EP1426080A1

EP1426080A1 - Safety device

Info

Publication number: EP1426080A1
Application number: EP02447240A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Goetschalckx
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-04
Filing date: 2002-12-04
Publication date: 2004-06-09

Abstract

The present invention relates to a safety device (1) aimed at being connected to an operator working on a location remote from the ground level. The safety device comprises securing means (3,4,5) for removably securing the device to a member plate (19) fixed at the said location, to an elongated orifice (18) provided within the member plate.

Description

The present invention relates to a safety device aimed at being removably attached at a working location of an operator remote from the ground level. The present invention particularly relates to a safety device removably connectable to the top of a transportation container located on top of a stack of containers and at which a person working on top of the container is to be secured in view of preventing serious injuries when falling from that position.
Most transportation containers are parallelepiped volumes which are usually stacked in layers one above the other, especially when placed on board of a container ship. Each layer consists of a row of containers arranged one beside the other. A container mostly comprises four bottom corner pieces arranged at the angles of the containers' bottom face and four top corner pieces arranged at the angles of its top face. Bottom corner pieces of an upper container are connected to corresponding top corner pieces of the container underneath by means of conventional connecting pieces called 'twist-locks'. These twist-locks are passed through elongated orifices provided within the said corner pieces.
When unloading the container ship, the containers stacked on board of the ship need to be loosened from each, to allow that they can be lifted from the ship one by one. Thereto, the so-called twist-locks need to be unlocked and removed from their positions at the corner pieces of each container. This is done by an operator in a manual manner. Unlocking and removing the twist-locks located at a position which is higher than the size of a human being and especially as high as the third or fourth or even higher layer of a container stack, counted from the ground level, cannot be done from the ground. To unlock containers positioned at such high levels, the operator needs to stand on the edge of the uppermost layer of containers, and to bend forward to reach the twist locks and to perform the said unlocking and removing of the twist-locks, located at the bottom of the container on which he stands or at lower levels between two layers of containers. The unlocking is mostly done using an elongated stick enabling the operator to reach the said twist locks
Consequently, there is a substantial risk that the operator falls off the top of the container stack and gets seriously injured, even to death, in the course of the unlocking operation.
There is thus a need for a safety device with which the risk that an operator gets seriously injured when falling from the top of a container stack during the unlocking operations of the said containers may be minimised. The same risk exists in case of working of operators on the edges of platforms or any other locations remote from the ground level, from which an operator can fall down and be consequently injured.
It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a safety device with which the risk to serious accidents, in particular fatal accidents by falling off from locations remote from the ground level and especially container stacks, may be limited.
To achieve this effect, the invention provides a safety device aimed at being connected to an operator working on a location remote from the ground level, the device comprising securing means for removably securing the device to a member plate fixed at the said location, to an elongated orifice provided within the member plate.
Once connected to the device according to the invention, for example by means of safety harness to which an extremity of a patch cord is fastened, the other extremity being fastened to the safety device, an operator who would fall down from its working location to which the said device is secured, will be retained by the patch cord and the safety harness. He will thus be prevented from falling over the total height of its position, namely from the top of a container stack. As the distance over which the operator falls down is limited, the risk to serious injuries is limited. Also the risk to reaching the ground is limited. Since the safety device is removably secured at the working location of the operator, it can be displaced and secured to other locations in order to follow the working progression of the operator. Therefore, the patch cord connecting the safety harness of the operator to the safety device can be sufficiently short to allow the operator when falling from its working position to be quickly retained by the safety device according to the invention, to prevent that he contacts the ground when falling down.
Preferably, the securing means of the safety device according to the invention comprise a bottom plate whose size is larger than that of the said orifice and an elongated plate having a longer axis being shorter than the longer axis of the said orifice and longer than the shorter axis of the latter, the said elongated plate being connected in spaced apart relationship to the said bottom plate by a connecting member, in view of entering the said elongated plate into the said orifice in order that the said bottom plate lies on the said member plate and rotating the said device for displacing the said elongated plate across the direction of the longer axis of the said orifice in order to secure the said device at the said member plate.
Thanks to this configuration, the securing and removing of the safety device according to the invention can be easily performed by a simple combination of a linear and a rotational movement.
More preferably, the safety device according to the invention further comprises at least one elongated pin removably extendable across the said bottom plate at a location chosen so that it can be forced to enter the said orifice when the said elongated plate is displaced across the longer axis of the said orifice, for preventing the said device from rotating once secured at the said member plate.
It is desired that the safety device according to the invention comprises a grip for transporting the said device and rotating it when the elongated plate is entered within the orifice of a member plate at which the device is to be secured. This enables an easy manipulation of the safety device by the operator, so that he can secure, remove and displace the device from a working location to another, by use of a single hand.
