US2339328A

US2339328A - Automatic grip for lifesaving devices

Info

Publication number: US2339328A
Application number: US475611A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frankel Jack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-02-12
Filing date: 1943-02-12
Publication date: 1944-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1961-01-18

Description

Jan. 18, 1944. J. FRANKEL 2,339,328

AUTOMATIC GRIP FOR LIFE SAVING DEVICES Filed Feb. 12, 1943 :5 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR.

- Jack Hart/rel TBY ATTORNEY J. FRANKEL AUTOMATIC GRIP FOR LIFE SAVING DEVICES Jan; 18, 1944.

Filed Feb. 12, 1943 3 Sheets Sheet 2 M J x INVENTOR. Ea/ frizrekel ATTORNEY \m I I a Z; a a Z Z a v n: fifiwmv m m r P A A W 1.2 m- 4 5 m LT w. L M Wm 3 W, IIWH 7 I 2 Jan.. 18, 1944. J. FRANKEL 2,339,328

AUTOMATIC GRIP FOR LIFE SAVING DEVICES Filed Feb. 12, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jack Mamie! I BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STA'TES :QFFIICE Y 2,339,328 :AIIIQMA'EIQGBIP romtnt issvmfi -DEVICI41S This invention relates .to .:new;and aiusefuliz-improvements in a'lifesavingzdevice.

ll/lore specifically, 1 the invention rproposes :the construction ofi a novel typesof; clamp; for use; in a life saving deviceiforazpersonscworking in .e1evated' positions on scafiold-s and theilike and.;arrangediin a manner .toibeeenga eable .withaa safety belt and an adjacent: guy. rcpe.

"Still further it. is proposed to :characterizeithe clamp ibyf: a bracket having =.a .ffixed: jaw: engageable .against one sidenof thew-guy rope andaslidably: supportingca movable :.-jaw.- arranged: in; a

manner tobeengageable againstuthe guyrope .on

the side: opposed to the: side engaged .byithefixed -A further. object of .the invention proposes; a

novel means for supporting themcvable. jawupon the bracket in: a :mannerr.tocbe,-movable.,;towards the fixed jaw: for :rigidly gripping-the.- guy stones.

lIt is still further proposed-to;.provide,;a novel means iformmoving nthe .-.slidably mounted arjaw towards the fixed jaw andswhich ;is :,.arranged.;;in

a 1 mannerz toepermit .:;th clamping. a,ction tc; be quickly; effected.

Still further the invention contemplates ,amauv -t0matic grip device'which will automatically, .=reclose the slida'blymounted jaw-onto the guy rope in. the event of .anzrem'ergency. wWith this ;-arrangementit is impossible for, a personusingthe device .toexperienceiafall of anyrd-istance. 5 112134 fall-.should start it will .be arrested. immediately.

For further comprehension of .thisinvention, and. of the objects; and advantages thereof,- reference willbe had to the. following description and accompanying drawings, andtotheappended i Fig. Sis a perspective :viewof the bracket and associated parts per se. i

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of Fig. 3. I Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional .viewtalgen substantially onjthe line of Fi 3.

. Fig. 8.,.-is a verticalsectional.;view;- takenc.;Qn the. line 8-9-8 of Fig. 5.

(organ- 49) 1-,Fig.t:s'9;is aeverticalr sectionahview.taken-on the alinei9.;-9.:.ofitig. 5.

555.10 is;.as iragnientaryeenlargedverticalsectionalsviewetaken .ons'theoline; Merl-1010f; :Fig,.= 7

:Fig. 11; is-ra fragmentary, sectional view ..=taken on the-slime;- ll-l I of Eigifl.

gaging belt, per se.

'Thetlife-saving device; in. accordance with..-this invention, .sincludes a :belt in 5101'2. engagement about: the evzaist $01118. =.person.ioperatingelfrom a suspended scaffold: I l. h'llhabeltel urissofeconven- .tionalconstruction-and inclndesra buckleefl. on one .end. The tbuckleil 2...ha .a. ipivot'ale tongue; I 3 selectively engageableewithtoneeci ca; plurality. of open-ing s-l Informed \inathe other Lend .of ;the-.belt. :Attached toaspacedepositions-along the le gth-01 the belt I0 there is provided,aepairtofnlegsengagingt a cJE-Mhich.care.-.-arrangedirto .ngage Lthetopt of the:wearersi.legsdmmediately adja cent-gathecmtch. Thecpositioning of. the belt; I U and straps dsuupqns'fthe waist'softa .pexsoncis .clearlyiillustrated. imsEig; 1 ;,;of -;the drawings.

