Patent Application
20140251724
Builders and workers are both concerned about worker safety when they are working on a part of a building where the workers might fall off the building. Builders and workers also want simple and inexpensive devices to provide such safety. One way to reduce risks to such a worker is to attach the worker by a cable or other lifeline to a “fall-arrest anchor”, which is a device attached to the building that stops, or arrests, the fall of the worker if he or she falls. Such a device must meet US federal and/or ANSI fall-arrest standards in force as of Jan. 31, 2014, such as OSHA 1926:502 (1995), ANSI Z359.1-07 (2007), or ANSI Z359.1-07 (2014). Some examples of such standards can be found, for example, at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=10758&p_table=STANDARDS, or http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI%2FASSE+Z359.1-2007&keyword=inurl:webstore.ansi.org%23inurl:sku%3Dansi&source=google&adgroup=ANSI-Standards&gclid=CMOwpJ2TqwbCFc5hfgodnXgAJA. A fall-arrest anchor has a 5,000 lb (22.5 kN) breaking strength. It is also important to assure that a fall-arrest anchor is not re-used after it has already caught a worker that fell from a structure. This is important because the material of the fall-arrest anchor and/or the material of the structure being built may not “hold up” if a worker has a second fall.
There is a need for improved fall-arrest anchors and for the systems and methods of using them. The present devices, systems and methods, etc., provide these and/or other advantages.
The present application is directed to fall-arrest anchors, and related systems and methods, that reduce the risks to workers that are building structures such as houses and office buildings. Such workers can, for example, do high-rise construction, overhead work or roofing installation. The fall-arrest anchors herein provide improved simplicity, economy, and/or ease of ability to insert or attach the fall-arrest anchors to trusses (or other structural elements).
In some aspects the devices, methods and systems herein, provide simple, economical fall-arrest anchors and fall-arrest anchor systems suitable for attachment to a retention element in a structure, such as a truss. The fall-arrest anchors also provide a built-in, easy-to-see “tell-tale” feature that shows when the fall-arrest anchor has already caught a worker that fell (i.e., when the fall-arrest anchor has already been subjected to a fall-arrest stress load).
Thus, in one aspect, the present application provides a fall-arrest anchor having a breaking strength of more than 5,000 lbs (22.5 kN). The fall-arrest anchor comprises a first anchor portion sized and configured for attachment to a building and a second worker-attachment portion sized and configured for attachment to a worker's lifeline.
The first anchor portion and the second worker-attachment portion can be multiple pieces but typically are formed from a single, elongated member.
The first anchor portion can be any desired, adequate length, for example at least about twice as long as the second worker-attachment portion and wherein the first anchor portion and the second worker-attachment portion are joined at a suitable angle to visibly show deformation such as visibly significant bending after being subject to a fall-arrest stress load, for example an angle of more than about 20°, 30°, 45°, 60°, or 90°. The first anchor portion can be at least about two, three or four times longer than the second worker-attachment portion. The fall-arrest anchor can be made of metal such as steel such as 11 gauge A-36 steel. The fall-arrest anchor is compliant with appropriate regulations such as OSHA 1926:502 (1995), ANSI Z359.1-07 (2007), or ANSI 2359.1-07 (2014).
The second worker-attachment portion can comprise a connector hole sized and configured for attachment to a connector element of a worker's lifeline. Any suitable attachment connector for the lifeline can be used such as any class-1 lifeline connector.
The first anchor portion is attachable via any suitable devices to the building under construction, for example via a plurality of nail holes in the first anchor portion. Thus, the first anchor portion can comprise at least 3, 4, 5, or 6 or more nail holes. The nail holes can be disposed non-linearly along a length of the first anchor portion so that nails pounded through the holes will be less likely to split underlying wood beams such as trusses or 2×4s.
The fall-arrest anchor comprises a tell-tale feature 10 that shows when the anchor has been subjected to a fall-arrest stress load, e.g., a load more than 450 or 600 pounds, the angle between the first anchor portion and the second worker-attachment portion visibly flattens out, i.e., approaches 0°. Because of this change in angle, users can easily see if the anchor is still suitable for use or not.
