GB2334292A

GB2334292A - Roof safety assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2334292A
Application number: GB9813699A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Anthony Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-02-12
Filing date: 1998-06-26
Publication date: 1999-08-18
Also published as: GB9802887D0; GB9813699D0

Abstract

A safety assembly for a person working e.g. up a ladder or on a roof comprises a saddle structure (S) arranged to seat over the apex of a pitched roof of a building, flexible anchoring lines (22,24) attached to the saddle structure and arranged to extend down opposite sides of the roof to one or more anchoring points for their free ends, and an inertia reel device (20) for restraining a user relative to the saddle. For example, the anchoring lines (22,24) may be passed through windows on opposite sides of the building, pulled taut and then have their free ends fastened together. The saddle may be installed by throwing a projectile over the roof, the projectile being attached on one end of a line extending from the saddle, then hauling the saddle onto the roof using this line.

Description

Roof or Ladder Safety Assembly The present invention relates to a safety assembly for a person working at height, e.g. up a ladder or on a roof.

Injuries caused by falls when working up ladders etc are all too common, particularly for domestic houseowners who are not generally used to working at heights. Various safety devices have been proposed but are complicated either to install or use: often these devices can only be installed by climbing onto the roof initially, which in itself can be dangerous.

I have now devised an assembly for ensuring the safety of a person working at a height, whether up a ladder or tower or on a roof, and which can be installed whilst the user remains on the ground.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety assembly which comprises a saddle structure arranged to seat over the apex of a pitched roof, flexible anchoring lines attached or attachable to the saddle and arranged to extend down opposite sides of the roof to one or more anchoring points for their free ends, and an inertia reel device for restraining a user relative to the saddle.

Preferably the anchoring lines are arranged to be passed through windows on opposite sides of the house or other building, pulled taut and then have their ends secured together. These ends of the anchoring lines may be simply tied together, or they may be provided with interengaging fasteners.

The inertia reel device may be fixed to the saddle, the free end of its line being arranged for fastening to the user, for example via a belt fastened around the user's waist or via a harness worn by the user.

Instead, the inertia reel device may be anchored to the ground, or to some convenient anchorage point, on the side of the house opposite the side at which the user wishes to work, with the safety line from the device extending over the roof via the saddle.

The saddle is preferably of generally inverted-V shape, with its respective sides arranged to seat flat against the opposite sides of the roof. Preferably the saddle is in the form of a frame. The opposite sides of the saddle may be pivotally mounted to each other, to allow these to be set at an angle appropriate for the pitch angle of the roof on which it is to be used, with means being provided to lock the two sides of the saddle in the selected configuration.

Preferably the saddle is at least partly covered by cushioning material to prevent it causing damage as the saddle is raised onto or lowered from the roof. Preferably the cushioning material is in the form of one or more sleeves fitted around the frame member which form the saddle.

Preferably the inertia reel device is mounted to a cross-member positioned at the apex of the saddle. Preferably this cross-member is mounted for rotation about its own axis.

Preferably the inertia reel device is mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of this cross-member.

For installing the saddle onto the roof, preferably a projectile is provided, attached to one end of a line. The projectile is then thrown over the roof, taking the latter line with it. The saddle is then pulled up onto the roof, using this line: another line may extend from the other side of the saddle and used by a second person, to steady or guide the saddle as it is raised into position. In this way, it will be appreciated that, during the installation of the assembly, the person or persons installing it remain on the ground. The anchoring lines may be used as the lines for the installation procedure, or may have the installation lines connected to them.

The anchoring lines and/or safety line of the inertia reel device may comprise flat belts, e.g. of webbing material.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a safety assembly in accordance with the present invention; FIGURES 2 and 3 are schematic views to show successive stages in the installation of the assembly of Figure 1 on the roof of a house; and FIGURE 4 is a view showing the safety assembly when installed on the roof.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a safety assembly which comprises a saddle structure S arranged to seat over the apex of a pitched roof. The saddle S in the example shown comprises a frame of inverted-V shape, made up of two pairs of legs 10, 12 and 14, 16, each pair being joined together at their lower ends by horizontal sections 13, 15 and the corresponding legs of the respective pairs (e.g. 10 and 14, 12 and 16) being joined at their upper ends. A cross-member 18 extends between two bearing devices 17, 19 which are fixed to the frame at the junctions between the corresponding legs 10, 14 and 12, 16: the cross-member 18 is accordingly free to turn around its own axis.