.belt 11 0 and; a;g.-uy ironed 1- rejected downwards .adjacentthecscafiold' .l I Theclampd 6 i ;characterized' by aibracketlll shav g acpairL ofifor- :wardly =:extendingteyesportions 1 9. :Each .ofthe eye epieces is ;presided smith .9; downwardly -extending fastening; means byiavhich the. bracket! 8 Ea'ch of. the fasteningrmeans sis characterized by; a zsfiexi-ble. gable. 120 .-.project.ed through and having aits-endscsecured to a-rigid .tub'e member -2 l.which.acts toencase. itscables. ..Mounted-upon each of the cables adjacent the lowerend of the tub members -2 l ---there--is. a: clamp di -having. a

spring closed jaw 23. Ifhese elamps-2 tare-engagedwith -eomplgmentary---rins -24 I se cu;rely

mounted;- upon the belt 7| 0 at points .7 adjacent the -straps 'l5.

nt one end the bracket ai intestal yioltme .wit la. sarw viex en iect a .ribt

.f h sia 11 2 9 $5 is ar a e .zi qfi t de q beds memb #5- al .?ll laz p iig &i iitllQ -cmbersgzs .snqi fiare crinpqrwith-nerticel xextendin semiciculaigcut outsi :2 1.. arranged to .engage. about "thee gllyiaropescall. The surfaces of thecut-outs a ernrovideecwitht mlurali y ofserrations-28 jaw member 26 into and out of operative position I with relation to the fixed jaw '25. This means is characterized by a hollow screw 32 which threadedly engages through an opening formed in the lug 29 and a solid screw 40 which threadedly engages through a hollow screw 32. The outer end of the solid screw 40 is provided with a wheel 33 securely held in position by a pin 34. The wheel 33 provides a means by which the screw 46 may be turned. The inner end of the solid screw 46 hasan enlarged head 4| which is rotatively connected to thejaw'26 at a position between'the side arms thereof. This rotative connection is accomplished by the enlarged head 46 engaging into a complementary opening 35 formed in the jaw member 26.. A pin 36.is. projected inwards from one face of the jaw member 26 and engages into a complementary circular groove formed on the said enlarged inner end 4| of the screw 45.

Means is provided by which the

screws

32 and 46 may be locked in, relatively adjusted positions. This means comprises a set screw 43 threadedly engaged through the hollow screw32 and abutting against a reduced. shank portion 44 formed I upon .theisolid screw 40.

A'drivengear transmission connection 45 connects with a hollow :screw 32, and is provided with a double acting clutch 46 by which thehollow screw 32 may be driven in one direction or the. other..fMre..Specifica11y, the driven gear transmission 45 includes a spring motor 41 which ismountedon the bottom of the casing 48 of. a

double. clutch 46. The driven shaft 49 of the spring motor 41 is provided with a beveled. gear 50' which simultaneously meshes with the beveled ears'5l. and 52 or shaft58iof the double clutch 46. A; lever 53..controls the double clutch ,46.

This lever is pivotally mounted intermediately on the lugs 54. One end of the lever 53 projects from an opening 55 formed in the top of the easing 48.. The other end of the lever 53 is offork shape and controls theshift collar 56 of the doubleclu'tch;

v A spring 51 normally urges the lever 53 into one positionin which the clutch 46 is-closedin one condition in'which rotations from the beveled gear 56 will be transmitted to gear to drive said shaft 58 of the clutch in one direction. The details of the clutch 46 will not be given in this specification as it "forms no part of'the invention and double clutches of this type are generally known. However, it is pointed out that the clutch 46 is of such' design that when the'lever 53 ispulled to the right; specific reference being had to Fig.10,"the-clutch collar 56 will be moved and the double clutch will be drawnso that now the rotations from the beveled gear 55 ar trans- The gear Bills-merely an idler geanrotatlvely mountedon' the? stud 62.

drops the lever 53.

The gear 5| is coaxially mounted on the outer end of the hollow screw 32.

Means is provided for limiting the unscrewing of the hollow screw 32. This means includes a stationary peg 63 which projects from the bracket is and which engages a groove 64 formed in the adjacent side of the gear 6i. This groove 64 is concentric with the center of the gear 6| and extends through a distance of substantially 320, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 11.

The operation of the device is as follows:

A person about to work upon a scafiold similar to that shown at H on the drawings, engages the belt l6 about his waist. The straps l5 are engaged about the top of the legs. The clamps 22 of the clamp l5 are then engaged with the rings 24 mounted on the belt Ii). The guy rope I1 is then engaged between the

jaw members

25 and 26 of the clamp H5. The set screw 43 is then loosened and the wheel 33 is turned to move the 'scre'w40 inwards through the screw 32 and thus move the jaw member 26 towards the jaw portion 25 to firmly grip the guy ropes l1. With the life saving device thus assembled it will be noted that it is practically impossible to fall to the ground in the event that a person loses his footing on the scaffold, or if one of the ropes from the scaffold should break.

