Low profile hook latch assembly

A hook latch mechanism for joining two members, with the hook latch mechanism carried on one member on a mounting bolt and a keeper carried on the other member,

• the hook latch including in combination:
• a body;
• a hook carried in said body for engagement with a keeper;
• a handle pivotally mounted on said body at a first pivot axis for movement between latched and unlatched positions;
• a catch carried on said handle for engagement with said body when said handle is in said latched position;
• and
• first, second and third links, with said first link pivotally connected at one end to said body at a second pivot axis, said second link pivotally connected to said handle at a third pivot axis, and said third link pivotally connected to said second link at a fourth pivot axis and pivotally connected to said first link at a fifth pivot axis;
• said third link including a mounting bolt opening for pivotally receiving a mounting bolt, and said body including a slot for slidingly receiving the mounting bolt;
• with the keeper and hook defining a latch load line, and the portion of said body between said first and second axes defining a fourth link generally parallel with said second link and projecting upward from said latch load line spacing said handle away from said hook, said handle when in said latched position being substantially parallel with and spaced from said latch load line and when in said unlatched position being generally perpendicular to and spaced from said latch load line;
• means for moving said hook in said body along said latch load line, said means including a threaded portion on said hook within said body, and a nut on said threaded portion and rotatably carried in said body, with rotation of said nut moving said hook relative to said body along said latch load line;
• and
• a first bevel gear carried on said nut and a second bevel gear carried on a shaft mounted in said body for rotation about a axis perpendicular to said latch load line, with said bevel gears in engagement for translating said hook relative to said body as said shaft is rotated.