Chain safety hook

Claim 2

For use with a length of chain for securing same to a fixed member, the improvement comprising a safety hook engaged to one end portion of the chain and comprising a U-shaped body comprising a pair of spaced-apart first and second, axially parallel legs, and an arcuate section interconnecting said legs at one of their ends, means provided on said first leg remote from the arcuate section for connecting said hook to said chain, and a locking head provided on the end of the second leg remote from said arcuate section, said locking head having a transverse extent greater than the cross-section of the related second leg, said locking head being within a plane substantially coincident with the plane of said first and second legs said locking head being flattened with respect to the associated second leg so as to be of less thickness than such leg, and there being a tongue formed at the outer end of said locking head at an angle to the plane of said locking head.

Claim 3

The improvement as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by and being at an angle of less than 180* to the plane of said locking head.

Claim 4

The improvement as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said locking head having one side margin extending toward said first leg but terminating a predetermined distance therefrom.

Claim 5

The improvement as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said tongue being formed by being bent along a substantially transverse axis with respect to the said locking head for extension in one lateral direction away from the plane of said first and second legs.

Claim 6

The improvement as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by said tongue marginally tapering inwardly toward its end remote from said formation axis.

Claim 7

The improvement defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said first and second legs being of circular cross section, said second leg being shorter than said first leg, said locking head having a thickness less than the diameter of said first and second legs, but having a cross section greater than the diameter of said legs.

Claim 8

The improvement as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by the axis upon which said tongue is bent being slightly canted in a direction downwardly and laterally outwardly of said second leg for forming an angle of less than 90* with the axis of said leg.

Claim 9

The improvement as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by said locking head tapering outwardly in its portion adjacent the second leg to a point of maximum width and then tapering inwardly toward said tongue.

Claim 10

The combination with a bracket having a bayonet slot comprising a circular intermediate portion and aligned elongate portions on opposed sides of said circular portion, of a chain safety hook comprising a U-shaped body having first and second parallel legs and an arcuate section interconnecting said legs at one of their ends, a locking head provided on said second leg remote from its connection to said arcuate section, said second leg being of circular cross-section and having a diameter less than the inside diameter of the circular intermediate portion of said bayonet slot, said locking head having a transverse extent greater than the diameter of said second leg but said transverse extent being less Than the longitudinal axis of said bayonet slot, said locking head being disposed substantially within a plane coincident with the plane of said first and second legs, said locking head having side margins which project laterally beyond the adjacent outer face portions of the said second leg, a tongue for intial insertion into said bayonet slot provided on said locking head remote from its connection to said second leg, said tongue extending in one direction away from the plane of said first and second legs and being bent slightly returningly toward the plane of said locking head.

Claim 11

The combination with a bracket having a bayonet slot comprising a circular intermediate portion and aligned elongate portions on opposed sides of said circular portion, of a chain safety hook comprising a U-shaped body having first and second parallel legs and an arcuate section interconnecting said legs at one of their ends, a locking head provided on said second leg remote from its connection to said arcuate section, said second leg being of circular cross-section and having a diameter less than the inside diameter of the circular intermediate portion of said bayonet slot, said locking head having a transverse extent greater than the diameter of said second leg but said transverse extent being less Than the longitudinal axis of said bayonet slot, said locking head being disposed substantially within a plane coincident with the plane of said first and second legs, said locking head having side margins which project laterally beyond the adjacent outer face portions of the said second leg, a tongue for intial insertion into said bayonet slot provided on said locking head remote from its connection to said second leg, said tongue extending in one direction away from the plane of said first and second legs and being bent slightly returningly toward the plane of said locking head.

Claim 12

The combination as defined in claim 9 and further characterized by said tongue having an extent slightly greater than the depth of said bayonet slot.