US2651446A

US2651446A - Safety belt with drawable safety band

Info

Publication number: US2651446A
Application number: US244209A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clarence W Rose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-08-29
Filing date: 1951-08-29
Publication date: 1953-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1970-09-08

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l Bnventor CLARENCE W. ROSE E wHlTEHEAD a voel. l PER M MM momma Sept. 8, 1953 c. w. ROSE SAFETY BELT WITH DRAWABLE SAFETY BAND Filed Aug 29, 1951 Sept. 8, 1953 c. w. ROSE SAFETY BELT WITH DRAWABLE SAFETY BAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y Filed Aug. 29, 1951 CLARENCE W. ROSE WHITEHEAD a voGL Cttornegs Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY BELT WITH DRAWABLE SAFETY BAND Clarence W. Rose, Denver, Colo. Application August 29, 1951, Serial No. 244,209

8 Claims. l

'I'his invention relates to safety belts and similar appliances which are designed and adapted to protect a wearer from injury, by checking a fall, and has as an object to provide a new and improved safety belt construction having therein an arrangement of elements which assures a positive and dependable operation of the safety belt.

Other objects of my invention are to provide in a 'safety belt, having a new and improved doubleband construction, including a non-drawable and substantially non-stretchable waist band circumscribed by a drawable, energy-absorbing safety band, (a) an arrangement of the bands in such combination that the effect upon the wearer, under normal conditions', is that of only a single waist band; (b) new and improved means for connecting the bands together and for interengaging the belt to a life line in a manner which will provide for proper drawing of all portions of the safety band under abnormal conditions, such as a fall of the wearer, and which will insure maintenance of engagement of the waist band with the safety band throughout, and after completion of, the drawing of the safety band and will permit the waist band to act as apadding or softening element during the drawing of the safety band; (c) new and improved means for inter-engaging the belt to a life line in a manner which connects the safety band and the waist band under normal use, but which permits a partial separation of the safety band, with its life line connection, at that point of connection, from the waist band under abnormal conditions as upon a fall of the wearer; (d) new and improved means for inter-engaging the safety band to the substantially non-stretchable waist band and to a substantially non-stretchable life line whereby to provide a, drawable element between the waist band and the life line; (e) means for insuring maintenance of connection of the safety band and the waist band after partial separation thereof; and (f) a belt of simple compact structure, and adaptable for use with individuals having various waist girths.

With these and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain new and novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements, as hereinafter described, as defined in the appended claims and as illustrated, in preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan Vview of -a safety belt constructed in accordance" with the present invention, including a .life .line connection,

-the construction as viewed from the indicated line 2 2 at Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a section, on a further enlarged scale, as viewed from the indicated line 3 3 at Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section as taken on the indicated line 4 4 at Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but on a reduced scale and illustrating the relation of the belt elements with the safety band partially drawn as in case of the wearers fall.

Figure 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a modified construction of connector elements associated therewith.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary View, in elevation, on an enlarged scale, as taken from the indicated line 1 1 at Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a section as taken on the indicated line 8 8 at Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a section, on a further enlarged scale, as taken on the indicated line 9 9 at Fig. '7.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail of said modied construction showing a position of the connective elements assumed upon the falling of the wearer and responsive to the force exerted by such fall.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view illustrating an alternative linking arrangement of the safety band and connector shown at the central portion of Fig. 8.

The construction of safety belts and life lines has recently incorporated drawable materials such, for example, as undrawn nylon, generally in the life line or as an appurtenance to the belt, which provide a segment of the element, between the safety belt and the life line anchor, having the property of being drawable into a length substantially greater than its normal undrawn length and adapted, thereby, to absorb the energy of the fall and to bring the wearer to an unjarring stop. However, the use of life lines which are of materials, such as substantially non-stretchable manila rope, is still widespread, and it is a purpose of this invention to provide a new and improved safety belt which may be used in conjunction with a substantially nonstretchable life line by incorporating into the belt a band of drawable material in addition to the conventional waist band.

The width and thickness of the safety band are the elements which determine the amount of pull which can be exerted thereon without resulting in drawing. Until a certain momentum has been accumulated by a falling man he can b e stopped by a substantially unyielding belt, life line and anchorage, without injury. It is desirable to provide a safety band which will stop the wearers fall without drawing if the full momentum of the falling wearer is exerted on the safety band before that momentum has exceeded the said safety limit for a sudden stop and before the undrawn limit of the strength of the safety band is reached. It has been ascertained that the wearer of a belt can withstand a belt pull of about two thousand pounds without substantial injury, but it is preferable touse a safety band of such width and thickness that it will begin to draw responsive to a pull of around fifteen hundred pounds in order to come safely within the point at which injury is likely to occur.

The length to which a safety band can be drawn, as compared to its undrawn length, can be predetermined and that quality of undrawnV nylon is selected for the safety band which will draw to such length as to allow the desired time or distance, between the start and the limit of the drawing, to properly decelerate the fall of the wearer and ease him to a safe stop. This can be determined according to the weight of the wearer and the conditions under which he is working, including the rigidity or yieldability of the life line and the anchorage.

The drawing of such safety band will retard the movement of the falling wearer and ease him. to a safe stop without the abrupt shock which would occur were the safety band constructed of material not having such drawable characteristics.

The two bands are, normally, of aproximately the same length and each end of the safety band is permanently secured to an end of the waist band by suitable means, as hereinafter described, thus forming a belt of two layers. The interconnecting of the bands at one of their ends is preferably accomplished by threading them through a buckle 25, later described, and then overlapping said ends, forming a loop 23, and securing the ends of the bands to each other and to the body of the two-layer belt by suitable stitching 24 or other securing means, thus securing such buckle in one end of the two-layer belt. The buckle 25 may be of any conventional construction which is adapted to engage the end of a belt by a frictional engagement which tightens as the force exerted thereon increases, the illustrated construction being a two-element interlockable buckle.

To avoid wear of the safety band portion at the inner face of the loop 23, a shield 26, of any suitable material, is wrapped around that por-V tion of the buckle which is within the loop. The opposite end of the safety belt, forming the tongue, includes the waist band 2l and thev safety band 22 laid side by side with the ends preferably joined within a tip cover 2 1 and held by stitching 28, or other suitable means. It is to be noted that the length of the safety band will be somewhat greater than the length of the waist band because of its being at the outer circumference of the belt, normally formed as a circular loop. However, because of the reverse folds of the ends of the belt in the buckle, this excess length need not be substantial, it being desirable to have the two bands normally t snugly together.

As clearly illustrated at Fig. 1, the belt is connected to a wearer by simply threading the tongue through the buckle 25 whereupon it may be adjusted to the desired tightness around the wearer. The wearer may be either a small narrow-waisted man or a heavy large-waisted man, the same belt being adjustable to either man equally well. In either case, the length of drawable safety band portion will be appropriate, the lighter narrow-waisted man not reduiring as much band drawing to check his fall as will the heavier man.

In use, this belt is connected, as later described, to a life line 29, being preferably an ordinary rope which is substantially non-stretchable and which, if connected directly to the waist band, would stop the fall of a wearer with a sudden shock. Such a life line is engaged to suitable anchorage in the structure being Worked upon by the wearer. The life line is also provided with a connector hook 30 for attachment to the safety belt by suitable means, here illustrated as a D-ring 3l, carried by the belt.

The base of the D-ring 3l is within the safety band 22 but is outside the waist band 2l, and the bands are slightly separated by thev D-ring connection which is so positioned as to be approximately diametric of the buckle 25 when the belt is normally adjusted to a man of average waist girth and is thereby normally positioned behind the wearer and out of his way. As the waist girth of the wearer increases above average, the length of that portion of the belt between the tongue-buckle connection and the D-ring connection will increase and when worn by a man of less than average waist girth said portion of the belt will be decreased. Such variation will, of course, vary the position of the D-ring connection, relative to the buckle, one way or the other from the diametric. Such variation in the relative lengths of the safety band on the two sides of the belt will somewhat vary the relative drawing of the two portions of the belt during the falling but will not lessen its effectiveness in accomplishing the desired object of easing the wearer to a safe stop in case of a fall.

The D-ring 3| is held in position, and the bands 2l and 22 are interconnected, by connecter 32 which may be formed as a rectangular piece of leather or other suitable material of sufficient width to provide transverse slits 33 therein through which to pass the bands 2l and 22. The pairs of slits 33 divide the connecter into end straps 34, intermediate strips 33 and central body 36.

The waist band and the safety band are both threaded through both outer slits 33 and overlie end Straps 34. That portion of the waist band between the end straps 34 lies within the balance of the Gonnecter 32 While the corresponding portion of the safety band is threaded through the inner slits 33 and thus lies outwardh7 of the central body 36 whereby the central body 36 lies between the two bands With the straps 34 thus inter-engaging the waist band 2l with the safety band 22. Transverse stitching 31, through the intermediate straps 35 and band 22, joins the safety band to the connecter 32 thereby preventing movement of connecter 32 longtiudinally of the belt.

D-ring 3l is carried near the center of the body 36 by a suitable clip 38 attached to body 36, as by rivets 39, said clip holding a sleeve 40 which enclose the base of D-ring. A cover 4l, of leather or other suitable material is mounted over i the safety band between the intermediate straps 34 and is likewise held in ing 31.

It follows that upon a fall of a-wearer of the belt, a strain upon the safety band, as by the life line 29 holding the D-ring 3|, in opposition to the pull of the falling wearer, will cause the end straps 34 to tear apart and permit the safety.

band 22 to separate from the' Waist band 2| except where interconnected at and by the buckle. The first phase of the drawing of the safety band will necessarily be while the waist band is inside the safety band, and since the drawing of the safety band will occur on each side of the D-rng and extend therefrom to the buckle 25, there can be no strain upon the waist band either by the drawing or by the weightof the wearer, and the waist band will merely act as a shield or cushion between the safety band and the wearer preventing chang of the wearer by the safety band as it draws. Should the wearer swing out of the loop formed by the safety band as it is being drawn, as illustrated at Fig. 5, he is nevertheless fully protected for the waist band is still position by' the stitch;`

secured to the safety band by engagement at buckle and is sufficiently strong to hold him in engagement with and supported by the safety band.

