FR2765807A1 - Change-over safety-line attachment box for linesman - Google Patents

Abstract

Two concave covers (20) bolted together through an inner body, leaving a gap between rims, form a box attached (29,53) to the safety harness (50,52). Two peripheral apertures (19) allow the entry (19A) and removal (19C) of safety-line (49) terminal tags (11) into and from notches (42) in a disc (41) rotatable about the inner hub (25). The entry notch (42A) is blocked by spring (32) pads (30), preventing rotation. Inserting a second safety-line tag (11A) between pads allows the wearer to rotate the disc, the thin tag neck (14A) traversing the cover gap with the thicker nose (12) secured inside. Simultaneously, the first line's tag (11B) reaches the removal aperture (19C), and the disc is locked again at the entry aperture (19A).

Description

CONNECTOR FOR STRAPS FOR SECURING A
OPERATOR ON SECURITY CABLES
DESCRIPTION
Field of the invention
The invention relates to pylons, such as those intended to keep overhead overhead power lines, and in particular those having horizontal support arms and belay cables mounted along the vertical section and along the horizontal support arms.

Prior art and problem posed
Referring to Figure 1, the pylons intended to keep overhead overhead power lines have a vertical section 1 and one or more horizontal support arms 2 fixed to the section 1 in the upper part thereof. The height of such pylons can exceed fifty or even eighty meters and the length of the horizontal support arms can reach several tens of meters. At the end of these horizontal support arms are fixed insulators 3, to the lower part of which are fixed the overhead electrical lines which transport electrical energy in the form of very high electrical voltages.

 The various interventions to be carried out on such pylons very often relate to the maintenance of these power lines and their support elements and are, therefore, quite frequent. These interventions are, most of the time, carried out by operators operating directly at the top of the pylon at the level of the horizontal support arms and, in particular, near the insulators 3.

 Safety standards vis-à-vis personnel working on such pylons generally require that operators are subject, that is to say insured, against a possible fall due to a loss of balance or support during their evolution on the structure of the pylon. For this purpose, belay cables are generally installed, called "lifelines". We also evoke belaying by the term "subjugation".

 As shown in Figure 1, a first substantially vertical belay cable 5 is installed against the vertical section 1 of the pylon. Similarly, a second substantially horizontal belay cable 6 is fixed along each of the support arms 2. Thus, an operator 7 having to intervene at the top of the pylon or at the end of a support arm 2 can ensure the means of these belay cables 5 and 6. I1 can in particular use belay means consisting for example of a device, called mobile fall arrester 8 having an automatic blocking function and moving along the belay cables and a connecting strand 9 connecting such a device to the operator 7, by means of a harness and a carabiner. This equipment is similar to that used by mountaineers, the belay cables can be metal cables or mountaineering or speleology ropes made of textile and, in particular, polyamide.

 Note that at the level of the fixing of the horizontal support arms 2 to the upper end of the vertical section 1, the vertical belay cable 5 crosses the horizontal belay cable 6, that is to say that these two cables 5 and 6 intersect so that an operator arriving at this intersection, can detach his attachment device 9 from the vertical cable 5, to attach it to the horizontal cable 6.

It is understood that, during this cable change operation, there remains a moment, that is to say a few seconds, during which the operator may not be subject, since his attachment device 8 is detached from the vertical cable 5 and is not yet attached to the horizontal cable 6. The device according to the invention aims to remedy this drawback to ensure the continuity of the belaying of the operators having to operate at the top of the pylon and, in particular, on the horizontal arms 2.

 Furthermore, we know from the French patent application published under the number FR-A-2 735 292 a safety device making it possible to ensure the continuity of belaying or the subjugation of an operator working on a structure having a vertical section and a horizontal arm, when changing belay cables at their crossing.

 I1 consists mainly of a fork fixed at the intersection of the two cables 5 and 6 and produced in the form of a hoop, referenced 10 in this figure 1, having a slot in its lower part and a wider orifice in its upper part and inside which the two cables 5 and 6 pass. The cable change takes place inside this arch 10 after having removed the vertical cable 5 and passed the fastening device inside of the roll bar.

 The major drawback of this device is that it needs to be installed on each pylon, at each intersection of two belay cables.

