CA2357212A1 - Improved lever for a hoist - Google Patents

Abstract

A lever for operating a hoist including a distal end with an opening to receive a ratchet assembly, a proximal end having a grip portion, a midsection spanning between the distal and proximal ends, a ratchet rod adapted to allow operation of the ratchet assembly, and a trigger attached to the ratchet rod to allow actuation of the ratchet rod. The midsection has a rod receiving compartment and a trigger compartment toward its proximal end, the trigger compartment being open toward an outer plane of the midsection facing away from the hoist and the chain. The ratchet rod is partially positioned within the rod receiving compartment and extends between the trigger compartment and the opening.
The ratchet rod is axially displaceably and rotatably mounted in the lever and is actuable via the trigger, the trigger being positioned proximate to the grip portion of the lever. The trigger extends outwardly beyond the outer plane when the trigger is transversely pivoted thereby allowing the user to transversely pivot the trigger with one hand.
This orientation of the trigger minimizes the likelihood of the chain or cable of the hoist becoming caught on the trigger.

Description

IMPROVED LEVER FOR A HOIST
Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention is related to the field of manual lever hoists. More specifically, the invention relates to a handle for such a lever hoist including a trigger for .'> operating a rachet device.
Description of Related Art Various manual lever hoists have been generally known in the art and are commonly used to apply or release tension to a chain or a cable. For instance, such manual lever hoists are commonly used in industry to tighten cables, lift objects as well as various other material handling purposes. Examples of manual lever hoists used in lifting applications are generally shown and taught in various prior art documents such as U.S.
Patents No. 4,325,470 to Bopp, No. 4,768,754 to . Nishimura, and No. 5,791,579 to Raphael et al. These manual lever hoists include a hoist and a lever attached thereto for operating the hoist. The hoist typically engages a chain (or a cable) and are operable to 1~~ displace the chain so as to lift or lower an object removably attached thereto. In this regard, the manual levers used in conjunction with these hoists generally have a ratchet assembly. The hoists can be manually operated via the ratchet assembly to displace the chain so that lifting or lowering of objects can be attained by repeatedly pivoting the lever.
The length of the lever provides mechanical leverage to exert high torque on the hoist so that heavy objects can be lifted. In this regard, it is also known in the art to provide a grip portion on such levers to facilitate grasping of the lever by the user. In particular, some levers are provided with a grip sleeve provided on the grip portion to enhance the grip of the user's hand on the lever. Some models of levers also have a ratchet assembly with an overload clutch feature so that only a predetermined amount of torque may be applied to the hoist via the lever.
In addition, various levers also include a selector which can be used to disengage the ratchet so that rapid, manual displacement of the chain can be readily attained without the use of the lever. For instance, upon lifting the object and moving it to a desired location, it may be desirable to rapidly adjust the slack in the chain so that it can be used to move another object. Such rapid manual change in the length of the chain would be highly desirable especially in manufacturing environments where productivity goals require expedited handling of the objects being manufactured. As can be seen in U.S.
Patents No. 4,325,470 to Bopp and No. 4,768,754 to Nishimura, the selector of a manual lever hoist is typically provided proximate to the ratchet assembly and/or overload clutch.
A hoist model "Wright Pull-A-Way 'C"' manufactured by Acco~, a division of FKI Industries Inc. who are the assignees of the present application, includes a selector in the form of a trigger which is positioned proximate to the grip portion of the lever. The applicants have found that by providing a selector proximate to the ratchet assembly, a more ergonomic handle is attained since the selector can be easily operated by the user by pulling on the trigger using his/her thumb or finger without releasing the grip portion of the lever. In addition, by providing a selector which is proximate to the grip portion of the 1 '_~ lever, expedited use of the selector was attained since one handed operation of the lever is attained. Moreover, this one handed operation of the lever frees the other hmd of the operator to stabilize the object being lifted or lowered.
However, upon continued use, the applicants of the present invention found that a disadvantage existed in this lever. In particular, it has been found that when there is no object attached to the chain and there is sufficient amount of slack in the chain of the hoist, the links of the chain may become caught on the trigger thereby increasing the potential for damaging the trigger. In addition, it has been found that the trigger is difficult to pivot to change the operation of the hoist using only one hand. Moreover, it has also been found that the trigger, in its current tapered rod like shape, is often difficult to actuate.
Therefore, there exists an unfulfilled need for a further improved lever for use with a hoist which allows easy operation of the selector/trigger without releasing the grip portion of the lever to thereby provide expedited use of the selector/trigger.
In addition, an unfulfilled need still exists for such an improved lever which minimizes the likelihood that a chain link may become caught on the trigger. Furthermore, there exists an unfulfilled need for such an improved lever which includes provisions for facilitating pivoting and actuation of the trigger.

