NL2017372B1 - A fall arrest traveller - Google Patents

Abstract

A fall arrest traveller for slidable attachment to a safety line, said fall arrest traveller comprising - a housing, said housing and - an actuation assembly comprising - a first pivotable actuation member, - a second pivotable actuation member, - a connecting arm pivotably connected to the first lever arm and the second lever arm; and - an eye for attachment of the fall arrest traveller to a user. To reduce the risk that the fall arrest traveller is used mounted upside down to the safety line, the actuation assembly comprises a blocking element capable of moving under the influence of gravity and blocking the eye when the fall arrest traveller is mounted upside down.

Description

Patent center

The Netherlands

Θ 2017372 (21) Application number: 2017372 © Application submitted: 26/08/2016

BI PATENT (51) Int. CL:

A62B 1/14 (2016.01)

(Tl) Application registered: (73) Patent holder (s): 01/03/2018 SCHUURMAN MANAGEMENT B.V. in Ter Aar. (43) Application published: - (72) Inventor (s): Jacobus Jan Schuurman in Nieuwkoop. (w) Patent granted: Adrianus Franciscus Gerardus Schuurman 01/03/2018 in Ter Aar. (45) Patent issued: 05/03/2018 (74) Agent: ir. W.J.J.M. Kempes in Hilversum.

© A fall traveler judgment (57) A fall traveler judgment for slidable attachment to a safety line, said fall judgment traveler including

- a housing, said housing and

- an actuation assembly including

- a first pivotable actuation member,

- a second pivotable actuation member,

- a connecting arm pivotably connected to the first lever and the second lever; and

- an eye for attachment of the fall traveler to a user judgment.

To reduce the risk that the fall judgment traveler is used mounted upside down to the safety line, the actuation assembly comprises a blocking element capable of moving under the influence of gravity and blocking the eye when the fall judgment traveler is mounted upside down.

NL BI 2017372

This patent has been granted regardless of the attached result of the research into the state of the art and written opinion. The patent corresponds to the documents originally submitted.

A fall judgment traveler

The present invention relates to a fall judgment traveler for slidable attachment to a safety line, said fall judgment traveler including

- a housing, said housing defining

- a first main side and a second main side,

- a top side and a bottom side,

- a first side and a second side opposite of the first side, the first and second sides extending between the top side and the bottom side,

- a passage for the safety line,

- a receiving opening for the safety line at the first main side, said receiving opening capable of receiving the safety line,

- a recess away from the second side and facing the second side, said recess being defined by a wall section at the first main side, a wall section at the first side and a wall section at the second main side for receiving the safety line received through the receiving opening;

- an actuation assembly including

- a pivotable actuation member including a breaking shoe section relatively close to the first side and a liver section relatively far from the first side, with a pivot point between the breaking shoe section and the liver section, and

- an eye for attaching the fall traveler to a user judgment; and

- means for moving the pivotable actuation member

- from a first state of the fall traveler where the breaking shoe section is relatively far from the wall section at the first side and provides access to the safety line through the receiving opening

- to a second state where said breaking shoe section is relatively close to the wall section of the first side where the pivotable actuation member at least partially blocks the receiving opening.

In many occupations it is necessary for a person to work in a dangerous environment, such as a substantial height on a ladder or a building. In order to protect the person in case or falling in such an environment it is necessary, and often a legal requirement, to provide a substantial vertical safety line that is attached to the building or other structure on which the person is working, which the person is attached to when working on the structure.

A fall judgment traveler is a safety device which attaches a person, or other load, to the safety line and travels along the safety line with the person, to allow the person to move around the structure he or she is working on, while remaining attached to the safety line. The fall judgment traveler is generally connected to a safety harness worn by the person. If the person falls, the traveler locks onto the safety line to judgment the fall. The safety harness is attached to the fall traveler judgment using a carabiner or the like. In case of a fall, the breaking shoe section will move closer to the first side (a third state), clamping the safety line between the breaking shoe section and the wall section at the first side, thus arresting the fall.

