WO2002047764A1

WO2002047764A1 - Shock absorber

Info

Publication number: WO2002047764A1
Application number: PCT/PL2000/000097
Authority: WO
Inventors: Grzegorz Laszkiewicz
Original assignee: Grzegorz Laszkiewicz
Priority date: 2000-12-13
Filing date: 2000-12-13
Publication date: 2002-06-20
Also published as: AU2001219040A1

Abstract

This device is the shock absorber made out of synthetic fibre webbing that is to be used in fall arrest systems for people working at heights having at least two safety sections 4' and 4'' between connecting loops 2 and 3, made of the single webbing 1. The safety sections 4' and 4'' are made out of folded webbing connected with stitching 5' and 5'', and are formed one by one between connecting loops 2 and 3.

Description

Shock absorber

This deviee is hock absorber made O t of synthetic fibre webbing

that is to be used in fall arrest systems for people working at heights to

protect that person from injury in case υf a fell.

Shock absorbers are designed to -diffuse energy in such a way that a

falling person will be flowed down gradually to a stop. Without such a

safety device, a person would tsome to an instantaneous stop that could

lead to a -serious injury as a result of the forces acting on the body.

Absorbers currently available are made from single folded webbing with

looped ends. Carabineers, snap hooks, or similar buckles are placed into

these loops allowing the webbing to be incorporated into the fall arrest

system. Layers Of webbing are -sewn together with industrial stitehing.

The Jαnetie energy of a Tailing person will tear the stitching holding the

layers of webbing together. The heavier the person or the higher the fall,

the longer the distance is over which the safety stitching will tear.

Another shock absorbing device (PCT/FR98/G0432) is constructed in the

same manner and the application of forces to it causes it to tear in the

same way. In this device, two different lengths of webbing are joined together forming a safety ring. The free ends are sewn together with

safety stitching. The central section of the webbing is woven together

during the weaving -process forming two safety sections. The un-stitehed

part of the webbing between the safety -sections connects the absorber to a

fixed point and a mobile point {le. carabineers etc.). This is also where a

safety line can be placed. The two stitched safety sections slow down the

falling process at the same time. As there is doubled the tearing force

two stitched safety sections), a thinner width of the webbing can be used

than is used in other designs.

These shock absorbers are inserted into special protective cover and only

the two loops and attachment devices (i.e.: carabineers or snap hooks)

protruding from the cover. This allows the shock absorber to be

incorporated into the fall arrest system.

This new shock-absorbing device as one single folded webbing

which has at least two safety sections each of the same length formed one

by one between the connecting loops. Each safety section is comprised of

single folded webbing joined together with safety stitches. This device

works best when there are two safety sections whose length is a multiple

of the lengtrrof the cover.

The benefits of this design are as follows: only one length of

webbingis used ineonstruction, the design-allows for the addition of various types of connections (i.e. carabineers, buckles, snap hooks, and

'O' and 'D' Tings), which are sewn in the final period of production. The

production process is simplified, as there are no hard, dangerous metal

objects that may damage the nead-ofthe sewingTnachine.

The object is -shown in illustration - fig.1 illustrates the device in an

axonometric view; fig. 2 shows theanotherversion in side view; and fig. 3

shows the-object after a fall, when the connecting loops are spread due to

the force of a fall

This shock absorber is composed Of synthetic fibre webbing I and

the Jbllowing explains fig. 1: the webbing ends ave connecting loops:

upper 2 and lower β . The central part of webbing I, between connecting

loops 2 and 3, is folded into two -safety sections and 4^, connected with

safety stitching^ and 5 \

This shock absorber is assembled in the fohowing way: first, -webbing 1 is

folded to form the first -safety section 41, then the layers of webbing 1 are

sewn together with the safety stitching 5\ Webbing 1 is folded again to

form the -second safety section 4^, which is joined by the second safety

stitching 51\ At the end of the sewing process, the ends of webbing I,

connecting loops 2 and 3, where attachment devices (such as buckles,

carabineers etc) can be placed are sewn. The decision to include these

attachment devices can be made after finishing safety stitching 5_[ and 5]\

-4-

The upper device is connected to a supporting structure (fixed point) and

the lower one to the mobile point (i.e. : a person's safety harness). During

a fall, stitches 5_ and 5^ are torn in safety-sections 4 and 4|\ This is shown

in fig. 3.

A different version of the shock absorber is -shown in fig. 2 in which both

the safety sections are placed on one -side of webbing I. The usage is the

same.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. The shock absorber made out of synthetic fibre webbing that is to be

used in fall arrest systems for people working at heights having at least

two safety sections (41) and (4^) between connecting loops (2) and (3),

made of the single webbing (I).

2. The shock absorber of claim 1 wherein safety sections (41) and (41) are

made out of folded webbing connected with stitching (51) and (5_D, and

are formed one by one between connecting loops (2) and (3).

3. The shock absorber of claim 1 wherein the shock absorber has two

safety sections (41) and (41').

4. The shock absorber of claim 1 wherein the lengths of safety sections

that are a multiple of the length of the cover of the folded absorber.