Brief Summary of the Invention In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lever for a hoist which allows easy operation of the selector/trigger without releasing the grip portion of the lever to thereby provide expedited use of the :i selector/trigger.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an improved lever which minimizes the likelihood that a chain link may become caught on the trigger thereby minimizing possibility of damage to said trigger.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a lever which includes provisions for facilitating pivoting and actuation of the trigger.
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, these objects are obtained by an improved lever for engaging and operating a hoist, the lever including a distal end with an opening adapted to receive a ratchet assembly, a proximal end having a grip portion adapted to be grasped by a user, a midsection spanning between the distal and 1 _'~ proximal ends, a ratchet rod adapted to allow operation of the ratchet assembly, and a trigger attached to the ratchet rod to allow actuation of the ratchet rod. In the preferred embodiment, the midsection has a rod receiving compartment and a trigger comparhnent proximate to the proximal end, the trigger compartment being open toward an outer plane of the midsection which faces away from the hoist when the lever is engaging the hoist.
Preferably, the ratchet rod is at least partially positioned within the rod receiving compartment and extends between the trigger compartment and the opening, and the trigger is at least partially positioned within the trigger compartment. The midsection includes a connecting wall which defines at least a portion of the inner plane, the trigger being disposed behind the connecting wall, thereby behind the inner plane. T
hus, the trigger compartment is substantially closed to and substantially inaccessible from the inner plane thereby protecting the trigger.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the midsection includes a dividing wall that extends substantially vertically between the inner plane and the outer plane of the midsection to thereby form a wall of the rod receiving compartment and a wall of the trigger compartment. The rod receiving compartment is open toward an inner plane of the midsection which faces the hoist when the lever is engaging the hoist. The dividing wall preferably includes a through hole and the ratchet rod extends from the rod receiving compartment into the trigger compartment through the through hole.
Preferably, the ratchet rod is axially displaceably mounted in the midsection and is axially displaced by displacing the trigger toward the proximal end of the lever. The :S ratchet rod includes a tapered tip which extends into the opening and engages the ratchet assembly, the tapered tip being dimensioned to retract from the opening into a receiving bore when the ratchet rod is axially displaced toward the proximal end. The present preferred embodiment further includes a spring which engages the ratchet rod and exerts a force thereon in a manner to cause the tapered tip to extend from the receiving bore into 11) the opening. The spring is preferably a coil spring having a first end, a second end and an axial opening, at least a portion of the ratchet rod being disposed within the axial opening of the coil spring. The first end of the spring abuts the dividing wall and the second end of the spring abuts a retaining pin which extends radially outwardly from the ratchet rod.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ratchet 1.'i rod is also rotatably mounted in the midsection. The trigger compartment includes a first side cutaway and a second side cutaway that extends from the outer plane toward the inner plane and the ratchet rod is rotated by transversely pivoting the trigger from one of the first or second side cutaway toward the other side cutaway. In this regard, the ratchet rod preferably extends into the trigger compartment and the trigger is attached to an end of the 20 ratchet rod to thereby allow axially displacement and rotation of the ratchet rod, the trigger extending outwardly beyond the outer plane when the trigger is transversely pivoted. The transverse pivoting movement of the trigger is restricted in a manner that a tip of the trigger does not extend beyond the inner plane. This positioning of the trigger allows the user to transversely pivot the trigger with one hand.
2~~ In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the preferred embodiment of the trigger includes a concave tip surface which is sized to receive a thumb of the user so that the trigger can be easily actuated. In addition, the trigger includes a base portion having a flattened surface and a protruding surface which extends radially outward from the base portion beyond that of the flattened surface. The trigger 3G compartment preferably has a groove portion formed by groove lands, the groove lands being disposed at a spaced distance to receive at least a portion of the base portion within the groove portion when the flattened surface is aligned to the groove lands.
In addition, -S-the lever may also include a handle grip sleeve disposed on the grip portion to enhance grip of the user.
In operation, the lever is attached to a hoist having a chain and because the trigger is attached to the ratchet rod and provided in the lever in a manner that the trigger extends :i outwardly from an outer side of the lever in a direction away from the chain when the trigger is transversely pivoted, the trigger is protected and the chance of the chain becoming entangled or otherwise damaging the trigger is thereby minimized.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved lever for a hoist in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
1 ~~ Figure 2 is a side profile view of the lever in accordance with the present invention engaged to a hoist.
Figure 3 is a topographical view of Figure 1 clearly showing the outer plane of the lever.
Figure 4 is an under sided view of Figure 1 clearly showing the inner plane of the 2C~ lever.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lever in Figure 4 viewed along 5-5.
Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an improved trigger in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a side profile view of the trigger of Figure 6.
25 Figure 8 is a topographical view of the trigger of Figure 6.
Figure 9 is a frontal view of the trigger of Figure 6.

