Patent ID: 7316169

Claim:
A load bearing device calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device, the load bearing device comprising: first and second load bearing connectors interconnected by an overload indicator; the overload indicator being calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device; the overload indicator including a link; the link including a strand of wire form material; the strand of wire form material having first and second portions, the first portion having a first thickness containing a first amount of wire form material in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the strand; the second portion including a diminished segment having a second amount of wire form material in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the strand which is less than the first amount of wire form material, wherein the first portion has a connector selected from the group consisting of a disconnectable connector and a welded portion; wherein the second amount of wire form material is calibrated in such a manner as to establish a projected peak load, which, when borne by the overload indicator, can have sufficient force to break the overload indicator proximate the diminished segment.