Patent Application
20050145435
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved method for arranging a mechanically activated refraction system for a twin lanyard used in fall arrest. Additionally, this invention relates to a method for creating a retractable lifeline with twin retractable reels for the take-up of webbing or cable. Additionally this invention relates to a method for creating a lightweight retractable reel located in the center of a lanyard that can be used to take-up webbing from both ends of the webbing at the same time. Additionally, this invention relates to a method for activating an internal locking bar on a retractable take-up reel by the use of an over-center spring that can be re-positioned under light load to create a normally open or normally locked condition of operation.
2. Known Art
Fall arrest lanyards are used in most industrial and commercial applications requiring fall arrest for individual workers to attach those workers to fall arrest anchors. These lanyards may be in the form of fixed length steel or webbing shock-absorbing lanyards or variable length shock-absorbing retractable lanyards. The fixed length lanyards are usually lighter in weight but limit mobility due to their fixed length. They also introduce the possibility of free-falls equal to twice their length if the fall arrest anchor is at or below the foot level of the worker. The great advantage of the retractable lanyard is that (if the retractable is located overhead) the free-fall distance is just the lock-up distance of the retractable (usually less than 12-in.). The disadvantage of the retractable lanyard is that it is usually heavier than a fixed length webbing lanyard.
A problem with using shock-absorbing lanyards for fall-arrest is encountered when a worker must move from one work site to another that is farther away than the length of his retractable or fixed length lanyard. When this occurs, the worker is usually forced to disconnect from his anchorage and move or free-climb without fall-arrest protection until he reaches his next workstation and can reconnect. To solve this problem, manufacturers have created what is called a “twin lanyard”. This consists of a shock-absorbing element to which 2 fixed length lanyards are connected. When using a twin lanyard, a worker can be mobile and move from one workstation to another without ever being disconnected from an anchor point. Movement with this type of twin lanyard is accomplished as follows:
The worker has now moved from workstation I to workstation 4 without ever being disconnected.
Another problem encountered when using fixed length twin lanyards is entanglement with the webbing when the lanyard is not attached to an overhead anchorage. Typically the free-end of the lanyard leg that is not attached overhead is connected back to the harness. This leaves a loop in the lanyard at about knee-height. When a worker bends over or stoops down this lanyard leg can slip behind the workers heel and cause him to tumble forward off balance as he begins to stand erect. For this reason some manufacturers have developed small retractable lanyards that attach to the worker's harness and act similar to a fixed length shock-absorbing lanyard except that they keep the lanyard length within the retractable so that it does not become entangled with the worker. The following preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for creating a twin retractable lanyard, and also a method for creating twin retractables that can be positioned in the center of a fixed length retractable lanyard webbing to cause that webbing to shorten in length so that it will decrease fall distance and avoid entanglement.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention also relates to a method for reducing the forces encountered in the locking pawl mechanism of retractable lanyards. In all current designs a locking pawl is energized either centripetally or centrifugally to engage (or lock into) a locking sperrad on the webbing drum to stop the drum rotation and arrest the fall. The abrupt forces that are encountered with this type of engagement can often lead to damage to the pawls and locking mechanism. This present invention provides a new method to separate the locking pawls from the engagement mechanism and uses them only to activate a mechanism that moves the positioning location of an over-center spring so that a locking bar can be pivoted into place to stop the rotation of the drum, thus relieving the forces on the locking pawls. This re-positioning of the over-center spring also means that rebound cannot unlock the drum causing ratcheting of the load because the over-center spring holds the locking bar in its locked position until being reset. Examples of mechanisms that can be used to activate the locking bar can be found throughout the automotive seat-belt retraction mechanism art, and an examples of this art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,191 to Yamamoto, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,327 to Heath , et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,398 to Specht, which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference, together with the references cited therein.
The present invention relates to an improved method for creating twin retractable fall arrestors and a method for improving the locking method of single or twin retractable. This invention provides a method to create a retractable with twin drums and independent springs to retract webbing independently. It also includes a method to create a retractable with twin drums that use a common retraction spring to retract webbing non-independently. It includes a retraction mechanism that can be mounted in the center of lanyard webbing that can retract the webbing of each lanyard leg independently from its center toward both ends. This invention also relates to a method for using pivotable over-center springs to activate a locking bar to stop the rotation of the retractable drum in either or both of the above methods.
One of the examples shown includes the use of:
Another of the examples shown includes the use of:
The present invention also teaches how to make a twin retractable lanyard, each retraction mechanism using the same unique locking mechanism. In the first method a single frame is used that houses two independent drums that rotate side by side on independent bearings and springs. A variation of this is to use a single frame containing two independent drums that rotate one over the other on the same shaft and share a common retraction spring. The second method is to attach independent retractable drums to the center of independent webbing lanyard legs so that the webbing can be retracted or shortened independently of each other. This method can be used on fixed length shock-absorbing lanyards to create retractable legs. Both methods accomplish the purpose of providing the user with a twin shock-absorbing lanyard with retractable legs that can provide the user with 100% tie-off while moving through structures, short fall distances to reduce anchorage loads, and short lanyard lengths to prevent entanglement. The present invention also relates to a method for creating a twin retractable lanyard. In this third method a pair of retraction drums are mounted back to back separated only by a retraction spring that attaches to the OD of one drum and the ID of the adjacent drum. In this way each drum could payout 50% of its line or whatever portion was not already extracted from the adjacent drum.
It should also be understood that while the above and other advantages and results of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, showing the contemplated novel construction, combinations and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it should be clearly understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.
The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention according to the best mode presently devised for making and using the instant invention, and in which:
While the invention will be described and disclosed here in connection with certain preferred embodiments, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described here, but rather the invention is intended to cover all alternative embodiments and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims included herein as well as any equivalents of the disclosed and claimed invention.
The over-center spring mechanism (38) (which may work in a variety of ways) holds the locking bar (22) in either the up (40) or down (42) position. When the centrifugal (momentum) locking mechanism (24) engages and rotates clockwise (44) it rotates the engagement lever (46) which causes the locking bar (22) to move to the lower (42) position. When the webbing is allowed to retract into the retractable (14) after a fall has occurred, the tips of the sperrad (20) will cause the locking bar (22) to be pushed to its upper position (40) and be held in place. This action allows the unit to reset and resume normal operation. The locking bar (22) crosses the top of both drum side-plates (sperrads) (18) so that the arrest forces are equally distributed to both sides.
Thus it can be appreciated that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of just a few of the numerous variations of arrangements of the disclosed elements used to carry out the disclosed invention. Moreover, while the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood that the foregoing and other modifications are exemplary only, and that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, except as precluded by the prior art.
This application claims the benefit of my provisional application having Ser. No. 60/286,253, filed Apr. 24, 2001, now abandoned.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60286253 | Apr 2001 | US |
