Fall arrest safety device

• US 20030217887A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radian Communication Services (Canada) Limited
• Original Assignee: Radian Communication Services (Canada) Limited
• Inventors: Wahba, Yohanna, Thomas, David Alan
• Granted Patent: US 6,837,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 182/8
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 1/14 with brakes sliding on the rope
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 35/0062 Rail-form lifelines for permanent installation
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/187 Guiding rail

Abstract

A fall arrest safety device for workers on transmission towers and the like includes a “matched” safety rail and brake trolley. The rail has a profile which includes a non-symmetrical profile portion and the trolley has a passageway of complimentary profile so that the trolley cannot be installed on the rail up-side down. A full body harness worn by a user of the device is clipped to the trolley and the trolley incorporates a brake which is spring-biassed into frictional engagement with the rail. The brake can be disengaged from the rail only by the user deliberately overriding the biassing effect.

Claims

1. A fall arrest safety device comprising, in combination:

a safety trolley having means to permit attachment thereto of a safety belt or safety harness worn by a user of the device; and

a rail adapted to be fixed in a generally upright orientation on a structure on which the user is climbing or working;

the rail haivng a profile which includes a non-symmetrical profile portion and the trolley having an upper end and a lower end and defining a passageway of complimentary profile for receiving the rail, so that the trolley can be installed on the rail only with the upper end of the trolley uppermost;

wherein the trolley incorporates a brake which frictionally engages the rail for arresting movement of the trolley downwardly with respect to the rail, and means biassing the brake into frictional engagement with the rail, the brake being disengageable from the rail only by a deliberate act of the user against the effect of the biassing means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the asymmetrical portion of the profile of the rail is T-shaped with one side of the top limb of the T thicker than the other, and the passageway in the trolley is of complimentary shape.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the rail is a rigid rail that can be permanently affixed to a ladder or other structure.