The belt 20', shown at Figs. 6 through 10, is a modification of the safety belt construction hereinbefore described, and is especially adapted for use under various operating conditions where two D-ring connections are desirable as, for one of many examples, where a man is working on a steep incline such as a roof or side hill. In such case the life line 29 is engaged to a post or other anchorage, usually above the point where the belt wearer is working, and each of its ends is provided with a connector hook 30 for engagement, respectively, with D-rings 31a and 3| b. This belt differs from the hereinbefore described construction only by the D-ring arrangement and the interconnection of the bands adjacent the D-rings. The belt 20' comprises a waist band 2| circumscribed by a safety band 22, a buckle 25 at one end, in an end loop 23, and a tongue interconnection 21, all as in the Figs. 1-5 embodiment.

To provide the modified D-ring arrangement, a rectangular link 42 is threaded upon the safety band and connected thereto at a point approximately diametric of the buckle 25 and tongue ends, by a shield 43, which may be of cloth, sewn around the inner reach of the link and to the safety band by stitching 44 at each side of the link. A connecter 45, formed by several overlaid wraps of suitable material, such as belting, is threaded through the link 42 and the D-rings Sla and 3Ib, forming a longitudinal member having a loop 46 at each end, the layers of which are secured together by stitching 41 adjacent the loops, the bases of the D-rings being within the loops 46 and the link 42 being in the central portion of the connecter 45, all as clearly illustrate at Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

To prevent wear of the strap material forming the loops 46, I provide within each loop 46 a sleeve 48, preferably of metal and preferably within a cloth sleeve 49, the base of the D-rings being seated within the sleeves 48.

The connecter 45 is held flatly against the belt 20' by strips 50, of leather or other suitable material, which are wrapped tightly about the connecter 45 and the belt 20 at each end'of the connecter adjacent the loops 46 and held in wrapped position as by rivets 5I.

It follows that upon a fall of a wearer of the belt, when, for example, only one D-ring, as Sla,

is connected to an anchored life line, a strain upon the safety band, as by the life line `29l holding the D-ring 31a in opposition to the pull of the falling wearer, will cause the strip 50,

At Fig. 11 is illustrated an alternative ar-y rangement of the connecter and the link which is'there designated as 42a. The link in this embodiment is made slightly wider than link 42, and all layers of connecter 45 are, in this embodiment, enclosed within the link. As in the previously described embodiment, in case of a fall of the wearer, the link will slide toward an end of the connector, will break the strip 50 which it contacts, and then be stopped by the D-ring toward which it is sliding.

I have illustrated in the drawing and herein described various details of construction and operation but alternatives and equivalents as well as other uses of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and I desire my protection not limited to the detailed illustration and description herein but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety belt including, in combination, a waist band of substantially non-stretchable material, a safety band of undrawn drawable material, of a character capable of being drawn to a permanent length at least double its normal undrawn length, normally snugly encircling the waist band substantially throughout its bodyencircling length and forming a two-layer belt, means for securing said belt around the body of a wearer, means for securing the end portions of the safety band to the end portions of the waist band when the belt is secured around the wearers body, the safety band being otherwise separable from the waist band responsive to abnormal stress, and a member engaging the safety band, normally substantially spaced along said belt from said waist-band-securing means, and adapted to interengage the safety band with an anchored life-line.

2. A safety belt as defined in claim 1 and including a connector normally interconnecting the two bands at a point substantially spaced along the belt from the waist-band-securing means but adapted to disconnect said two bands at said point responsive to abnormal stress.

3. A safety belt as defined in claim 2 wherein said connector is positioned on said belt substantially diametric of the waist-band-securing means.

4. A safety belt as defined in claim 2 wherein said connector releasably interconnects said two bands at two points spaced apart and said member engages the safety band between said interconnecting points, said connector being adapted to break said interconnection responsive to abnormal stress.

5. A belt as dened in claim 1, wherein said member is a D-ring through which the safety band is threaded.

6. A safety belt as dened in claim 1 wherein said member includesA a pair of D-rngs, a substantially non-stretchable element having each of itsl ends vsecured respectively to one of said D-rings and a link between said D-rings securely engaging said member with the safety band.

7. A safety belt as dened in claim 6 including releasable connector means normally holding said element and D-rings adjacent the waist band but adapted to disconnect and thereby release said element from its position adjacent the waist band responsive to abnormal stress.

8, A safety belt including, in combination, a Waist band of substantially non-stretchable material, a safety band of undrawn drawable material, of a character capable of being drawn to a permanent length at least double its normal undrawn length, normally snugly encircling the Waist band and forming a two-layer belt, means securing means, and a. member engaging the` safety band, normally substantially spaced along: said belt from saidV waist-band-securing means, and adapted to interengage the safety band withA an anchored life-line.

CLARENCE W. ROSE.

References 4Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,636,459 Chappel July 19, 1927 1,827,357 Gavitt Oct. 13, 1931 2,581,772

Rose Jan. 8, 19521