Abstract:
An improved shackle assembly is disclosed that provides a bow having specially configured receptacle on one end portion that interlocks with a specially configured pin assembly. The pin assembly has locking members or lugs that move between locking and releasing positions. The locking lugs can be moved to a locking position or unlocked using a rotating end portion of the shaft opposite the receptacle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/914,894, filed Apr. 30, 2007, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to rigging for lifting of loads. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved shackle apparatus that can be rigged to slings, lifting lines, or other rigging and wherein an interlocking arrangement is provided between the shackle bow portion and a pin assembly wherein connection of the pin assembly and bow is perfected by rotating a drive shaft to extend projecting members that engage a receptacle on one end of a shackle bow. 
   2. General Background of the Invention 
   Shackles have been used for many years as part of rigging for lifting items that are very heavy. Shackles are typically coupled to a lifting line of a lifting device such as a crane. Shackles can also be used to attach lifting lines to slings, to spreader bars, or to other devices that are used commonly in the rigging process. 
   One of the problems with shackles is that the pin which is attached to the bow using a threaded connection is easily disassembled, sometimes inadvertently. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an improved shackle apparatus that has a bow with bow end portions. A pin assembly detachably connects to the bow, the pin assembly including a barrel having spaced apart ends, one that carries locking members. Each locking member is pivotally attached to a shaft. Each locking member has a projecting end portion that engages a recess of a barrel when the bow is to be locked to the pin assembly. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the locking members rotate upon the pins. In the preferred embodiment, the pinion gear rotates with the drive shaft, the drive shaft being rotatably attached to the two plates. Thus, the drive shaft and pinion gear are connected together and rotate together. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 2-2A  are partial sectional views of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is another partial sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a partial exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a partial exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and 
       FIGS. 11-11A  are fragmentary sectional views of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1-4  and  10  show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral  10 . Shackle  10  includes a shackle bow  11  that can be generally u-shaped, providing bow ends  12 ,  13 . A pin assembly  14  interlocks with bow  11  by extending through one pin opening  16  toward another pin opening  15  as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . The bow end  12  provides opening  15 . The bow end  13  provides opening  16 . The opening  12  is internally threaded, providing internal threads  17 . The opening  16  of end  13  is not threaded, providing a preferably cylindrically shaped internal surface  18  as shown in  FIG. 10 . Pin assembly  14  includes barrel  27 . 
   Receptacle  19  is attached to bow end  12  using a threaded connection  20  for example. Receptacle  19  has an externally threaded section  20  that provides a hollowed interior  22  (see  FIG. 1A ). Hollowed interior  22  includes an enlarged diameter section  23  and a pair of smaller diameter sections  24 ,  25 . An annular shoulder  26  is provided on receptacle  19  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   Pin assembly  14  provides pin barrel  27  that has a longitudinal open ended bore  28 . Shaft  29  occupies longitudinal bore  28  in use as is shown in  FIGS. 2-4 . 
   Plate  30  provides an internally threaded opening  31  and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pins  32 . Each of the pins  32  extends radially away from opening  31  as shown in  FIG. 9 . Plate  30  provides a plate surface  33  from which each pin  32  extends. 
   A plurality of locking arms  34  are mounted upon the pins. In the preferred embodiment, each pin  32  has a locking arm  34 . Each locking arm  34  has an opening  35  that enables it to be mounted upon pin  32  as shown in  FIGS. 7-9 . 
   Each locking arm  34  has an upper surface  40  and a lower surface  41 . Each locking arm  34  has a concavity  37  that engages a part of barrel  27  at the end portion of barrel  27  that is opposite oval shaped end portion  44 . Concavities  38 ,  39  are provided on each locking arm  34  opposite concavity  37 . 
   End portion  36  of barrel  27  provides preferably three circumferentially spaced apart radially extending slots  42 . When moving to an expanded position of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  7 , each locking arm  34  extends through a slot  42 . When moving to the extended position of  FIG. 7 , each locking arm  35  engages a curved edge  48  of barrel  27  end portion  36  that is next to a slot  42  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   Shaped end portion  44  joins to barrel  27  at shoulder  43 . The shaped end portion  44  provides an oval shaped outer surface  45 . Coil spring  46  fits over shaped end portion  44  and engages annular shoulder  43 . Collar  47  is fitted upon shaped end portion  44  with shaft  29  and its enlarged end portion  50 , which provides eyelet  49 . 
   In order to disengage pin assembly  14  from shackle bow  11 , a user pulls spring loaded release pin  51  and then pushes collar  47  in the direction of arrow  55  which allows handle  52  to be rotated. Inversely by rotating handle  52  in opposite direction once locking arms  34  are fully extended the spring  46  pushes collar  47  onto eyelet  47  which locks central shaft  29  into a fixed position with locking arms  34  extended and no amount of vibration can disengage them. Handle  52  can be any structure that enables rotation to be imparted to shaft  29 . Handle  52  can be an eyelet shape having opening  53 . When shaft  29  is rotated, projecting members  34  move to the retracted position of  FIGS. 2 and 8 , enabling pin assembly  14  to be withdrawn from bow  11  via opening  16  as indicated by arrow  54  in  FIG. 2 . 
     FIGS. 2A and 11A  show an alternate arrangement for an interlocking connection between pin  14 A and bow  11 A. The embodiments of  FIGS. 2A and 11A  are the same as the preferred embodiment but for a threaded connection at  56  and at  57  between the pin  14 A and the bow ends  12  and  13 . The receptacle  19  in  FIG. 11A  has a threaded smaller diameter section  25 A that is part of hollowed interior  22 A. This threaded smaller diameter section  25 A interlocks with an externally threaded portion  58  of pin  14 A. Similarly, an externally threaded portion  18 A of pin  14 A forms a threaded connection  57  with internally threaded opening  16 A of bow  11 A. The embodiment of  FIGS. 2A and 11A  provides threaded connections at  56 ,  57  wherein the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 11  provides unthreaded, generally cylindrically shaped openings at  15 ,  18  that are receptive of pin  14 . 
   The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention. 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               PARTS LIST 
             
