# US 10,118,057 B2 · Fall restraint system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,057 B2 - Document ID: US10118057B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/583,549 - Filed: 2017-05-01 - Published: 2017-11-02 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-29 - Assignees: Auburn University - Applicants: Auburn University - Inventors: David Dyer; Paul Holley; Zack Kohrman; Shay Hunsucker; Carson Cooper; Matthew Sasser; Russell Brumfield; Phillip Sparks; Wesley Jernigan; Steve Byrd; Kartik Goyal; Daniel Hughes; Tyler Sherer; David Carrell; Jim Flaniken; Chris Gaddes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118057B2 ## CPC - A62B 35/0068: {Anchors} - A62B 35/00: Safety belts or body harnesses; Similar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion (buckles A44B11/00; accessories for children's furniture A47D15/00; children's seats B60N2/24; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; harnesses for parachutes B64D17/30; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/06; releasable fastenings F16B) - A62B 35/0043: {Lifelines, lanyards, and anchors therefore (attachments A62B35/0037)} - E04G 21/3204: {against falling down} - E04G 21/3276: {Arrangements on buildings for connecting safety-lines (fastening devices for devices for lowering persons from buildings A62B1/04)} - F16H 35/18: Turning devices for rotatable members, e.g. shafts - A62B 35/005: {Vertical lifelines} - A62B 35/0056: {Horizontal lifelines} - A62B 35/0062: {Rail-form lifelines for permanent installation} - E04G 21/3214: {Means for working on roofs (on flat roofs E04G21/3223)} - E04G 21/3233: {without permanent provision in the floor or roof} - E04G 21/3238: {using counterweights} - E04G 21/3242: {using clamps} - E04G 21/328: {fastened to the roof covering or insulation} - A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00) - E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract The present system for fall restraint includes a mounting frame connected to a trigger mechanism and firing blocks, with a trigger cable extending through apertures in the mounting frame and trigger mechanism. Sudden movement by a user, such as a fall, actuates the trigger mechanism to trigger the firing blocks. The firing blocks are loaded with anchors and firing cartridges. Triggering the firing blocks causes the cartridges to fire, propelling the anchors into an anchoring surface, such as a roof. Because the user is connected to the trigger cable, once the anchors deploy the user is anchored to the roof and their fall arrested. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for fall restraint, comprising: a mounting frame connected to a trigger mechanism and a plurality of firing blocks, and a trigger cable extending through a frame aperture in the mounting frame and a trigger aperture in the trigger mechanism, wherein each of the plurality of firing blocks comprises an upper block and a lower block, wherein a plurality of firing pins and a plurality of firing springs extend through a plurality of upper block cylinders in the upper block, wherein the plurality of firing pins extend through a plurality of retaining nuts in upper ends of the plurality of upper block cylinders, wherein a plurality of firing cartridges and a plurality of anchors extend through a plurality of lower block cylinders in the lower block, wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a plurality of trigger rods connected to a pivoting trigger by a plurality of connecting rods, wherein each of the plurality of trigger rods slidably extends between the plurality of upper block cylinders and the plurality of lower block cylinders of one of the plurality of firing blocks, wherein each of the plurality of trigger rods has a plurality of trigger rod openings corresponding to the plurality of upper block cylinders such that when the plurality of trigger rod openings are aligned with the plurality of upper block cylinders, the plurality of firing pins can contact the plurality of firing cartridges in the plurality of lower block cylinders, wherein the pivoting trigger is rotatably connected to the mounting frame by a plurality of pivot arms, wherein the trigger cable comprises a cable stop at a distal end, the cable stop having a diameter larger than a diameter of the trigger aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame has a substantially triangular configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an upper shell and a lower shell surrounding the mounting frame, the trigger mechanism, and the plurality of firing blocks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the upper shell comprises a plurality of reloading doors adjacent to the plurality of firing blocks. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the upper shell comprises at least one of a vertical inclinometer and a horizontal inclinometer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising a trigger safety rotatably connected to a proximal end of the upper shell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising a cable shroud connected to the lower shell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising a safety interlock connected to the plurality of firing blocks and to the upper shell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the safety interlock comprises a safety lock handle connected to a plurality of safety plates by a plurality of safety cables, wherein each of the plurality of safety plates is located within one of the plurality of firing blocks, between the plurality of upper block cylinders and the plurality of lower block cylinders. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the safety lock handle is a twist-to-lock pull handle extending through the upper shell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of safety plates has a plurality of firing pin apertures corresponding to the plurality of upper block cylinders such that when the plurality of firing pin apertures are slidably aligned with the plurality of upper block cylinders, the plurality of firing pins can contact the plurality of firing cartridges in the plurality of lower block cylinders. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of safety cables is enclosed within a safety cable sheath, wherein each of the plurality of safety cables is non-compressible within the safety cable sheath. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connecting rods connect to the plurality of trigger rods and to the pivoting trigger by ball joints. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a return spring interconnecting the pivoting trigger and the mounting frame, wherein the return spring biases the trigger to a resting distal position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a safety plunger extending through the upper block, wherein the safety plunger is spring-biased to engage one of the plurality of trigger rods if the upper block is separated from the lower block. ### Claim 16 A firing block device for use in a system for fall restraint, comprising: an upper block; a lower block; and a plurality of firing pins and a plurality of firing springs, wherein the plurality of firing pins and a plurality of firing springs extend through a plurality of upper block cylinders in the upper block, wherein the plurality of firing pins extend through a plurality of retaining nuts in upper ends of the plurality of upper block cylinders, wherein a plurality of firing cartridges and a plurality of anchors extend through a plurality of lower block cylinders in the lower block. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, further comprising a hinge connection between the upper block and the lower block. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of upper block cylinders are partially offset from the plurality of lower block cylinders. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, further comprising a priming handle interconnecting upper ends of the plurality of firing pins. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of firing springs is a coil spring extending about the circumference of one of the plurality of firing pins. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of firing cartridges is a gun powder cartridge. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of removable firing barrels in the lower block cylinders, wherein each of the plurality of removable firing barrels contains one of the plurality of firing cartridges and one of the plurality of anchors.