Unitary body swiveling hoist ring and method of manufacture

• US 6,749,237 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shu Lan Ma
• Original Assignee: Shu Lan Ma
• Inventors: Ma, Shu Lan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOWE, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US10/107,374
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 294/1.1, 294/82.1, 294/89, 403/78, 403/164, 403/165
• US Class Current: 294/180
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/66 for engaging holes, recesses, or abutments on articles specially provided for facilitating handling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 15/06 Shackles designed for attachment by joint pins to chain elements, e.g. D-shackles so called harp links; the D-chain links are classified according to the corresponding kind of chain
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 15/08 Swivels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32213 Articulate joint is a swivel

Abstract

An improved hoist ring and method of manufacturing a hoist ring having a generally U shaped ring member and two substantially parallel legs. A pair of apertures communicated through the parallel legs and rotationally engage a pair of elongated shoulders protruding from a body member. A taper in the upper wall surface of the apertures allows the ring member to be inserted over the shoulders and then bent to a U shape to form the device and also allows for the assembly of the device from two unitary structures.

Claims

1. An improved hoist ring for use with a means of attachment of said hoist ring to a body to be hoisted comprising:

a ring member, said ring member being of a unitary construction, said ring member being generally U shaped and having two substantially parallel legs terminating at two distal ends;

a pair of apertures communicating through said ring member from an interior side of each of said parallel legs to an exterior side of each of said parallel legs, said apertures located adjacent to both distal ends of said ring member;

each of said pair of apertures having an upper wall surface and a lower wall surface;

a centerline extending through said pair of apertures;

a body member, said body member being a unitary structure, said body member having a central portion and exterior portion and having a center axis therethrough;

a pair of elongated shoulders protruding from said exterior portion, said shoulders being formed on said center axis and having an exterior surface; and

said exterior surface of said pair of elongated shoulders in cooperative rotational engagement between an upper wall surface and a lower wall surface defining said pair of apertures in said ring members;

said upper wall surface of each of said pair of apertures tapering toward said centerline from a first point adjacent to said interior side, to a second point adjacent to said exterior side; and

said lower wall surface of each of said pair of apertures being substantially parallel to said center axis.

2. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 1 wherein a section of said upper wall surface of each of said pair of apertures is substantially parallel to said lower wall surface of each of said pair of apertures, said section extending from said second point of each of said pair of apertures to a communication point of said upper wall surface with said exterior side of each of said parallel legs.

3. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 2 wherein said section of said upper wall surface of each of said pair of apertures forms a race, said race parallel to said lower wall surface and rotationally engaged with said exterior surface of said parallel legs.

4. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 3 wherein said upper surface of each of said pair of apertures extends a distance equal to or less than 180 degrees around said center point.

5. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 3 additionally comprising:

an interior race formed by a first beveled edge formed on said shoulders adjacent their communication with said exterior portion of said body member and a cooperating beveled recess formed in said lower edge of said ring apertures.

6. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 2 wherein said upper surface of each of said pair of apertures extends a distance equal to or less than 180 degrees around said center point.

7. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 2 additionally comprising:

an interior race formed by a first beveled edge formed on said shoulders adjacent their communication with said exterior portion of said body member and a cooperating beveled recess formed in said lower edge of said ring apertures.

8. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper surface of each of said pair of apertures extends a distance equal to or less than 180 degrees around said centerline.

9. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 8 additionally comprising:

an interior race formed by a first beveled edge formed on said shoulders adjacent their communication with said exterior portion of said body member and a cooperating beveled recess formed in said lower edge of said ring apertures.

10. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising:

an interior race formed by a first beveled edge formed on said shoulders adjacent their communication with said exterior portion of said body member and a cooperating beveled recess formed in said lower edge of said ring apertures.

11. An improved hoist ring as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising:

said exterior portion of said body member having substantially flat surfaced areas immediately adjacent to said elongated shoulders;

said interior side of each of said parallel legs having a substantially flat mating surface area; and

the distance between said substantially flat mating surface areas on each of said parallel legs sized to allow rotation of said body member therebetween with said exterior portion of said body members substantially parallel to said substantially flat mating surface areas.

12. A method of manufacturing a hoist ring of having a body portion of unitary construction rotationally engaged with a hoist ring also of unitary construction comprising:

forming a body portion of unitary construction having two elongated shoulders with a substantially flat circumference about their exterior protruding in line from opposite sides of said body portion;

forming a hoist ring member in substantially a V shape and having two apertures defined by upper and lower surfaces formed around a centerline, one each of said two apertures adjacent to one of two distal ends of said hoist ring member;

tapering said upper surface of each of said two apertures from a first point where said two apertures communicate with an inside edge of said hoist ring member toward said centerline to a second point adjacent to an outside edge of said hoist ring member;

inserting said elongated shoulders of said body portion into said two apertures at said inside edge; and

bending said hoist ring member to a U shape thereby positioning said lower surface substantially parallel to said substantially flat circumference of said elongated shoulders.