Grab hook

Claim 2

In a grab hook having a general U-shape defined by a shank portion, a prong portion, and a bridging portion connecting the shank and prong portions together at their lower ends and in space relation to define a throat therebetween for receiving a chain passing therethrough with one link in an upright orientation in the throat, the improvement comprising: a. suspension means carried by said hook for supporting a chain passing through said throat with the upright link disposed within the throat in spaced relation above the bridging portion of the hook such that there is no engagement between the upright link and said bridging portion when said chain is under load.

Claim 3

An improved grab hook according to claim 1 wherein: a. said suspension means is positioned on opposite sides of said hook for engaging the adjacent links on opposite sides of said upright link to restrain movement thereof toward the bridging portion of said hook.

Claim 4

a side portion extending downwardly from the upwardly facing portion at an angle thereto and diverging outwardly from the other side portion in a direction toward the bridging portion of the hook, the side portion on one side of said hook being spaced from the other by a distance greater than the maximum spacing of said adjacent links and being spaced from the upwardly facing portion of the seating surface on the other side of the hook by a distance which is slightly less than the maximum spacing between said adjacent links.

Claim 5

a side portion extending downwardly from the upwardly facing portion at an angle thereto and diverging outwardly from the other side portion in a direction toward the bridging portion of the hook, the side portion on one side of said hook being spaced from the other by a distance greater than the maximum spacing of said adjacent links and being spaced from the upwardly facing portion of the seating surface on the other side of the hook by a distance which is slightly less than the maximum spacing between said adjacent links.

Claim 6

An improved grab hook according to claim 2 wherein: a. said suspension means includes seating surfaces on either side of the hook for supporting said adjacent links.

Claim 7

An improved grab hook according to claim 3 wherein: a. the seating surfaces on opposite sides of the hook are spaced apart by a distance greater than the maximum spacing between the adjacent links of said chain as measured internally of said upright link.

Claim 8

An improved grab hook according to claim 4 wherein: a. said seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook are disposed on opposite sides of said throat.

Claim 9

An improved grab hook according to claim 5 wherein: a. said seating surfaces are positioned on opposite sides of said hook for supporting the ends of the adjacent links disposed internally of said upright link.

Claim 10

An improved grab hook according to claim 6 wherein: a. each of said seating surfaces includes a side portion extending downwardly toward the bridging portion of said hook; and b. the spacing between the side portions on opposite sides of said hook is greater than said maximum spacing between the adjacent links at a height sufficiently above the bridging portion of said hook to restrain movement of said adjacent links toward said bridging portion and maintain said upright link spaced above said bridging portion.

Claim 11

An improved grab hook according to claim 7 wherein: a. the side portions on opposite sides of said hook diverge outwardly from each other in a direction toward the bridging portion of said hook.

Claim 12

An improved grab hook according to claim 6 wherein: a. the seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook each include an upwardly facing portion, either one of which is adapted to engage in underlying relation with the end of one of said adjacent links disposed internally of said upright link.

Claim 13

An improved grab hook according to claim 16 wherein: a. each of the upwardly facing portions on opposite sides of said throat are spaced from each other to engage equally with the end of the adjacent link to maintain the upright link spaced from the sides of said throat.

Claim 14

An improved grab hook according to claim 9 wherein: a. the upwardly facing portions of the seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook extend away from each other for a distance greater than said maximum spacing of the adjacent links of the chain.

Claim 15

An improved grab hook according to claim 11 wherein: a. each of the seating surfaces further includes a side portion extending downwardly from the upwardly facing portion thereof toward the bridging portion of said hook.

Claim 16

An improved grab hook according to claim 12 wherein: a. the minimum spacing between the upwardly facing portion of the seating surface on one side of said hook and the side portion of the seating surface on the other side of the hook is slightly less than said maximum spacing between said adjacent links.

Claim 17

An improved grab hook according to claim 13 wherein: a. said side portions on opposite sides of said hook are spaced from each other by a distance greater than said maximum spacing of said adjacent links.

Claim 18

An improved grab hook according to claim 17 wherein: a. each of the upwardly facing portions of the seating surfaces is generally complimentary in shape to the surface of the adjacent link engaged thereby; and b. each of the upwardly facing portions on opposite sides of said throat are spaced from each other to engage equally with the end of the adjacent link to maintain the upright link spaced from the sides of said throat.

Claim 19

In a grab hook and chain combination, wherein said grab hook has a general U-shape defined by a shank portion, a prong portion, and a bridging portion connecting the shank and prong portions together at their lower ends and in spaced relation to define a throat therebetween for receiving said chain passing therethrough with one link in an upright orientation in the throat, the improvement comprising: a. suspension means for supporting said chain passing through said throat with the upright link disposed within the throat, said suspension means including seating surfaces positioned on opposte sides of said hook and on opposite sides of said throat for supporting the ends of the adjacent links disposed internally of and on opposite sides of said upright link to support the upright link in spaced relation above the bridging portion of the hook, said seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook being spaced apart by a distance greater than the maximum spacing between the adjacent links of said chain as measured internally of said upright link, and each of the seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook including:

Claim 20

In a grab hook and chain combination, wherein said grab hook has a general U-shape defined by a shank portion, a prong portion, and a bridging portion connecting the shank and prong portions together at their lower ends and in spaced relation to define a throat therebetween for receiving said chain passing therethrough with one link in an upright orientation in the throat, the improvement comprising: a. suspension means for supporting said chain passing through said throat with the upright link disposed within the throat, said suspension means including seating surfaces positioned on opposte sides of said hook and on opposite sides of said throat for supporting the ends of the adjacent links disposed internally of and on opposite sides of said upright link to support the upright link in spaced relation above the bridging portion of the hook, said seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook being spaced apart by a distance greater than the maximum spacing between the adjacent links of said chain as measured internally of said upright link, and each of the seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook including:

Claim 21

In a grab hook having a general U-shape defined by a shank portion, a prong portion, and a bridging portion connecting the shank and prong portions together at their lower ends and in spaced relation to define a throat therebetween for receiving a chain passing therethrough with one link in an upright orientation in the throat, the improvement comprising: a. suspension means for supporting a chain passing through said throat with the upright link disposed within the throat, said suspension means including seating surfaces positioned on opposite sides of said hook and on opposite sides of said throat for supporting the ends of the adjacent links disposed internally of and on opposite sides of said upright link to support the upright link in spaced relation above the bridging portion of the hook, said seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook being spaced apart by a distance greater than the maximum spacing between the adjacent links of said chain as measured internally of said upright link, and each of the seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook including:

Claim 22

In a grab hook having a general U-shape defined by a shank portion, a prong portion, and a bridging portion connecting the shank and prong portions together at their lower ends and in spaced relation to define a throat therebetween for receiving a chain passing therethrough with one link in an upright orientation in the throat, the improvement comprising: a. suspension means for supporting a chain passing through said throat with the upright link disposed within the throat, said suspension means including seating surfaces positioned on opposite sides of said hook and on opposite sides of said throat for supporting the ends of the adjacent links disposed internally of and on opposite sides of said upright link to support the upright link in spaced relation above the bridging portion of the hook, said seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook being spaced apart by a distance greater than the maximum spacing between the adjacent links of said chain as measured internally of said upright link, and each of the seating surfaces on opposite sides of said hook including: