AU725721B2 - Anchoring device - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011.28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for service is: ROOF SAFE PTY LTD DONALD WILLIAM HAYMAN and JAMES DONALD HAYMAN WRAY ASSOCIATES 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: "Anchoring Device" Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PN5090, filed 29 August 1995 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2/1 THIS INVENTION relates to an anchoring device. More particularly, the anchoring device of the present invention is intended for use by workers on a roof either Under construction or undergoing maintenance.

It is preferable that workers during the construction or maintenance of a roof structure utilise a safety harness or line. This is particularly so when the working area is elevated. Such a safety line requires an anchoring point preferably provided at the point or peak of the roof. Further, the anchoring point must be capable of withstanding a substantial loading, must be unobtrusive with regard to the roofing materials and must not interfere with the trusses in a-truss roof.

In particular, because of the load bearing nature of a truss arrangement it is preferable that any anchoring device not interfere with the structural integrity of the truss arrangement. Prior anchoring devices have required holes to be drilled through wooden trusses thereby compromising their load bearing capacity.

The anchoring device of the present invention has as one object thereof to 15 overcome the above problems associated with the prior art.

oooo 0. The present invention provides an anchoring device to which a safety line may be attached, the anchoring device comprising two spaced apart plate members, a neck portion and an attachment means, the neck portion joining the attachment means and spaced apart plate members, the spaced apart plate members defining a gap therebetweento receive a portion of one Or more beams of a truss roof, each spaced apart plate member having a plurality of spaced apart apertures with each aperture in one plate member being aligned with a corresponding aperture in the other plate member to receive a respective locating pin, whereby locating pins can be inserted in any selected two or more of the aligned apertures to locate adjacent said portion of one or more beams to secure the plate member in position in relation to said one or more beams, said locating pins inserted in said two or more aligned apertures constituting the sole means by 2/2 which the spaced apart plate members are secured in position in relation to said one or more beams.

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a a a -3/1 Preferably, the plate members receive therebetween the apex of two or more beams of the truss roof as found at the apex of a roof. The neck portion subsequently projects upwardly from the apex of the roof allowing the attachment of one or more safety lines thereto.

Preferably, a locating pin may be provided adjacent at least each corner of the plate members when such are provided in a substantially square or rectangular form.

In a preferred form of the present invention the plate members are provided in a substantially square form in which the neck portion has a bifurcated base portion forming two arms, each arm being fixedly attached to an outer surface of the plate members. The neck portion extending away from the plate members in a plane substantially parallel with, but located centrally between, the planes described by the plate members.

The plate members preferably receive therebetween the apex of two beams of the truss roof such that bolts provided through apertures bored in each corner of the plate members positively locate the device on the and with respect to beams.

In such an arrangement the bolts in the upper corners of the plate members pass over the beams and the bolts in the lower corners pass thereunder. The angle of the beams thereby ensuring the secure location of the device thereon.

20 An additional tab may be provided on a lower edge of each plate through which an additional locating pin may be provided.

V000* The anchoring device of the present invention will now be described, by way of ,-°example only, with reference to one embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an upper perspective view of an anchoring device in accordance 11 TIwith an embodiment of the present invention; 1 C. 3/2 Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the anchoring device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the anchoring device of Fig. 1; S

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5555 -4- Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the anchoring device of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the anchoring device of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is an upper perspective view of the anchoring device of Fig. 1 shown attached to the apex of one truss arrangement of a truss roof, an additional tab being provided on the lower edge of each plate member and through which is provided a further locating means.

In Figs. 1 to 5 there is shown an anchoring device 10 for securing a safety line (not shown), the anchoring device 10 comprising two spaced apart and substantially opposed plate members 12, a neck portion 14 and an attachment means, for example an eye 16. The plate members 12 describe two substantially flat and parallel planes, as can be best seen in Figs. 3 to The neck portion 14 comprises a base portion of two arms 18 and an intermediate elongate portion 20. In effect, the intermediate elongate portion bifurcates to form the arms 18 of the base portion. The eye 16 is provided at an 00• 15 end of the elongate portion 20 remote from the arms 18. Each arm 18 is fixedly attached to an outer surface 22 of one of the plate members 12. The elongate 0 •portion 20 extends away from the plate members 12 substantially in a plane parallel with but located centrally between the planes described by the plate members 12, as is best seen in Figs. 3 to 20 The plate members 12 are substantially square in shape having upper edges 24 and lower edges 26 in use. Further, the plate members 12 also have lateral .;edges 28. The edges 24, 26 and 28 form upper corners 30 and lower corners 32, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

6 The eye 16 is fixedly attached to the elongate intermediate portion 20 and describes an aperture 34.

In Fig. 6 there is shown the anchoring device 10 located about an apex 36 of a truss arrangement 38. The truss arrangement 38 comprises two rafters or beams and two struts or beams 42. Each of the members 40 and 42 are typically held at the apex 36 by way of a nailplate or gangnail (not shown) in the usual manner. The plate members 12 of the anchoring device 10 are spaced apart by the arms 18 of the neck portion 14 so as to allow the apex 36 to be received therebetween.

