GB2388148A

GB2388148A - An anchoring device for a safety line in a fall arrest system

Info

Publication number: GB2388148A
Application number: GB0209574A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Attwood
Original assignee: SAFELINE UK Ltd
Current assignee: SAFELINE UK Ltd
Priority date: 2002-04-26
Filing date: 2002-04-26
Publication date: 2003-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-26
Also published as: GB0209574D0; GB2388148B

Abstract

A safety anchor device comprises an outer sleeve 10 and an inner sleeve 11, each having a longitudinally extending slot, 12 13 respectively. Each sleeve is provided with a respective flange 14, 18, the flange 18 on the inner sleeve extending out through a slot 16 in the outer sleeve formed with a bight 17. The flanges 14, 18 have alignable apertures 15, 19 for engagement by a connector 20. The sleeves 10; 11 can be relatively positioned so that a safety cable 21 can be returned by non-alignment of the slots 12, 13 and allowed to be withdrawn from the device when the slots are fully aligned, and being lockable in the non-aligned position by the connector 20.

Description

Safety Anchor Device This invention relates to a safety anchor device for

use in conjunction with fall-arrest systems.

Fall arrest systems are known, for example from GB-A-2244305 5 where a flexible safety track or line is secured in relation to fixed structures by intermediate anchors, and arrayed about a work site such as a scaffold deck, roof area, or walkway, and each worker has a safety harness connected to the track or line using a connector or anchor device which is capable of running on the line and is designed to pass the 10 intermediate anchors without catching on or fouling the anchors.

The Barrow Hepburn type of anchor device described in GB-A-

2244305 and in W091/17795 comprises a cylindrical sleeve for running on the line, with a slot to enable the sleeve to pass a web of a bracket forming part of a track anchor.

15 A line to the safety harness is connected to a tongue, which is pivoted on a pin received in the sleeve, via an opening in the wall of the sleeve. Another type of anchor device is described in EP-A-0608164 (Protecta International) and this again comprises a sleeve with a 20 longitudinal slot to admit the line to the sleeve, having jaws shaped to prevent accidental withdrawal of the line from the slot. The line to the users harness is connected to the sleeve by a flange, which is positioned not to interfere with the slot.

( -2 The line to the safety harness is connected by hooking a karabina clip spring-clip through an aperture in the tongue or flange.

The construction of the known anchor device is relatively complex, for example that of EP-A-0608 164 includes the introduction of two

5 pivoted moveable jaws and securing these into the sleeve with provision of pivot pins and associated bores, whilst in W091/17795 and GB-A-

2244305 whilst the sleeve itself is relatively simple, but again bores have to be made in the sleeve and pivot pins provided for articulation of the tongue to which the safety harness line is attached.

10 It is an object of the invention to provide a construction of anchor device which is simple in construction, avoiding for example any need to provide pivot pins and bores for such pivot pins to articulate parts to each other, and provision of a stop to prevent the assembled members from coming apart.

15 In accordance with the invention, a safety anchor, for securing a safety harness line to a safety line or track so as to be displaceable along the safety line or track, comprises inner and outer sleeves, each sleeve being slotted to render the sleeve substantially C-shaped in cross section, each sleeve having a flange, the outer sleeve being arranged to allow 20 removal by axial sliding of the inner sleeve when the respective slots thereof are at least partially out of alignment, and to allow actual rotation of the inner sleeve when fully exerted to bring the slots into full alignment and the sleeves not relatively axially moveable.

-3 The flange of each sleeve may have an aperture therein for engagement with a hook or clip or other connector terminating a line connecting a safety harness to the anchor device, the aperture has been allignable with each other, and the flange on the inner sleeve may be 5 adapted to extend out from a slot in outer sleeve, which slot is open at one end of the outer sleeve and closed to the other end of the outer sleeve and includes a dog-leg or bight so that the flange on the inner sleeve can be displaced out of alignment with the open end of the slot by rotation of the inner sleeve within the outer sleeve to bring the slots in the 10 sleeves into full alignment to allow disengagement of the anchor from the safety line.

The apertures in the flanges provided for engagement with a connector for the safety harness line may be allignable by movement of the flange on the inner sleeve in the respective slot and secured by the 15 connector for the safety harness line, the slot in the sleeves being at least partially out of alignment so that the anchor can not be disengaged from the safety line.

