Patent Application
20100078262
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Embodiments of the invention are related to fall protection systems and apparatus. Particular systems and apparatus provide a dual enclosed track system that allows bypass capability.
The fall arrest industry worldwide manufactures and installs several types of overhead fall protection systems. They are used to prevent workers from injury or death due to falls from height.
Virtually all overhead fall arrest systems consist of a full body harness, worn by the user, which is secured to the anchorage by a lanyard. The lanyard can be cable or webbing and the harness is made of webbing to distribute the fall arrest loads on the body to prevent injury.
A variety of fall protection systems are available. There are single point anchors where the user is restricted to a 30 degree cone or envelope below the anchor point. There are also linear systems whereby the lanyard is attached to a trolley or shuttle which allows the user to traverse along while maintaining constant protection. One such linear system is the “safety cable” system. The cable-based system consists of one or more cables strung between two points. A cable trolley rides on the cable anchoring the lanyard, harness and user to the cable. Another type of fall protection system, in limited commercial use today, is the trolley beam, sometimes referred to as I-Beam style system. The typical I-beam style fall protection system includes an I-beam suspended above the structure to be traversed, a trolley which rides on the horizontal web of the I-beam, and a safety harness which is worn by the worker. The trolley in the I-beam system is typically a four-wheeled device that is designed to ride on the lower leg or flange of the horizontal web of the I-beam, and includes an attachment point (typically a carabiner) to secure the lifeline to the trolley.
Due to static loads and the loads placed on the I-beam when the lanyard engages during a fall event, the I-beam is prone to distorting. Cable systems can allow a user to fall further than desired before the lanyard engages due to dynamic deflection of the cable.
The trolleys on I-beam type systems are prone to hang-ups. For example, objects such as dust, dirt, snow, and ice are prone to collect on such systems resulting in an injury hazard when the object falls off the beam, particularly when struck by the trolley. In addition, such objects present a contamination hazard of the work areas below the I-beam system, particularly in the grain industry where, for example, food-grade grain is contained in open railcars below the system. Furthermore, a swing-fall hazard is created when the trolley hangs-up and remains far behind the user instead of directly overhead.
In one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a fall protection system that includes first and second truss members positioned at a first distance from each other; and first and second slotted housings, each housing defining a first track therein wherein the first and second housings are positioned at a second distance from each other. Embodiments of the fall protection system also include a first plurality of connecting members connecting the first truss member to the first housing and a second plurality of connecting members connecting the second truss member to the second housing. Embodiments also typically include a first plurality of cross members connecting the first housing to the second housing. Some embodiments include a second plurality of cross members connecting the first truss member to the second truss member.
In preferred embodiments, the first distance is greater than the second distance, but in some other embodiments, the first distance is less than the second distance.
Preferably, the truss members comprise steel tubing that may have any desirable length thereby allowing assembly or construction of systems whose length may range from about 10 feet to about 2,000 feet or more. Some particular embodiments provide a fall protection system with an overall length of about 25 feet, about 50 feet, about 75 feet, about 100 feet, about 150 feet, about 200 feet, about 250 feet, about 300 feet, about 400 feet, about 500, about 600 feet, about 750 feet, about 1,000 feet, about 1,250 feet, or about 1,500 feet in length. Thus, some first and second truss members comprise integrally formed steel tubing or construction grade steel pipe having the desired corresponding length. In other embodiments, the truss members are formed from sections of steel tubing or construction grade steel pipe of a convenient length that are joined to form the desired length. In such embodiments, the sections may have a length of 10 to 250 feet or more. In some embodiments, the segments have a length of about 20 feet, about 30 feet, about 40 feet, about 50 feet, about 60 feet, about 75 feet, about 90 feet, about 100 feet, about 125 feet, about 150 feet, about 175 feet, or about 200 feet. Thus, some embodiments of the invention may have a length ranging up to 2,000 feet with support members spaced at intervals of 10 to 200 feet or more. But the support members may be placed at any convenient interval. Embodiments of the invention include systems wherein the support members are spaced at intervals of about 20 feet, about 30 feet, about 40 feet, about 50 feet, about 60 feet, about 75 feet, about 90 feet, about 100 feet, about 125 feet, about 150 feet, or about 175 feet.
In some embodiments, the first and second housings also comprise steel tubing. Preferably, the housing is formed by steel tubing having a slot along the longitudinal dimension of the tube. The slot defines flanges of the housing and the tracks are defined by the flanges in each housing. Preferably, the truss members are integrally formed.