Detailed Description of the Invention Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an improved lever 11 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention which would attain the above noted objectives and allow easy operation of the lever to thereby provide expedited use of the lever. As will be discussed hereinbelow, the lever 11 minimizes the likelihood that a chain link may become caught on the trigger of the lever and also includes provisions for facilitating its use. In addition, it should also be initially noted that whereas the present invention is described herein below as applied to manual lever hoists used in lifting applications, the present invention should not be limited thereto. The present invention can also be readily applied to manual lever hoists used for applying and/or releasing tension in any chain or cable. Thus, the terms "manual lever hoist" and "hoist" should be understood as referring to both hoists used to lift objects as well as to devices for applying and/or releasing tension in a chain or a cable. However, as will also be evident by the following description, the present invention is especially beneficial as applied to such l:i manual lever hoists used in lifting applications.
The lever 11 of Figure 1 can be used with a hoist 13 of the type generally known in the art as illustrated in Figure 2. As can be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art, Figure 2 clearly shows that the lever 11 engages the hoist 13 and can be used to operate the hoist 13 thereby providing a manual lever hoist assembly 10 of Figure 2. In this regard, as well known in the art, the hoist 13 may be suspended using the upper hook 15 to a beam (not shown) or other structural member such as a rail trolley (not shown) and be used to displace a chain 17 with a lower hook 19 attached thereto. The lower hook 19 may be secured to or otherwise attached to the object to be lifted and/or lowered thereby providing a material handling equipment suitable for handling heavy objects which are 2~~ difficult to handle manually.
The lever 11 in accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a distal end 21, a proximal end 23 and a midsection spanning thereinbetween. The distal end 21 includes an opening 27 which is adapted to receive a ratchet assembly (not shown). Such a ratchet assembly which may be attached 30~ to the opening 27 are well known in the art and allow the lever 11 to displace the chain 17 by repeated transverse movement of the lever 11. The ratchet assembly may also have torque limiting feature which limit the amount of torque which can be applied to the hoist 13 using the lever 11. Such ratchet assemblies are clearly taught in U.S.
Patents No.
4,325,470 to Bopp and No. 4,768,754 to Nishimura and thus, need not be explained here further. The proximal end 23 of the lever 11 has a grip portion 29 which is adapted to be :5 grasped by the user. As can be clearly seen, in the illustrated embodiment, a handle grip sleeve 31 is provided on the grip portion 29 of the lever 11 to thereby enhance grip of the user. In addition, proximate to the grip portion 29, a trigger 33 is provided to allow operation of the ratchet assembly and the hoist 13 in the manner further described below.
As can also be seen from Figure 2, the midsection 25 of the lever 11 in accordance with the present invention can be further described as having an inner plane 35 which faces the hoist 13, and the chain 17 when the lever 11 is engaged to the hoist 13. The midsection 25 of the lever 11 can correspondingly be further described as having an outer plane 37 which faces away from the hoist 13 and the chain 17 when the lever 11 is engaged to the hoist 13. The inner plane 35 and the outer plane 37 indicate attributes of 1 '.> the lever 11 and are merely defined and described herein to facilitate the description of the various features of the present invention. Thus, it should be understood that these planes do not necessarily define a structure shown in the drawings. The midsection 25 spanning between distal end 21 and the proximal end 23 may also include an informational area 39 on the outer plane 37 which may be provided with text and illustrative information such as warnings and instructions for operation as well as the model and manufacturer information.
Figure 3 shows a topographical view of the lever 11 clearly showing the midsection 25 having an outer plane 37. As can be seen, the opening 27 provided for receiving a ratchet assembly at the distal end 21 of the lever 11 is circular in the present embodiment. The trigger 33 is clearly positioned proximate to the handle grip sleeve 31 to allow the user of the lever 11 to operate the ratchet assembly and the hoist 13 with one hand in the manner described below. In this regard, the midsection 25 includes a trigger compartment 41 for housing the trigger 33. This trigger compartment 41 is open toward the outer plane 37 of the midsection 25 and faces away from the hoist 13 and the chain 17 when the lever 11 is engaged to the hoist 13 in the manner shown in Figure 2.
This orientation of the trigger compartment 41 is very advantageous since, as will be clear from -g-further discussion below, it minimizes the likelihood that the links 18 of the chain 17 will become caught on the trigger 33.
