Patent ID: 7883131

Claim:
A crane hook assembly attachable to a crane cable and useable for safely carrying a heavy, hollow, elongated structure, the elongated structure having first and second end orifices and a rigid outer wall extending therebetween, the structure including a rigid flange adjacent at least one end orifice, the flange having an outer surface, an inner surface and an edge surface and the flange extending inwardly from the outer wall and adjacent the end orifice, the crane hook assembly comprising: a rigid frame member attachable to the crane cable and having front and rear faces, the front face having a generally flat portion oriented in a generally upright plane when the frame member is attached to and suspended from the cable, the frame member further including a rigid support member having an upward facing entry zone to receive the flange from above the support member when the frame member is lifted upward to engage the flange, the support member constructed and arranged to support the edge surface of the flange and to cooperate with the front face to generally confine the outer and inner surfaces of the flange; a securing mechanism mounted to the frame member and including a moveably mounted rigid locking pin selectively moveable along a path between a storage position clear of the entry zone, so as to allow unobstructed engaging and disengaging of the flange with the support member, and a locked position, wherein in the locked position the locking pin is above and closely adjacent the flange when the flange edge surface is supported on the support member and the locking pin substantially obstructing the entry zone, thereby preventing the support member from accidentally disengaging from the flange and the crane hook assembly separating from the elongated structure; and wherein the frame member includes a locking pin aperture extending between front and rear faces of the frame member, the securing mechanism includes an actuation device for moving the locking pin, the actuation device being fixed to the rear face of the frame member for convenient access by an operator from below the hook assembly and the locking pin being aligned for movement through the locking pin aperture.