Some embodiments of the invention include at least two spaced-apart support members configured to attach to one or more truss members. Typically, truss members are supported on at least two support members. Where the truss members are supported on the support members, some embodiments employ a reinforcing plate (not shown) to secure the truss members to the support members. The reinforcing plate typically has a width greater than the width of the truss member and is attached to the underside of the truss members, preferable by welding. A bolt, screw, or other type of fastening means may be used to secure the reinforcing plate to the top of the support members. In other embodiments, the truss members may be directly attached to the top of the support members. In other embodiments, the truss members may be suspended from the support members in any convenient manner. Any support member may be used. Some support members are affixed to a structure such as a building, wall, or scaffolding. Other support members are free-standing support members, said support members including a substantially vertical portion and an extending portion extending from the vertical portion over a work area. Typical free-standing support members are selected from inverted L-gallows, two-track inverted L-gallows, T-gallows, I-gallows, columns and pillars.
Some embodiments of the fall protection systems described herein include one or more trolleys that are configured to be slideable through the housings along the track therein. Typically, each trolley is connected to a lanyard that is in turn connected to a harness. Any harness configuration suitable for supporting a user in a fall may even be used.
The following description illustrates embodiments of the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. Thus, the embodiments described below represent preferred embodiments of the invention. All numbers disclosed herein are approximate values unless stated otherwise, regardless of whether the word “about” or “approximately” is used in connection therewith. The numbers may vary by up to 1%, 2%, 5%, or sometimes 10 to 20%. Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit, RL, and an upper limit RU, is disclosed, any number R falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, the following numbers R within the range are specifically disclosed: R=RL+k*(RU−RL), where k is a variable ranging from 1% to 100% with a 1% increment, i.e., k is 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, . . . , 50%, 51%, 52%, . . . , 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100%. Moreover, any numerical range defined by two numbers, R, as defined above, is also specifically disclosed.
As used herein, the term integrally formed shall be interpreted to mean that the identified component is formed as a monolithic structure or as a unitary whole. Nevertheless, an integrally formed component may be composed of several essentially identical parts, such as tubing or pipe segments, that are connected together to form the overall component. Steel rod or bar may also be integrally formed. Likewise, any components that are welded together, such as a square or rectangular pipe formed by welding together four initially separate sheet-shaped sections, or where components such as individual tubing or pipe segments connect via a male/female style interconnect or other interlocking mechanism shall be considered to be “integrally formed.”
Embodiments of the invention also include housings 4 and 5. Housings 4 and 5 typically comprise stainless steel, titanium or a high strength steel. Preferably, housings 4 and 5 comprise galvanized steel. Like the truss members 2 and 3, housings 4 and 5 may be integrally formed and in particular embodiments comprise one or more sections of the tube, pipe, round bar or square bar joined together by welding or interconnecting, as described with respect to the truss members 2 and 3. Preferably the housings 4 and 5 comprise a roll-formed section of construction grade steel or other suitable material. Each of the housings 4 and 5 include a slot 6 along the longitudinal dimension of the housing. The slots 6 may be formed in any manner so long as it allows access to the interior portion of the tubing or pipe that forms the housings 4 and 5. The slot 6 forms flanges 7 and 8 in the housings 4 and 5. Typically, the slots 6 and the flanges 7 and 8 are provided along the lower portion of the tube or pipe that forms the housings 4 and 5. But in other embodiments, the slots 6 may be located in the side portions of the housings 4 and 5.
The housings 4 and 5 may be positioned at any convenient distance from each other. Preferably, the distance between the housings 4 and 5 is less than the distance that separates the truss members 2 and 3. More preferably, the distance between housings 4 and 5 is sufficient to provide by-pass capability such that the users can walk past each other without the requirement to disconnect from the fall protection system to pass each other. The distance between housings 4 and 5 generally ranges from about 6 inches to about 3 feet. Most preferably, the truss members 2 and 3 and the housings 4 and 5 form a substantially trapezoidal configuration. Typically, in such a trapezoidal configuration the truss members 2 and 3 will lie in a first horizontal plane and the housings 4 and 5 lie in a second horizontal plane. In other embodiments, the plane containing the truss members 2 and 3 need not be horizontal. Likewise, the plane of the housings 4 and 5 may also be other than horizontal. In other embodiments, the truss members 2 and 3 and housings 4 and 5 may follow any desired curvature or path, particularly where the fall protection system is attached to a structure such as a building, ceiling, or scaffolding.
