Safety clamp device and apparatus utilizing same

A safety clamp device adapted to be slidably mounted on an upright safety cable and adapted to be connected to a means for raising and lowering a movable platform, said safety device comprising:

• a body member having a cable receiving cradle adapted to receive said safety cable;
• a lever arm shiftably mounted on said body member for movement about an axis transverse to the slidable movement of said body member relative to said safety cable, said lever arm shiftable between a safety cable engaging position and a safety cable release position.
• safety cable engaging means for engaging said safety cable when said lever arm is in said engaging position;
• at least one elongate bar member pivotally attached to said lever arm, said bar member positioned in a first upright position to maintain said lever arm in said release position, said bar member adapted to shift to a second upright position to urge said lever arm to said engaging position at the time of failure of said raising and lowering means;
• means for coupling one end of said elongate bar member to said movable platform;
• means for coupling the other end of said elongate bar member to said raising and lowering means;
• and
• a modified bellcrank having a first arm pivotally connected to said body member and a second arm adapted to be pivotally coupled to said raising and lowering means, the apex of said bellcrank pivotally connected to said bar member, said modified bellcrank and said cradle cooperatively acting to maintain said cradle and said bar member in parallel relationship.

Platform apparatus for ascending or descending a hoist cable and for engaging a safety cable to prevent sudden downward movement thereof, said apparatus comprising:

• a movable platform;
• a platform lifting device;
• and
• a safety clamp device slidably mounted on said safety cable and disposed between said platform and said lifting device, said safety clamp device comprising:
• a body member having a cable receiving cradle adapted to receive said safety cable;
• a lever arm shiftably mounted on said body member for movement about an axis transverse to the slidable movement on said body member relative to said safety cable, said lever arm shiftable between a safety cable engaging position and a safety cable release position;
• safety cable engaging means for engaging said safety cable when said lever arm is in said engaging position;
• at least one elongate bar member pivotally attached to said lever arm, said bar member coupled at its lower end to said platform;
• and
• a first arm pivotally connected at one end to said body member and pivotally connected at the other end to the upper end of said bar member, said lever arm and said first arm cooperatively acting to maintain said cradle and said bar member in parallel relationship to said safety cable.

Platform apparatus for ascending or descending a hoist cable and for engaging a safety cable to prevent sudden downward movement thereof, said apparatus comprising:

• a movable platform;
• a platform lifting device;
• and
• a safety clamp device slidably mounted on said safety cable and disposed between said platform and said lifting device, said safety clamp device comprising:
• a body member having a cable receiving cradle adapted to receive said safety cable;
• a lever arm shiftably mounted on said body member for movement about an axis transverse to the slidable movement of said body member relative to said safety cable, said lever arm shiftable between a safety cable engaging position and a safety cable release position;
• safety cable engaging means for engaging said safety cable when said lever arm is in said engaging position;
• at least one elongate bar member pivotally attached to said lower arm, said bar member coupled at its lower end to said platform;
• and
• a modified bellcrank having a first arm pivotally connected to said body member, a second arm pivotally coupled to said lifting device, and the apex between said first and second arms pivotally connected to the upper end of said bar member, said modified bellcrank and said lever arm cooperatively acting to maintain said cradle and said bar member in parallel relationship to said safety cable.