NZ613049B2

NZ613049B2 - Safety line anchor

Info

Publication number: NZ613049B2
Application number: NZ613049A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Richard Beale; Timothy Bissett; David Nash
Original assignee: Latchways Plc
Priority date: 2011-01-26
Filing date: 2012-01-25
Publication date: 2016-02-02

Abstract

Disclosed is an anchor arrangement (10) for a safety line (7). The anchor arrangement (10) allows the safety line (7) to be secured in various orientations using an alignment collar (5) including an arcuate outer bearing surface articulating against an inclined bearing surface of a bracket (1). The anchor arrangement (10) is for use with the bracket (1) to secure a structure for mounting the safety line. The anchor arrangement comprises the alignment collar (5); a resilient biasing means (2) and a tension indicating means (3). The alignment collar (5) is arranged to sit in a seat provided on the bracket (1). The alignment collar (5) is capable of being seated in a plurality of different orientations with respect to the bracket (1). The resilient biasing means (2) acts between the bracket (1) and the tension indicating means (3). anchor arrangement (10) is for use with the bracket (1) to secure a structure for mounting the safety line. The anchor arrangement comprises the alignment collar (5); a resilient biasing means (2) and a tension indicating means (3). The alignment collar (5) is arranged to sit in a seat provided on the bracket (1). The alignment collar (5) is capable of being seated in a plurality of different orientations with respect to the bracket (1). The resilient biasing means (2) acts between the bracket (1) and the tension indicating means (3).

Description

Safety Line Anchor The present invention relates to height safety equipment and, in ular, to an anchoring arrangement suitable for anchoring an end, lly the lower end of a ﬂexible elongate safety line, for example disposed in a substantially vertical orientation on a tall structure.

Tall structures such as electricity pylons and radio or satellite communication masts are periodically inspected to determine whether any maintenance work is required. These ures are e built to be low maintenance and, e many of them stand in remote ons, they may require inspection only once every ten years, perhaps longer.

The invention relates to a new anchor assembly that has application for securing elongate safety lines in various situations and orientations, but particularly a new bottom anchor assembly for securing a substantially vertically-oriented safety line to the lower portion of a tall structure.

The anchor assembly is a quickly manually operable to set to working tension and will provide a visible indication of acceptable tension in the wire being extant. The anchor is designed to grip the safety line in a non-destructive fashion so that it can be re-used repeatedly for a series of inspections on many tall structures. It can also accommodate differences in height between successive tall structures by ng a different length of safety line to be passed h it before the gripping action is made.

A bottom anchor assembly for a vertical safety line is sed in EP1054708. This arrangement has an anchor comprising a threaded tube attached to a safety line clamp. A bracket connects to the anchor structure part way along the length of the tube. A washer threably mounted on the shaft acts on the bracket to change the position of the bracket relative to the tube and so adjust the tension in the safety line.

Another anchor assembly for use with a safety line is shown in United States Patent No.

US4399890 A. This describes a bottom anchor assembly comprising a safety line and gripping means which secures the safety line to a rod. The rod passes through the bracket and is spring loaded relative to the bracket to keep the cable under n.

An improved arrangement has now been devised. It is an object of the present invention to address the ing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an anchor arrangement for a safety line system, the anchor arrangement being for use with a bracket to secure to a structure for mounting the safety line; the anchor arrangement comprising an alignment collar arranged to seat in a seat ed on the bracket; n the ent collar is able to seat in a plurality of different or able ations with respect to the bracket.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an anchor arrangement for a safety line system, the anchor arrangement being for use with a bracket to secure to a structure for mounting the safety line, the anchor arrangement sing a resilient biasing means acting between the bracket and a reaction member provided as part of the anchor arrangement, the anchor arrangement further including a tension indicating means for indicating the tension in tire safety line.

According to a further aspect, the present invention provides an anchor arrangement for a safety line system, the anchor arrangement for use with a bracket to secure to a structure for mounting the safety line; the anchor arrangement comprising tension indicating means for indicating the tension in the safety line, wherein the tension indicating means comprises a part of the t d adjacent and indicia zone on the anchor arrangement.

It is preferred that the seat ed on the bracket comprises a seat aperture.

In a preferred embodiment, the alignment collar has an aperture and the axis of the aperture in the alignment collar re-orientates as the alignment collar adjusts to different seated orientations with respect to the seat provided in the bracket.

In a preferred realisation of the invention the alignment collar has an arcuate or curved outer bearing surface.

The seat provided on the bracket preferably has a linear inclined bearing surface for contacting the alignment collar.

The provision ofthe arcuate or curved outer g e on the alignment collar and the linear inclined bearing surface of the bracket seat facilitate the angular repositioning of the alignment collar and provide a self aligning facility under the tension of the safety line.

