FR2700799A1 - Movable anchoring device allowing safe movement along a horizontal axis. - Google Patents

Abstract

The mobile anchoring device according to the invention is of the type comprising a cable (1) supported by support elements (2) which are spaced apart and fixed on a construction element (3), and a clamp (4) which can accommodate the cable (1) in a groove by means of a window closed by at least one jaw, the said clamp (4) allowing fastening and movement along the cable (1) of a safety harness (8) of a person and/or of a load, characterised in that the support elements (2) are formed by an annular head (9) which encloses the cable (1), by a link pin and by a base (10), the whole allowing movement, in complete safety along a horizontal axis, of the clamp (4), without the latter being detached when passing over the support elements (2). The device finds a preferred application in safety means for persons working in high locations.

Description

The subject of the invention is a mobile anchoring device for the

  type using a lifeline and a clamp.

  The clamp allows the attachment of a safety harness for the use of a person and / or a load, for example a scaffolding. Said mobile anchoring device allows movement along the entire lifeline without it being necessary, at a single instant, to unhook the clamp, inter alia at the cable fixing points relative to the elements of

construction.

  Nowadays, many fall protection devices use

lifelines and clamps.

  Thus, the document FR-A-2 637 314 relates to a safety device for a structure with a large horizontal span, composed of

  sections abutted to each other such as a crane boom.

  This device includes a lifeline cable to which an individual protection harness is attached by a backup line

  provided with a hooking member sliding freely on the cable.

  The latter is made up of sections of cable butted together, each of which has a length equal to that of the section of the structure with which it is associated, the sections of cable being connected together by means of connection allowing their separation A point anchoring is provided at at least one of the ends of each section, and the backup line comprises a second attachment member by which it can be attached

  provisionally at said anchor point.

  Document FR-A-2 635 981 relates to a safety device for traveling along a lifeline comprising a cable supported by various intermediate support collars spaced along the cable, each collar defining a closed space preventing accidental exit cable; means for fixing said collars to building elements; a means of connection between the cable and an individual protection device comprising a hooking member sliding freely on the cable and a balancing member; means for crossing each support collar This device is characterized in that each support collar has a substantially U-shaped profile, one of the branches of which is adjacent to the construction, and in that said crossing means comprise a means movable shutter of the opening of the U capable of being moved into a position for releasing the opening of the collar to allow it to be crossed by

said connecting means.

  Document FR-A-2 606 648 relates to a safety device of the type called "lifeline" comprising a rail along which moves a carriage provided with a ring intended by a link to be connected to a harness, a belt or other, the carriage comprising means for blocking it on the rail, characterized in that the carriage is provided with two grooves intended to cooperate with two opposite edges of said rail, in one of the grooves extending an axis provided with a slot whose dimensions correspond to that of said groove the lateral edges of the slot forming two jaws, said axis being integral with a lever provided with the ring and movable between two stops, the angular setting of the lever being such on the axis that, in a middle intermediate angular position between the two stops, the slot is aligned with the groove while, in all other angular positions, the jaws bear against the rail to

  secure the carriage on said rail.

  Document FR-A-2 448 355 relates to an anti-fall device anchored from the ground, essentially characterized in that it comprises: an insulating telescopic pole; a hooking member for the upper part of this pole, for example on the line's support frames; means for locking this hooking member; means for controlling this locking; a lifeline, secured at one end to the fastening member, and capable, at the other end, of being anchored to the ground near the base of the post; and a sliding fall prevention device on this rope, connected by

elsewhere to the editor.

  Finally, document EP-A-0 124 189 relates to a safety device for a lifeline used outside a structure, for example in a wheelhouse of a boat, comprising members for fixing the lifeline in different spaced points and particularly in the corners of said structure, which allows the passage at the level of the fixing members, of a hook of the safety line which is attached and can slide

along the lifeline.

  In one embodiment, each fixing member comprises a hollow wheel and a sliding element which embraces the teeth of said wheel, which have lateral circular grooves which join them with the sliding element, so that, when the hook is present at said fixing members, it enters between two teeth of the hollowed-out wheel which will rotate around its axis, while the internal face of the hook will slide against the sliding element which,

he remains motionless.

  It is this latter patent that best defines the state of the art, the other devices not allowing the passage of a hook or loop relative to an anchor point of the cable without said hook or said loop is not disconnected

of said cable.

  The main drawbacks of this device lie, on the one hand, in the fact that each cable anchoring point must be equipped with this device and, on the other hand, in the fact that the mechanism which allows the attachment of the teeth of the gear wheel with the sliding element is very sophisticated and therefore easy to

to alter.

  The present invention aims to solve these problems.

