Lifeboat release mechanism

A lifeboat release mechanism comprising:

• a hook having an upper end and a lower end, a concave surface on said lower end and a lower tip on said concave surface;
• a pair of side plates enclosing said hook and each having a circular opening there through;
• a pivot pin extending through said side plates above said circular openings and through said upper end of said hook with said hook being rotatable thereon in a release direction;
• a latch block mounted between said side plates and having a convex surface thereon facing against said release direction;
• a pair of bearing discs mounted in said circular openings of said side plates and being affixed to said latch block;
• said bearing discs being rotatable in said circular openings about a common axis of rotation;
• wherein said convex surface of said latch block and said concave surface of said hook are mounted against each other and have a same radius of curvature.

A lifeboat release mechanism comprising:

• a hook having an upper end and a lower end, a concave surface on said lower end and a lower tip on said concave surface;
• a pair of side plates enclosing said hook and each having a circular opening there through;
• a pivot pin extending through said side plates above said circular openings and through said upper end of said hook with said hook being rotatable thereon in a release direction;
• a latch block mounted between said side plates and having a convex surface thereon facing against said release direction;
• a pair of bearing discs mounted in said circular openings of said side plates and being affixed to said latch block;
• said bearing discs being rotatable in said circular openings about a common axis of rotation;
• means for rotating said latch block from a first position where said convex surface lies against said concave surface for preventing said hook from rotating on said pivot pin, and a second position where said convex surface is below said lower tip of said hook, for allowing a rotation of said hook on said pivot pin.