Also provide herein are fall-arrest anchor kits and system comprising a fall-arrest anchor as discussed herein as well as suitable components such as fastening devices such as nails, green vinyl sinkers or screws, and if desired a worker's lifeline. The fall-arrest anchor systems can be attached, typically at the first anchor portion, to a building, as well as the worker's lifeline.
Notably, in some embodiments the fall-arrest anchors herein do not comprise any flashing components.
In further aspects, the discussion herein provides methods of making and of using the fall-arrest anchors, anchor systems and anchor kits herein.
These and other aspects, features and embodiments are set forth within this application, including the following Detailed Description and attached drawings. Unless expressly stated otherwise, all embodiments, aspects, features, etc., can be mixed and matched, combined and permuted in any desired manner.
Turning to the figures,
In the embodiment in
The first anchor portion 6 and the second worker-attachment portion 8 are joined at an angle 12. The angle can be sharp or comprise a radius. The angle 12 can be at or more than about 30°, 40°, or 45°. The first anchor portion 6 can be at least about two, three or four times longer than the second worker-attachment portion 8. The fall-arrest anchor 2 can be made of metal such as steel such as 11 gauge A-36 steel. The fall-arrest anchor 2 can be compliant with appropriate regulations such as OSHA 1926:502 (1995), ANSI Z359.1-07 (2007), or ANSI Z359.1-07 (2014).
The second worker-attachment portion 8 comprises a hole 16 for lifeline attachment sized and configured for attachment to a worker's lifeline. Any suitable attachment element for the lifeline can be used, it need not be a hole. The first anchor portion 6 is attachable via any suitable devices to the building under construction, for example via a plurality of holes 18 for fasteners in the first anchor portion 6. Thus, the first anchor portion 6 can comprise at least 3, 4, 5, or 6 or more holes 18 for fasteners such as nails, screws or green vinyl sinkers. The holes 18 for fasteners can be disposed non-linearly along a length of the first anchor portion 6 so that nails or screws extended through the holes 18 for fasteners will be less likely to split underlying wood beams such as trusses or 2×4s.
The fall-arrest anchor 2 comprises a tell-tale feature 10 that shows when the anchor has been subjected to a fall-arrest stress load, e.g., a load more than 450 or 600 pounds. As shown by the differences between the fall-arrest anchors 2 and the tell-tale features 10 in panels 1a and 1b of
Notably, in some embodiments the fall-arrest anchors herein do not comprise any flashing components.
In further aspects, the discussion herein provides methods of making and of using the fall-arrest anchor 2.
Also provide herein are fall-arrest anchor kits and systems comprising a fall-arrest anchor 2 as discussed herein as well as suitable components such as fastening devices such as nails 32, green vinyl sinkers or screws, and if desired a worker's lifeline 22. The fall-arrest anchor systems comprise the fall-arrest anchor 2 attached to a building 14 and/or a worker's lifeline 22.
All terms used herein are used in accordance with their ordinary meanings unless the context or definition clearly indicates otherwise. Also unless expressly indicated otherwise, in the specification the use of “or” includes “and” and vice-versa. Non-limiting terms are not to be construed as limiting unless expressly stated, or the context clearly indicates, otherwise (for example, “including,” “having,” and “comprising” typically indicate “including without limitation”). Singular forms, including in the claims, such as “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless expressly stated, or the context clearly indicates, otherwise.
The scope of the present devices, systems and methods, etc., includes both means plus function and step plus function concepts. However, the claims are not to be interpreted as indicating a “means plus function” relationship unless the word “means” is specifically recited in a claim, and are to be interpreted as indicating a “means plus function” relationship where the word “means” is specifically recited in a claim. Similarly, the claims are not to be interpreted as indicating a “step plus function” relationship unless the word “step” is specifically recited in a claim, and are to be interpreted as indicating a “step plus function” relationship where the word “step” is specifically recited in a claim.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments have been discussed herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the discussion herein. Accordingly, the systems and methods, etc., include such modifications as well as all permutations and combinations of the subject matter set forth herein and are not limited except as by the appended claims or other claim having adequate support in the discussion and figures herein.
The present application claims the benefit of copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/760,572, filed Feb. 4, 2013, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61760572 | Feb 2013 | US |