Figure 4 is an under sided view of the lever 11 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention clearly showing the inner plane 35 and the components housed in the midsection 25. As can be clearly seen, in the illustrated embodiment, the midsection 25 is made with a rod receiving compartment 43 which is open toward the inner plane 35 of the midsection 25 which faces the hoist 13 when the lever 11 is engaged to the hoist 13.
However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the rod receiving compartment may be open toward the outer plane or be closed to both inner and outer planes. As can be 117 clearly seen, a ratchet rod 45 is received within the rod receiving compartment 43. The ratchet rod 45 is adapted to allow operation of the ratchet assembly (not shovem) via the trigger 33 which is proximate to the grip portion 29 toward the proximal end 23 of the lever 11. In this regard, the trigger 33 is attached to an end of the ratchet rod 45 via trigger pin 47 illustrated in Figure 3 to thereby allow actuation of the ratchet rod 45.
1.'> Refernng again to Figure 4, the ratchet rod 45 is axially displaceably mounted in the midsection 25 and is axially displaced by displacing the trigger 33 in the direction of arrow "d" toward the proximal end 23 of the lever 11 as shown in Figure 3. The ratchet rod 45 includes a tapered tip 49 which extends into the opening 27 and engages the ratchet assembly (not shown). The tapered tip 49 is dimensioned to retract from the opening 27 2() into a receiving bore S 1 when the ratchet rod 45 is axially displaced toward the proximal end 23 of the lever 11. The present illustrated embodiment further includes a spring 53 which engages the ratchet rod 45 and exerts a force thereon via the retaining pin 54 which extends radially outwardly from the ratchet rod 45. The force is preferably exerted in a manner to cause the tapered tip 49 to extend from the receiving bore 51 into the opening 2'. 27. As can be seen, the spring 53 is preferably a coil spring with an axial opening so that a portion of the ratchet rod 45 is disposed within the spring 53.
The various components and the arrangement thereof of the lever 11 is most clearly illustrated in Figure 5 which shows a cross-sectional view of the lever in Figure 4 as viewed along S-5. As can be seen, the ratchet rod 45 is partially positioned within the 3Ci rod receiving compartment 43 and extends between the trigger compartment 41 and the opening 27. The ratchet rod 45 also extends partially into the trigger compartment 41 so that the trigger 33 which is positioned within the trigger compartment 41 can be attached to an end of the ratchet rod 45 via the trigger pin 47. The midsection 25 includes a connecting wall 55 which partly defines a portion of the inner plane 43 in that it forms the inner side of the lever 11, the side of the lever which faces the hoist 13 and the chain 17 when the lever is engaged to the hoist. As can also be seen, the trigger 33 is disposed behind the connecting wall 55 (i.e. behind the inner plane 43) so that the trigger compartment 41 is substantially closed to and substantially inaccessible from the inner plane 35 thereby providing protection to the trigger 33.
As can be seen from Figure 5, the lever 11 is preferably made from a unitary piece such as die cast metal or other strong material appropriate for use as a lever. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, various portions of the lever 11 such as the distal end 21, the receiving bore 51, the midsection 25 with its rod receiving compartment 43 and trigger compartment SS, and the grip portion 29 are made as an integral casting so that the lever 11 may be manufactured economically. As can also be seen, the midsection 25 includes a dividing wall 57 that extends substantially 1:5 perpendicularly between the inner plane 35 and the outer plane 37 of the midsection 25.
This dividing wall 57 forms a wall of the rod receiving compartment 43 and also forms a wall of the trigger compartment 41. The dividing wall 57 includes a through hole 59 so that the ratchet rod 45 can extend from the rod receiving compartment 43 into the trigger compartment 41. Moreover, one end of the spring 57 abuts against the dividing wall 57 to 2~) thereby exert force on the ratchet rod 45 via the retaining pin 54 in a manner to cause the tapered tip 49 to extend from the receiving bore 51 into the opening 27.
In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the ratchet rod 45 is also rotatably mounted in the midsection 25 so that the tapered tip 49 can be oriented facing the opposite direction from the direction shown in Figures 4 and 5. This 2.'i can be attained by transversely pivoting the trigger 33 in the direction of the arrow "P"shown in Figure 1. To allow such transverse pivoting of the trigger 33, the trigger compartment 41 includes a first side cutaway 58 and a second side cutaway 59 that extends from the outer plane 37 toward the inner plane 35. The tapered tip 49, together with the ratchet rod 45 can then be rotated by transversely pivoting the trigger 33 from one 30 of the first or second side cutaway toward the other side cutaway. The transverse pivoting movement of the trigger 33 is restricted in a manner that tip 61 of the trigger 33 does not extend beyond the inner plane 35 (i.e. the connecting wall 55).