The device preferably comprises only the inner and outer sleeve members with their associated slots and flanges with no fixed or pivotal 20 attachments between the members other than the capability for one member to be inserted within the other.

A preferred embodiment of the safety anchor device according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of anchor device in 5 accordance with the invention wherein the slot is in a semi closed position; Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 wherein the slot is in the fully open condition; Figure 3 is a cross section of the device of Figure 1, showing the 10 relative rotational position of the parts of the device in a semi-closed condition; Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3 wherein the relative rotational position of the parts is shown with the device in the fully open position; and 15 Figure 5 is a view from below in Figure 2 showing the device in the fully open condition.

A preferred embodiment of safety anchor device according to the invention comprises an outer sleeve member 10 and inner sleeve member 11. Both members are formed with a respective slot 12, 13 which slots 20 are open to both ends of the respective sleeve member so that the sleeve members 10, 11 both have a substantially C-shaped cross-section as best shown in figures 3 and 4.

-5 Outer sleeve 10 is formed with a flange 14 of trapezoidal or truncated triangular shape, and having an aperture 15 there through. This flange 14 is provided adjacent a second slot 16 in the outer sleeve which is open to one end of the sleeve, and is closed at the other and terminates 5 in a dogleg or bight 17.

Inner sleeve 11 is formed with a flange 18 of rectangular shape also having an aperture 19, there through. The flange 18 is mounted close to one of the lips of the slot 13 of the inner sleeve, and is arranged to extend through the second slot 16 of the outer sleeve, and can be 10 inserted into the outer end of the second slot 16 the outer sleeve.

The flange 18 may alternatively be positioned so that its aperture 19 is aligned with the aperture 15 in the flange 14 as in figures 1 and 3.

The inner and outer sleeves are then in relative rotational position wherein a first of which respected slots 12, 13 are out of alignment so slot 12 of 15 the outer sleeve is at least partially closed by the lip of the slot 13 in the inner sleeve.

The apertures 15, 19 may be held by a member 20 such as a karabina clip or a fastener at the end of the harness line. In this position the device cannot be removed from the safety line, but can be slid along 20 the clearing track anchors which can fit through semi-closed slot.

In the alternative positions shown in figures 2, 4 and 5, the flange 18 is moved to right in figure and enters the dogleg or bight 17.

( -6 The sleeves can now enter the rotational position of figure 4 wherein the slots 12 and 13 are substantially in alignment, and the safety line can exit the sleeves thus enabling the anchor device to be removed from the safety line. To do this the member 20 is removed from the 5 aligned apertures 15, 19 and the flange 18 displaced along the slot 16 force exerted on the device will then cause the sleeves to rotate to the extent allowed by the bight 17 and the safety line can then be removed from the sleeves.

The safety anchor device of the invention is secure in use, as it 10 cannot be accidentally removed from the safety line, but is relatively economic to produce as manufacture involves no provision of connecting parts such as pivot pins and bores for receiving such pins as the two parts of the device are simply assembled by sliding one within the other, no permanent connections between them necessary.

Claims

( CLAIMS

1. A safety anchor for securing a safety harness line to a safety line or track so as to be displaceable along the safety line or 5 track comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, each sleeve being longitudinally slotted to render the sleeve substantially C shaped in cross-section, each sleeve having a flange, the outer sleeve being arranged to allow removal by axial sliding of the inner sleeve when the respective slots thereof are at least 10 partially out of alignment, and to allow axial rotation of the inner sleeve when fully inserted to bring the slots into full alignment, axial relative movement of the sleeves being prevented when the slots are in full alignment.

2. A safety anchor according to claim 1 wherein the flange of each 15 sleeve may have an aperture therein for engagement with a connector terminating a line, the apparatus being alignable with each other.

3. A safety anchor according to claim 2 wherein the flange on the inner sleeve is adapted to extend out from a slot in the outer 20 sleeve, said slot being open at one end of the outer sleeve and closed at the other end of the outer sleeve and includes a bight so that the flange on the inner sleeve can be displaced out of alignment with the open end of the slot by rotation of the inner sleeve within the outer sleeve to bring the slots in the sleeves 25 into full alignment to allow disengagement of the anchor from the safety line.

4. A safety anchor for securing a safety harness line to a safety line or track, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.