Patent ID: 8646820

Claim:
A hook assembly comprising: a hook subassembly comprising a hook with a first axis; a support subassembly; and an indexing mechanism comprising cooperating components on the hook and support subassemblies, the indexing mechanism: a) releasably biasably maintaining the hook and support subassemblies in a first operative relationship wherein the hook has a first angular orientation relative to the support subassembly around the first axis; and b) permitting the hook and support subassemblies to be changed from the first operative relationship to be releasably maintained in a second operative relationship, wherein the hook has a second angular orientation relative to the support subassembly around the first axis by: i) relatively moving at least first and second components on the hook subassembly, support subassembly, and indexing mechanism along the first axis against a biasing force produced on at least one of the first and second components with the hook and support subassemblies initially in the first operative relationship to thereby place the hook subassembly, support subassembly, and indexing mechanism into a first transition relationship; ii) with the hook subassembly, support subassembly and indexing mechanism in the first transition relationship, relatively turning at least part of the hook and support subassemblies around the first axis to thereby place the hook subassembly, support subassembly, and indexing mechanism into a second transition relationship; and iii) with the hook subassembly, support subassembly, and indexing mechanism in the second transition relationship, relatively moving the at least first and second components along the first axis under the biasing force to thereby place the hook and support subassemblies into the second operative relationship; wherein the hook subassembly comprises an elongate shank and the support subassembly comprises a body, the indexing mechanism comprising: a) the first component that is movable relative to the elongate shank along the first axis; and b) the second component, the first component keyed against turning relative to the body around the first axis, the second component comprising a portion of the shank, the portion of the shank and first component having keying surfaces that cooperate to prevent the shank and body from turning relative to each other around the first axis with the hook and support subassemblies in each of the first and second operative relationships, and wherein the body has an elongate slot and the first component is movable relative to the body along the first axis and has a radially projecting arm that is guided in the slot as the first component moves relative to the body along the first axis.