Figures 6 to 9 are enlarged views of the trigger 33 in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. As can be seen, the trigger 33 includes a base portion 63 with a hole 65 for receiving an end of the ratchet rod 45. The ratchet rod 45 is secured by the trigger pin 47 which is received through the pin hole 67. The trigger 33 includes a 'i shank 69 which extends from the base portion 63 to the tip 61 of the trigger 33. In addition, as can be clearly seen in Figures 6 and 9, the tip 61 of the trigger 33 in accordance with the illustrated embodiment is provided with a concave tip sm-face 71 which is sized to receive a thumb of the user so that the trigger 33 can be easily pressed and pivoted. Furthermore, as described hereinbelow, the preferred embodiment of the 1(I lever 11 also includes a provision that requires the tapered tip 49 to be retracted into the receiving bore 51 before the trigger 33 can be transversely rotated.
In this regard, the base portion 63 of the trigger 33 is formed with flattened surfaces 73 as well as a protruding surfaces 75 which extend radially outward from the base portion 63 beyond that of the flattened surfaces 73. The flattened surfaces 75 are 15~ positioned on the base portion 63 of the trigger 33 in a manner that the base portian 63 can be received within the groove portion 77 of the trigger compartment 41 as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 3. The grooved portion 77 is formed in the trigger compartment 41 by groove lands 79 which are positioned at a spaced distance so that at least part of the base portion 63 can be received with in the grooved portion 77. However, the groove 20~ lands 79 are positioned so that the base portion 63 can only be received within the grooved portion 77 if the flattened surfaces 73 are aligned to the groove lands 79 in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 3, or similarly, when the trigger 33 is transversely pivoted in the direction of arrow "P" and oriented in a direction opposite to that shown (i.e. the trigger 33 is transversely pivoted 1$0 degrees). Thus, the protruding surfaces 75 cannot fit within 25 the groove portion 77 since they extend radially outward from the base portion 63 beyond that of the flattened surfaces 73.
As a result, to transversely rotate the trigger 33, the trigger 33 must first be displaced in the direction of arrow "d" as shown in Figure 3 toward the proximal end 23 of the lever 11 to disengage the ratchet assembly by retracting the tapered tip 49 from the 30 opening 27 into a receiving bore 51. In this regard, the depth of the groove portion 77 corresponds to the extension of the tapered tip 49 into the opening 27. Once the trigger 33 is displaced far enough to clear the groove lands 74 and the trigger 33 is partially transversely pivoted (i.e. pivoted less than 180 degrees), the protruding surfaces 75 of the base portion 63 abut against the groove lands 79 thereby preventing the base portion 63 from being received within the grooved portion 77 and correspondingly, maintaining the tapered tip 49 retract in the receiving bore 51. In this retracted state, the ratchet assembly '.i (not shown) is disengaged from the lever 11 so that the chain 17 can be manually displaced without the use of the lever 11. When the trigger 33 is transversely pivoted fully 180 degrees, the flattened surfaces 73 again aligned to the groove lands 74 thereby allowing at least a portion of the base portion 63 to be received within the groove portion 77 and causing the tapered tip 49 to engage the ratchet assembly.
