A grappling hook or grapnel is a device that typically has multiple

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

s (known as ''claws'' or ''flukes'') attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold onto objects. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge for submerged objects. The device was invented by the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

in approximately 260 BC. The grappling hook was originally used in naval warfare to catch ship

rigging Rigging comprises the system of ropes, cables and chains, which support a sailing ship or sail boat's masts—''standing rigging'', including shrouds and stays—and which adjust the position of the vessel's sails and spars to which they are ...

so that it could be boarded.

Design

A common design has a central shaft with a hole ("eye") at the shaft base to attach the rope, and three or four equally spaced hooks at the end, arranged so that at least one is likely to catch on some protuberance of the target. Some modern designs feature folding hooks to resist unwanted attachment. Most grappling hooks are thrown by hand, but some used in rescue work are propelled by

compressed air Compressed air is air kept under a pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. Compressed air is an important medium for transfer of energy in industrial processes, and is used for power tools such as air hammers, drills, wrenches, and o ...

(e.g., the

Plumett AL-52 The AL-52 is a compressed air launcher of British origin manufactured by Plumett Ltd. The AL-52 is capable of launching grappling hooks for the likes of special forces and line throwing. The AL-52 can also be mounted onto the ground for launching ...

), , line thrower, mortar, or a rocket.

Applications

Military

15th MEU Marines train in combined arms training 141208-M-ST621-015

Grappling hooks are used by

combat engineer A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, tunnel and mine warfare ta ...

s to breach tactical obstacles. When used as such, the grappling hook is launched in front of an obstacle and dragged backwards to detonate

trip-wire A tripwire is a passive triggering mechanism. Typically, a wire or cord is attached to a device for detecting or reacting to physical movement. Military applications Such tripwires may be attached to one or more mines – especially fragm ...

-fused land mines, and can be hooked on wire obstacles and pulled to set off booby traps on the wire. Two tools are available for this purpose; the rifle-launched grapnel (LGH), a single-use grappling hook placed on the end of an M4/

M16 rifle The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...

, or the

crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fi ...

launched version. A grapnel can clear up to 99% of the trip-wires in a single pass.Field Manual 3-34.2 ''Combined Arms Breaching Operations.'' 31 August 2000. Para. C-57 and Table C-2 During

WW2 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

British and German ships would tow grappling hooks in the hope of snagging or damaging enemy submarines; this was a tactic also employed by the Japanese. Grappling hooks were used at the

D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...

landings to aid soldiers climbing the cliffs at the Normandy beaches.

Maritime

As well as the Grapnel Anchor grapnels are used in the removal and repair of subsea cables, large ships called Cable Layers drag huge grapnels across the seabed until they snag a cable.

In popular culture

Grappling hooks, grapple guns and their many variants have been a staple in many video games. In the anime and manga franchise

Attack on Titan is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama. It is set in a world where humanity is forced to live in cities surrounded by three enormous walls that protect them from gigantic man-eating humanoids referred to as ...

, some omni-directional maneuvering gear are equipped with modified, gas operated grapple guns that placed in their hips or wrist to manoeuvre them.

References

External links

{{Commonscat
Rangers Storm the Cliffs of Pointe du Hoc on D-Day 73 Years Ago
(June 6, 2017) Climbing equipment Mountaineering equipment