Safety device for ladder climbers

An improved safety device adapted to be secured to a person working at an elevated level and having means to releasably engage an elongated, vertically extending safety carrier such as a cable or rod, if the person falls, comprising:

• a clamping bracket having an elongated clamping surface on one end thereof constructed and arranged to bear against one side of an elongated safety carrier on which said bracket is adapted to be slidably mounted in an upright position with said clamping surface extending generally parallel to the safety carrier, said bracket being in the form of an elongated, U-shaped member defined by opposed, spaced apart side walls jointed together at their inner ends by an upright end wall segment which forms said bracket clamping surface;
• a wedge plate shiftably supported on said bracket between said bracket side walls in an upright position and having an elongated clamping side extending substantially parallel to said bracket clamping surface in spaced apart relation thereto for the extension of an elongated safety carrier therebetween;
• a cam follower surface on one end of said wedge plate disposed in coacting engagement with an elongated camming member extending transversely between said bracket side walls and secured thereto, said cam follower surface being positioned between said elongated camming member and said bracket clamping surface and extending generally upwardly and inwardly toward said bracket clamping surface;
• an elongated guide finger affixed to said wedge plate in spaced apart, parallel relation to said cam follower surface thereon with said elongated camming member being positioned between said guide finger and said cam follower surface;
• and
• an actuating arm pivotally attached to said clamping bracket for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and projecting outwardly away from said bracket clamping surface, the outer, free end of said arm having means thereon for attachment to a workman, the inner end of said arm having contact means thereon drivingly associated with said wedge plate for imparting upward movement to said wedge plate as the outer end of said arm pivots downwardly, and said arm inner end being mechanically linked to said wedge plate by a pin and aperture connection providing sufficient clearance to permit unrestrained clamping movement of said wedge plate upwardly and inwardly towards a safety carrier, whereby, with said clamping bracket in said upright position, a downward force on the outer end of said actuating arm will pivot the inner end of said arm upwardly, with the result that the inner end of said arm will carry said wedge plate upwardly against said elongated camming member, whereby said wedge plate will be urged upwardly and inwardly to a clamping position with its clamping side brought into engagement with an elongated safety carrier to clamp said carrier between said bracket clamping surface and said clamping side of said wedge plate.