US Patent 8007015 Safety hook

The present invention broadly comprises a hook including a hook body having first and second ends, the first end includes a bent portion having inner and outer surfaces and a nose, and the second end includes an opening, a release lever having a first locking means and spaced apart parallel side walls, the first locking means arranged proximate to the inner surface of the hook body and a gate having spaced apart parallel side walls, the side walls including a second locking means and, the gate arranged to engage the nose, the second locking means arranged to complimentarily engage the first locking means, wherein pivoting of the release lever about a first rotational axis disengages the first and second locking means and permits pivoting of the gate about a second rotational axis. The present invention also broadly comprises a hook including a hook body having first and second ends, the first end includes a bent portion having a nose, and the second end includes an opening, a release lever having spaced apart parallel side walls and a first locking means and a gate having spaced apart parallel side walls, each of the side walls includes a second locking means having an arcuate wall portion arranged to complimentarily engage the first locking means, the gate arranged to engage the nose, the arcuate wall portions arranged opposite and parallel each other, wherein pivoting of the release lever about a first rotational axis disengages the first and second locking means and permits pivoting of the gate about a second rotational axis.