Thimble mechanism for retention of a shackle in a wire loop termination

• US 9,003,632 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Beall, Roger E., Boeckman, Paul A., Garrett, Charles R., Postelwait, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, John C
• Application Number:
  US13/758,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 295/250.1, 294/28, 294/33, 403/210, 294/74
• US Class Current: 29/525.01
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/146 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A thimble mechanism for retention of a shackle in a wire rope loop termination. In one preferred embodiment, a thimble device is provided for a shackle having a pair of opposed legs with each leg having an end with a width smaller than a depth. The thimble device includes a thimble body having an external arcuate edge with a rope groove for receipt of a wire rope therein. A central opening extends through the thimble body with the central opening larger than the width but smaller than the depth of the shackle ends. A keyway is provided in the thimble body extending from the central opening to the arcuate edge of the thimble body.

Claims

1. A thimble device for a wire rope loop termination for retention of a shackle having a pair of opposed legs with each of said legs having an end with a width smaller than a depth, which thimble device comprises:

a thimble body having an external arcuate edge with a rope groove in said external arcuate edge for receipt of a wire rope therein;

a central opening through said thimble body, said central opening larger than said width but smaller than said depth of said shackle ends; and

a keyway in said thimble body extending through said thimble body from said central opening to said arcuate edge of said thimble body.

2. A method of retention of a shackle in a wire rope loop termination wherein said shackle includes a bow and a pair of opposed legs with each of said legs having an end with a width smaller than a depth, which method comprises:

inserting a bow of said shackle into a central opening of a thimble body by passing through a keyway in said thimble body extending through said thimble body from said central opening to an external arcuate edge of said thimble body;

reeving a wire rope around a rope groove in said external arcuate edge of said thimble body; and

forming a wire rope loop termination in order to close said keyway with said wire rope.