In one embodiment (where the seat comprises an aperture) the seat aperture provided on the t may have a frustconical bearing e for contacting the alignment collar.

Beneﬁcially, the alignment collar is mounted loose ﬁt about an elongate tube, the axis of the collar being arranged generally in the direction ofthe axis of the tube, but angularly adjustable over a limited degree.

In one embodiment, it is preferred that the collar is biased into engagement with the seat aperture by means of resilient biasing means (preferably a compression spring), preferably acting between the bracket and a on member provided as part of the anchor arrangement.

In a preferred embodiment, the anchor arrangement includes a tube having an external threaded portion, the safety line passing internally of the tube and a tensioning means being ed externally on the threaded n of the tube.

Beneﬁcially, the arrangement includes a clamp, provided for clamping the anchor arrangement to the safety line.

In one red embodiment, the tension indicating means comprises an te indicator t spaced from a tube for receiving the safety line. In such an embodiment the elongate indicator element may extend substantially parallel to the tube for receiving the safety line.

In certain embodiments it is red that the tension indicating means comprises an indicator element ﬁxed to the anchor means and extending through a slot or aperture in the bracket. This has the ability to reduce the risk of damage to the indicating means.

As indicated previously, though suitable for other applications, the invention is particularly applied to a bottom anchor arrangement for a vertical or t orientated safety line.

The invention will now be ﬁirther bed in a speciﬁc embodiment, by way of e only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure l is a schematic side view of a al cable system anchor arrangement in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the anchor arrangement of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic explanatory View of the arrangement; Figure 4 is a further explanatory View showing the pal operation of an aspect of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is shown an anchor arrangement for a vertical cable system. The invention is also applicable to systems where the cable is not orientated cally vertically but rather inclined to the vertical or even ated horizontally.

The bottom anchor assembly 10 comprises an externally threaded shaft 6, to which is operationally secured, a bottom clamp block 8 which is arranged to clamp the safety line 7 by means of the grub screws 16 drawing two halves of the clamp block together. This arrangement is show in, for example, EP1054708. Also mounted on the externally threaded shaft 6 and therefore, comprising the bottom anchor assembly 10, are a compression spring 2, an alignment collar 5, tension indicator 3, tensioning nut 9 and a lock nut 11.

The bottom anchor assembly 10 cooperates use with a ng bracket 1 which is arranged to be secured to a ure (such as a pylon or ng) for mounting the safety line 7 to run vertically or at an inclined angle upwardly. The mounting bracket 1 comprises an anchor section la provided with apertures ld for securing to the structure, and a line securing section lb extending ersely to the anchor section la. A twist section lc is provided between the line securing section lb and the anchor section la.

The anchor section la is provided with a central aperture 1e through which passes the external diameter of the threaded shaft 6. The diameter of the aperture le is greater than the er of the threaded shaft 6 such that the threaded shaft 6 can pass cleanly through the aperture 1e. There is no threaded connection between the mounting bracket line securing section lb and the threaded shaft 6.

Furthermore, the safety line 7 secured by the clamp block 8 at the lowest most portion of the bottom anchor assembly 10 extends upwardly through the internal bore of the threaded shaft 6 to exit at the top of the shaft which is deﬁned by the upper nut 4. In this way, the safety line 7 is d relative to the shaft 6 by means of the clamp block 8. The clamp block 8 is ﬁxed to the tube 6 as disclosed in EP1054708.

Engagement between the anchor assembly 10 and the mounting bracket 1 is by means of engagement of the alignment collar 5 with the e of the aperture 1e in the mounting bracket 1. The alignment collar 5 has an outer arcuate (concave) bearing e 15 which is arranged to seat in a -conical bearing e 14 of the aperture le in the mounting bracket 1. The frusto-conical bearing surface 14 is effectively a linear surface against which the arcuate surface 15 of the alignment collar 5 seats. The collar 5 also seats the upper end of the compression spring 2.

The connection between the e bearing surface of the alignment collar 5 and the frusto-conical bearing surface of the mounting bracket 1 ensures that the collar 5 can seat adequately in the aperture 1e with the axis of the safety line 7 extending over a range of angular inclinations with respect to the mounting bracket 1. This enables the system to compensate for any misalignment of the mounting bracket 1 and ensures that the safety line 7 can be aligned accurately (for example vertically) even if the mounting bracket 1 is incorrectly set in position. Effectively, the axis of the aperture in the alignment collar 5 re- orientates as the alignment collar adjusts to ent seated orientations with respect to the seat aperture le provided in the bracket. The seat aperture le provided on the bracket effectively has a linear inclined bearing e for contacting the alignment collar 5. The provision of the arcuate or curved outer bearing surface 15 on the alignment collar 5 and the linear inclined bearing surface 14 of the t seat 1e facilitate the angular repositioning of the alignment collar and provide a self aligning facility under the tension of the safety line. The alignment collar 5 is mounted loose ﬁt about the elongate tube 6, the axis of the collar 5 being arranged generally in the direction of the axis of the tube 6, but angularly adjustable over a d degree.

