AU2008100063B4

AU2008100063B4 - Safety anchor

Info

Publication number: AU2008100063B4
Application number: AU2008100063A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rod Laing-Peach; Paul Skvorc
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-01-22
Filing date: 2008-01-22
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-22
Also published as: AU2008100063A4

Description

AUSTRALIA

FB RICE CO Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys Patents Act 1990 ROD LAING-PEACH COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Safety anchor The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 SA Safety Anchor SField of the Invention This invention relates to safety anchors and, in particular, relates to a safety anchor for an elevated work area.

ND Background of the Invention SFor workers who are required to perform their work on elevated work areas the risk of falling from the area is of serious concern. This concern is greatest on inclined 00 10 work areas which do not have a barrier or fence bounding the area.

Systems, commonly referred to as "fall protection systems" or "fall arrest systems", have been developed to arrest a person falling from an elevated work area such as a roofofa building. Typically, such systems include a harness to be worn by a worker, a lifeline, and an anchor fixed to the roof. An end of the lifeline is anchored to the anchor and a portion of the lifeline is attached to a rope grab device carried by the harness.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided a safety anchor for an elevated work area, the anchor including: a body member having flanges, each flange defining a two-dimensional array of mounting formations for mounting to a structure in the work area; and an attaching formation extending from an operatively upper part of the body member, the attaching formation defining a slot in which a retaining member is slidably receivable in use.

The slot may be parallel to a junction between the attaching formation and the body member. The slot may be positioned closer to the junction than to an outer edge of the attaching formation. The length of the slot may be substantially greater than the width of the slot. By "substantially greater" is meant that the length of the slot is at least twice the width of the slot.

An operatively upstream end of the body member may be shaped to encourage flow of liquid about the body member.

An operatively lower part of the body member may carry a flexible membrane.

The two-dimensional array of mounting formations in each flange may include a plurality of holes arranged in a plurality of rows. Each row may be parallel to the slot.

The body member may have a cross-sectional profile which complements a contour of the structure in the work area. The body member and the attaching formation may be formed of steel, preferably, a grade of stainless steel.

Each mounting formation may define a plurality of receiving formations and each receiving formation may be arranged to receive a fastener to fasten the mounting 00 3 formation in position relative to the structure. Each receiving formation may be in the c form of a hole arranged such that each fastener extends through the associated hole to engage with a structural member forming part of the work area such as, for example, roof cladding.

The work area may be a roof of a building. The roof may include roof sheets IN which have a series of peaks and troughs. The structure may be defined by a section of 0a roof sheet and the peaks and troughs may define the contour. The cross-sectional _profile of the body member may complement an associated peak and/or trough of the 00 contour. The contour defined by the roof sheets may be one of corrugated, square corrugated, square rib, square rib broadsheet, rib and pan, flat pan, secret clip, and hirib.

The retaining member may be in the form of a carabiner.

Brief description of the drawings Exemplary embodiments of a safety anchor are now described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:- FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a part of a building having an elevated work area on which a safety anchor in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is mounted; FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the safety anchor of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 shows a side view of the safety anchor of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 shows a schematic, cross-sectional view of the safety anchor taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a safety anchor in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 shows a side view of the safety anchor of FIG. FIG. 7 shows a schematic, cross-sectional view of the safety anchor taken along line VII-VII of FIG. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a safety anchor in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; FIG. 9 shows a side view of the safety anchor of FIG. 8; FIG. 10 shows a schematic, cross-sectional view of the safety anchor taken along line X-X of FIG. 8; FIG. 11 shows a plan view of a safety anchor in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; FIG. 12 shows a side view of the safety anchor of FIG. 11; 00 4 FIG. 13 shows a schematic, cross-sectional view of the safety anchor taken c along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 shows a plan view of a safety anchor in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention; FIG. 15 shows a side view of the safety anchor of FIG. 14; and FIG. 16 shows a schematic, cross-sectional view of the safety anchor taken O along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 14.

00 Detailed description of exemplary embodiments In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a first embodiment of a safety anchor for an elevated work area. The anchor 10 includes a body member 12 defining mounting formations 14 for mounting to a structure in the form of a section of a roof sheet 16 in the work area, the work area being a roof 18 of a building.