A problem is that the person is responsible for a proper attachment or the safety device to the safety line. Attaching the fall traveler upside down judgment to the safety line renders it ineffective to catch a fall.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved fall judgment traveler that reduces the risk of accidents because of the upside down attachment or the fall judgment traveler to a safety line.

To this end, a fall judgment traveler according to the preamble is characterized in that the actuation assembly comprises a blocking element capable of moving with respect to the eye under the influence of gravity between a first position and a second position, when the fall judgment traveler

- in a proper upright orientation the blocking element is in the first position, and

- in an upside down orientation the blocking element is in the second position, while in the second position the eye is blocked more by the blocking element than in the first position.

Thus the attachment of a carabiner when the fall judgment traveler is mounted upside down to the safety line is made harder.

In one embodiment, the blocking element is a plate capable or hinging about an axis in a plane transverse to the first main side. In the upside down orientation of the fall judgment traveler, the blocking element will rest on the actuation assembly and at least partially cover the eye to impede attachment of a carabiner. When the fall judgment traveler is in the proper upright orientation, the blocking element hangs downward, providing free access for the carabiner to the eye.

When the blocking element is in the first position and thus the eye is at least partially blocked, it will not be possible to accidentally attach a carabiner or a safety harness to the fall judgment traveler because the blocking element prevents the carabiner from being passed through the eye.

In another embodiment the eye may have a keyhole shape, ie with a relatively wide section that allows passage of a carabiner and a relatively narrow section that doesn't allow passage of the carabiner, and the eye being provided with a pin having flanges at the both ends, the flanges being wider than the relatively wide section of the eye, and the pin capable of being received in the relatively narrow section of the eye. Only in the latter case will the blocking element allow attachment or a carabiner. In the proper upright orientation of the fall judgment traveler, the relatively narrow section is further away from the first side than the relatively wide section.

The means for moving the fall judgment traveler from the first state to the second state are for example provided by a pair of repelling magnets, one being provided on the housing and one on the liver section. This helps to keep the breaking shoe close to or to be in slidable contact with the safety line when the fall judgment traveler is in use.

In use the breaking shoe section will have a surface for contact with the safety line, which contact surface will be further away from the top side of the fall judgment traveler than the pivoting point of the actuation assembly including said breaking shoe section.

In general said receiving opening will run parallel to the first side and thus be capable of receiving the safety line when the safety line is parallel with the passageway.

According to a favorite embodiment, the actuation assembly comprises a guide for the blocking element, said guide including a first section and a second section, the blocking element is capable of

- moving with respect to the eye under the influence of gravity from the second section of the guide in which the eye is at least partially blocked to the first section of the guide in which the eye is less blocked when the fall judgment traveler is brought from an upside down orientation towards a desired upright orientation, and

- moving with respect to the eye under the influence of gravity from the first section of the guide in which the eye is relatively less blocked to the second section of the guide in which the eye is at least partially blocked when the fall judgment traveler is brought to an upside down orientation.

Advantageously, the blocking element is sandwiched between two opposite actuator member segments. Thus the risk is reduced that the blocking element is manipulated by the user.

According to a favorite embodiment, the receiving opening is a first receiving opening and the recess is a first recess, and the housing of the fall traveler comprises

- an entry slot at the first side for receiving the safety line when the safety line is transverse to the first main side,

- a second receiving opening for the safety line at the second main side, said first and second receiving opening capable of receiving the safety line when the fall judgment device is moved from an orientation where the safety line is transverse to the main side and received in the entry slot to an orientation where the safety line is parallel with the passageway, and

- a second recess away from the second side and facing the second side, said second recess being defined by a wall section at the second main side, a wall section at the first side and a wall section at the first main side for receiving the safety line received through the second receiving opening;

where the pivotable actuation member is a first pivotable actuation member, its breaking shoe section is a first breaking shoe section, its liver section is a first liver section, and its pivot point is a first pivot point;

in which the actuation assembly comprises

- a second pivotable actuation member including a second breaking shoe section and a second liver section, with a second pivot point between the second breaking shoe section and the second liver section,

- a connecting arm pivotably connected to the first lever and the second lever.

