Disengaging apparatus
AssigneeWhittaker Corporation
InventorNikolai Kariagin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disengaging apparatus including a hook pivotally located below its hooking point between a pair of plates, and having a counterbalanced cam locking structure wherein the force applied to the hook by the weight of the item being held causes positive engagement with a cam surface, but when the force applied to the surface falls below a predetermined level a counterweight rotates the cam structure away from the hook and allows rotation of the hook to open. The counterweight is further used to positively pull the hook to the open position after a given amount of travel. Additionally a locking structure may be provided to prevent accidental motion of the counterweight, and a spring-biased reset may also be provided.
Claims17
Disengaging apparatus comprising:
- a releasable hook including a contact surface, a pivot axis, and a cam surface;
- a housing containing means for positioning said hook for rotation about the pivot axis;
- a cam mounted on a shaft pivotable about a second pivot axis between first and second positions respectively blocking and permitting rotation of the hook;
- means coupled to the cam for rotating the cam about the second pivot axis upon release thereof, said means comprising counterbalance means mounted to rotate the cam toward the second position;
- and
- hook rotating means operatively interconnected with the cam coupled means for positively pivoting the hook after rotation of the cam out of the blocking position.
Disengaging apparatus comprising:
- a frame mounted on a support member, said frame including vertically oriented, spaced apart, support plates;
- a cam mounted between the plates on a shaft rotatably support thereby to permit rotation of the cam between first and second positions respectively blocking and permitting rotation of a hook;
- a releasable hook pivotably supported between said plates adjacent the cam shaft, the hook having a recessed surface for receiving the cam in the first position, the hook being free to rotate to an open position in which the hook is retracted between the plates upon movement of the cam from the first to the second position;
- and
- means for rotating the cam between first and second positions comprising a counterweight coupled to the cam shaft by a lever arm, the counterweight and lever arm being selected to rotate the cam from the first to the second position when the pulling force on the hook drops below a predetermined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.