The plate members 12 each have an additional tab 44 provided centrally on their lower edge 26. A plurality of apertures may then be produced in each pair of opposed corners 30 and 32 and the tabs 44 such that a locating means, for example a nut and bolt combination 46 may be provided through each pair of opposed apertures, the nut being used to tighten the bolt with respect to the plate members 12. In this manner the anchoring device 10 may be positively located "on the apex 36 of the truss arrangement 38.

15 In use, the anchoring device 10 is positioned by a user (not shown) during construction of a roof about the apex 36 of the truss arrangement 38, as shown in Fig. 6. In such an arrangement the corners 30 and 32 each project clear of the rafters 40 and struts 42 comprising the truss arrangement 38 such that apertures can be bored or drilled through the plate members 12 to allow the nut and bolt combinations 46 to be located therethrough. In addition, the tab 44 of each plate 12 may also have an aperture drilled or bored therethrough to also accept a *a further nut and bolt combination 46, the bolt thereof passing between the struts :42.

The apertures are bored in a position such that the anchoring device 10 is positively located about the apex 36 of the truss arrangement 38. In particular, the apertures are bored such that the nut and bolt combinations 46 through the upper corners 30 of the plate members 12 are located substantially adjacent to an upper surface of each upper chord 40. Further, the apertures provided in the lower corners 32 are provided such that the nut and bolt combinations 46 are substantially adjacent a lower edge of the upper chords 40 and adjacent also an -6outer surface of the intermediate chord 42. Still further, the apertures provided through the tabs 44 are such that the nut and bolt combination 46 provided therethrough is substantially adjacent an intersection or apex of the two struts 42.

With the nut and bolt combinations 46 provided as described above significant movement of the anchoring device 10 on the truss arrangement 38 in any direction is prevented. Such an arrangement provides an anchoring device capable of withstanding very high loading and capable of meeting the associated safety standards for devices of this kind.

It is envisaged that the tabs 44 provided on the plate members 12 need not necessarily be provided but can be used to provide additional strength to the positive location to the anchoring device 10. However, this arrangement is generally only appropriate in a truss arrangement 38 as shown in Fig. 6. The anchoring device 10 of the present invention may be used on any truss arrangement which will generally have the upper chords 40 as shown in Figure 6 15 but which may not have the struts 42, for example in kingpost and queenpost trusses. In circumstances where the truss arrangement does not utilise the struts 42 the provision of the tab 44 in the position shown would offer no great •"advantage.

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The anchoring device of the present invention provides a means whereby a 20 safety line may be provided with a secure attachment or anchoring point on a roof comprised of a number of truss arrangements and which does not require the integrity of those truss arrangements to be compromised. Further, whilst the integrity of the truss arrangement is not compromised the ability of the anchoring device of the present invention to meet the necessary requirements with regard to load bearing capacity is certainly sufficient and in fact increased with respect to prior devices and methods. Still further, the anchoring device of the present invention may remain in position on the roof to be utilised during maintenance thereof.

-7- Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (11)

1. Anchoring device to which a safety line may be attached, the anchoring device comprising two spaced apart plate members, a neck portion and an attachment means, the neck portion joining the attachment means and spaced apart plate members, the spaced apart plate members defining a gap therebetween to receive a portion of one or more beams of a truss roof, each spaced apart plate member having a plurality of spaced apart apertures with each aperture in one plate member being aligned with a corresponding aperture in the other plate member to receive a respective locating pin, whereby locating pins can be inserted in any selected two or more of the aligned apertures to locate adjacent said portion of one or more beams to S'secure the plate member in position in relation to said one or more beams, said locating pins inserted in said two or more aligned apertures constituting the sole means by which the spaced apart plate members are secured in 15 position in relation to said one or more beams.

2. An anchoring device according to claim 1, wherein the plate members are substantially parallel.

3. An anchoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plate members *receive therebetween the apex of two or more beams of the trussroof as found at the apex of a roof.

4. An anchoring device according to claim 3, wherein the neck portion projects upwardly from the apex of the roof allowing the attachment of one or more safety lines thereto. An anchoring device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a locating pin is provided adjacent at least each corner of the plate members when such are provided in a substantially square or rectangular form. f -9-

6. An anchoring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the neck portion has a bifurcated base portion forming two arms, each arm being fixedly attached to an outer surface of a respective plate member.

7. An anchoring device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the neck portion extends away from the plate members in a plane substantially parallel with, but located centrally between the planes described by the plate members.

8. An anchoring device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the locating means comprise a bolt provided through apertures bored in each corner of the plate members and a nut to tighten same with respect thereto.

9. An anchoring device according to claim 8, wherein the bolts provided in the apertures in upper corners of the plate members pass over the beams and the bolts provided in the apertures in lower corners of the plate members pass under the beams. anchoring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a 15 tab is provided on a lower edge of each plate as an extension thereof. S11 .An anchoring device according to claim 10, wherein a locating pin is provided through the tabs of each plate. S

12.An anchoring device according to claim 11, wherein the locating pin through the tabs of each plate passes between a pair of struts whose apex meets the 20 apex of the beams of the truss roof.

13.An anchoring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment means is provided in the form of an eye. S"

14.An anchoring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this fifteenth day of March 2000. ROOF SAFE PTY LTD Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant o 0