Patent ID: 7380849

Claim:
A release apparatus, for selectively engaging and lifting a load, the release apparatus comprising: a body; and an inner lift apparatus including a lift arm operatively attached to the body for selective movement of the lift arm along an arc, in such a manner that the lift arm selectively engages with, and disengages from, the load; the inner lift apparatus, including a movable frame and a pivot link connected to the frame at a pivot point of the pivot link, with the lift arm being operatively connected to the movable frame and the pivot link in such a manner that as the pivot arm is selectively pivoted about the pivot point, the lift arm is moved between closed and open positions of the release apparatus; the body defining a first end and a second end thereof, with the first end thereof including an attachment element, for suspending the release apparatus from a lifting device, and the second end thereof including an outwardly opening slot therein intersected by the arc along which the lift arm may be selectively moved, in such a manner that, in the closed position the lift arm extends across the slot and is supported by the movable frame in such a manner that the slot and lift arm in combination form a closed pintle-like receptacle for securing the load to the lift arm, and in the open position the lift arm does not fully intersect the slot, to thereby preclude engagement of the load by the lift arm; the body also defining an elongated internal space for sliding receipt therein and guidance of the movable frame along a substantially linear path in a direction transverse to the arc toward and away from the second end of the body.