov/ and search for “crane”. At the time of going to print the full patent was number 21 on that search listing: “shackle apparatus”.
