EP1768879A1

EP1768879A1 - Fall arrest assembly

Info

Publication number: EP1768879A1
Application number: EP05744286A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christopher Jon Massey
Original assignee: BISON CONCRETE PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: Bison Manufacturing Ltd
Priority date: 2004-05-27
Filing date: 2005-05-20
Publication date: 2007-04-04
Also published as: WO2005115806A1

Abstract

A fall arrest assembly (14) comprising a plurality of brackets (16) mountable in pairs on opposite sides of a lorry trailer (10). A respective elongate member (18) is selectively extendible from each bracket (16) at a gentle upwards inclination, with sheet members (44) extendible between the members (18) to arrest the fall of anybody falling from the trailer (10).

Description

Fall Arrest Assembly

This invention concerns a fall arrest assembly, and particularly but not exclusively such an assembly usable to catch a person falling from a lorry trailer.

It is often required for a lorry driver and/or unloading gangs to stand on a lorry trailer to assist with unloading of material therefrom. Such material could typically include concrete or steel beams. Such items would usually be lifted off the trailer using a crane, and during this operation there is a possibility of a person falling off the trailer, or perhaps being knocked off by the load as it is lifted, and this could result in significant injury, to the person. The term "lorry trailer" when used in the specification is intended to encompass a trailer for a lorry or other towing vehicle, as well as the rear of a fixed lorry or similar vehicle.

According to the present invention there is provided a fall arrest assembly, the assembly including a support arrangement selectively locatable on a lorry trailer to extend generally laterally therefrom, and a plurality of sheet like members locatable on the support arrangement to provide a barrier around the lorry trailer to catch a person falling therefrom. The assembly may extend from the sides and rear of the lorry trailer.

The support arrangement preferably includes a plurality of brackets selectively mountable on a lorry trailer. At least some of the brackets may be provided in pairs, with each bracket of a pair located on a respective side of the trailer substantially opposite the other, with link means engageable between the brackets to facilitate retention thereof on the trailer. The link means may be flexible and may be tensionable across the trailer. The link means could include a strap with ratchet tightening means. The brackets may include engagement means engageable with a respective loading hook on the side of the trailer.

The brackets may include an L-shape base member, with one limb locatable on a top of the trailer, and the other limb locatable against the side of the trailer.

The brackets may include damping means for partially absorbing a load received on the sheet like members, and the damping means may include a compressible member. Alternatively the damping means may include a deformable member.

Fixing means may be mounted on a trailer for selectively receiving a bracket thereon when the assembly is to be used. The fixing means may include a generally vertically aligned sleeve.

The support arrangement preferably also comprises a plurality of elongate members extendible from the brackets away from the trailer to support the sheet like members extending between respective elongate members.

The support arrangement may be configured such that in use the elongate members are inclined gently upwardly from the trailer, and typically at an inclination of between 5 and 20^s. The elongate members may be selectively mountable on the brackets to extend therefrom. The elongate members may be telescopic. The brackets may be arranged such that the elongate members may be selectively mountable at a chosen one of a plurality of positions on the bracket. The sheet like members may include sheets of textile materials such as canvas, or may include netting. The sheet like members may include cushioning means for absorbing the impact of a person falling thereon. The cushioning means may include stitching within the sheet like members which is designed to break upon a person falling thereon to provide impact absorption.

The sheet like members may include sleeves which fit around the elongate members. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a first fall rest assembly according to the invention partially fitted on a lorry trailer;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the trailer and assembly of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic rear view of the assembly and trailer of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 4 is a perspective diagrammatic view of part of the assembly and trailer of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a second fall rest assembly according to the invention fitted on a lorry trailer; and Fig. 6 is a perspective diagrammatic view of part of the assembly and trailer of Fig. 5.

Figs 1 to 4 of the drawings show a lorry trailer 10 as would be pulled by a truck unit (not shown) in an articulated manner, and would be suitable for carrying items such as concrete beams. The trailer 10 has a flat load carrying bed 12. A first fall arrest assembly 14 according to the invention is partially mounted on the trailer 10 to provide protection for a person falling off the load bed 12.

