Lifting sling grommet connector and method

1. A method of making an endless loop lifting grommet, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a body having opposed body end portions and a centrally positioned open area;

b) each shaped end portion having a bore with first and second cylindrically shaped sections wherein the first section is of a larger diameter than the second section;

c) providing a length of wire rope of metallic material having first and second wire rope end portions, each said wire rope end portion having an outer diameter, said wire rope being comprised of a plurality of individual wires;

d) engaging a first said bore with the first wire rope end portion;

e) engaging a second said bore with the second wire rope end portion;

f) connecting the wire rope end portions to the body to form an endless loop grommet by adding a filler to the first section of each of the bores via the centrally positioned opening to envelope said rope end portions with a mass of adhesive filler material;

g) wherein in step “f” neither wire rope end portion forms a knot and the said bores each provide a larger diameter section, each larger diameter section having an internal diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the wire rope end portion that occupies the said bore;

h) wherein in steps “d” through “g” the wire rope end portions are spaced apart with the body centrally positioned open area in between the rope end portions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the body includes a pair of flanges, each flange forming a connection between the body end portions.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the flanges are spaced circumferentially apart.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of integrally forming the flanges with the body end portions.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of occupying both the larger diameter section and the smaller diameter section with a said rope end portion in steps “d” through “g”.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of diverging multiple of the individual wires of each wire rope end portion.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the wire rope is comprised of bound individual wires of metallic material and wherein at least some of the wires are spread apart.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein in step “c” a wire rope is selected having an outer nominal diameter that is about equal to at least part of the bore diameter of an end portion.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the bore of one of the end portions has a smaller diameter section with a diameter about equal to the outer diameter of the rope, and a larger diameter section having a diameter larger than the outer nominal diameter of the wire rope.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein each end portion has a bore with a smaller diameter section that has a diameter that is about equal to the nominal outer diameter of the rope.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the filler is a fluid material and step “e” includes initially flowing the filler into the opening and the bore and then enabling the filler to harden.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the end portions is tapered.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein both of the body end portions is tapered.

14. A lifting grommet, comprising:

a) a body having opposed end portions and a centrally positioned open area;

b) each end portion having a bore, wherein the said bores each provide a larger diameter section that is next to the open area and a smaller diameter cylindrically shaped section spaced away from the open area;

c) a length of wire rope having first and second rope end portions, each wire rope end portion having an outer diameter and engaging said bore and extending to a position next to the centrally positioned opening so that a filler material can be added to the larger diameter sections via the centrally positioned opening, each larger diameter section having an internal diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the rope end portion that occupies the said bore;

d) the wire rope end portions being individual wires that are spread apart, each extending end portion to the centrally positioned opening wherein the said rope end portions extend to the opening;

e) a mass of adhesive filler material that occupies the larger diameter sections of the bores, enveloping each of said rope end portions;

f) wherein neither said wire rope end portion forms a knot;

g) wherein the wire rope and body form an endless loop;

h) wherein the wire rope end portions are spaced apart with the body centrally positioned open area in between the rope end portions.

15. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein the body includes a pair of opposed flanges, each flange forming a connection between the pair of end portions.

16. The lifting grommet of claim 15 wherein the flanges are spaced circumferentially on the body.

17. The lifting grommet of claim 15 wherein the flanges are integrally formed with the end portions.

18. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein the bore of one of the end portions has a larger diameter section and a smaller diameter section.

19. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein the bore of each of the end portions has a larger diameter section and a smaller diameter section.

20. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein one of opposed end portions is frustoconically shaped and has a larger diameter next to the centrally positioned opening.

21. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein both of the end portions are frustoconically shape.

22. The lifting grommet of claim 18 wherein the smaller diameter section has a diameter about equal to the diameter of the rope.

23. The lifting grommet of claim 19 wherein each smaller diameter section has a diameter that is about equal to the diameter of the rope.

24. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein the filler is a fluid material that initially flows and then hardens.

25. The lifting grommet of claim 14 wherein the adhesive filler occupies at least a portion of each bore.