# US 11,306,495 B2 · System, method and apparatus for fall protection of workers at a construction site > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,495 B2 - Document ID: US11306495B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/424,223 - Filed: 2019-05-28 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-30 - Assignees: Safe Construction Fall Protection, LLC - Applicants: Safe Construction Fall Protection, LLC - Inventors: J. Eric Stephan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306495B2 ## CPC - 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)} - A62B 35/0056: {Horizontal lifelines} - E04G 21/3295: {Guide tracks for safety lines (arrangements for bypassing safety track supports without life line disconnection A62B35/0087)} - A62B 35/0068: {Anchors} - 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 - 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) ## Abstract A fall protection system can include towers configured to be coupled together with horizontal lifelines. Each tower can have a base removably coupled to a bottom of the frame. A lower slip sleeve can be slidably coupled to the base. The lower slip sleeve can have an elongate opening extending therethrough. An internal piece can be slidably received in the elongate opening and coupled to the lower slip sleeve. In addition, an upper slip sleeve can be coupled to an exterior of the internal piece such that the upper slip sleeve is not movable relative to the internal piece. Further, a mount plate can be slidably coupled to an exterior of the upper slip sleeve and mounted to a top of the frame. Finally, a stanchion can be slidably received in the upper elongate opening and coupled to the upper slip sleeve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fall protection system comprising: one or more towers configured to support a lifeline, each tower comprising: a base configured to be removably coupled to a lower portion of a frame of a structure; a lower slip sleeve configured to be slidably coupled to the base, the lower slip sleeve comprising an elongated opening extending substantially therethrough; an internal piece configured to be slidably received in the elongated opening and coupled to the lower slip sleeve; an upper slip sleeve coupled to an exterior of the internal piece, the upper slip sleeve comprising an upper elongated opening extending to the internal piece; a mount plate configured to be slidably coupled to an exterior of the upper slip sleeve and further configured to be removably coupled to an upper portion of the frame of the structure; and a stanchion configured to be slidably received in the upper elongated opening and coupled to the upper slip sleeve, the stanchion further configured to support an end of the lifeline. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the internal piece, the upper slip sleeve, the mount plate, and the stanchion are configured to be movable together with respect to the lower slip sleeve to adjust a vertical elevation of an anchor point between the stanchion and the lifeline. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the base is removably coupled to one or more of an inside corner, a planar portion or an outside corner of the structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the mount plate is removably coupled to one or more of an inside corner, a planar portion or an outside corner of the structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, comprising an auxiliary support member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fall protection system of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary support member comprises a lower end configured to be coupled to the frame of the structure, and an upper end extending diagonally relative to vertical and coupled to the upper slip sleeve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fall protection system of claim 6, wherein the auxiliary support member comprises a slip sleeve having a hollow rod, and an inner rod configured to be slidably mounted in an interior of the hollow rod and coupled to the hollow rod. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, further comprising detent pins configured to adjustably couple the lower slip sleeve to the internal piece, and the upper slip sleeve to the stanchion, respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the fall protection system comprises no tensioning cables. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the fall protection system is not fastened to a concrete foundation of the structure, and the fall protection system is coupled only to the frame to secure the fall protection system to the structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a vertical sleeve in which the lower slip sleeve is configured to be mounted, and the mount plate comprises a hole through which the upper slip sleeve is configured to extend. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the fall protection system is configured to withstand a downward force of 310 pounds or more applied to a point on a lifeline connected to one or more stanchions of the fall protection system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the fall protection system is configured to be removably coupled to metal framing of the structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the base and the mount plate comprise concave portions, respectively, which are configured to be complementary to and mate with convex corners of the structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the base and the mount plate comprise planar portions, respectively, that are configured to be complementary to and mate with planar surfaces of the structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a horizontal base plate and vertical base plate portions extending upward therefrom, and the vertical base plate portions are configured to be fastened to the frame. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the mount plate comprises a horizontal mount plate and vertical mount plate portions extending downward therefrom, and the vertical mount plate portions are configured to be fastened to the frame. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The fall protection system of claim 1, wherein the fall protection system comprises a portable kit which can be assembled using one or more hand tools. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The fall protection system of claim 18, wherein the one or more hand tools comprise one or more of an Allen key, a screwdriver, a crescent wrench or a socket wrench.