US 6,286,190 B1 · Safety coupler

Abstract

A safety coupler includes a ring member, a hook member, and an annular member. The hook member includes a rod portion and a hook, with the rod portion including a pin and a pair of stops. The pin extends through first and second transverse openings provided in the ring member and the annular member, respectively, and rotatably couples the second member to the first member about an axis. The stops axially restrain the pin from passing through the second transverse opening. The annular member axially restrains the pin in the opening of the ring member. The pin is releasably coupled to the first member in the transverse opening such that when a force having a selected magnitude is applied to one of the ring member and the hook member along the axis, one of the stops extends through the first and second transverse openings to decouple the ring member from the hook member. In one form, the annular member comprises a resilient O-ring. Other forms include the annular member comprising a plastic material and, further, wherein the annular member breaks when the force is applied to the ring or hook member thereby releasing the ring member from the hook member.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A safety coupler comprising:

a first member comprising a closed loop member for coupling to a first item, said closed loop member having an annular portion defining a transverse opening;
and
a second member comprising a hook and a rod portion, said rod portion bearing against opposed sides of said annular portion to thereby retain said second member in said transverse opening and being rotatably mounted to said first member in said transverse opening about an axis, said hook for coupling to a second item whereby the first item couples to the second item by said safety coupler, and said second member further being releasably axially restrained in said transverse opening by said rod portion bearing against said opposed sides of said annular portion and passing through said transverse opening when a force having a selected magnitude is applied to one of said first member and said second member generally along said axis said second member and said first member decouple thereby uncoupling the first and second items.

safety coupler comprising:

a first member forming a closed loop for coupling to a first item, said first member having a transverse opening extending through a portion thereof;
and
a second member having a rod portion and a hook portion, said rod portion including a pin and a pair of stops, said pin extending through said transverse opening and rotatably coupling said second member to said first member about an axis, said stops axially restraining said pin in said transverse opening, said hook for coupling to a second item whereby the first item is coupled to the second item by said safety coupler, said pin being releasably coupled to said first member in said transverse opening such that when a force having a selected magnitude is applied to one of said first member and said second member generally along said axis one of said stops extends through said transverse opening and said second member and said first member decouple thereby uncoupling the first and second items.

A safety coupler comprising:

a ring member for coupling to a first item, said ring member having a first transverse opening extending through a portion thereof;
a hook member having a rod portion and a hook, said rod portion including a pin and a pair of stops;
and
an annular member having a second transverse opening, said pin extending through said first and second transverse openings and rotatably coupling said hook member to said ring member about an axis, said stops axially restraining said pin in said second transverse opening, said annular member axially restraining said pin in said first transverse opening, said hook for coupling to a second item whereby the first item is coupled to the second item by said safety coupler, said pin being releasably coupled to said ring member in said first and second transverse openings such that when a force having a selected magnitude is applied to one of said ring member and said hook member generally along said axis one of said stops extends through said first and second transverse openings and said hook member and said ring member decouple thereby uncoupling the first and second items.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Safety coupler

Life of this patent

Safety coupler

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33