The connecting arm allows both actuation members to engage the safety line. Thus a very safe fall traveler judgment is provided.

In use the second breaking shoe section will have a second surface for contact with the safety line, which second contact surface will be further away from the top side of the fall judgment traveler than the second pivoting point of the second actuation assembly including said second breaking shoe section.

According to a favorite embodiment, the fall judgment traveler comprises a resilient element as the means for forcing at least one breaking shoe to move towards the wall section at the first side.

This is a reliable method of keeping the breaking shoe in slidable contact with the safety line when the fall judgment traveler is in use. The resilient element is for example a spring, such as a leaf spring and preferably a coil spring.

The present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the drawing where

FIG. 1A to FIG. ID show side views or a fall judgment traveler in various positions of actuation members;

FIG. IE is a top view on FIG. 1C;

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1C, except that the fall judgment is traveler in an upside down orientation;

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C show plan views of individual components or an actuation member of the fall traveler judgment shown in Figs. 1C; and

FIG. 4 shows the fall judgment traveler or Fig. 1C in a partially disassembled state.

FIG. 1A to FIG. ID show side views of a fall 100 traveler judgment in four positions of actuation members 141 thereof, said fall 100 traveler judgment including a housing 110 having a first main side 101 (visible) and a second main side 102 (fig. IE; top view ) opposite of the first main side 101. The housing 110 has a first side 111 and a second side 112 extending between a top side 113 and a bottom side 114.

In the embodiment shown here, there is a slot 120 on the first side 111 for receiving a safety line 199 (shown in Fig. ID only) in an orientation of the fall traveler 100 when the safety line 199 is transverse to the first main side 101. Once received in the slot

120, the fall judgment traveler 100 is rotated over 90 °, as a result of which the safety line 199 is received in a first receiving opening 131 at the first main side 101 and a corresponding second receiving opening at the second main side 102.

The housing 110 defines a first recess 132 'that is in open communication with the first receiving opening 131'. Similarly, there is a second recess that is in open communication with the second receiving opening. In this respect, the housing 110 or the embodiment discussed here, substantially rotationally symmetrically along a line through the slot 120.

The recesses 132 are open at the side facing the second side 112. Thus the recesses 132 can receive the safety line 199 in the first state of the fall judgment traveler (Fig. 1A). In use, it is important that the safety line 199 does not leave the recesses / housing. To this end, there is an actuation assembly 140 which comprises in the embodiment discussed here a first actuation member 141 'and a second actuation member 141 including braking shoe sections 142 (only breaking shoe section 142' is visible here; Fig. 4 shows both breaking shoe sections) and a first liver section 143 'and a second liver section 143. The actuation members are hingedly connected to the housing 110, capable of pivoting about axis 144' and axis 144 respectively. The lever sections 143 are connected via a connecting arm 145, allowing pivoting with respect to said connecting arm 145 about a third axis 146 and a fourth axis 146.

As will be explained with reference to Figs. 3, there is a spring for moving the breaking shoe sections towards the first side 111 (Fig. IB; intermediate state) so as to maintain the safety line 199 in the recesses of the housing 110 (Fig. 1C; second state).

Once attached, a carabiner (not shown) is used to attach a person to the fall judgment traveler 100. To this end, the actuation assembly 140 comprises an eye 150 for the carabiner. In a typical case, the person will wear a safety harness including a line with its distal end a carabiner.

The user can move up and down along the safety line 199, with the breaking shoes being pressed against the safety line 199 relatively weakly (Fig. 1C) or at least partially closing off the receiving opening 131, to ensure that the safety line 199 remains received in the recesses 132. In case of a fall, the breaking shoe sections will be pressed strongly against the safety line 199 thanks to the liver action of the liver sections, arrest of the fall of the person ((Fig. ID; third state of the fall judgment traveler).

