US 10,238,899 B1Granted

Systems and methods for supporting an operator from a building

OwnerBruce Shermaninventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A suspension system for supporting an operator from a parapet of a building has first and second support assemblies adapted to engage the parapet, a first support line extending from the first support assembly to the first operator, and a second support line extending from the second support assembly to the first operator. At least one of the first and second support assemblies engages the parapet to support the operator relative to building. To allow the operator to move relative to the building, the weight of the operator is supported by one of the first and second support assemblies while the other of the first and second support assemblies is moved.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A suspension system for supporting an operator from a parapet of a building adjacent to an exterior wall of the building, the parapet defining an upper surface, a front surface adjacent to the exterior wall of the building, and a rear surface, the suspension system comprising:

first and second support assemblies adapted to engage the parapet, where each of the support assemblies comprises
a first frame assembly defining a first stabilizing surface, and
a second frame assembly defining a second stabilizing surface and comprising a lever assembly operable to place the second frame assembly in clamped and unclamped configurations,
the first frame assembly is releasably securable relative to the second frame assembly to allow a gross distance between the first and second stabilizing surfaces to be adjusted,
as the lever assembly is moved into the clamped configuration, the lever assembly displaces the second stabilizing surface towards the first stabilizing surface, and
as the lever assembly is moved into the unclamped configuration, the lever assembly displaces the second stabilizing surface away from the first stabilizing surface;
an operator engaging member configured to support the operator;
a first support line extending from the first support assembly to the operator engaging member;
and
a second support line extending from the second support assembly to the operator engaging member;
wherein
the first frame assemblies of the first and second support assemblies are releasably secured to the second frame assemblies of the first and second support assemblies, respectively, such that the gross distance between the associated first and second stabilizing surfaces is a desired distance determined based on a thickness dimension of the parapet between the front surface and the rear surface of the parapet;
with the gross distance adjusted to the desired distance, the lever assemblies of the first and second support assemblies are operated in their clamped configurations such that the first stabilizing surfaces engage the front surface of the parapet and the second stabilizing surfaces engage the rear surface of the parapet to clamp the parapet between the first and second stabilizing surfaces such that the first and second support assemblies support the operator engaging member at a first desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building;
and
to move the operator engaging member to a second desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building,
the lever assembly of the first support assembly is operated to place second frame assembly of the first support assembly in its unclamped configuration while the second support assembly supports the operator engaging member to allow the first support assembly to be moved relative to the parapet, and
the lever assembly of the second support assembly is operated to place the second frame assembly of the second support assembly in its unclamped configuration while the first support assembly supports the operator engaging member to allow the second support assembly to be moved relative to the parapet.

14 more elements

A method of supporting an operator from a parapet of a building, the method comprising the steps of:

providing first and second support assemblies, where each of the support assemblies comprises
a first frame assembly defining a first stabilizing surface, and
a second frame assembly defining a second stabilizing surface and comprising a lever assembly operable to place the second frame assembly in clamped and unclamped configurations,
the first frame assembly is releasably securable relative to the second frame assembly to allow a gross distance between the first and second stabilizing surfaces to be adjusted,
as the lever assembly is moved into the clamped configuration, the lever assembly displaces the second stabilizing surface towards the first stabilizing surface, and
as the lever assembly is moved into the unclamped configuration, the lever assembly displaces the second stabilizing surface away from the first stabilizing surface;
providing an operator engaging member configured to support the operator;
supporting first and second support lines from the first and second support assemblies, respectively;
operatively connecting the first and second support lines to the operator engaging member;
releasably securing the first frame assemblies relative to the second frame assemblies of the first and second support assemblies, respectively, such that the gross distance between the first and second stabilizing surfaces is a desired distance determined based on a thickness dimension of the parapet between the front surface and the rear surface of the parapet;
with the gross distance adjusted to the desired distance, operating the lever assemblies of the first and second support assemblies in their clamped configurations such that the first stabilizing surfaces engage the front surface of the parapet and the second stabilizing surfaces engage the rear surface of the parapet to clamp the parapet between the first and second stabilizing surfaces such that the first and second support assemblies support the operator engaging member at a first desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building;
and
to move the operator engaging member to a second desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building,
operating the lever assembly of the first support assembly to place the second frame assembly of the first support assembly in its unclamped configuration while the second support assembly supports the operator engaging member,
moving the first support assembly relative to the parapet,
operating the lever assembly of the first support assembly to place the second frame assembly of the first support assembly in its clamped configuration to secure the first support assembly to the parapet, and
operating the lever assembly of the second support assembly to place second frame assembly of the second support assembly in its unclamped configuration while the first support assembly supports the operator engaging member, moving the second support assembly relative to the parapet, and operating the lever assembly of the second support assembly to place the second frame assembly of the second support assembly in its clamped configuration to secure the second support assembly to the parapet.