The tension in the safety line 7 can be adjusted by means of rotating tensioner 9 on the ed shaft 6 to move either upwardly or downwardly in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 6. Rotating the ning nut 9 to move upwardly in Figure 1 causes the tensioning spring 2 to compress and the bottom bracket 8 to move downwardly with respect to tensioning nut 9. This increases n in the safety line 7, where rotation of the tensioning nut 9 in the opposite direction has the opposite effect (i.e., of reducing the tension of safety line 7). Once the required tension is present, the lock nut 11 can be rotated to abut against the tensioning nut 9 to secure in the relevant position.

The arrangement also carries the tension indicator 3 which has an upwardly extending tongue 3a provided with a tension indicating marker or markers 12 and a transverse limb 3b at its lower end which is provided with an aperture though which the threaded shaft 6 passes (not being in threaded engagement however). The upper end of the indicator tongue 3a extends through a slot 13 ed at the end of the section 1b of the anchor l. The 3O guide slot constrains the movement of the tongue 3a and also ts the indicator tongue 3a from . The indicator tongue 3a is spaced from and extends substantially parallel to the tube 6 extend.

The presence of the tension indicator 3 provides that the tension in the safety line 7 can be gauged. Differences in the tension may arise as a result of climatic factors. In hot periods of weather the safety line 7 may expand as a result of heating and the tension will accordingly . The gauge can be used to show whether the change in tension remains within acceptable limits and this can be easily seen upon inspection prior to an operative connecting themselves to the safety line 7. Conversely in cold weather the safety line 7 can ct increasing the tension and again, it can be gauged whether this is in able limits. The ssion spring enables the arrangement to cope with l expansion and contraction in the safety line whilst maintaining the tension in the safety line between able limits.

The invention provides an improved anchor structure enabling self alignment, for example, when bracket 1 is secured in a position which is not absolutely true and also, enabling spring tension to be provided to the safety line 7 and additionally, te assessment and or gauging of the tension.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense, that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.

Claims

Claims:

1. A safety line system, comprising: a safety line; a bracket to secure to a structure for mounting the safety line, comprising a seat aperture; an anchor arrangement comprising an alignment collar arranged to seat in the seat aperture provided in the t; wherein the alignment collar has an aperture and the axis of the aperture in the alignment collar re-orientates as the alignment collar adjusts to different seated orientations with t to the seat aperture provided in the bracket; the safety line ing through the seat re and the alignment collar re; wherein the alignment collar is biased in engagement with the seat aperture by tension in the safety line.

2. A safety line system ing to claim 1, wherein the alignment collar has an arcuate or curved outer bearing surface.

3. A safety line system according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the seat aperture provided on the bracket has an inclined bearing surface for contacting the alignment .

4. A safety line system according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the seat aperture provided on the bracket has a frustconical bearing surface for contacting the alignment collar.

5. A safety line system according to any preceding claim, wherein the alignment collar is also biased into engagement with the seat aperture by means of resilient biasing means.

6. A safety line system according to claim 5, wherein the resilient biasing means acts between the bracket and a reaction member provided as part of the anchor arrangement.

7. A safety line system according to any either claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the resilient biasing means comprises a spring.

8. A safety line system according to claim 7, n the spring is arranged coaxially about a tube for receiving the safety line.

9. A safety line system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the alignment collar is d loose fit about an elongate tube, the axis of the collar being arranged generally in the direction of the axis of the tube, but rly adjustable over a limited degree.

10. A safety line system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, n the arrangement es a tube having an external threaded n, the safety line passing internally of the tube and a tensioning means being threaded externally on the ed portion of the tube.

11. A safety line system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein tension indicating means is provided which comprises an elongate indicator element spaced from a tube for receiving the safety line.

12. A safety line system according to claim 11, wherein the elongate indicator element extends ntially parallel to the tube for receiving the safety line.

13. A safety line system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein tension indicating means is provided which comprises an indicator element fixed to the anchor arrangement and extending through a slot or aperture in the bracket.

14. A safety line system according to any preceding claim, wherein a clamp is provided for clamping the anchor arrangement to the safety line.

15. A safety line system according to any preceding claim, wherein the anchor arrangement is a bottom anchor arrangement for a al or upright orientated safety line. WO 01438 WO 01438 FIG. 3