To the extent as discussed above, a fall judgment traveler 100 is known in the art and commercially available and does not require further elucidation.

To reduce the risk that a user attaches himself to the fall judgment traveler 100 when it is an upside down orientation - which would mean that in the case of a fall the breaking shoe sections 142 are not pressed against the safety line 199 but move away from the first side ill - the fall judgment traveler 100 according to the present invention comprises a blocking element 180. In the present explained here, it is a washer (circular disk), which is present in a guide in the second lever section 143. The guide will be explained with reference to Figs. 3B.

The blocking element 180 can move under the influence of gravity. In the proper upright orientation (Fig. 1C) or the fall judgment traveler 100 it will allow access or the carabiner through the eye 150.

If the fall judgment traveler 100 is in an upside down orientation (Fig. 2), it will block the eye 150 and the user will have to remove the fall judgment traveler 100 from the safety line 199 and re-attach it in the proper orientation to the safety line 199.

In the embodiment shown here, the eye 150 is the eye is an oblong eye 150 with a relatively narrow section and a relatively wide section, only the latter section having a dimensions suitable for attaching the carabiner. The relatively narrow section could have been absent / closed but this version allows a user to see the blocking element when the fall judgment traveler 100 is properly oriented.

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1C, except that the fall judgment traveler is in an upside down orientation. The blocking element 180 now blocks the carabiner from being attached, because the wide portion of the opening of the eye 150 is blocked by the blocking element 180.

The second actuation member 141 of the fall judgment traveler 100 of the present invention comprises in the embodiment disclosed here a guide 305 for the blocking element 180. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C show how the second actuation member 141 is composed of a first arm member 310, a second arm member 320 and a third arm member 330.

The guide 305 or the second arm member 320 is formed as an oversized oblong through hole for receiving the blocking element 180 (the washer 180). The guide 305 comprises a first section 305 and a second section 305. If the fall judgment traveler 100 is mounted upside down to the safety line 199, the blocking element 180 will be in the second section 305.

The first and third arm members each include a keyhole shaped through-hole hole 340 that provides a relatively narrow section and a relatively wide section. The relatively wide sections overlap and are dimensioned to allow a carabiner to pass when the blocking element 180 is in the first section 305 '. The relatively narrow sections of the key hole opening overlap with each other as well but being relatively narrow don't allow a carabiner to pass.

The blocking element 180 is retained in the guide 305 by sandwiching the second arm member 320 between the first arm member 310 and the third arm member 330, but is allowed free movement under the influence of gravity within the guide 305.

The arm members are riveted together, for which appropriate holes 351 are present.

The first arm member 310 comprises a through hole 311 allowing the second actuation member 141 to pivot, and a recess 312 for receiving a first end of a coil spring as will be explained with reference to Figs. 4. The second and third arm members comprise a cut-out 360 for accommodating the coil spring.

FIG. 4 shows the fall judgment traveler or Fig. 1C in a disassembled state. The housing 110 comprises two housing sections 411 'and 411. The second housing section 411 comprises a hole 412 for receiving the second end of coil spring 470 as means 470 for moving the pivotable actuation member from a first state of the fall traveler where the breaking shoe section is relatively far from the wall section at the first side to a second state where said breaking shoe section is relatively close to the wall section or the first side. The spring coil 470 will gain potential energy when the fall judgment traveler 100 is brought from the state shown in Figs. 1C to the state shown in FIG. 1A, thus pushing the breaking shoe sections 142 towards the first side 111.