An inertia reel device 20 is mounted to the crossmember 18 at its centre and is free to turn around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the cross-member 18. The inertia reel device 20 comprises a housing in which a length of safety line 22 is wound on a reel, the free end of the line 22 extending out through an aperture in the housing. A biassing arrangement acts on the reel to recoil the safety line 22 onto the reel: normally the line can be extended relatively freely by applying tension to it; however, an inertia arrangement of the device 20 acts on the reel to lock it, and so prevent the line 22 being unwound further, in the event of an abrupt pull being applied to the line. The free end of the line 22 is secured to a belt (not shown) arranged for fastening around the user's waist, or to a harness to be worn by the user.

The frame which forms the saddle S is formed of tubular steel. The lower sections 13, 15 are covered by sleeves 12a, 15a of cushioning material: the legs 10, 12, 14, 16 of the saddle S may also be covered by sleeves of cushioning material.

Flexible lines 22, 24 are fixed, each at one of their ends, to the respective lower sections 13, 15 of the saddle structure: the opposite ends of the two lines 22, 24 are arranged to be fastened together, as will be explained below, to anchor the saddle S in position over the apex of the roof.

In use, the saddle S which has been described seats over the apex of a pitched roof. The procedure for installing the saddle on the roof will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Thus, use is made of a projectile 30, (such as a ball, e.g. tennis ball) attached to one end of a line 32, the projectile being thrown over the roof R of a house H: the other end of the line 32 is attached to one side of the saddle.

Then the line 32 is pulled, from its free end, to pull the saddle up and onto the roof: the movement of the saddle can be controlled, especially to avoid obstructions and to avoid the saddle striking windows etc, by a second person holding a second line 34 attached to the opposite side of the saddle from the line 32. It will be appreciated that the anchoring lines 22, 24 of the saddle may be used as the installation lines 32, 34: alternatively, the installation lines 32, 34 may be attached to the free ends of the anchoring lines 22, 24 instead of directly to the saddle.

Once the saddle S has been manoeuvred into position over the apex of the roof (Figure 4), the free ends of the anchoring lines 22, 24 are passed through open windows W1, W2 on the opposite sides of the house, then pulled taut and fastened together within the house. The ends of the two lines may be simply tied together: alternatively they may be provided with mutually engaging fasteners. The two windows through which the respective anchoring lines are passed do not need to be directly in line with each other and the two lines may follow a non linear path in passing through internal doorways within the house, in order for their ends to meet. Once pulled taut and fastened together in the above manner, the anchoring lines act to hold the saddle firmly in position over the apex of the roof.

The user can now attach the free end of the safety line 22 to himself, either by means of a belt around his waist or by means of a harness. He can now work up a ladder or the like, the safety line normally allowing him to move freely: however, should he fall and so apply an abrupt pull on the safety line, the inertia reel device will lock the safety line and hold the user against falling. It will be noted that the inertia reel device can turn, about its point of attachment to the saddle, according to the movement of the user along the side of the house.

Preferably two of the above-described safety assemblies are used, with their saddles secured in positions spaced apart along the apex of the roof, and the user attached to the safety lines of both saddles. This provides for increased safety in that the user will, in the event of a fall, be restrained from moving sideways and abrading against the wall of the house.

Although the assembly has been described with the inertia reel device mounted to the saddle, it may instead be anchored to the ground on the opposite side of the house from where the user is working, the safety line then extending over the saddle via a guide point on the latter.

In the assembly which has been described, the saddle is of fixed configuration: however, in a modification, the two sides of the saddle may be pivotally mounted to each other and provided with a locking arrangement for fixing the two sides of the saddle at a selected angle, appropriate for the angle of pitch of the roof.

Claims

Claims 1) A safety assembly which comprises a saddle structure arranged to seat over the apex of a pitched roof of a building, flexible anchoring lines attached or attachable to the saddle and arranged to extend down opposite sides of the roof to one or more anchoring points for their free ends, and an inertia reel device for restraining a user relative to the saddle.
2) A safety assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said anchoring lines are arranged to be passed through windows on opposite sides of the building, pulled taut and then have their ends secured together.
3) A safety assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which said ends of said anchoring lines are provided with interengaging fasteners.
4) A safety assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said inertia reel device if fixed to said saddle.
5) A safety assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said safety reel device is arranged for anchoring to the ground or other anchorage point, and for its safety line to extend over said roof via the saddle.
6) A safety assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the saddle is of generally inverted-V shape.
7) A safety assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the saddle has opposite sides which are pivotally mounted to each other, for setting at an angle appropriate for the pitch angle of different roofs.
8) A safety assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the saddle is in the form of a frame.
9) A safety assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the saddle is at least partially covered by cushioning material.
10) A safety assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said inertia reel device is mounted to a rotatablymounted cross-member positioned at the apex of the saddle.
11) A safety assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a projectile attached to one end of a line which extends from the saddle, for use in installing the saddle structure on the roof.
12) A safety assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.