Hook with locking means

• US 6,195,851 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Volco, Inc.
• Inventors: Durning, Daniel, Vollebregt, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US09/270,525
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 243/69, 243/38, 247/16, 246/002, 246/009
• US Class Current: 24/369
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/00 Hooks; Eyes if the attaching parts or means are concerned, groups F16B13/00, F16B15/00, F16B19/00, F16B25/00, F16B35/00, F16B47/00 take precedence; for hanging pictures or the like A47G1/16; towing hooks for ships B63B21/58; for hoisting or hauling purposes B66C; hooks or eyes with integral parts designed to facilitate quick attachment to cables or ropes at any point F16G11/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/036 with an elastically bending closing member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3443 Spring biased jaw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3484 Hook
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45408 Resilient, self-biased gate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/51 Hanger on portable article support for manual attachment thereof to overhead support [e.g., drapery hook]

Abstract

A hook for suspending from a support, such as a rod or wire, a retractable roof covering such as that used for greenhouses, comprises a generally C-shaped body including a pin for engaging the covering, a cavity for retaining the rod or wire, an opening for the cavity, and a means for locking the pin opposite of the opening.

Claims

1. A hook for suspending a fabric roof covering from a support, said hook comprising:

a generally planar C-shaped body, having front and rear ends, said body being defined by first and second opposed members and a third member connecting said first and second members, said first, second and third members defining a cavity with an opening on the front end of the body said cavity being adapted to receive said support; and

,

a pin extending from the first member, said pin being made of a resilient material and extending away from said opening and towards the rear end of the body;

wherein said third member includes a means for locking the pin and wherein said means for locking the pin comprises an opening at the rear end of the body formed in the plane of said body for receiving and releasable retaining said pin therein.

2. The hook of claim 1 wherein said pin lies in the same plane as said body.

3. The hook of claim 1 wherein said pin comprises a body and a head and wherein said head is wider than the pin body.

4. The hook of claim 3 wherein said means for locking comprises a recess for receiving and retaining said pin head.

5. The hook of claim 3 wherein said opening comprising the means for locking the pin includes a first portion being adapted to receive the body of the pin and a second portion being adapted to receive the head of the pin, wherein said second portion of the opening is provided proximally to said first member, whereby when said pin is locked, said head of the pin bears against said second portion of the opening.

6. The hook of claim 5 wherein the second portion of said opening includes a pair of rear walls comprising the rear end of said hook, said rear walls each including a flange extending therefrom towards the first opening, whereby said flanges form a recess for receiving the head of said pin, thereby preventing said head from being deflected in a lateral direction.

7. The hook of claim 4 wherein said first and second members include extensions and wherein said extensions are directed towards each other thereby narrowing the opening of the body.

8. The hook of claim 7 wherein one of said extensions extends beyond the other thereby defining a channel towards said opening.

9. The hook of claim 7 wherein the extension on said second member extends beyond and overlaps the extension of said first member to define a channel towards said opening, wherein the first extension is located between the cavity and said channel.

10. The hook of claim 7 wherein one of said extensions extends beyond the other thereby defining a channel towards said opening.

11. The hook of claim 1 wherein said first and second members include extensions and wherein said extensions are directed towards each other thereby narrowing the opening of the body.

12. The hook of claim 1 wherein said cavity includes a surface for engaging said support, wherein said surface is defined by tapered side walls.

13. The hook of claim 1 wherein a second cavity is formed between said pin and said first member, said second cavity being adapted to receive a portion of said fabric roof covering.