# US 12,005,276 B2 · Centrifugal brake assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,276 B2 - Document ID: US12005276B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/944,304 - Filed: 2020-07-31 - Published: 2020-11-12 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-28 - Assignees: D B Industries, Inc. - Applicants: D B Industries, LLC - Inventors: Scott C. Casebolt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005276B2 ## CPC - A62B 35/0093: {Fall arrest reel devices} - A62B 1/10: mechanically operated - F16D 59/00: Self-acting brakes, e.g. coming into operation at a predetermined speed - 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) - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract A centrifugal brake assembly comprises a pawl and a rotor. The rotor includes a receiving portion configured and arranged to receive a portion of the pawl. The pawl is movable relative to the rotor between an engaged position and a disengaged position. One of the pawl and the rotor has a curved slotted portion, and another of the pawl and the rotor has an elongated curved protrusion. The elongated curved protrusion at least partially extends within the curved slotted portion and moves generally along the curved slotted portion when the pawl moves between the engaged position and the disengaged position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pawl and a rotor for use with a centrifugal brake assembly, comprising: the rotor including a receiving portion configured and arranged to receive a portion of the pawl, the pawl being movable relative to the rotor between an engaged position and a disengaged position; and the rotor having a slotted portion, the pawl having an elongated protrusion, the elongated protrusion at least partially extending within the slotted portion and moving generally along the slotted portion when the pawl moves between the engaged position and the disengaged position; wherein the pawl comprises a generally rectangular base portion, a circular portion and a triangular protrusion, with the elongated protrusion, the circular portion, and the triangular protrusion all protruding outwardly from the generally rectangular base portion, with the circular portion of the pawl being the portion of the pawl that is received within the receiving portion of the rotor and about which the pawl pivots relative to the rotor, wherein the triangular protrusion protrudes generally outward from the generally rectangular base portion of the pawl in a direction generally aligned with an unwinding direction of the rotor, wherein the elongated protrusion protrudes outwardly from the generally rectangular base portion of the pawl in a direction generally aligned with a winding direction of the rotor and that is generally opposite the direction in which the triangular protrusion protrudes, and wherein the generally rectangular base portion of the pawl comprises a rotor-contact surface that faces generally in the winding direction of the rotor and that is located proximate a junction of the elongated protrusion with the generally rectangular base portion of the pawl, the pawl and rotor being configured so that the rotor-contact surface of the generally rectangular base portion of the pawl contacts the rotor when the pawl is in the engaged position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pawl and the rotor of claim 1, wherein the receiving portion of the rotor includes opposing first and second receiving portions and the pawl includes first and second pawls, each of the first and second receiving portions being configured and arranged to receive the circular portion of the respective first and second pawls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pawl and the rotor of claim 1, wherein the pawl pivots relative to the rotor absent a pin on the pawl. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pawl and the rotor of claim 1, wherein a biasing spring is seated within the slotted portion of the rotor, the biasing spring being held in place within the slotted portion without being fixedly attached to the rotor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pawl and rotor of claim 4, wherein the biasing spring is configured so that a biasing force exerted by the spring on the pawl, is generally aligned with the unwind direction of the rotor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A self-retracting lifeline comprising the pawl and rotor of claim 1, the self-retracting lifeline further comprising a drum and a lifeline that is windable onto and off of the drum, so that the drum exhibits a winding direction that defines the winding direction of the rotor and the drum exhibits an unwinding direction that defines the unwinding direction of the rotor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The self-retracting lifeline of claim 6 wherein the rotor is fixed to the drum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The self-retracting lifeline of claim 6 further comprising a housing to which the drum is rotatably operatively connected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The self-retracting lifeline of claim 6 wherein the self-retracting lifeline comprises a bracket comprising a stop member that extends generally radially inwardly from the bracket and that is configured to be engaged by the pawl when the pawl is in the engaged position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The self-retracting lifeline of claim 9 wherein the pawl is held in position by being confined in a cavity defined by a first side of the drum, the rotor, and a first side of the bracket of the self-retracting lifeline. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The self-retracting lifeline of claim 6 wherein the self-retracting lifeline further comprises a motor spring that places a biasing force on the drum to wind the lifeline about the drum.