The main object of the invention proposes another solution. It is a connector of tether strands for the belaying of an operator on a safety cable, each strand having a fixing end-piece, the connector having a housing intended to be fixed to a harness of a operator and defining
- an introduction hole to receive
the end fitting for a strand;
- an outlet orifice to release the nozzle from
fixing inserted in the hole
introduction
- means for passing each nozzle from
fixing, inserted in the hole
introduction, introduction hole
towards a locking position and this
locking position towards the
outlet only if another fixing end piece is
inserted into the insertion opening.

 In its main embodiment, each end piece having a thin part of a first determined thickness and a head terminating the end piece of a second determined thickness greater than the first thickness of the thin part, the inlet and outlet orifices are placed on the same outer surface of the housing and are of a width greater than the second thickness of the wide part of each end piece and connected by a peripheral groove of a determined width comprised between the first and the second thicknesses of each end piece, the locking position located halfway between the inlet port and the outlet port.

 In its main embodiment, the connector housing is round, the outer surface is the circular surface of this housing.

 The connector then preferably has a rotary disc placed inside the connector housing and comprising a determined number N of notches opening onto the periphery of the rotary disc and the shape of which corresponds to that of the head of each end piece. fixing of the strands, the inlet and outlet orifices being angularly offset by a value of 4 s / N, N being greater than or equal to 3 and also defining the number of positions of the tips in the connector.

 This connector is advantageously completed by a pair of jaws placed on either side of the rotating disc opposite the introduction orifice, fixed in rotation inside the housing and whose shape allows them to penetrate into the disc notches by elastic return means when one of the notches is in correspondence, thereby blocking the rotating disc in rotation, each jaw having a chamfer to allow a fixing end piece to spread them apart and to penetrate into the orifice 'introduction.

 Preferably, these elastic means are metal blades fixed to the housing.

 There is also a central hub fixed to the housing by fixed flanges between which is placed the rotating disc and having a notch in correspondence with the jaws.

List of Figures
The invention and its technical characteristics will be better understood on reading the following description accompanied by several figures representing respectively
- Figure 1, already described, a pylon on which
the device according to the invention can be used;
- Figure 2A, in section, the connector according to
the invention with the jaws of it in
closed position
- Figure 2B, in section, the connector according to
the invention, the jaws of the latter being
in open position
- Figure 3, the operating mode of the
connector according to the invention,
- Figure 4, the connector according to the invention in
one of its applications.

Detailed description of an invention
All the elements of the connector according to the invention are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B diagramming the two main phases of the operation thereof. Also shown is a carabiner 29, to which the connector is attached by a fixing hole 28 formed in a flange 27 connected to the body 20 of the connector. This carabiner is intended to be connected to the ventral attachment of the operator's harness.

There is also shown a fixing tip 11 placed at the entrance to the connector 20. it mainly comprises a head 12 in slightly tapered shape, that is to say having inclined faces 13 to form an insertion point. The fixing end piece 11 also comprises a thin part 14 connected to the attachment strand. It is noted that the thickness E1 of the head 12 is significantly greater than the thickness E2 of the thin part 14. It is also noted that there is a fairly clear detachment surface 15 between the head 12 and the thin part 14, so as to constitute an effective stop.

 The connector housing 20 consists of two cover-shaped parts each fixed by the flange to a central support 40. The latter consists of the flange 27 extending by two flanges 26, slightly spaced from one another and carrying a central hub 25. A central fixing pin 23 makes it possible to fix the two parts of the housing 20 on the central hub 25 of the support 40, by means of a fixing nut 24.

 A rotary disc 21 is mounted rotating around the central hub 25.

 As shown in FIG. 3, this rotary disc 41 has several notches 42A, 42B, 42C, placed at its periphery and each having a shape complementary to that of the heads 12 of the fixing end pieces 11. In the positions shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , a notch 19B of the rotary disc 41 is located in the upper part thereof, where the head 12 of the fixing end piece is located in FIG. 2B.

 It is noted that the support 40 has on its peripheral surface, that is to say in the upper part of the housing 20, in FIGS. 2A and 2B, or opposite the notches on the right 42A and on the left 42C of the rotary disc 41 in FIG. 3, openings 19A and 19C.