           
        
         
             
               Part Number 
               Description 
             
             
                 
             
             
               10 
               shackle 
             
             
               11 
               bow 
             
             
                11A 
               bow 
             
             
               12 
               bow end 
             
             
               13 
               bow end 
             
             
               14 
               pin assembly 
             
             
                14A 
               pin assembly 
             
             
               15 
               pin receptive opening 
             
             
                15A 
               pin receptive opening 
             
             
               16 
               opening 
             
             
                16A 
               opening 
             
             
               17 
               internal thread 
             
             
               18 
               internal surface 
             
             
                18A 
               threaded portion 
             
             
               19 
               receptacle 
             
             
               20 
               externally threaded section 
             
             
               21 
               threaded connection 
             
             
               22 
               hollowed interior 
             
             
                22A 
               hollowed interior 
             
             
               23 
               enlarged diameter section 
             
             
               24 
               smaller diameter section 
             
             
               25 
               smaller diameter section 
             
             
                25A 
               threaded smaller diameter section 
             
             
               26 
               annular shoulder 
             
             
               27 
               pin barrel 
             
             
               28 
               longitudinal bore 
             
             
               29 
               shaft 
             
             
               30 
               plate 
             
             
               31 
               internally threaded opening 
             
             
               32 
               pin 
             
             
               33 
               plate surface 
             
             
               34 
               locking arm 
             
             
               35 
               opening 
             
             
               36 
               end portion 
             
             
               37 
               concavity 
             
             
               38 
               concavity 
             
             
               39 
               concavity 
             
             
               40 
               upper surface 
             
             
               41 
               lower surface 
             
             
               42 
               slot 
             
             
               43 
               shoulder 
             
             
               44 
               shaped end portion 
             
             
               45 
               oval shaped surface 
             
             
               46 
               spring 
             
             
               47 
               collar 
             
             
               48 
               curved edge 
             
             
               49 
               eyelet 
             
             
               50 
               enlarged end portion 
             
             
               51 
               release pin 
             
             
               52 
               handle 
             
             
               53 
               opening 
             
             
               54 
               arrow 
             
             
               55 
               arrow 
             
             
               56 
               threaded connection 
             
             
               57 
               threaded connection 
             
             
               58 
               externally threaded portion 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise. 
   The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.