1-188. (canceled)
189. A method performed by a bank for authorizing a purchase of goods or services over the internet, the purchase being made by a customer using a merchant, said merchant having an internet site at which the merchant offers goods or services; and wherein a bank authorizes the purchase and assures payment to the merchant, comprising:
detecting by the bank when a customer chooses to pay the merchant using said bank;
obtaining by the bank order information indicating the customer has placed an order which seeks to obtain goods or services using the merchant;
obtaining by the bank information about an order computer from which said order has been placed;
accessing customer verification information which includes authorized customer computer information which indicates one or more computers which have been authorized for use in placing orders;
verifying said order computer used in placing the order is an authorized customer computer;
communicating from the bank to the merchant assurance of payment information upon successful verification in said verifying step.
190. A method according to claim 189 and further comprising crediting funds to a merchant account in payment of said order.
191. A method according to claim 189 and further comprising:
crediting funds to a merchant account in payment of said order;
debiting funds from the customer account for payment of said order.
192. A method according to claim 189 and further comprising:
crediting funds to a merchant account in payment of said order;
charging the customer account for payment of said order.
193. A method according to claim 189
wherein said customer account information further includes authorized telephone caller identification information including at least one authorized telephone caller identification code;
and further comprising before said communicating step:
obtaining by the bank telephone caller identification information from a telephone order line used to place the order;
verifying that the telephone caller identification information obtained from the telephone order line is an authorized telephone caller identification code associated with the customer account.
194. A method according to claim 189
wherein said customer account information further includes:
authorized user identification information associating said customer account with at least one authorized user identification code;
authorized telephone caller identification information including at least one authorized telephone caller identification code;
and further comprising, before said communicating step:
obtaining by the bank user identification code information provided by a user of the ordering computer;
verifying by the bank said user identification code information by comparing the user identification code information so provided in comparison to authorized user identification codes associated with the customer account;
obtaining by the bank user telephone caller identification information from a telephone order line used by the user;
verifying that the telephone caller identification information obtained is an authorized user telephone caller identification code associated with said customer account.
195. A method according to claim 189 wherein the customer, banker and merchant are in approximately simultaneous communication as the order is placed and assurance of payment is communicated to the merchant.
196. A method according to claim 189 further defined by communicating between said customer and said bank to create a bank customer order file.
197. A method according to claim 189 wherein the customer account includes customer account verification information which was obtained by the bank via a customer information vehicle which is not the internet.
198. A method according to claim 189 wherein the customer account includes customer account verification information which was supplied to the bank via a telephone line.
199. A method according to claim 189 wherein the customer account includes customer account verification information which was supplied to the bank via a telephone voice line.
200. A method according to claim 189 and further comprising transferring order information from the bank to the merchant.
201. A method according to claim 189 wherein said creating a customer account includes obtaining by the bank at least some customer account verification information before the step of obtaining computerized order information.
202. A method according to claim 189 wherein said creating a customer account includes obtaining by the bank at least some customer account verification information from a secondary source before the step of obtaining computerized order information.
203. A method according to claim 189 wherein said creating a customer account includes obtaining by the bank at least some customer account verification information using an alternative communications carrier before the step of obtaining computerized order information.
204. A method according to claim 189 wherein said creating a customer account includes;
obtaining by the bank at least some customer account verification information before the step of obtaining computerized order information, and obtaining at least some customer account verification information using an alternative communications carrier.
205-332. (canceled)
333. A method for purchasing of goods or services and assuring payment over the internet, the purchase being made by a customer using a merchant, said merchant having an internet site at which the merchant offers goods or services; and wherein a bank authorizes the purchase and assures payment to the merchant, comprising:
obtaining order information indicating a customer desires to place an order which seeks to obtain goods or services using the merchant;
delivering a first portion of the order information to the merchant using a customer computer;
delivering a second portion of the order information to the merchant via a bank computer;
providing customer information to the bank in connection with said order information;
accessing customer verification information by the bank, said customer verification information being previously set up by the customer with the bank;
verifying that the customer information provided in connection with said order information is associated with said customer;
communicating from the bank to the merchant assurance of payment information upon successful verification in said verifying step.