The width Eq of the latter is very slightly greater than the thickness E1 of the heads 12 of the fixing end pieces 11 so that the latter can penetrate inside the housing 20, as shown in FIG. 2B. The two inclined parts 13 of the head 12 of this endpiece 11 also make it possible to facilitate the introduction of the latter into the housing 20.

 FIGS. 2A and 2B also show a pair of jaws 30 fixed elastically by means of spring leaves 32 on the central part 22 of each of the two parts of the housing 20.

Thus, when a notch 42A, 42B, or 42C of the rotary disc 41 is located opposite the two jaws 30, the latter tend to penetrate into the corresponding notch and to approach to touch, under the effect of the two spring leaves 32.

 As shown in FIG. 2B, when the head 12 of a fixing tip 11 is introduced into the slot 19, thanks to the two inclined surfaces 13 of the heads 12 and to two chamfers 31 corresponding to the jaws 30, this introduction produces l 'spacing of the latter two.

 It is also noted that, as shown in the two figures 2A and 2B, a groove 21 is provided on the circular peripheral surface of the housing 20 over the entire periphery of the latter. The width E3 of this groove is provided greater than the thickness E2 of the thin part 14 of each fixing end piece 11, but less than the width E1 of the heads 12 of the same fixing end pieces 11. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2B , when a head 12 is introduced through an orifice 19 of the housing 20 and has penetrated inside the latter, the detachment surface 15 can serve as a stop to keep the head 12 enclosed in the housing 20, taking into account the means that the width E3 of the groove 21 is smaller than that E1 of the head 12, if the thin part 14 slides in the slot 21.

 This sliding is better represented in FIG. 3. In fact, there is shown the housing 20 of the open connector with a first tip 11A, on the right, being introduced into a first notch 42A of the rotating disc 41. There is also shown in this same notch 42A a jaw 30, since the latter can penetrate into the notch 42A, in the position shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2B. A second end fitting 11B has also been shown in the upper part of this figure, in its locked position inside the housing 20. In other words, the head 12B of this second end fitting 11B is entirely inside the housing .

 Indeed, there are simply only two orifices 19 on a connector according to the invention and, more precisely, an inlet orifice 19A on the right in FIG. 3 and an outlet orifice 19C on the left in FIG. 3. By against, in the upper position where the second end piece 11B is located, there is no orifice 19. Thus, the head 12B of this outlet end piece 11B is held captive inside the housing 20, thanks to the groove referenced 21 in FIG. 2A whose width is E3 is smaller than the thickness E1 of the heads 12A and 12B of the fixing ends 11, 11B. It is thus understood that in the intermediate position, called the locking position, that is to say that in which the fixing end 11b is located at the top of FIG. 3, this end 11B is trapped in the housing 20 and does not can therefore be extracted from it. It reaches this position by rotation of the rotary disc 41.

As can be understood from FIGS. 2A and 2B, if the jaws 30 are in the close position
(Figure 2A), that is to say that they are in a notch (42A, 42B, or 42C of Figure 3) of the rotary disc 41, the latter can not rotate. By cons, when the jaws 30 are apart (Figure 2B), they are no longer in a notch and no longer block the rotating disc 41 which can rotate.

Thus, the fixing end piece 12 introduced into the housing 20 (FIG. 2B) spreads the jaws 30 and allows the rotation of the rotary disc 41.

 Referring to Figure 3, it is therefore understood that such a tip 11A introduced into the housing through the inlet orifice 19A spreads the jaws 30 and allows the rotary disc 41 to rotate to move the tip llA towards the position where the end piece 11B is located in FIG. 3.

 Thus, it is impossible to change the fixing end piece 11B from its locking position, which is that shown at the top of FIG. 3, if another fixing end piece 11A is not introduced to spread the jaws 30 and allow the rotation of the rotary disc 41 resulting in the evolution of the fixing end piece 11B from its locking position to an exit position through the exit orifice 19C. It is of course specified that the jaws 30 and their elastic holding means which are the blades 32 are fixed in rotation. In other words, the jaws 30 are kept permanently facing the inlet orifice 19A.

 it is easy to understand that an operator equipped with a carabiner 29 and the connector according to the invention can be permanently ensured by using at least one fixing end piece 11, llA, or 11B, itself associated with a strand 49 himself subject to a belay cable. It should be borne in mind that the detachment of one of the fixing end pieces 11B requires the introduction of another fixing end piece 11A in the connector.