Advantageously, the aforementioned pin is connected to a member being substantially parallel with the grip of the device for lifting up and down the said pin across the said bottom plate simultaneously with manipulating the said grip.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device comprises anti-fall means to which an operator can be connected, the said anti-fall means being more preferably rotatably mounted within the said device about an axis being substantially orthogonal with the bottom plate. With this configuration, the anti-fall means can follow the movements of the operator when he moves around the place where the safety device is secured.
It is recommended that the said means comprise a winded coiled cord. When connected to such a cord, the operator, in case of falling from its working position, will be smoothly retained by the safety device, since the winded coiled cord will exert a progressive counter force opposed to the weight of the operator.
The invention will now be further elucidated with reference to the accompanying figures in which
Figure 1 illustrates a safety device according to the invention.
Figure 2 illustrates a safety assembly comprising a safety device according to the invention in operation on a stack of containers.
Figure 3a illustrates the safety device according to the invention before its connection to a member plate at an elongated orifice provided therein.
Figure 3b illustrates the safety device according to the invention once connected to the said rigid surface at said orifice, before being locked at the said rigid surface.
Figure 3c and 3d illustrates the safety device according to the invention once secured at the said member plate, viewed in two crossed directions.
The safety device according to the invention as illustrated in figure 1 comprises an elongated plate 3 to be entered into an orifice provided in a member plate at which the device is aimed at being removably secured. The elongated plate 3 is connected by means of an elongated member 5, in spaced apart relationship, to a bottom plate 4 substantially parallel with the said elongated plate 3, having a size larger than that of the said orifice.
The illustrated safety device comprises two elongated pins 6 removably extendable through the bottom plate 4, in a location chosen for preventing the said device from rotating once secured at the said member plate. The pins 6 are guided by means of guiding bushes 7a orthogonaly fixed at the bottom plate 4. A grip 9 being substantially parallel with the bottom plate 4 is connected in spaced apart relationship to the latter by means of a transverse member 9a, for transporting the said device and rotating it when the said elongated plate is entered within the said orifice. The pins 6 are connected to a member 8 being substantially parallel with the grip 9, by means of a transverse member 8b, for lifting up and down the pins 6 across the bottom plate 4 simultaneously with manipulating the grip 9. The member 8b is slidably mounted through guiding bushes 7b fixed to the member 9a.
Between the grip 9 and the bottom plate 4 is provided an anti-fall device 10. The latter is rotatably mounted, as shown by arrow 11, about a central axis (not shown). The said axis is secured to plates 16 which are orthogonally secured at the bottom plate 4 in order that the said axis extends orthogonaly with the bottom plate 4. The anti-fall device 10 comprises two horizontal plates 14a and 14b, disposed parallel to each other and maintained in spaced apart relationship by means of screws 15 disposed at the edges of the plates 14a and 14b. Within the space defined between the plates 14a and 14b, a housing 12 is mounted. Within this housing 12, a coil up cord 13 is winded.
The extremity of the coil up cord 13 which extends through the housing 12 is provided with a musketoon 17. This musketoon 17 is aimed at being attached to a patch cord of a safety harness (not shown) to be worn by an operator.
The method of use of the safety device will now be described, with reference to figures 3a-3d.
The operator, wearing a safety harness first needs to connect its patch cord to the coil up cord 13 of the safety device according to the invention, by means of the musketoon 17. Subsequently, as shown by figure 3a, the safety device is placed above the orifice 18 of a member plate 19 at which the safety device is to be connected, for example the desired corner piece of the upper layer of a container stack. Thereto, the longer axis of the elongated plate 3 is held parallel with the longer axis of the orifice 18 of member plate 19 such that the elongated plate 3 will subside into the orifice 18, as indicated by arrow 20.
Since the size of the bottom plate 4 is larger than that of the orifice 18, this bottom plate 4 rests upon the surface of the member plate 19, as shown in figure 3b, for example that of a corner piece of a container. Consequently, all the parts of the safety device extending in height direction above this bottom plate 4 project above the surface of the member plate 19. In this position of the safety device, the pins 6 are lifted since their extremities extending through the bottom plate 4 also rest upon the surface of the member plate 19.
Subsequently, the operator needs to turn the safety device, as a whole, over an angle of 90° in the direction of arrow 21. Consequently, the elongated plate 3 present within the orifice 18 is also turned over an angle of 90°. As a result, the longer axis of the elongated plate 3 is moved in transverse direction with respect to the longer axis of the orifice 18, thereby preventing that the safety device can be lifted out of the said orifice. In this position of the safety device, the pins 6 are now facing the orifice 18 and as a result, they fall down within the said orifice through the bottom plate 4, as shown in figures 3c and 3d. Therefore, the safety device is be prevented from turning back at sudden strong movements, which otherwise would result in a coming loose of the safety device out of the orifice 18. In other words, the pins 6 locks the safety device in the position in which the elongated plate 3 is oriented in such a way that the safety device cannot be lifted out the orifice 18.
In order to again lift the safety device out the orifice 18, first, the pins 6 have to be lifted upwardly by the operator by manipulating the grip 9 and member 8 such that the extremities of the pins 6 extending through the bottom plate 4 are no longer projecting into the orifice 18. Then, the operator has to turn back the safety device over an angle of 90° such that the longer axis of the elongated plate 3 is again oriented parallel to the longer axis of the orifice 18, enabling the operator to lift the safety device out of the said orifice.