Each mounting formation 14 defines a plurality of receiving formations in the form of holes 20 (FIG. Each hole 20 is arranged to receive a fastener in the form of a screw 22 to fasten the mounting formation 14 in position relative to the roof sheet 16.

Each screw 22 extends through the associated hole 14 to engage with the roof sheet 16.

The anchor 10 includes an attaching formation 24 which extends from an operatively upper part of the body member 12. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the attaching formation 24 defines a slot 26 in which a retaining member (not shown), such as a carabiner, is slidably receivable in use.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the attaching formation 24 has an outer edge 28 and the slot 26 is parallel to the outer edge 28. The length of the slot 26 is substantially greater than the width of the slot 26. The length of the slot 26 is at least twice the width of the slot 26 and is, typically, about four times the width of the slot 26.

The slot 26 is positioned closer to a junction 30 between the attaching formation 24 and the body member 12 than to the outer edge 28. In this embodiment, the slot 26 is positioned with an operatively lower edge 27 of the slot 26 at the junction 30. The closer the slot 26 is to the junction 30 (and therefore the closer the slot 26 is to the points of fastening of the body member 12 to the roof sheet 16), the shorter the distance over which a moment of the force applied by the retaining member on the anchor acts and, therefore, the greater that force must be to dislodge the anchor 10 mounted on the roof.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, each end 32 of the body member 12 is bevelled so that when the anchor 10 is mounted on a structure such as shown in FIG. 1, the shape of an upstream end encourages the flow of liquid, for example water, around the body

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member 12. As each end 32 of the body member 12 is bevelled in this way, this Sfacilitates mounting the anchor 10. As liquid is encouraged to flow about the body member 12, accumulation of water from rain, for example, at the ends 32 of the body member 12 is minimized and the accumulation of chemicals and pollutants present in the water which might be deposited at the ends 32 as the water evaporates and which might lead to corrosion or damage is also minimized.

An operatively lower part 34 of the body member 12 carries a flexible membrane in the form of an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber 00 membrane 36. The EPDM rubber membrane 36 protects the finish of the roof sheet 16 and the operatively lower part 34 and inhibits the penetration of liquids, dust, pollution, insects, or the like, which may cause damage or corrosion, between the body member 12 and the roof sheet 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, the roof sheet 16 has a series of peaks 37 (also referred to as ribs) and troughs 38 (also referred to as pans). The body member 12 has a crosssectional profile which complements a contour of the section of the roof sheet 16, defined by the peak 37 and the troughs 38, on which the anchor 10 is mounted.

Specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 4, the roof sheet has a standing square rib and fluted pan profile and, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the cross-sectional profile of the body member 12 is complementary to that rib and pan profile.

In this first embodiment, screws 22 are used to fasten the mounting formation 14 to the roof sheet 16. However, the present invention is not limited to this and the use of other fasteners, for example rivets, toggle bolts, or the like, and other fastening methods to fastening the mounting formation 14 to the roof sheet 16 are possible.

In FIG. 1, the safety anchor 10 is shown positioned over a purlin 40 with several of the screws 22 extending through associated holes 20 to engage with the roof sheet 16 and the purlin 40. However, the present invention is not limited to use in such a position. It is also possible to mount the safety anchor 10 away from the purlin using self-anchoring roofing screws such that each screw 22 extends through the associated hole 14 to engage only with the roof sheet 16. When mounted in this way without fastening to structures below the roof sheet 16, the anchor 10 does not hinder or obstruct the sliding movement, relative to underlying structures, of the roof sheet 16 due to expansion and contraction of the roof sheet 16 caused by temperature changes.

The body member 12 and the attaching formation 24 are formed of stainless steel. Two pieces, which are mirror images of each other, are welded together at points W (FIG. 3) such that the attaching formation has a thickness approximately double that 00 6 of the body member 12. Other methods, such as rivets, and nuts and bolts, may be used c to join the two pieces together.