1 (I In operation, the lever 11 is attached to a hoist 13 having a chain 17 as shown in Figure 2. The lever 11 is used to operate the hoist 13 to thereby displace the chain 17 to allow lifting and/or lowering of an object attached thereto. As described above, the user can operate the hoist 13 with the lever 11 without releasing his/her grip of the grip portion 29 since the trigger 33 is disposed proximate to the proximate end 23 of the lever 11. To 1 ~~ change the direction of the ratchet action (i.e. change from lifting to lowering of the chain 17 and vice versa) the trigger 33 is pressed downwardly toward the proximal end 23 of the lever 11 and transversely rotated as described previously in the direction of the arrow "P"
as shown in Figure 1, the pressing and rotation of the trigger 33 being facilitated by the concave tip surface 71. As also previously noted, as the trigger 33 is transversely pivoted, 20 the tapered tip 49 is retracted into the receiving bore 51 to thereby allow manual displacement of the chain 17 without the use of the lever 11. Because the trigger 33 is provided in the lever 11 in a manner that the trigger 33 is positioned behind the connecting wall SS and the trigger 33 extends outwardly from the outer plane 37 in a direction away from the chain 17 when the trigger 33 is transversely pivoted, the chance of the chain 17 25 becoming entangled or caught on the trigger 33 and causing damage to the trigger 33 is thereby minimized. Thus, in the above described manner, the lever 11 in accordance with the present invention can be effectively used to operate the hoist 13.
From the foregoing, it should now be apparent how the present invention provides an improved lever for use with a hoist which allows easy operation of the selectar/trigger 30 without releasing the grip portion of the lever to thereby provide expedited use of the selector/trigger. Furthermore, it can be seen how the present invention provides such an improved lever which minimizes the likelihood that a chain link may become caught on the trigger. Moreover, it can now also be seen how the present invention provides such an improved lever which includes provisions for facilitating actuation and transverse pivoting of the trigger. It should again be noted that whereas the above embodiment of the present invention is described as applied to manual lever hoists used in lifting applications, the .'i present invention is not limited thereto and may also be readily applied to manual lever hoists used for applying and/or releasing tension in any chain or cable.
While various embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereta. These embodiments may be changed, modified and further applied by those skilled in the art.
Therefore, this invention is not limited to the details shown and described previously but also includes all such changes and modifications which are encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims (44)