14 more elements

A support assembly for supporting a support line operatively connected to an operator engaging member adapted to support an operator from a parapet of a building, the parapet defining an upper surface, a front surface adjacent to the exterior wall of the building, and a rear surface, the support assembly comprising:

a first frame assembly defining a first stabilizing surface adapted to engage the front surface of the parapet;
a second frame assembly defining a second stabilizing surface adapted to engage the rear surface of the parapet and comprising a lever assembly operable to place the second frame assembly in clamped and unclamped configurations, the lever assembly comprising an engaging assembly comprising an engaging support and an engaging rod movably supported by the engaging support;
at least one of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly defines a guide surface adapted to engage the support line;
and
at least one of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly defines an engaging surface adapted to engage the upper surface of the parapet;
whereby
with the lever assembly in the clamped configuration, the first frame assembly is releasably secured relative to the second frame assembly to allow gross adjustment of a distance between the first and second stabilizing surfaces based on a thickness dimension of the parapet between the front surface and the rear surface of the parapet;
with the lever assembly in the clamped configuration, the engaging rod of the engaging assembly is arranged relative to the engaging support to allow fine adjustment of the distance between the first and second stabilizing surfaces based on the thickness dimension of the parapet;
with the distance adjusted, the at least one engaging surface engages the upper surface of the parapet and the lever assembly is arranged into the clamped configuration to displace the second stabilizing surface such that the first stabilizing surface engages the front surface of the parapet and the second stabilizing surface engages the rear surface of the parapet to clamp the parapet between the first and second stabilizing surfaces to secure the support assembly to the parapet and thus support the operator engaging member at a first desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building
the lever assembly is operable into the unclamped configuration to displace the second stabilizing surface such that the first stabilizing surface is disengaged from the front surface of the parapet and the second stabilizing surface is disengaged from the rear surface of the parapet to allow movement of the first and second stabilizing surfaces relative to the parapet and thereby allow the operator engaging member to be moved to a second desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building;
and
the guide surface of at least one of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly is adapted to engage the support line when the support line supports the operator engaging member such that the support line may move relative to the guide surface when the operator engaging member moves relative to the exterior wall of the building.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

first and second support assemblies adapted to engage the parapet, where each of the support assemblies comprises
a first frame assembly defining a first stabilizing surface, and
a second frame assembly defining a second stabilizing surface and comprising a lever assembly operable to place the second frame assembly in clamped and unclamped configurations,
the first frame assembly is releasably securable relative to the second frame assembly to allow a gross distance between the first and second stabilizing surfaces to be adjusted,
as the lever assembly is moved into the clamped configuration, the lever assembly displaces the second stabilizing surface towards the first stabilizing surface, and
as the lever assembly is moved into the unclamped configuration, the lever assembly displaces the second stabilizing surface away from the first stabilizing surface;
an operator engaging member configured to support the operator;
a first support line extending from the first support assembly to the operator engaging member;
and
a second support line extending from the second support assembly to the operator engaging member;
wherein
the first frame assemblies of the first and second support assemblies are releasably secured to the second frame assemblies of the first and second support assemblies, respectively, such that the gross distance between the associated first and second stabilizing surfaces is a desired distance determined based on a thickness dimension of the parapet between the front surface and the rear surface of the parapet;
with the gross distance adjusted to the desired distance, the lever assemblies of the first and second support assemblies are operated in their clamped configurations such that the first stabilizing surfaces engage the front surface of the parapet and the second stabilizing surfaces engage the rear surface of the parapet to clamp the parapet between the first and second stabilizing surfaces such that the first and second support assemblies support the operator engaging member at a first desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building;
and
to move the operator engaging member to a second desired location relative to the exterior wall of the building,
the lever assembly of the first support assembly is operated to place second frame assembly of the first support assembly in its unclamped configuration while the second support assembly supports the operator engaging member to allow the first support assembly to be moved relative to the parapet, and
the lever assembly of the second support assembly is operated to place the second frame assembly of the second support assembly in its unclamped configuration while the first support assembly supports the operator engaging member to allow the second support assembly to be moved relative to the parapet.

14 more elements