Bow Shackle Adapter for Synthetic Sling Load Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bow type shackles impose a 20% loss in sling efficiency compared to flat web shackles and fail to achieve the 5 to 1 design factor when used with synthetic slings, particularly on flat surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A shackle adapter with a hardened rubber or plastic main body and flexible arms that attach to the bow type shackle, providing a curved support surface and retaining members to secure the adapter, enabling the bow type shackle to achieve the 5 to 1 design factor and up to a 5-degree offset in straight-line pull.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a bow type shackle is used with a synthetic sling, then the shackle allows the rope to center itself on the top, but the sling efficiency is reduced by 20% and the 5 to 1 design factor is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (the adapter with flat contact surface) between the bow type shackle and the synthetic sling. This adapter serves as a mediator that converts the curved bow surface into a flat interface, allowing the sling to achieve its full 5 to 1 design factor while the shackle retains its rope centering capability through the curved outer surface.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a bow type shackle with curved surface is used, then the shackle maintains its traditional anchor shackle design, but the synthetic sling cannot achieve the 5 to 1 design factor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shackle system into two functional parts: the original bow type shackle that maintains the traditional curved shape for stability and rope centering, and the separate adapter component that provides the flat contact surface needed for the sling to achieve its 5 to 1 design factor. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes curvature in a dual manner: the outer surface of the adapter maintains the curved bow shape to preserve traditional design and rope centering, while the inner contact surface is made flat to enable the sling to achieve its full design factor. This differential curvature application resolves the contradiction between traditional design and modern safety requirements.
3Reliability
If the shackle adapter is attached to the bow portion, then the 5 to 1 design factor is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is designed as a thin, flexible component that can be easily attached to the bow portion of the shackle. This thin-film approach minimizes the increase in device complexity while still providing the necessary flat contact surface for achieving the 5 to 1 design factor with synthetic slings.
Data Source
AI summary
A shackle adapter having an main body with a first side, a second side, and a curved support surface engageable to a curved surface of an inner arc contour of a bow portion of a bow-type shackle, a first arm located proximal the first side of the main body and having an inner surface engageable with a first side of the bow portion, a second arm located proximal the second side of the main body and having an inner surface engageable with a second side of the bow portion with the arms extending from the main body in a direction parallel to the sides of the main body, a first retaining member located on the inner surface of the first arm and a corresponding second retaining member located on the inner surface of the second arm, the retaining members assisting in securing the main body to the bow-type shackle.