1. A lever for engaging and operating a hoist comprising:
a distal end with an opening adapted to receive a ratchet assembly;
a proximal end having a grip portion adapted to be grasped by a user;
a midsection spanning between said distal end and said proximal end defining an inner plane which faces said hoist when said lever is engaging said hoist and defining an outer plane which faces away from said hoist when said lever is engaging said hoist, said midsection having a rod receiving compartment and a trigger compartment proximate to said proximal end, said trigger compartment being open toward said outer plane of said midsection;
a ratchet rod adapted to allow operation of said ratchet assembly, said ratchet rod being at least partially positioned within said rod receiving compartment and extending between said trigger compartment and said opening; and a trigger attached to said ratchet rod to allow actuation of said ratchet rod, said trigger being at least partially positioned within said trigger compartment.

2. The lever of claim 1, wherein said trigger compartment is substantially closed to and substantially inaccessible from said inner plane thereby protecting said trigger.

3. The lever of claim 1, wherein said midsection includes a dividing wall that extends substantially vertically between said inner plane and said outer plane of said midsection to thereby form a wall of said rod receiving compartment and a wall of said trigger compartment.

4. The lever of claim 3, wherein said rod receiving compartment is open toward said inner plane of said midsection which faces said hoist when said lever is engaging said hoist.

5. The lever of claim 3, wherein said rod receiving compartment is open toward said outer plane of said midsection which faces away from said hoist when said lever is engaging said hoist.

6. The lever of claim 3, wherein said dividing wall includes a through hole and said ratchet rod extends from said rod receiving compartment into said trigger compartment through said through hole.

7. The lever of claim 6, wherein said ratchet rod is axially displaceably mounted in said midsection and said ratchet rod is axially displaced by displacing said trigger toward said proximal end of said lever.

8. The lever of claim 7, wherein said ratchet rod includes a tapered tip which extends into said opening and engages said ratchet assembly, said tapered tip being dimensioned to retract from said opening into a receiving bore when said ratchet rod is axially displaced toward said proximal end.

9. The lever of claim 8, further comprising a spring which engages said ratchet rod and exerts a force thereon in a manner to cause said tapered tip to extend from said receiving bore into said opening.

10. The lever of claim 9, wherein said spring is a coil spring having a first end, a second end and an axial opening, at least a portion of said ratchet rod being disposed within said axial opening of said coil spring, and said first end of said spring abutting said dividing wall.

11. The lever of claim 10, wherein said second end of said spring abuts a retaining pin which extends radially outwardly from said ratchet rod.

12. The lever of claim 6, wherein said ratchet rod is rotatably mounted in said midsection.

13. The lever of claim 12, wherein said trigger compartment includes a first side cutaway and a second side cutaway that extends from said outer plane toward said inner plane.

14. The lever of claim 13, wherein said ratchet rod is rotated by transversely pivoting said trigger from one of said first side cutaway and said second side cutaway toward the other of said first side cutaway and said second side cutaway.

15. The lever of claim 1, wherein said ratchet rod extends into said trigger compartment and said trigger is attached to an end of said ratchet rod.

16. The lever of claim 1, wherein said trigger includes a concave tip surface, said concave tip surface being sized to receive a thumb of the user.

17. The lever of claim 16, wherein said trigger includes a base portion having a flattened surface and a protruding surface which extends radially outward from said base portion beyond that of said flattened surface.

18. The lever of claim 17, wherein said trigger compartment includes a groove portion formed by groove lands, said groove lands being disposed at a spaced distance to receive at least a portion of said base portion within said groove portion when said flattened surface is aligned to said groove lands.

19. The lever of claim 1, further comprising a handle grip sleeve disposed on said grip portion to enhance grip of said user.

20. A lever for engaging and operating a hoist comprising:
a distal end with an opening adapted to receive a ratchet gear assembly;
a proximal end having a grip portion adapted to be grasped by a user;
a midsection spanning between said distal end and said proximal end, said midsection having an inner plane which faces said hoist when said lever is engaging said hoist, and an outer plane which faces away from said hoist when said lever is engaging said hoist;
a ratchet rod adapted to control operation of said ratchet gear assembly, said ratchet rod being axially displaceably and rotatably mounted in said midsection; and a transversely pivotable trigger attached to said ratchet rod for axially displacing and rotating said ratchet rod, said trigger being disposed proximate to said grip portion;
wherein said trigger extends outwardly beyond said outer plane when said trigger is transversely pivoted.

21. The lever of claim 20, wherein said ratchet rod is rotated by transversely pivoting said trigger from one of said first side cutaway and said second side cutaway toward the other of said first side cutaway and said second side cutaway.

22. The lever of claim 21, wherein said midsection further includes a connecting wall which defines at least a portion of said inner plane, said trigger being disposed behind said connecting wall.

23. The lever of claim 22, wherein transverse pivoting movement of said trigger is restricted in a manner that a tip of said trigger does not extend beyond said inner plane

24. The lever of claim 23, wherein said midsection includes a dividing wall that extends substantially vertically between said inner plane and said outer plane of said midsection, said dividing wall including a through hole and said ratchet rod extends within said midsection from said proximal end to said distal end through said through hole.