Claims

Safety device (1) aimed at being connected to an operator working on a location remote from the ground level, characterised in that the device comprises securing means (3,4,5) for removably securing the device to a member plate (19) fixed at the said location, to an elongated orifice (18) provided within the member plate.
Safety device (1) according to claim 1 characterised in that the securing means (3,4,5) comprise

a) a bottom plate (4) having a larger size than the orifice (18) and

b) an elongated plate (3) having a longer axis which is shorter than the longer axis of the orifice (18) and longer than the shorter axis of the latter, the elongated plate (3) being connected in spaced apart relationship to the bottom plate (4) by a connecting member (5), in view of entering the elongated plate (3) into the orifice (18) in order that the bottom plate (4) lies on the member plate (19) and in view of rotating the safety device (1) so as to displace the elongated plate (3) across the direction of the longer axis of the orifice (18) to secure the safety device (1) to the member plate (19).
Safety device (1) according to claim 2 characterised in that the safety device further comprises at least one elongated pin (6) removably extendable across the bottom plate (4) at a location chosen so that it can be forced to enter the orifice (18) when the elongated plate (3) is displaced across the longer axis of the said orifice (18), to prevent rotation of the safety device (1) once secured to the member plate (19).
Safety device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the safety device comprises a grip (9) for transporting the safety device (1) and rotating the safety device when the elongated plate (3) is received within the orifice (18).
Safety device (1) according to claim 4 when depending on claim 3, characterised in that the pin (6) is connected to an elongated member (8) which runs substantially parallel with the grip (9) to allow lifting up and down the pin (6) across the bottom plate (4) simultaneously with manipulating the grip (9).
Safety device (1) according to any preceding claims, characterised in that the safety device comprises anti-fall means (10) provided for connection to an operator.
Safety device according to claim 6, characterised in that the anti-fall means (10) are rotatably mounted within the safety device (1) about an axis substantially orthogonal to the bottom plate (4).
Safety device according to claim 7, characterised in that the anti-fall means comprise a winded coiled cord (13).
Safety device according to any one of claims 1 - 8, characterised in that the member plate (19) is fixed to a bottom part of a container as a working location.