If it is desired to hoist or lower the scaffold and it becomes necessary for the clamp Hi to be moved upwards or downwards upon the guy ropell, it is merely necessary to move the projecting end of the lever 53 so as to throw the clutch 46. The spring motor 41 now functions to drive the shaft 58 backwards and this rotation will be trans,- mitted' by the gears 59, '66 and (ii to the hollow screw 32; The hollow screw will turn substantially'320l or so, depending on the angular distance of the groove 64. Then the spring motor '41 is restrained and stops. However, when the screw 32 unscrews the amount mentionedthe jaw'member 26 is moved outwards, and now the clamp l6 will be loose on the guy ropes [7. Thus the clamp l6 may be shifted upwards or downwards.

In'the' event a person loses his footing, or the scaffold.- starts falling, at this instant he merely The spring 51 moves the lever'53ba'ck into its original position, throwing the clutch l6 back to its original position. Then thesp ring motor 4'1 drives the shaft 58 in the opposite direction. This rotation will be transmitted by the

gear

59, 66 and 6| to screw back the hollow screw 32 which moves the jaw member 26 back into its position, catching .and gripping the guy rope IT. The fall is thus arrested! While I have illustrated and described the (preferred embodiments of my invention, it is'to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byUnited States Letters Patent is: i

1. In a'life saving device for persons working in an elevated position near a guy ropefand provided with a safety belt, a clamp attached to said safety belt, and comprising a bracket having a pair of front eye portions for fastening" means by which it may be connected With said safety belt, said bracket having 'a rearwardly extending jaw portion for extending along-a side portion of'said said side portion of said guyrope, said jaw memjaw portion for extending along the: other her being slidably'modntedontherear' trsa,

bracket, a lug projectingrearwards rio saia 6 lS gaging throughsaid hollow screw and rotatively connected w a Jew member.for' eti ersai jaw member to grip said guy rope inassocia tion with said jaw portion, means for releasably looki sa sc e s t se na d v n. ea i ansmission connecting with said hollow, screw and havinga doubleacting clutchpy, h hisaid hollow scre ma be r ven. nv nefidl ec ion th other d r on, d m ans orlim t rs ru s g ewins 0; ai h ll w. acrew, said e ns. for-relea ably locking saidscrewstogether comprising a '20 set screw mounted throughthe hollow screw; and n a in the int r al sc w, sai last-name screw having a reduced section against which the set screw c1amps. k v i,

2. In a life saving device for personsworking in an elevated position near a guy rope andprovided with a safety belt, 'a'cla'mp attached tosaid safety belt, and, comprising a bracket having a pair of front eye portions for fastening means by which it may be connected with said safety belt, said bracket having a rearwardly extending jaw portion for extending along a side portion of said guy rope, a jaw member complementary to said jaw portion for extending along the other side of said side portion of said guy rope, said jaw member being slidably mounted on the rear of said bracket, a lug projecting rearwards from said bracket and extending along the outer side of said jaw member, a hollow screw threadedly engaging through said lug, a screw threadedly engaging through said hollow screw and rotatively connected with said jaw member for setting said jaw member to grip said guy rope in association with said jaw portion, means for releasably looking said screws together, a driven gear transmission connecting with said hollow screw and having a double acting clutch by which said hollow screw may be driven in one direction or the other direction, and means for limiting unscrewing of said hollow screw, said driven gear transmission including a spring motor.

3. In a life saving device for persons working in an elevated position near a guy rope and provided with a safety belt, a clamp attached to said safety belt, and comprising a bracket having a pair of front eye portions for fastening means by which it may be connected with said safety belt, said bracket having a rearwardly extending jaw portion for extending along a side portion of said guy rope, a jaw member complementary to said jaw portion for extending along the other side of said side portion of said guy rope, said jaw member being slidably mounted on the rear of said bracket, a lug projecting rearwards from said bracket and extending along the outer side of said jaw member, a hollow screw threadedly engaging through said lug, a screw threadedly engaging through said hollow screw and rotatively connected with said jaw member for setting said jaw member to grip said guy rope in association with said jaw portion, means for releasably locking said screws together, a driven gear transmission connecting with said hollow screw and having a double acting clutch by which said hollow screw may be driven in one direction or H ahdfi s limiting 1 x wln ii d. hollow, trew s r n m an riior ally ur in js'aiddoubl'e acting'clutchin 'e di ection inwh'ichthedrivengear transmisthefhollowscrew inwards for closing h 'iawmem era. a H