Truss member 2 is connected to housing 4 by a plurality of connecting members 9. Connecting members 9 are made from any suitable material, such as stainless steel, titanium or a high strength steel. Like the truss members 2 and 3 and housings 4 and 5, the connecting members 6 typically comprise galvanized steel. The connecting members 9 may be in the form of tubing or be solid supports according to design specifications. Any configuration of the connecting members may be used. Typically, each of the connecting members 9 run perpendicularly from the truss member 2 to the housing member 4. Thus, the angle α, formed by the truss member 2 and the connecting members 9 is typically about 90°. In other embodiments, the cross members 9 individually form any other suitable angle with the truss member 2. In other embodiments, the connecting members 9 may alternate, forming a zigzag arrangement in connecting the truss 2 to the housing 4. The connecting members 6 may be spaced at any convenient distance that provides suitable structural support for the housing 4. Preferably, the distance between the connecting members 9 prevents or minimizes swaying of the fall protection system. One suitable distance between perpendicular connecting members 9 is about 3 feet where the span of the fall protection system 1 is about 75 to 100 feet. Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art readily understands that this distance will vary to some degree based on the span of the fall protection system 1. The connecting members 9 may be attached to the truss member 2 and the housing 4 by any suitable means such as welding, or fastening with bolts, screws, or rivets. Truss member 3 is connected in any of the above manners to housing 5 by a second plurality of connecting members 10. Connecting members 10 can have any configuration or be made from materials as described above for the connecting members 9. Typically, connecting members 10 are the same length as connecting members 9. Such configurations are useful where the housings 4 and 5 are located at the distance from the respective trusses 2 and 3. But where the housings 4 and 5 are located at different distances from their respective trusses 2 and 3, the length of the connecting members 10 may be longer or shorter than connecting members 9.
Embodiments of the fall protection system 1 also typically include a plurality of cross members 11 connecting housings 4 and 5. Like the connecting members 9 and 10, the cross members 11 may connect the housings 4 and 5 in any convenient configuration. In particular embodiments, the cross members 11 form a 90° angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing 4 or 5. The cross members 11 need not be directly connected to the housings 4 and 5. In other embodiments, the individual cross members may be attached to the housings 4 and 5 to form a zigzag pattern of individual cross members 11. Embodiments where the connecting members 11 are attached to connecting members 9 and 10 should also be considered as connecting the housings 4 and 5. The cross members 11 may be attached to the housings 4 and 5 directly (including via the connecting members 9 and 10) by any suitable means such as welding, or fastening with bolts, screws or rivets.
In some embodiments, the fall protection system 1 optionally includes a second plurality of cross members 12 connecting truss members 2 and 3. Cross members 12 may connect to the truss members 2 and 3 in any convenient manner or configuration and are attached by any suitable means. While the cross members 12 may be used in any desirable situation, the cross members are particularly useful where the truss members 2 and 3 are supported by support members (described below) rather than being attached to a stationary structure, such as a wall, ceiling, or scaffolding.
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Any support member 13 may be used provided that it has a strength stiffness to support the structure in the event of a fall. Support members 13 preferably are free-standing supports which are anchored in the ground adjacent a structure 14 (such as a railcar, hopper, silo, building, etc.) on which personnel will be working. Some suitable support members include, but are not limited to, inverted L-gallows, two-track inverted L-gallows, T-gallows, I-gallows, columns and pillars. In other embodiments, the support structures 13 comprise a tubing, pipe, or any type of construction beam.
Whatever type or configuration of support members 13 are selected, the support members 13 may support the truss members 2 and 3 or in some embodiments, the truss members 2 and 3 may be suspended from the support members 13. Where the truss members 2 and 3 are suspended from the support, a bracket assembly may be used. Any suitable bracket assembly may be used. In some preferred embodiments, the truss members 2 and 3 attached to or placed on top of the support members 13. In other embodiments, the support members 13 are integrally formed with the truss members 2 and 3. The support members 13 may be attached to the truss members 2 and 3 by any convenient means, including welding, or fastening with bolts, screws, or rivets.
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While the invention has been described with a limited number of embodiments, these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as otherwise described and claimed herein. Variations and modifications therefrom exist. For instance, fall protection systems having more than two truss members and/or more than two housings are expressly envisioned. In addition, embodiments of the invention may have one or more advantage over other systems. Advantageously in some embodiments, the connecting members 9 and 10 do not overlap with a substantial width of the side of the truss members 2 or 3. One advantage of at least some embodiments of the fall protection system described herein is the capability of arresting a user's fall with substantially no deflection of the truss members and/or the housings. Embodiments may also provide a fall protection system that can span longer distances than the current systems without the need for frequent supports. Also, at least some of the described fall protection systems may better resist flexing, sagging, drooping, warping or otherwise distorting. By-pass capability is another feature of embodiments of the fall protection system described herein. In such embodiments, users can walk past each other thus increasing productivity and eliminating the requirement to disconnect from the system to pass each other. Another advantage provided by some fall systems described herein is the transmission of forces from the user's fall to the support members in a manner such that the forces are applied substantially colinear with the support members.
Finally, any number disclosed herein should be construed to mean approximate, regardless of whether the word “about” or “approximate” is used in describing the number. The appended claims intend to cover all such variations and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 29/298,603, filed on Dec. 7, 2007.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 29298603 | Dec 2007 | US |
| Child | 12607741 | US |
