Patent ID: 7422257

Claim:
Truss hook apparatus comprising: a) a hook having an essentially U-shaped opening, the hook also having a slot through one of the sides of the opening oriented essentially perpendicular to both the opening and the side, the opening being sized to admit the cross-section of a truss; b) the hook having a rotatably mounted cam, the cam being located within the opening and aligned therewith, the cam having an inner edge facing the slot, the cam being sized to permit the inner edge to rotate outwardly through the slot in a first position, and to extend into the opening an adequate amount to grip a truss located therewithin in a second position, the apparatus having a spring attached between the cam and one of the sides of the opening arranged to urge the cam from the first to the second position; and c) a release cable opposing said spring arranged to pivot said cam such as to withdraw the cam from the second to the first position and release a truss located within said hook opening; d) an essentially planar strap bent into a U-shape with opposed essentially parallel first and second sides connected by an essentially perpendicular third side; e) a first reinforcement being attached centered and perpendicular to the outside of the bent strap along the first side, the third side and an adjoining portion of the second side, the reinforcement being shaped to conform to the outer portions thereof; f) a second reinforcement being attached centered and perpendicular to the outside of the bent strap extending inwardly from the outer end of the second side along a portion thereof, the second reinforcement being shaped to conform to the outer portion of the second side, and having a length such as to leave a gap between the first and the second reinforcement; g) a centered slot through the strap along the second side opposite the gap between the first and the second reinforcement; and h) a first plate and a second plate attached on opposite sides of the first and the second reinforcement sized to cover the gap therebetween.