Claims (5)

CONCLUSIONS A fall protection grinder (100) for slidable attachment to a safety line (199), said fall protection grinder (100) comprising the following - a housing (110), wherein said housing (110) defines the following - a first main side (101) and a second main side (102), - an upper side (113) and a lower side (114), - a first side (111) and a second side (112) opposite the first side (111), the first and second sides extending between the top side (113) and the bottom side (114), - a passage for the safety line (199), - a receiving opening (131 ') for the safety line (199) on the first main side (101), said receiving opening (131') being able to receive the safety line (199), - a recess away from the second side (112) and facing the second side (112), said recess being defined by a wall section on the first main side (101), a wall section on the first side (111) ) and a wall section at the second main side (102) for receiving the safety line (199) received through the receiving opening (131 '); - comprising an actuating assembly (140) - a hinged actuating element comprising a brake shoe section (142 ') relatively close to the first side (111) and a lever section relatively far away from the first side (111), with a pivot point between the brake shoe section (142' ) and the lever section, and - an eye (150) for securing the fall protection grinder (100) to a user; and - means (470) for moving the hinged actuating element - of a first state of the fall protection grinder (100) in which the brake shoe section (142 ') is relatively far away from the wall section on the first side (111) and provides access to the safety line (199) via the receiving opening ( 131 ') - to a second state wherein said brake shoe section (142 ') is relatively close to the wall section of the first side (111) where the hinged actuating element (141) at least partially blocks the receiving opening (131); characterized in that the actuating assembly (140) comprises a blocking element (180) capable of moving relative to the eye (150) between a first position and a second position under the influence of gravity, wherein when the fall protection operator (100) - the blocking element (180) is in the first position in a correct upright orientation, and - an upside-down orientation has the blocking element (180) in the second position, wherein in the second position the eye (150) is blocked more by the blocking element (180) than in the first position. The fall protection grinder (100) according to claim 1, wherein the actuating assembly (140) comprises a guide (305) for the blocking element (180), said guide (305) a first section (305 ') and a second section ( 305), wherein the blocking element (180) is capable of - moving relative to the eye (150) under the influence of gravity from the second section (305) of the guide (305), the eye (150) being at least partially blocked towards the first section (305 ') of the guide (305) wherein the eye (150) is less blocked when the fall protection grinder (100) is moved from an upside-down orientation to a desired upright orientation, and - moving relative to the eye (150) under the influence of gravity from the first section (305 ') of the guide (305), wherein the eye (150) is relatively less blocked towards the second section (305) of the guide ( 305) wherein the eye (150) is at least partially blocked when the fall protection grinder (100) is brought to an up-side orientation. The fall protection grinder (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the receiving opening (131 ') is a first receiving opening (131') and the recess is a first recess, and the housing (110) of the fall protection grinder (100) ) includes the following - an input slot (120) on the first side (111) for receiving the safety line (199) when the safety line (199) is transverse to the first main side (101), - a second receiving opening (131 ') for the safety line (199) on the second main side (102), said first and second receiving openings (131) being able to receive the safety line (199) when the fall arrest device from an orientation where the safety line (199) is transverse to the main side and received in the input slot (120) is moved to an orientation where the safety line (199) is parallel to the passage, and - a second recess located away from the second side (112) and facing the second side (112), said second recess being defined by a wall section on the second main side (102), a wall section on the first side (111) and a wall section on the first main side (101) for receiving the safety line (199) which is received through the second receiving opening (131 '); the pivotal actuating element being a first pivotable actuating element, its brake shoe section (142 ') being a first brake shoe section (142'), its lever section being a first lever section (143 '), and its pivot point is a first pivot point; wherein the actuating assembly (140) comprises - a second hinged actuating element with a second brake shoe section (142 ') and a second lever section (143), with a second pivot point between the second brake shoe section (142') and the second lever section (143), - a connecting arm (145) pivotally connected to the first lever arm and the second lever arm. The fall protection grinder (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fall protection grinder (100) comprises a resilient element (180) as the means (470) to force at least one brake shoe to move to the wall section on the first side (111) . 146 " 100 112 FIG. 1B 146 2/7 FIG. 1C 100 FIG. 1D ΜΊ 5/7 141 114 144