334-343. (canceled)
344. A method according to claim 333 providing order information to the merchant from both the bank and the customer.
345. (canceled)
346. A method for validating a purchase of goods or services over the internet, the purchase being made by a customer using a merchant, said merchant having an internet site at which the merchant offers goods or services; and wherein a bank authorizes the purchase and assures payment to the merchant, comprising:
detecting when a customer chooses to pay the merchant using said bank;
obtaining order information indicating the customer has placed an order which seeks to obtain goods or services using the merchant;
obtaining information about an order computer from which said order has been placed;
accessing customer verification information which includes authorized customer computer information which indicates one or more computers which have been authorized for use in placing orders;
verifying said order computer used in placing the order is an authorized customer computer;
validating the order.
347. A method according to claim 346
wherein said customer account information further includes authorized telephone caller identification information including at least one authorized telephone caller identification code;
and further comprising before said communicating step:
obtaining telephone caller identification information from a telephone order line used to place the order;
verifying that the telephone caller identification information obtained from the telephone order line is an authorized telephone caller identification code associated with the customer account.
348-396. (canceled)
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A lifting apparatus comprising:
a link member suspended from a base along a vertical axis; and
a jaw member pivotally coupled to the link member about a pivot axis, the jaw member defining a cam portion having a cam surface such that engaging the cam surface with a load by lowering the lifting apparatus rotates a portion of the jaw member into alignment with a latch axis, whereby a latch pin may be received by the jaw member and the link member, the jaw member further including a hooking portion and a suspension portion disposed between the hooking portion and the cam portion;
wherein the hooking portion includes a receiving surface that guides the jaw member into engagement with the load when hooking the load, and wherein when the jaw member is in an open, unlatched position, the receiving surface has a downward slope extending from the hooking portion toward the suspension portion relative to an axis that is perpendicular to the vertical axis.
2. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis and latch axis are disposed on opposing sides of the vertical axis.
3. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis and latch axis are disposed on a plane that is substantially non-parallel to the vertical axis.
4. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis and latch axis are disposed on a plane that is perpendicular to the vertical axis.
5. The lifting assembly of claim 1 wherein the link member includes a first leg portion defining the jaw pivot axis and a second leg portion defining the jaw latch axis, and wherein a recess is defined between the first leg portion and the second leg portion.
6. The lifting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the recess is substantially U-shaped.
7. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a swivel.
8. The lifting apparatus of claim 7 wherein the link member is pivotally coupled to the swivel about a link pivot pin extending through the vertical axis.
9. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis.
10. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiving surface substantially faces the cam surface.
11. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a latch pin, and wherein the hooking portion defines an aperture for receiving the latch pin.
12. The lifting apparatus of claim 10 wherein the suspension portion includes a suspension surface configured to receive a trunnion of the load.
13. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a pivot pin, and wherein the cam portion defines an aperture for receiving the pivot pin.
14. The lifting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the jaw member is pivotally coupled to the link member about the pivot pin.
15. The lifting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the jaw member is pivotable between a first position, wherein the jaw member is open to receive a trunnion of the load, and a second position, wherein the trunnion is substantially captured by the jaw member and the link member.
16. A method of selectively engaging a load to a lifting apparatus having a link member suspended along a vertical axis and a jaw member pivotally coupled to the link member, the method comprising:
rotating the jaw member about a pivot axis, thereby exposing a hooking portion of the jaw member;
hooking the load with the hooking portion;
lowering the lifting apparatus while engaging a cam surface of the jaw member upon the load, thereby rotating the jaw member into alignment with a latch axis of the link member; and
latching the jaw member to the link member;
wherein the jaw member includes a cam portion and a suspension portion disposed between the hooking portion and the cam portion, the cam portion defining the cam surface, and wherein the step of hooking includes guiding the jaw member into engagement with the load with a receiving surface on the hooking portion, and wherein when the jaw member is in an open, unlatched position, the receiving surface has a downward slope extending from the hooking portion toward the suspension portion relative to an axis that is perpendicular to the vertical axis.
17. The method of claim 16 and further comprising raising the lifting apparatus along the vertical axis to lift the load.
18. The method of claim 16 and further comprising engaging a suspension portion of the jaw member with the trunnion.
19. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:
supporting the load to provide slack between the jaw member and the trunnion;
withdrawing the latch member from the jaw member;
raising the lifting apparatus, thereby allowing the jaw member to rotate about the pivot axis; and
withdrawing the hook portion from the trunnion.
20. The method of claim 16 and further comprising receiving the trunnion in a recess of the link member.