US 5,718,305 AGranted

Safety harness attachment post assembly

OwnerTheodore Richard Palmerinventor

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Abstract

A post assembly for attaching a worker safety harness to a structure comprises a post member having two transversely spaced wall attachment assemblies at its lower end and on opposite sides thereof and a roof attachment assembly intermediate its ends, the assemblies being releasable to enable the post assembly to be removed while the parts attached to the wall and roof remain for re-use. The assemblies have attachment axes that diverge toward the wall to increase the transverse spacing between the attachment points as the spacing from the wall increases. The spacing of the wall assemblies and their placement on opposite sides of the post ensures that part of any sideways acting force is converted from undesirable shear peeling force to compressive force on one wall assembly and tension force on the other assembly. The part of each attachment assembly that contacts a surface may comprise a central plate with one or more side and/or end plates hinged thereto to accommodate curvature of the roof surface. Preferably, the attachment members are fastened to the structure surfaces by adhesive. The post member comprises an upper telescoping part so that its length can be adjusted as required, and a lower telescoping part to adjust the vertical distance between the wall and roof assemblies. A stub post assembly is used for installation to ensure that the attachment plates are accurately located for subsequent re-use.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A safety harness attachment post assembly for releasable attachment to and support by a wall surface and a roof surface of a structure on which it is mounted, the assembly comprising:

a post member which when attached to the wall and roof surfaces extends generally vertically with an upper end above the roof surface and a lower end below the roof surface, the post member having at its upper end means for releasable attachment thereto of a safety harness permitting movement of a worker wearing the harness on the roof surface;
two transversely spaced separable wall attachment assemblies at or adjacent to the post member lower end on opposite sides thereof for attachment of the post member to the wall surface so as to withstand the weight of the assembly and forces applied thereto by an attached safety harness;
each wall attachment assembly being adapted for releasable attachment of the post assembly to the wall surface and comprising a wall attachment plate member attachable to the wall surface and having a first connection part thereon, a second connection part on the post member, and wall attachment assembly connecting means separably connecting together the first and second connection parts, whereby removal of the respective connecting means leaves the corresponding plate member and its first connection part attached to the wall surface;
the transverse spacing of the two wall attachment assemblies and their disposition on opposite sides of the post member providing that part of sideways force acting parallel to the wall surface and applied by the safety harness to the post member and thereby to the wall attachment plate members is converted from shear peeling force to compressive force acting inward toward the wall surface on one wall attachment plate member and to tensile force acting outward away from the wall surface on the other wall attachment plate member;
and
a roof attachment assembly intermediate the post member ends for releasable attachment of the post assembly to the roof surface so as to withstand the weight of the assembly and forces applied thereto by an attached safety harness, the assembly comprising a roof attachment assembly plate member attachable to the roof surface and having a first connection part thereon, a second connection part on the post member, and roof attachment assembly connecting means separably connecting together the first and second connection parts, whereby removal of the respective connecting means leaves the corresponding plate member and its first connection part attached to the roof surface.

3 more elements

A safety harness attachment stub post assembly for releasable attachment of two transversely spaced wall surface attachment assemblies to a wall surface of a structure and of a roof surface attachment assembly to a roof surface of the structure so as to permit the subsequent attachment to and support by the wall and roof surfaces of a safety harness attachment post assembly, the stub post assembly comprising:

a stub post member which when attached to the wall and roof surfaces extends generally vertically with an upper end at least at the level of the roof surface and a lower end below the roof surface, the stub post member, the stub post member corresponding to a post member having at its upper end means for releasable attachment thereto of a safety harness;
two transversely spaced separable wall attachment assemblies at or adjacent to the stub post member lower end on opposite sides thereof for subsequent attachment of the safety harness attachment post assembly to the wall surface so as to withstand the weight of the assembly and forces applied thereto by an attached safety harness;
each wall attachment assembly being adapted for releasable attachment of the stub post assembly to the wall surface and comprising a wall attachment plate member attachable to the wall surface and having a first connection part thereon, a second connection part on the stub post member, and wall attachment assembly connecting means separably connecting together the first and second connection parts, whereby removal of the respective connecting means leaves the corresponding plate member and its first connection part attached to the wall surface;
the transverse spacing of the two wall attachment assemblies and their disposition on opposite sides of the stub post member providing that part of sideways force acting parallel to the wall surface that would be applied by the safety harness to a post member and thereby to the wall attachment plate members will be converted from shear peeling force to compressive force acting inward toward the wall surface on one wall attachment plate member and to tensile force acting outward away from the wall surface on the other wall attachment plate member;
and
a roof attachment assembly at the stub post member upper end for releasable attachment of the post assembly to the roof surface so as to withstand the weight of the assembly and forces applied thereto by an attached safety harness, the assembly comprising a roof attachment assembly plate member attachable to the roof surface and having a first connection part thereon, a second connection part on the stub post member, and roof attachment assembly connecting means separably connecting together the first and second connection parts, whereby removal of the respective connecting means leaves the corresponding plate member and its first connection part attached to the roof surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/742,808Filed 1 Nov 1996
Granted: 17 Feb 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

E04G 21/3214
Against falling down: means for working on roofs
E04G 5/041
Means for fastening, supporting, or bracing scaffolds on or against building constructions: for fastening scaffolds on roof frameworks or on roofs
E04G 21/3223
Against falling down: means supported by building floors or flat roofs, e.g. safety railings
E04G 21/3261
Safety or protective measures for persons during the construction of buildings: safety-nets; Safety mattresses; Arrangements on buildings for…