 Figure 4 shows a fixing tip 11 whose head 12 is ready to be inserted into a connector 60, itself connected to a carabiner 29 and secured to the harness 52 of an operator. The fixing end piece 11 is therefore subject to a belay strand 49, itself fixed to a belay cable 51 installed on the structure to be climbed. The securing of the belay strand 49 on the belay cable 51 can be done by means of a simple loop terminated by a locking ring 52 fixed to the end of the belay strand 49. This is an exemplary embodiment simple attachment of the belay line to the belay cable 51, easy to use.

 With reference also to FIG. 3, the connector can have two fixing rings 53 making it possible to pass through these holding straps 50 in order to position this connector always in the same way on the operator's body, for example around his neck.

 The connector according to the invention therefore allows an operator operating on a structure having belay cables to be insured or subject to a belay cable permanently by at least one belay line, once we have introduces a fixing tip into the connector. In other words, it is impossible to remove a fixing end piece without introducing a new fixing end piece into the connector.

 The embodiment shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 shows three positions for the fixing ends 11, 11A and 11B, which are an insertion position, a locking position and an exit position. In other words, there is a number N equal to 3 positions, but one could consider a fourth position (N = 4) unused between the entry position and the exit position and being then opposite to 1800 l one of the other. In the case of FIG. 3, these three positions are offset by 1200 (4 z / N), but this offset could vary depending on the number of positions.

 The system described here is rotary, but one could also consider a linear system in a parallelepiped box with a longitudinal slot and an endless flexible strip having reinforced notches.

Claims (7)

RESELL I CAT I ONS  1. Attachment strand connector for securing an operator on a safety cable (51), each strand (49) having a fixing end piece (11, llA, 11B), the connector comprising a housing (20 ) intended to be fixed to a harness (52) of an operator and comprising himself  - an introduction orifice (19A) to receive a fixing end piece (IIA)  - an outlet orifice (19C) to release the fixing endpiece introduced into the introduction orifice  (19A)  - Means for passing each fixing end piece (island, 11B, 11) introduced into the introduction orifice (19A), from the introduction orifice (19A) to a locking position and from this locking position towards the outlet orifice (19C), only if another fixing endpiece (lAA) is introduced into the introduction orifice (llA).  2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that each fixing end piece (11, llA, 11B) having a thin part (14, 14A, 14B) of a determined thickness (E2), a head (12, 12A, 12B), wider and being of a thickness (E1) greater than the thickness (E2) of the thin part (14, 14A, 14B), characterized in that the two insertion orifices (19A) and outlet (19C) are on the same outer surface of the housing (20) and of a width (E4) greater than the thickness (E1) of the head (12, 12, 12B) and connected by a peripheral groove (21 ) of a width (E3) between the thickness (E2) of the thin part (14, 14A, 14B) and the thickness (El) of the head (12, 12A, 12B), the locking position is located midway between the inlet (19A) and the outlet (19C).  3. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (20) is round and in that the outer surface thereof is its circular surface.  4. Connector according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a rotating disc (41) placed inside the housing (20) and comprising a number (N) of notches placed (42A, 42B, 42C) emerging on the periphery of the rotating disc (41) and whose shape corresponds to that of the head (12, 12A, 12B) of the fixing ends (11A, 11B), the insertion (19A) and outlet (19C) orifices being angularly offset by a value of 4 n / N, N being equal or  v greater than 3.  5. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a pair of jaws (30) fixed in rotation inside the housing (20), on either side of the rotary disc (41) opposite the '' inlet orifice (19A) and whose shape allows them to penetrate into the notches (42A, 42B, 42C) of the rotary disc (41) by elastic return means (32), when one of these is located in correspondence thus blocking in rotation the rotary disc (41), each jaw (30) comprising a chamfer (31) to allow a fixing end piece (11, llA, llB) to spread them by penetrating into the insertion orifice (19A).  6. Connector according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a rotation hub (25) fixed to the housing (20) by fixed flanges (26) between which is placed the rotary disc (41) and comprising a notch in correspondence with the jaws (30).  7. Connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the elastic means are metal blades (32) fixed inside the housing  (20).