Safety attachment systems, and parts and fitting therefor
AssigneeLatchways PLC
InventorAlan W. Tupper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A linkage mechanism for a safety attachment system in which a pair of traversing devices are engaged with an elongate safety line for sliding movement therealong past intermediate securing devices for the safety line. The traversing devices are coupled to the mechanism, and a lanyard connected to the mechanism applies a force thereto, when the lanyard is under tension, in a direction generally away from the safety line. The mechanism is adapted to cause relative movement of the traversing devices along the safety line when the force is applied thereto by the lanyard. An actuator, preferably using a spring, is provided in the mechanism to cause opposite relative movement of the traversing devices when the force is reduced.
Claims13
A linkage mechanism for use in a safety attachment system in which each of a pair of traversing devices is engaged with an elongate safety line for sliding movement therealong past intermediate securing means for the safety line and is provided with a pivotal load connector member, which mechanism comprises a pair of pivotally mounted arms arranged in a generally V-shaped configuration and being pivotally mounted on a hub member, the arms being adapted at their free ends for attachment, respectively, to a pivotal load connector member provided on the traversing devices;
- means for attaching an end connector of a lanyard to the hub member so as to apply a force to the mechanism, when the lanyard is tensioned, to reduce the angle between the arms thereof thereby causing a relative movement of the traversing devices toward one another along the safety line;
- and actuating means acting between the arms and the hub member to increase the angle between said arms, when said lanyard tension is reduced, to cause relative movement of the traversing devices away from one another along the safety line.
A linkage mechanism for use in a safety attachment system in which a pair of traversing devices are engaged with an elongate safety line for sliding movement therealong past intermediate securing means for the safety line, which mechanism comprises a pair of pivotally mounted arms arranged in a generally V-shaped configuration, the end of each arm being provided with an attachment element pivotally mounted thereon about the longitudinal axis of the arm, for connection to a load connector member of a respective traversing device to permit the traversing devices to negotiate curved sections of the safety line;
- means for attaching an end connector of a lanyard to the mechanism so as to apply a force to the mechanism, when the lanyard is tensioned, to reduce the angle between the arms thereof thereby causing a relative movement of the traversing devices towards one another along the safety line;
- and actuating means acting to increase the angle between said arms, when said lanyard tension is reduced, to cause relative movement of the traversing devices away from one another along the safety line.
A linkage mechanism for use in a safety attachment system in which each of a pair of traversing devices is engaged with an elongate safety line for sliding movement therealong past intermediate securing means for the safety line and is provided with a pivotal load connector member, which mechanism comprises a pair of pivotally mounted arms arranged in a generally V-shaped configuration, the arms being adapted at their free ends for attachment, respectively, to a pivotal load connector member provided on the traversing devices;
- means for attaching an end connector of a lanyard to the mechanism so as to apply a force to the mechanism, when the lanyard is tensioned, to reduce the angle between the arms thereof thereby causing a relative movement of the traversing devices toward one another along the safety line;
- two pairs of cooperating stop means provided on the arms for engagement with one another to limit the extreme relative pivotal movements of the arms towards one anohter, and away from one another, respectively;
- and actuating means acting to increase the angle between said arms, when said lanyard tension is reduced, to cause relative movement of the traversing devices away from one another along the safety line.
A safety attachment system comprising an elongate safety line, means for securing the safety line to a fixed structure at the ends of the line and at least at one intermediate location therealong, a pair of traversing devices for sliding engagement along the safety line each of which being adapted to traverse each intermediate securing means of the safety line without detachment from the line and having a pivotal load connector member, and a link mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally mounted arms arranged in a generally V-shaped configuration and being pivotally mounted on a hub member, the arms being attached at their free ends, respectively, to a pivotal load connector member provided on said traversing devices respectively;
- means for attaching an end connector of a lanyard to the hub member so as to apply a force to the mechanism, when the lanyard is tensioned, to reduce the angle between the arms, thereby causing a relative movement of the traversing devices toward one anohter along the safety line;
- and actuating means acting between the arms and the hub member to increase the angle between said arms, when said lanyard tension is reduced, to cause relative movement of the traversing devices away from one anohter along the safety line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.