  For this purpose, the mobile anchoring device according to the invention is of the type comprising a cable of circular section supported by support elements spaced along said cable, and fixed on construction elements, and a section-shaped clamp of U extending longitudinally, which forms a groove and a window, said groove being intended to receive said cable, and said window being closed by at least one jaw movable in rotation about its axis which is parallel to the groove; said clamp authorizing the fixing as well as the longitudinal displacement along the cable of a safety harness of a person and / or a load, the support elements include an annular head, a base and a connecting axis between said head and base, and the outside diameter of the annular head of each support element being greater than the width of the clamp window, and that the diameter of the connecting axis of each support element is less than the width of the clamp window, so that said clamp cannot be detached from the cable at the level of the support elements, although it can slide, characterized in that said annular head grips the cable so that when a longitudinal movement, the jaw or jaws of the clamp open and close automatically when each connecting axis passes without the clamp being able to be unhooked. Another object of the invention is that the diameter of the cable is less than the width of the window of the clamp, so that said clamp can be detached from the cable between the

supporting elements.

  Another subject of the invention is the fact that the jaw or jaws of the clamp act as opening cams and

  closing of said clamp at each support element.

  The invention also relates to a mobile anchoring device characterized in that each jaw has a longitudinal edge of convex shape which facilitates the passage of

  the connecting axis of the support element.

  Another object of the invention resides in the fact that each jaw which closes the window of the clamp is movable in rotation according to different positions of said clamp, first of all an open position which allows the engagement of the cable in the groove of the clamp, then a semi-open position which allows the longitudinal movement of the clamp at the level of the support elements, and, finally, a closed position which allows the longitudinal movement of the clamp along the cable between the support elements. An object of the invention consists in the fact that each jaw has elastic means which hold

  automatically clamp in closed position.

  Another object of the invention consists in the fact that each jaw has an external lug which allows the maintenance

  pliers manual in open position.

  The attached drawings are given as indicative and non-limiting examples. They represent a preferred embodiment according to the invention. They will make it possible to

easily understand the invention.

  Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in its

preferred mode of use.

  Figure 2 is a side view of the clamp in position

  closed but in a cable snap configuration.

  Figure 3 is a side view of the clamp in the open position, in an engagement or release configuration of the cable. Figure 4 is a side view of the clamp in position

  closed but in a cable release configuration.

  Figure 5 is a radial section along A-A of Figure 2

  of the clamp in the closed position, the cable being snapped in.

  Figure 6 is a side view of the clamp in position

  semi-open at the level of a support element.

  Finally, FIG. 7 is a front view of an element of

  support with the cable attached to it.

  According to Figure 1, an individual with a safety harness

  8, is located in a high place.

  Said harness 8 secures it thanks to a lifeline which

  includes, among other things, a clamp 4 and a cable 1.

  This clamp 4 can have a horizontal movement in complete safety along said cable 1 by simple force exerted on the

harness 8.

  Plated against the elements 3, such as walls, beams, ceilings, support elements 2 immobilize the cable 1 by

  in relation to said building elements 3.

  Each support element 2 is generally formed of a so-called annular head 9 which encloses said cable 1 and of a base 10 which

  is in contact with the construction elements 3.

  According to the following three figures, we better understand the

  system for attaching the clamp 4 to the cable 1.

  Thus, Figure 4 shows the clamp 4 in the closed position.

  In other words, the clamp 4 has, from the side, a shape of a truncated cylinder, the center of the cylinder forming the groove 5 of the

  clamp 4, and the truncation forming the window 6 of the clamp 4.

  On each side of the window 6, two axes carry two jaws 7, which are in the closed position, that is to say that their

  ends are opposite one another.

  This closed position is the normal position of the clamp 4, because each axis is surrounded by a coil spring, the two ends of which extend longitudinally, so that one of the ends is in abutment against the corresponding jaw 7, while the other end is pressed against

the body of the clamp 4.

  Said spring is not shown in the figures in a

  for clarity, such a device is already known.

  On the periphery of the body of the clamp 4, there are lugs 13 integral with the jaws 7 whose function will appear

further.

  Still in this side position, the ends of the

  jaws 7 have, substantially, a shape of right triangle.

  This shape facilitates the entry of the cable 1 into the groove 5 of the clamp 4, because each outer side of the jaws 7 forms an angle of about 45 degrees with the axis passing through the center of the cylindrical shape of the clamp 4 and the interface between

the two jaws 7.

  In the two outer sides, jaws 7 form a

right angle between them.

  This is not the case of the inner sides of the jaws 7 which together form a flat angle, which prevents the unexpected exit.

cable 1 from groove 5.

  The truncated cylinder of the clamp 4 extends unilaterally to allow the attachment of a loop 14, to which the

  safety harness 8 can be attached.

  In FIG. 3, the cable 1 is pushed into the groove 5, in order to do so, it passes at the level of the window 6, spreading the two

jaws 7 from each other.

  The clamp is said to be in the open position.

  In FIG. 2, the cable is located in the groove 5 of the clamp 4, the two jaws 7, under the effect of the coil springs, have closed, said cable 1 is thus circumscribed in the groove 5 closed at its window 6 by the two jaws

  7, without the possibility of exiting as has been seen above.

  The cable 1 is released in a completely different way.

