AU2009100735A4

AU2009100735A4 - Anchor assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2009100735A4
Application number: AU2009100735A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Michael Fitzgerald
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-29
Filing date: 2009-07-29
Publication date: 2009-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-29

Description

Our Ref: 20572550/DH P/00/0 1 1 Regulation 3:2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): Peter Michael Fitzgerald 51 Tramway Road, North Avoca, New South Wales 2260, Australia Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys 255 Elizabeth Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Invention Title: "Anchor assembly" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- P \WPDOCS\HS\2009\DH\Speications\20572550)Spei catio doc-22A)7/2(X9 ANCHOR ASSEMBLY Field of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to an anchor assembly particularly but not exclusively for providing connection to a safety harness, for use in the roofing industry. Background of the Invention 10 One existing type of safety mechanism provides an upright post with an attachment ring to which a safety harness may be clipped. The post is welded to an attachment plate that is secured to a roof structure in a permanent fashion using a substantial number of fasteners which ensure the plate does not lift free of the roof if placed under load by the safety harness, such as during an accident or fall of a worker tethered to the plate. Such a 15 mechanism is formed of relatively heavy gauge stainless steel plate and represents a relatively expensive piece of hardware to leave permanently secured to the roof. In addition, the plate is relatively heavy and difficult to manoeuvre, which can present handling problems in firstly transporting the mechanism onto the roof and then appropriately positioning it prior to fastening. 20 Another mechanism is in the form of a single guy wire secured to the roof at spaced apart attachment points. A safety harness can be clipped on to the guy wire to allow a worker to move freely along the length of the guy wire. Such an arrangement may, however, represent a safety risk as the failure of either the guide wire or any one of the attachment 25 points may be catastrophic to a worker clipped on to the mechanism. Object of the Invention The present invention seeks to provide an alternative anchor assembly.

P \WPDOCS\HS\09 H\.Specrlcatios\2572550Speirncaon dc-22M7/200 -2 Summary of the Invention In accordance with the invention, there is provided an anchor assembly including a safety 5 line coupled to a bracket which connects the assembly to a supporting surface, wherein at least one of the brackets includes a foot portion for mounting the bracket to the surface and a projecting tab angled relative to the foot portion for connection to the safety line, the tab being deformable relative to the foot portion to absorb energy from the safety line when placed under load. 10 Preferably, the safety line has a bracket at each end and each of the brackets includes a foot portion and associated tab. Preferably, the assembly includes a carabiner clip supported on the safety line between the 15 brackets. Preferably, the assembly includes a second safety line with associated mounting brackets provided at either end. 20 Preferably, each line is of substantially the same length to allow adjacent brackets of each line to be attached in sequence to anchor points positioned at substantially equidistant locations. Description of the Drawings 25 The invention as described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an anchor assembly; 30 Figure 2 is a side view of the assembly of figure 1; P nWPDOCS\HS\2 9\DH\Spe cFicaons25O72550SpePcn.cao do-.22/07/2(lM -3 Figure 3 is a plan view of a blank used to form a bracket of the assembly; Figure 4 is a side view of the bracket; and 5 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bracket. Detailed Description of the Drawings 10 Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, an anchor assembly 1 is shown as including a safety line 2 with a bracket 3 attached to each end 4 of the line 2. The ends 4 of line 2 are formed by passing a loop 5 of the line 2 through a hole 6 formed in the bracket 3 and then securing the loop 5 in place using crimping bands 7. 15 Each bracket 3 is in turn fixed to a supporting surface 8, which may be in the form of a corrugated iron roof 9, using roof screws 10. The assembly I also includes a second line 12 which likewise tenninates in associated brackets 3. Both lines 2 and 12 are preferably of substantially the same length so that the 20 brackets associated with each end can be placed in sequence at locations which are substantially the same distance apart. Such locations ideally correspond to pre-existing roof screw fixation points which are used to secure corrugated roofing sheets, or the like, in place so that no new holes need to be drilled in the roof 9. 25 The assembly also includes a carabiner clip 13, or an equivalent, to which a safety harness 14 may be attached. The clip 14 includes an eyelet 15 through which the safety lines 2, 12 pass. The dimensions of the eyelet 15 are sufficient to allow the clip 13 to slide along the lines 2, 12, but to prevent the ends 4 or the brackets 3 from passing through the clip 13, to provide a degree of security in the event of one of the brackets 3 coming free from the roof 30 9.

P \WPDOCS\HS,2009\DH\Specicatons\2052255)Sp~ccfcaion doc-22 7/2(09 -4 Turning now to figure 3, a blank stainless steel blank 16 is shown to be of a generally rectangular form with rounded ends 17 and a hole 18, 6 provided in each end 17. The blank 16 is formed in to one of the brackets 3, described with reference to figures 1 and 2, by bending one of the ends 17 relative to the other to provide a foot portion 20 and 5 protecting tab 21, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The tab 21 is arranged to collapse or straighten to absorb energy when placed under load. As such, the overall assembly I has energy absorbing capacity which is not available with a conventional guy wire arrangement fastened directly to a roof structure. As a result, the 10 assembly 1 can accommodate and dissipate energy such as generated by a worker loading the assembly I during a fall. Since energy is absorbed by the brackets 3, the attachment of the brackets 3 to either line 2, 12 is itself less likely to fail. However, even in the event one of the lines 2, 12 breaks or one of the brackets 3 comes free from the roof 9, the assembly I provides additional security by way of still having a secondary line attached. 15 Another substantial advantage associated with the assembly 1 is that the brackets 3 are not intended to be permanently fixed to the roof and, as such, the assembly need only be temporarily attached to existing roof screw hole locations on the roof 9. After use, the assembly I can be readily removed so that expensive hardware need not be left behind 20 after work on the roof 9 has been finished. The flexible and light weight nature of the assembly 1, compared to a conventional prior art post and plate arrangement, also render the assembly 1 cheaper to manufacture and more convenient to lift onto a roof, install and remove. 25 The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

P \WPDO CS\HS\(X)9\DH\Spcificanons\20572550Specificatio doc-22/07/2(X 9 -5 List of Parts 1. Anchor assembly 2. Safety line 5 3. Bracket 4. End 5. Loop 6. Hole 7. Crimping bands 10 8. Supporting surface 9. Roof 10. Screws 12. Second line 13. Clip 15 14. Harness 15. Eyelet 16. Blank 17. End 18. Hole 20 20. Foot portion 21. Tab

Claims

1. An anchor assembly including a safety line coupled to a bracket which connects the assembly to a supporting surface, wherein at least one of the brackets includes a foot 5 portion for mounting the bracket to the surface and a projecting tab angled relative to the foot portion for connection to the safety line, the tab being deformable relative to the foot portion to absorb energy from the safety line rim placed under load.

2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the safely line has a bracket at each end and each 10 of the brackets includes a foot portion and associated tab.

3. The anchor assembly of claim 2, wherein the assembly includes a carabiner clip supported on the safety line between the brackets. 15

4. The anchor assembly of any one of claims I to 3, wherein the assembly includes a second safety line with associated mounting brackets provided at either end.

5. The safety line of claim 4, wherein each line is of substantially the same length to allow adjacent brackets of each line to be attached in sequence to anchor points positioned 20 at substantially equidistant locations.