4 "1n"a"1ire' savii1gjdevice for'persons working a eifatedposition'near aguy rope and pro- :vided with a safety" belt, a" clamp attached tosaid safety belt, andjcomprisingia br'acket'havin fa pair of. front 'eyeportions for fastening means by which it'ma'y 'be' connected with'said safety, belt, isai'd 'bracktih'avin g a rearwardly extending jaw poftionflforj extend ng alonga side "portion or said ro'pa'a j aw rnember' complementary to "said .ngrtionlqr ,l ja 'g 'y rob "said i i me b sliddbly ountedon therear'of'said brackprojectingrearwards from said bracket a esaendmg alongthe outer side of said ja'w member, "a hollow screw threadedly fe'n'ga'ging through said lug, a screw 'thre'adedly engaging V i'd i hollowscrewj androta'ti ve'ly "com nectedfwlthsaid jaw member for setting said j'aiwjmember to g ip said guy rope inhs'sociation It th's'aidjaw portion, means for releasablyloclking said screwstogether, a driven gear transmission connect i lwith fsaid hollow screw and having" a double ac'tifig clutch by Which'sa'id hollow screw may be driven in one direction or the other direction, and means for limiting unscrewing of said hollow screw, and spring means for normally urging said double acting clutch in one direction in' which the driven gear transmission screws the hollow screw inwards for closing the jaw member, and a lever for throwing said clutch.

5. In a life saving device for persons working in an elevated position near a guy rope and provided with a safety belt, a clamp attached to said safety belt, and comprising a bracket having a pair of front eye portions for fastening means by which it may be connected with said safety belt, said bracket having a rearwardly extending jaw portion for extending along a side portion of said guy rope, a jaw member complementary to said jaw portion for extending along the other side of said side portion of said guy rope, said jaw member being slidably mounted on the rear of said bracket, a lug projecting rearwards from said bracket and extending along the outer side of said jaw member, a hollow screw threadedly engaging through said lug, a screw threadedly engaging through said hollow screw and rotatively connected with said jaw member for setting said aw member to grip said guy rope in association with said jaw portion, means for releasably looking said screws together, a driven gear transmission connecting with said hollow screw may be driven in one direction or the other direction, and means for limiting unscrewing of said hollow screw, and spring means for normally urging said double acting clutch in one direction in which the driven gear transmission screws the hollow screw inwards for closing the jaw member, and a lever for throwing said clutch, said lever being manually releasable whereupon said spring functions.

6. In a life saving device for persons working in an elevated position near a guy rope and provided with a safety belt, a clamp, comprising a bracket attached to said safety belt and having an integral rearwardly extending jaw portion for 1 extending along a side portion of said guy rope, a jaw member slidably mounted on the rear face of said bracket to engage the other side of said side portion of said guy rope, a lug formed on said bracket along the outer side of said jaw member,

a hollow screw threadedly engaging through said lug, a screw threadedly engaging through said hollow screw and having its end engaging a recess in said slidable jaw member; a pin on said slidable jaw member engaging a circular groove in said screw for rotatively connecting said inner screw and said jaw member so that rotations of said screw will set said slidable jaw member to grip said guy rope with said jaw portion, aset screw threadedly engaged through said hollow screw and abutting the inner screw for locking the screws together as a unit, a'driven gear transmission terminating in a gear mounted on said hollow screw and having a double acting clutch by which said hollow screw-maybe turned in one direction or the other, and a peg projecting from said bracket and engaging a groove in the adjacent face of said gear on said hollow screw limiting turning of said hollow screw to positions in which said slidable jaw member engages said "guy rope or is free of said guy rope.

7. In a life saving device for persons working of said bracket to engage the other side of said side portion of said gu'y rope, a lug formed on said bracket along the outer side of said jaw member, a hollow screw threadedly engaging through said lug, a screw threadedly engaging through said hollow screw and having its end engaging a recess in said slidable jaw member, a pin on said slidable jaw member engaging a circular groove in said screw for rotatively connecting said inner screw and jaw member so that rotations of said screw will set said slidable jaw member to grip said guy rope with said jaw portion, a set screw threadedly engaged through said hollow screw and abutting the inner screw for locking the screws together as a unit, a driven gear transmission terminating in a gear mounted on said hollow screw and having a double acting clutch by which said hollow screw may be turned in one direction or the other, and a peg projecting from said bracket and engaging a groove in the adjacent face of said gear on said hollow screw limiting turning of said hollow screw to positions in which said slidable jaw member engages said guy rope or is free of said guy rope, said groove in said gear being arranged in an arc concentric with the center of said gear and extends a distance of substantially 320 degrees.

JACK FRANKEL.