  The coil springs holding the jaws 7 in the closed position, it is necessary, to open them, to play on the pins 13 by moving them away from each other by simple rotation around the axes

of said jaws 7.

  Cable 1 can then be released.

  This movement is visible in Figure 3 o the direction of the arrow must be reversed and handling at the pins

13 must be indicated.

  The clearance is also visible in Figure 5 which is

  a radial section of the clamp of FIG. 2.

  It can be seen that the body of the clamp 4 extends longitudinally around the cable 1, that the latter has a certain play of movement in the groove 5, and that the jaws 7 are provided with a longitudinal edge of convex shape 12 of which

the utility will appear later.

  Another point to note in this figure: a sleeve surrounds the cable 1, this sleeve is the annular head 9 of

the support element 2.

  According to FIG. 6, one sees more precisely said element of

  support 2 which is made up of three essential parts.

  First, base 10 which is the part pressed against

building element 3.

  In the specific case of FIG. 6, the cable being in the corner, between a wall and a ceiling, the base 10 has a profile view in the shape of an inverted L which adapts better to its environment. However, these supporting elements 2 may have

  different shapes as for their base 10, for example.

  Then, the second part is formed of the annular head 9 whose inner diameter is greater than the diameter of the cable 1, but whose outer diameter is less than the diameter

  inside the body of the clamp 4, or of the groove 5.

  Finally, located between the base 10 and the annular head 9, there is a connecting pin 11 whose diameter is less than the

window width 6.

  In addition, the length of said window 6 is less than

diameter of the annular head 9.

  This configuration allows the clamp 4 to slide along the cable 1 and pass the support elements 2 without clearance

of cable 1 of clamp 4.

  It also allows the passage of the clamp at the connection axes 11 by simple semi-opening of the jaws 7, without risk of the clamp 4 coming off relative to the cable 1, since the window 6 of the clamp 4 cannot leave pass the head

  ring 9 of the support element 2 of the cable 1.

  According to the last and seventh figure, the support element 2 is integral with a construction element 3 by means of any suitable fixing means, such as screws,

nails, rivets or staples.

  It is the base 10 which carries the fixing means.

  The connecting pin 11 secures the annular head 9 to the base

10.

  Said annular head 9 lets through, within it, the cable 1. We therefore understand the advantage of having jaws 7 having convex longitudinal edges, which facilitate the passage of

  the clamp 4 at the level of the support elements 2.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

9.

10. 11. 12. 13.

14.

REFERENCES

  Cable Support element Construction element Clamp Throat Window Jaw Safety harness Ring head Base Linking axis Convex longitudinal edge Pin Stud Buckle

Claims (6)

  1 mobile anchoring device allowing movement in complete safety along a horizontal axis of the type comprising a cable (1) of circular section supported by support elements (2) spaced along said cable (1), and fixed on elements of construction (3), and a U-shaped section clip extending longitudinally, which forms a groove (5) and a window (6), said groove (5) being intended to receive said cable (1), and said window (6) being closed by at least one jaw (7) movable in rotation about its axis (11) which is parallel to the groove (5); said clamp authorizing the fixing as well as the longitudinal movement along the cable (1) of a safety harness (8) of a person and / or a load, the support elements (2) comprise an annular head ( 9), a base (10) and a connecting pin (11) between said head (11) and base (10), and the outside diameter of the annular head (9) of each support element (2) being greater than the width of the window (6) of the clamp (4), and that the diameter of the connecting pin (11) of each support element (2) is less than the width of the window (6) of the clamp (4), so that said clamp (4) cannot be detached from the cable (1) at the level of the support elements (2), although it can slide, characterized in that said annular head (9) grips the cable so that during horizontal movement, the jaw (s) (7) of the clamp (4) open and close automatically with the pass age of each connecting pin (11) without the clamp (4) being able to be detached. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the diameter of the cable (1) is less than the width of the window of the clamp (4), so that said clamp (4) can   be disconnected from the cable (1) between the support elements (2).   3 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the jaw (s) (7) of the clamp (4) act as cams for opening and closing said clamp (4) at   of each support element (2). the   4 Device according to any one of claims 1   or 3, characterized in that each jaw (7) has a convex shaped longitudinal edge (12) which facilitates the passage of the connecting axis (11) of the support element (2).   Device according to any one of claims 1,   3 or 4, characterized in that each jaw (7) which closes the window (6) of the clamp (4) is rotatable in different positions of said clamp (4): an open position which allows the engagement of the cable (1) in the groove (5) of the clamp (4), a semi-open position which allows the longitudinal displacement of the clamp (4) at the level of the support elements (2), and a closed position which allows the longitudinal movement of the clamp (4) along the cable (1) between the support elements (2).   6 Device according to any one of claims 1,   3, 4 or 5, characterized in that each jaw (7) has elastic means which   automatically hold the clamp (4) in the closed position.   7 Device according to any one of claims 1,   3, 4, 5, or 6, characterized in that each jaw (7) has an external lug (13) which   allows manual maintenance of the clamp (4) in the open position.