Quick release shackle

Abstract

A shackle comprises a shackle body and a shackle jaw, the shackle jaw connected to the shackle body by a pivot element about which the shackle jaw and shackle body may pivot relative to one another. The shackle further comprises an actuator element and an actuator and a locking element, the locking element arranged to engage the shackle body and the shackle jaw in a locking configuration and to disengage from the shackle jaw in a release configuration. The locking element is slidable along its longitudinal axis between the locking and release configurations and the actuator element is arranged to slide along its longitudinal axes. The pivot element, the actuator element and the locking element are connected to one another by a lever that is pivotally attached at one end to the shackle body and wherein the connection between the lever and the locking element and the actuator element permits pivotal movement and limited linear movement between the lever and the locking and actuator elements.

Claims

1. A shackle comprising a shackle body and a shackle jaw, wherein the shackle jaw is connected to the shackle body by a pivot element about which the shackle jaw and shackle body may pivot relative to one another, the shackle further comprising an actuator element and an actuator and a locking element, the locking element arranged to engage the shackle body and the shackle jaw in a locking configuration and to disengage from the shackle jaw in a release configuration, wherein the locking element is slidable along its longitudinal axis between the locking and release configurations and wherein the actuator element is arranged to slide along its longitudinal axes and wherein the pivot element, the actuator element and the locking element are connected to one another by a lever that is pivotally attached at one end to the shackle body and wherein the connection between the lever and the locking element and the actuator element permits pivotal movement and limited linear movement between the lever and the locking and actuator elements.

2. A shackle according to claim 1, wherein the pivot element is a pin.

3. A shackle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuator is an hydraulic ram comprising a piston and cylinder.

4. A shackle according to claim 3, wherein the actuator element is the piston of the hydraulic ram.

5. A shackle according to any claim 1, wherein the locking element is a pin.

6. A shackle according to claim 1, wherein the shackle jaw includes a bore for receiving the locking element.

7. A shackle according to claim 1, wherein the locking element is a locking pin.

8. A shackle according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the bore is a through bore.

9. A shackle according to claim 6, wherein the bore is aligned with at least one bore in the shackle body.

10. A shackle according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the lever and the locking element and the actuator element includes a pin extending through a slot.

11. A shackle according to claim 10, wherein the lever includes two slots of differing length.

12. A shackle according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured so that with the actuator element fully extended the locking element is in the release configuration.

13. A shackle according to claim 12, wherein when the locking element is in the release position it is housed within a part of the shackle body.

14. A shackle according to claim 1, further including a shackle loop.

15. A shackle according to claim 14, wherein the shackle loop is releasably attachable to the shackle body.

16. A shackle according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the shackle loop is attached to the shackle body by a pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the Drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the quick release shackle invention:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates side, top and bottom plan and end views of the quick release shackle of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a lever arm of the shackle illustrated in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of the shackle illustrated in FIG. 1 with a shackle link attached thereto, the shackle in a closed configuration; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of the shackle shown in FIG. 3 with the shackle in an open configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) A shackle 1 comprises a body 2 formed from two spaced apart plates 2a joined together by a through collar 2b. The shackle body 2 is connected to a rope or chain through the collar 2b.

(7) A shackle jaw 3 is attached to the body 2 by a pin 4. The shackle jaw 3 may pivot on the pin 4.

(8) A first pin 6 extends between and throughout the plates 2a.

(9) A second pin 7 is releasably mounted in aligned apertures in the plates 2a. The shackle jaw 3 is provided with an aperture that aligns with the apertures in the plates 2a to fasten the shackle in the configuration shown in FIG. 1.

(10) A third pin 9 extends through the plates 2a. The pin 9 is the piston of a hydraulic ram 8 which is attached to one side of the body 2.

(11) Each of the first, second and third pins 6, 7, 9 have bifurcated end portions 6a, 7a, 9a. Each bifurcated end portions are provided with holes 6b, 7b and 9b respectively for receiving a pin.

(12) A lever arm 10 sits between the bifurcated end portions 6a, 7a and 9a and is connects together the pins 6, 7 and 9. The lever arm 10 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 2.

(13) The lever arm includes three apertures, 10a-10c, each of a different shape. The first aperture 10a is circular and is configured to receive a pin passing through the holes 6b in the bifurcated end portions 6a of the pin 6.

(14) The second aperture 10b is in the form of a slot 10b and is configured to receive a pin passing though the holes 9b in the bifurcated end portions 9a of the pin 9.

(15) The third aperture 10c is again in the form of a slot. However, the slot 10c is more elongate than the slot 10b. The slot 10c is configured to receive a pin passing through the holes 7b in the bifurcated end portions 7a of the pin 7.

(16) The pin 9 of the hydraulic ram 8 reciprocates along a fixed path. The lever 10 is arranged to rotate about the pin extending through the holes 6b. As the pin 9 is extended, moving the lever 10 away from the shackle body 2, the distance between the holes 9b and the holes 6b increases. The function of the slots 10b is to accommodate this change in distance.

(17) As the pin 9a extends as described above, the pin 7, which is held captive on the lever 10, is pulled out of the side plates 2a. The pin 7 travels in a straight line along its own longitudinal axis. Hence, the distance between the pin extending through the holes 6b of pin 6 and the holes 7b of pin 7 also increases as the pin 7 is moved further out of its seat in the plates 2a. The slot 10c is sufficiently elongate to accommodate this change in distance.

(18) It will be appreciated from FIGS. 1 and 2 and the foregoing description that when the pin 9 is extended by sufficient a distance to allow the pin 7 to clear the inner face of the plate 2a proximate the lever 10 the shackle jaw 3 will pivot about the pin 4, thereby releasing any load supported by the shackle 1.

(19) The hydraulic ram 8 and pin 9 are configured such that with the pin 9 fully extended, the surface of free end of the pin 7 lies in substantially the same plane as the inner face of the plate 2a that is proximate the lever 10. In this way, when the jaw 3 is released the pin 7 remains in a position where it may be drawn back through the shackle jaw 3 and the plate 2a which mounts the ram 8.

(20) Additional attachment members for attaching together the plates 2a in the form of through collars or bushes may be provided and these may receive the pin 6 and the pin 9.

(21) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the shackle 1 with a shackle loop 20 attached to the shackle body 2. Attachment of the shackle loop 20 to the shackle body 2 is by means of a pin 21 which passes through a hole 20a in each of the ends 20 of the loop, and the collar 2b. The pin 21 has an end portion 22. The end portion 22 may be engaged to remove the pin 21 from the shackle loop 20 and shackle body 2 or insert the pin 21 into the aligned holes 20a of the shackle loop and through the shackle body 2.

(22) FIG. 4 illustrates the shackle in the open configuration with the pin 7 withdrawn from the plates 2a, allowing the jaw 3 to rotate about the pin 4.

(23) The drawings do not show a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic ram 8 requires a source of pressurised hydraulic fluid for its operation. The hydraulic pump may be a hand pump for example.

(24) It will also be appreciated that a load supported by the shackle 1 in the shackle jaw 3 is in fact supported by the pins 4 and 7 only, not by the hydraulic ram 8 and its piston, the pin 9. This configuration allows a lighter weight actuator to be used. Also, removing the load from the actuator is likely to lead to lower rates of wear and tear. The pins 4 and 7 are much simpler and less costly to replace than a worn hydraulic cylinder.