The assembly 14 includes a support arrangement with a plurality of brackets 16 from which extend respective elongate members 18. Fig. 4 shows a one of the brackets 16 in more detail. The bracket 16 comprises an L-shape section base member 20 with a longer limb 22 locatable adjacent the side of the trailer 10, and a shorter limb 24 locatable overlapping onto the top of the bed 12. A triangular fixing loop 26 is provided on the inner side of the longer limb 22, which loop 26 can be attached to a loading hook 28 on the side of the trailer 10. On the outer side of the longer limb 22 a conventional ratchet mechanism 30 is provided with a strap 32 extending therefrom across the bed 12 to engage with a corresponding bracket 16 on an opposite side of the trailer 10. The ratchet mechanism 30 can be used to tighten the strap 32 to retain the pair of brackets 16 on the trailer 10 with the tension in the strap 32 acting against the engagement between the loop 26 and the loading hook 28.

A laterally open vertically extending length of channel section 34 is also provided on the outer side of the longer limb 22. A cylindrical boss 36 is mounted about a horizontal axis 38 at the top of the channel section 34. A load bar 40 extends downwardly from the boss 36. Between the load bar 40 and the base of the channel section 34 is a damping means in the form of a block of silicon (not shown). A threaded hole is provided in the boss 36 which threadably locates an elongate sheet support bar 42.

The assembly 14 also includes a plurality of sheet members 44 extendable between adjacent sheet support bars 42. The sheet members 44 may be provided in a length, with a plurality of spaced sleeves 46 provided thereon to locate respective sheet support bars 42 therein. The sheet members 44 are made of a canvas material with a plurality of stitching therein which is designed to tear when a person falls thereon to absorb the impact of a fall on the sheet members 44.

In Figs. 1 to 3, the sheet members 44 and corresponding brackets 16 are only shown on the sides of the trailer 10, and two of the sheet members 44 has yet to be installed in Fig. 1. A corresponding arrangement will also be provided on the rear of the trailer 10, and the respective sheet support bars 40 may extend diagonally from the corners of the trailer. Alternative or additional means may be required to secure the respective brackets 16 to the trailer 10, and these could engage for instance with the end most bracket 16 already mounted on the trailer 10.

In use, the brackets 16 are mounted to the trailer 10 as indicated above, by locating the loops 26 on the respective hooks 28. The straps 32 are then tightened using the ratchet mechanisms 30. The sheet support bars 42 can be screwed onto the bosses 36. The sheet members 44 are fitted onto the sheet support bars 42, and this may be carried out before the sheet support bars 42 are mounted on the respective bosses 36. As can be seen for instance from Fig. 3, the sheet support bars 42 and hence sheet members 44 are inclined gently upwardly away from the trailer 10, and typically at an angle of around 10°. This inclination may be provided by the silicon damping means. The assembly 14 therefore provides an area around the lorry trailer 10 which can catch a person who may fall or be knocked of the load bed 12. In such an instant the faii of the person wiii be absorbed by tearing of the stitching in the sheet members 44 and also by the damping provided within the channel sections 34. The assembly 14 can readily be removed from a lorry when not required and each assembly 14 can be used on a wide number of different vehicles. Accordingly, it may be possible to only have a small number of such assemblies where items are to be unloaded. Alternatively, such assemblies could be carried in a vehicle and only mounted on the vehicle for unloading and perhaps also loading.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a second fall arrest assembly 100 fitted on a lorry trailer 10. The assembly 100 is similar in many respects to the assembly 14, and therefore only the differences will be highlighted. A plurality of brackets 102 are again provided mounted in pairs on opposite sides of the trailer 10 with a strap 104 extending between the pairs of brackets 102 with a ratchet mechanism 106 on each bracket 102.

The brackets 102 include an L-shape base member 108 mountable with its base 110 facing down and extending across a part of the top of the trailer 10. The stem 112 of the L extends downwardly against the side of the trailer 10, and a plurality of pairs of mounting slots 114 are provided extending part way into the stem 112 horizontally from each side. The slots 114 define fingers 116 therebetween.

Each bracket 102 can be mounted on the trailer 10 by a chain (not shown) with a link located on a one of the fingers 116. The chain extends from the one finger 116 around two mounting hooks 118 provided on the trailer 10, to be mounted in a similar fashion on the corresponding finger 116 on the opposite side of the stem 112. Providing a plurality of slots 114 and hence fingers 116 permits mounting on trailers with beds of different thicknesses.