25. The lever of claim 24, wherein said ratchet rod includes a tapered tip which extends into said opening and engages said ratchet assembly, said tapered tip being dimensioned to retract from said opening into a receiving bore when said ratchet rod is axially displaced toward said proximal end.

26. The lever of claim 25, further comprising a spring which engages said ratchet rod and exerts a force thereon in a manner to cause said tapered tip to extend from said receiving bore into said opening.

27. The lever of claim 26, wherein said spring is a coil spring having a first end, a second end and an axial opening, at least a portion of said ratchet rod being disposed within said axial opening of said coil spring, said first end of said spring abutting said dividing wall, and said second end of said spring abutting a retaining pin which extends radially outwardly from said ratchet rod.

28. The lever of claim 20, wherein said trigger includes a concave tip surface, said concave tip surface being sized to receive a thumb of the user.

29. The lever of claim 28, wherein said trigger includes a base portion having a flattened surface and a protruding surface which extends radially outward from said base portion beyond that of said flattened surface.

30. The lever of claim 29, wherein said trigger is disposed in a trigger compartment having a groove portion formed by groove lands, said groove lands being disposed at a spaced distance to receive at least a portion of said base portion within said groove portion when said flattened surface is aligned to said groove lands.

31. The lever of claim 20, further comprising a handle grip sleeve disposed on said grip portion to enhance grip of said user.

32. A manual lever hoist assembly comprising:
a hoist for displacing a chain;
a lever attached to said hoist for operating said hoist, said lever having an inner side which faces toward said hoist and said chain, an outer side which faces away from said hoist and said chain, and a ratchet rod adapted to control operation of said ratchet gear assembly, said ratchet rod being axially displaceably and rotatably mounted in said lever;
and a transversely pivotable trigger attached to said ratchet rod for axially displacing and rotating said ratchet rod, said trigger being positioned proximate to a grip portion of said lever;
wherein said trigger extends outwardly from said outer side in a direction away from said chain as said trigger is transversely pivoted.

33. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 32, wherein said ratchet rod is axially displaced by downwardly pressing said trigger toward said grip portion of said lever.

34. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 32, wherein said ratchet rod is rotated by transversely pivoting said trigger.

35. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 32, wherein said trigger includes a concave tip surface, said concave tip surface being sized to receive a thumb of the user.

36. The lever of claim 35, wherein said trigger includes a base portion having a flattened surface and a protruding surface which extends radially outward from said base portion beyond that of said flattened surface.

37. The lever of claim 36, wherein said trigger is disposed in a trigger compartment having a groove portion formed by groove lands, said groove lands being disposed at a spaced distance to receive at least a portion of said base portion within said groove portion when said flattened surface is aligned to said groove lands.

38. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 32, further comprising a handle grip sleeve disposed on said grip portion of said handle to enhance grip of said user.

39. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 32, wherein said lever includes a dividing wall that extends substantially vertically between said inner side and said outer side of said lever, said dividing wall including a through hole and said ratchet rod extends through said through hole.

40. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 39, wherein said ratchet rod includes a tapered tip which extends into and engages a ratchet assembly attached to a distal end of said lever, said tapered tip being dimensioned to be retract from said opening into a receiving bore when said ratchet rod is axially displaced toward said grip portion of said lever.

41. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 40, further comprising a spring which engages said ratchet rod and exerts a force thereon in a manner to cause said tapered tip to extend from said receiving bore to engage said ratchet assembly.

42. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 41, wherein said spring is a coil spring having a first end, a second end and an axial opening, at least a portion of said ratchet rod being disposed within said axial opening of said coil spring, said first end of said spring abutting said dividing wall, and said second end of said spring abutting a retaining pin which extends radially outwardly from said ratchet rod.

43. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 42, wherein said ratchet rod is axially displaced by downwardly pressing said trigger toward said grip portion of said lever, and said ratchet rod is rotated by transversely pivoting said trigger.

44. The manual lever hoist assembly of claim 43, wherein said trigger includes a concave tip surface, said concave tip surface being sized to receive a thumb of the user.