The Crosby Group, Inc.

American Hoist & Derrick Company

Other

Edward J Crook

Gary R Baxter

Charles Ronald Garrett

C Ronald Garrett

This is a chain tensioning system which uses a link section and a hydraulic power section. The link section is rectangular in shape and has a cross-link which is secured by a rod to a load hook external of the link. A securing nut is provided on the threaded rod inside the link frame. A hydraulic power section is used to move the cross-link away from the end of the link section and the securing nut then secures the cross-link in the tightened position. The hydraulic power section is then relaxed and removed and can be used on another appropriate link section.

Hydraulic load binder

Wedge sockets are among the simplest devices for anchoring a wire rope for any purposes. They are intended for 'on the job' attachment and for quick rope replacement. Principal advantages are simplicity, ease and speed of applying and detaching. Wedge sockets are commercially available and an information article on wedge sockets appears in attachment 'A', 'Wire Rope Rigging Manual', pages 45 and 46. The most commonly used wedge socket is believed represented by that information appearing on pages 34 and 39 of The Crosby Group catalog, a copy attached hereto as Exhibit 'B'. Also of interest is the Bulletin TGS-2 of Sauerman Brothers Inc., which is attached hereto as Exhibit 'C'. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are noted:

Wedge socket

An improved connector for coupling a chain to a wire rope or cable such that the resulting connection can be passed over a sheave, pulley, wheel or windlass without applying a bending stress to the wire rope. The connector comprises a hemispherical housing having an opening therethrough that is axially symmetric about the radius that is perpendicular to the planar portion of the hemispherical housing. The opening is adapted to accept and retain a wire rope having a terminal fitting by holding the terminal fitting within the hemispherical housing. A semi-circular member of common radius to the hemispherical housing and adapted to accept and retain a chain is attached to the planar portion of the hemispherical housing. A pair of retaining pins pass through the co-axial openings in the hemispherical housing and the end of the semi-circular member terminating on flat surfaces on opposite sides of the terminal fitting of the wire rope. In this manner the essentially spherical connector is held in an assembled state with the wire rope being rigidly affixed within the connector. Such a connector is useful in eliminating bending stress at the wire rope connector as it passes over a sheave or the like and also allows for smaller and more economical sheaves to be employed.

Wire rope to chain connector for anchoring systems

A load binder having a shortened handle with means to receive and interlock with a separate extension member, which is also adaptable to release the load binder.

Load binder handle and extension therefor

A fitting for flexible fabric type web slings.

Fitting for connection with web-type strapping

A mechanically connected socket for `on-the-job` connection with structural strand includes a sleeve and an internal wedge shaped member through which the center core of the strand is received and retained while one or more outer layers extend longitudinally about the wedge and a bulbous head which, when assembled, encapsulates the strand.

Socket for structural strand

An improved connector for coupling a chain to a wire rope or cable such that the resulting connection can be passed over a sheave, pulley, wheel or windlass without excessive stress applied to the wire rope. A housing is provided having an axially symmetric opening through the housing with an exterior surface adapted to rest upon the outer peripherial portion of the windlass (or the like) as the connection traverses the windlass and wherein a retaining pin perpendicular to the axis of the opening at essentially the center of the housing holds a pair of rotatable U-shaped members within the housing for connecting the chain to the wire rope. Such a connection is particularly useful in coupling an anchor chain to a wire rope in anchoring systems.

A method of providing a strong field splice for a wire rope sling, and the like, involving the steps of taking the preformed wire rope and unravelling a selected length of the end of the rope, forming two groups of strands, and reweaving them together in the form of the loop; and when the reweaving is completed, the two remaining ends are woven together to again form the original wire rope. This dead end is clamped to the live portion of the wire rope by means of a streamlined clamp.

Method of field forming a loop splice for wire rope

A hook assembly usable with conventional load lifting equipment has a frame and a generally arcuate hook member pivotally assembled to the frame. The hook member is rotatable relative to the frame between an open position for engagement of a load loop, such as a link or sling, a closed position to secure the load for handling, and a discharge position for dropping the load loop from the hook assembly. The frame has a contoured portion fashioned to cooperate with a hook member tip and body portion to define a closed, load retaining eye when the hook member is in the closed position, and an open, unobstructed throat when the hook member is in the open position. A releasable lock mechanism is assembled with respect to the frame and is operable to hold the hook member in an open position, to lock it in the closed position and to release to allow the hook member to move to the discharge position. The releasable lock mechanism includes a locking member fixed for guided movement relative to the frame. An interior end of the hook member has a plurality of projections defining bearing shoulders engageable with the locking member to lock the hook member in the selected open or closed position. Forces securing the locking member against unlocking are directly proportional to the load on the hook; and the hook member can be remotely released to drop the load loop by setting the load down at a remote location to remove the load from the hook.

Multiple position hook assembly

A coupling link having two half links, each half link comprising a U-shaped member, each of the ends of each of the arms of the U-shaped members having at least one ear. The plurality of ears each have an opening therethrough, the axes of the openings being substantially perpendicular to the arms of the U-shaped members. The plurality of ears are adapted to interact with each other so that the openings through the ears will be coaxial and will be adapted to receive a hardened steel pin which will lock the two halves of the link together. The pin is locked into position within the openings of the ears by means of a spacer which is adapted to fit between the ears and is in the form of a cylindrical spacer split along a diameter. The internal diameter of the spacer is substantially the same as that of the pin. A circular or cylindrical spring means is provided to surround the outer surface of the spacer, and to press the two halves of the spacer together, so that they will press against the pin with sufficient force to prevent the pin from moving longitudinally.

Spring-biased split-sleeve coupling pin retainer

A load indicator is connected between a load line and a load handling member such as a hook. The indicator includes a hollow cylindrical housing, a plunger assembly including a transverse head slidably mounted in the housing, a pilot rod integral with the head and extending to a location outside the housing, means connecting a first end of the housing opposite the plunger rod and means connecting the plunger rod to the load line and to the load handling member, and a compression spring in the housing urging the plunger head toward the first end of the housing. The wall of the housing has several sight openings therethrough. A sight band of contrasting color is fixed to move with the plunger assembly inside the housing and to be visible through the sight openings. The spring is of strength to allow sufficient movement of the sight band so that a first color fills all of the sight openings when the load tensioning the load line, the indicator, and the load handling member reaches a predetermined rated value, and so that progressively less of the first color can be viewed through the sight openings as the tensioning load is reduced and the plunger head moves toward the first end of the housing.

Load indicating apparatus

A cylindrical metal pin used to connect and permit the relative rotation of two mechanical parts, is held and prevented from relative longitudinal motion by means of a flanged, slotted, locking collar and bushing.

Pin and locking collar connector for load bearing parts

A device for connecting wire rope to a chain and comprising a wedge means adapted to be inserted into the center of one end of the wire rope for receiving the strands of the wire rope along the outer periphery thereof, said wedge means and rope strands receiving a socket member therearound whereby the rope strands are securely clamped between the wedge and the socket member, and a connector means threadedly engageable with the socket member and having pin means engageable with one link of the chain. The threading of the connector applies force against the wedge to increase the clamping pressure against the wire rope strands. The threaded end of the wedge provides a release means for easily removing the wire rope from the wedged connection.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

Edward J Crook