A pair of spaced brackets 120 extend outwardly from the base member 108. A pin 122 extends between the brackets 120 close to the base member

108, and three pairs of holes 124 are provided to permit different positioning of the pin 122. A pair of upwardly facing slots 126 is provided towards the distal ends of the spaced brackets 120. A plurality of elongate members 128 between which sheet members

130 can extend are provided. Each elongate member 128 includes a pair of outwardly extending fingers 132 towards one end thereof. In use as shown in Fig. 6, the fingers 132 locate in the slots 126, and the proximal end of the elongate members 128 locates beneath the respective pin 122. The different holes 124 permit the elongate members 128 to be mounted at different inclinations. If a large downward force is experienced on the elongate members 128 due for instance to a person falling onto the sheet members 130, this will tend to bend the pins 122, thereby damping the force, and also reducing the chance of a person bouncing of the sheet members 130. The arrangement of the slots 126 means that the sheet members 130 can readily be located in position and be removed when required.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the bracket may take a different form. In some instances a fixing means such as a vertically aligned channel or sleeve could be provided on a long trailer to receive a bracket. If required the elongate members could be telescopic, and could be differently mounted to the bracket. The sheet members may take a different form, and could for instance comprise netting. Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A fall arrest assembly, the assembly including a support arrangement selectively locatable on a lorry trailer to extend generally laterally therefrom, and a plurality of sheet like members locatable on the support arrangement to provide a barrier around the lorry trailer to catch a person falling therefrom.

2. An assembly according to claim, in which the assembly extends from the sides and rear of the lorry trailer.

3. An assembly according to claims 1 or 2, in which the support arrangement includes a plurality of brackets selectively mountable on a lorry trailer.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, in which at least some of the brackets are provided in pairs, with each bracket of a pair located on a respective side of the trailer substantially opposite the other, with link means engageable between the brackets to facilitate retention thereof on the trailer.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, in which the link means are flexible.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, in which the link means are tensionable across the trailer.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, in which the link means includes a strap with ratchet tightening means.

8. An assembly according to any of claims 3 to 7, in which the brackets include engagement means engageable with a respective loading hook on the side of the trailer.

9. An assembly according to any of claims 3 to 8, in which the brackets include an L-shape base member, with one limb locatable on a top of the trailer, and the other limb locatable against the side of the trailer.

10. An assembly according to any of claims 3 to 9, in which the brackets includes damping means for partially absorbing a load received on the sheet like members.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, in which the damping means includes a compressible member.

12. An assembly according to claims 10 or 11 , in which the damping means includes a deformable member.

13. An assembly according to any of claims 3 to 12, in which fixing means are mounted on a trailer for selectively receiving a bracket thereon when the assembly is to be used.

14. An assembly according to claim 13, in which the fixing means include a generally vertically aligned sleeve.

15. An assembly according to any of claims 3 to 14, in which the support arrangement also comprises a plurality of elongate members extendible from the brackets away from the trailer to support the sheet like members extending between respective elongate members.

16. An assembly according to claim 15, in which the support arrangement is configured such that in use the elongate members are inclined gently upwardly from the trailer.

17. An assembly according to claim 16, in which the support arrangement is configured such that in use the elongate members are inclined at an inclination of between 5 and 20^Q.

18. An assembly according to any of claims 15 to 17, in which the elongate members are selectively mountable on the brackets to extend therefrom.

19. An assembly according to claim 18, in which the elongate members are arranged such that the elongate members are selectively mountable at a chosen one of a plurality of positions on the bracket.

20. An assembly according to any of claims 15 to 19, in which the elongate members are telescopic.

21. An assembly according to any of claims 15 to 20, in which the sheet like members include sleeves which fit around the elongate members.

22. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the sheet like members include sheets of textile materials such as canvas.

23. An assembly according to any of claims 1 to 21 , in which the sheet like members include netting.

24. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the sheet like members include cushioning means for absorbing the impact of a person falling thereon.

25. An assembly according to claim 24, in which the cushioning means include stitching within the sheet like members which is designed to break upon a person falling thereon to provide impact absorption.

26. A fall arrest assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A fall arrest assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

28. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.