CI Once the anchor 10 has been installed, a worker may use the anchor 10 as part of a fall protection system. The fall protection system includes a harness (not shown) which can be worn by the worker and a lifeline (not shown) which is connected to the Sharness via a rope grab device on the harness. The other end of the lifeline is O connected to the anchor 10 via the carabiner, which is slidably received in the slot 26.

SThe anchor 10 provides fall protection in all directions about the anchor 00 Since the retaining member is slidably received in the slot 26, as a worker moves around the roof 18, the retaining member is free to slide within the slot 26. The movement of a worker falling will cause the retaining member to slide within the slot 26 in the direction of the fall. In a situation where the retaining member slides to an end of the slot 26, the load imparted to the screws 22 furthest from the retaining member is reduced.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show a second embodiment of a safety anchor 210 according to the invention. In FIGS. 5 to 7, features which are the same as those of the first embodiment are indicated with the same reference numerals preceded by the numeral 2.

In this embodiment, the body member 212 has a cross-sectional profile (FIG. 7) which is suitable for use with fluted-pan and lock-action rib profile cladding.

FIGS. 8 to 10 show a third embodiment of a safety anchor 310 according to the invention. In FIGS. 8 to 10, features which are the same as those of the first embodiment are indicated with the same reference numerals preceded by the numeral 3.

In this embodiment, the body member 312 has a cross-sectional profile which is suitable for use with narrow rib and smooth pan profile cladding.

FIGS. 11 to 13 show a fourth embodiment of a safety anchor 410 according to the invention. In FIGS. 11 to 13, features which are the same as those of the first embodiment are indicated with the same reference numerals preceded by the numeral 4.

In this embodiment, the body member 412 has a cross-sectional profile which is suitable for use with flat profile roof cladding or wide pan profile cladding.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in this embodiment, the slot 426 is positioned closer to the junction 430 between the attaching formation 424 and the body member 412 than to the outer edge 428, but the edge 427 of the slot 426 is spaced from the junction 430 between the attaching formation 424 and the body member 412. As with the first embodiment, two pieces are joined together to form the anchor and, in this embodiment, the two pieces are welded together in the area between the edge 427 of the slot 426 and the junction 430.

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In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the ends 432 of the body member 412 are square with rounded corners.

FIGS. 14 to 16 show a fifth embodiment of a safety anchor 510 according to the invention. In FIGS. 14 to 16, features which are the same as those of the first embodiment are indicated with the same reference numerals preceded by the numeral In this embodiment, the body member 512 has a cross-sectional profile which is suitable for use with corrugated roof cladding, gently curved roof cladding, or gently curved and corrugated roof cladding.

00 As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, as with the fourth embodiment, in this fifth embodiment, the slot 526 is positioned closer to the junction 530 between the attaching formation 524 and the body member 512 than to the outer edge 528, but the edge 527 of the slot 526 is spaced from the junction 530 between the attaching formation 524 and the body member 512.

In the above-described embodiments, various profiles for the body member were illustrated. The profile of the body member is not limited to those profiles illustrated in the embodiments and other profiles of the body member suitable for use with roof and wall cladding are possible, for example, the contour defined by the roof sheets may be corrugated, square corrugated, square rib, square rib broadsheet, rib and pan, flat pan, secret clip, and hi-rib.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as broadly described.

The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A safety anchor for an elevated work area, the anchor including: a body member having flanges, each flange defining a two-dimensional array of mounting formations for mounting to a structure in the work area; and an attaching formation extending from an operatively upper part of the body member, the attaching formation defining a slot in which a retaining member is slidably receivable in use.

2. The safety anchor of claim 1, in which the slot is parallel to a junction between 00 oO the attaching formation and the body member, the slot being positioned closer to the junction than to an outer edge of the attaching formation.

3. The safety anchor of claim I or claim 2 in which at least an operatively upstream end of the body member is shaped to encourage flow of liquid about the body member.

4. The safety anchor of one of the preceding claims in which an operatively lower part of the body member carries a flexible membrane.

5. The safety anchor of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two- dimensional array of mounting formations in each flange includes a plurality of holes arranged in a plurality of rows, each row being parallel to the slot.