FALL ARREST SAFETY SYSTEM

Abstract

This present teachings relate an engineered fall-arrest mechanism that stops the free fall of up to two workers simultaneously. The present teachings are described in four exemplary embodiments.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the priority date of Utility application Ser. No. 11/138,637, entitled ALIEN FALL ARREST SAFETY SYSTEM, filed on May. 26, 2005, which claims the priority date of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/577,106, entitled ALIEN FALL ARREST SAFETY SYSTEM FOR STEEL ERECTION SITES TECHNICAL REPORT, filed on Jun. 4, 2004, both of which this application incorporates by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

These teachings relate to construction and maintenance worker safety at industrial, commercial and other types of building work sites. More particularly, disclosed herein is an engineered fall-arrest mechanism that stops the free fall of up to two workers simultaneously at a job site.

Building owners are responsible for providing a safe work environment for all employees, subcontractors and other workers. The failure of businesses to provide a safe work environment can cause excessive liability and other financial exposure.

Currently, roof top anchorages (otherwise known in the industry as “tie-offs”), requiring expensive field welding and extensive deck cutting and reinforcing, are widely employed as a method of worker safety for breaking falls at building and construction sites. Generally, workers are harnessed and tied off to a single rooftop anchorage that would break a potential fall. The welding, deck cutting and reinforcing of the currently employed systems significantly add to time spent at a site and increase the labor costs, fire hazards, and risks of incorrect installation. Furthermore, safety posts (roof top anchorage/tie-offs) also have to meet the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as “OSHA”) as described in Safety and Health Regulations for Construction (Part 1926), subpart M (Fall Protection), standard 1926.502, entitled Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices, paragraph d, Personal Fall Arrest Systems, and, optionally, as described in Appendix C to this regulation entitled Personal Fall Arrest System—Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(d).

Current safety mechanisms fall short of providing optimum effectiveness in dealing with cost and space restraints. U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,685, issued to Cook, discloses a roof safety anchor attachable to a rafter or joist. This anchor is securable to a single lifeline. For projects requiring a number of roof workers, space constraints and safety concerns prohibit the installment of significant number of safety anchors similar to the system disclosed in Cook. Many fall arrest systems, including that of Cook, require the drilling of a plurality of nails and screws into the supporting structure that weaken the beam or rafter to which the arrest system is secured.

Roof anchors such as that disclosed by Curtin in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0035993 Al, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,531, contain a large number of components, which can lead to faulty installation at a work site. These anchors also tend to be bulky and inefficient for a work site with significant space constraints.

Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a superior system for fall arrest safety.

SUMMARY

The needs set forth herein as well as further and other needs and advantages are addressed by the present embodiments, which illustrate solutions and advantages described below.

In one form of the present teachings, a fall arrest safety system is disclosed comprising an eye bolt having a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the distal portion is partially threaded; an energy absorption mast located at the proximal portion having an upper assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the upper assembly includes a washer, an internally threaded fastener, and a plate, and wherein the lower assembly comprises a retainer, a washer, and at least one internally threaded fastener; a ring formed at the top of the energy absorption mast; and a slotted plate assembled over the ring.

In another form of the present teachings, a fall arrest safety system is disclosed comprising an eye bolt having a proximal portion and a partially threaded distal portion, the proximal portion having an upper assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the upper assembly includes a washer, an internally threaded fastener, and a first plate, and wherein the lower assembly comprises a retainer, a washer, and at least one internally threaded fastener; a jacket sub-assembly connected to the eye bolt and within the upper assembly, wherein the jacket subassembly comprises a pipe having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion forming a weld joint with a second plate, and further wherein the first plate is sealed to the bottom portion of the pipe and located at the top of the partially threaded distal portion of the eye bolt; a ring connected to the top of the jacket sub-assembly; and a slotted plate assembled over the ring.

In yet another form of the present teachings, a fall arrest safety system is disclosed comprising a bolt having a proximal portion and a partially threaded distal portion, the proximal portion having an upper assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the upper assembly includes a water-tight washer, and a first plate, and wherein the lower assembly comprises a retainer, a washer, and at least one internally threaded fastener; a jacket subassembly connected to the bolt and within the upper assembly, wherein the jacket sub-assembly comprises a pipe having a top portion and a bottom portion, and further wherein a second plate is sealed to the bottom portion of the pipe and located at the top of the partially threaded distal portion of the bolt; and the first plate is horizontally sealed to the top portion of the jacket sub-assembly.

In yet another form of the invention, a fall arrest safety system, is disclosed comprising a steel bolt having a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the distal portion is partially threaded an eye bolt of a predetermined diameter having a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the distal portion is partially threaded; a bolt as a tension member configured at the proximal portion, the bolt as a tension member having an upper jacket sub-assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes a retainer, a lock washer, a washer, and two internally threaded fasteners; a ring configured at the upper assembly of the; a slotted plate assembled over the ring; and a jacket sub-assembly encompassing the bolt as a tension member and surrounded by the upper assembly, the jacket sub-assembly having a top hollow member portion of a slightly larger diameter than the bolt as a tension member and a bottom plate with a hole allowing the tension member to pass through the plate, the top portion secured by a weld joint with the plate.

A key feature of the present teachings is the use of a bolt as a tension member. The present teachings can be configured such that the tension member and the resultant compression forces to provide secure attachment of the product and break of falls, eliminate the need for welding and expensive reinforcing, and create a pre-fabricated system easy to install in the field. The present teachings also can eliminate expensive field welding and extensive deck cutting and/or additional structural reinforcing on new buildings resulting in cost savings via the tensioned installation of the system through either a beam or a joist girder. The present teachings can further provide a system that is light-weight and has a minimal number of components to ease the installation at site and reduce the chances of faulty installations. On existing buildings, these teachings could be economically installed through a membrane roof with minimal chance of leaks. The present teachings can eliminate the need for expensive field welding and in doing so can also eliminate the risks and fire hazards associated with these activities. The present teachings can provide a system that does not use any nails, screws or other non-customized attachment items. The lightness of the system can further eliminate the additional reinforcement of the building frame which may be required with other heavier systems. The present teachings can eliminate the use of stringing cables between the units where the workers are tied off. Since no suspended cables are present, potential tripping hazards from such systems are also eliminated. The present teachings can provide a specific design for breaking the fall of a worker on a construction site to meet the OSHA requirements, and is not a simple piece of equipment for tie-off like an anchor.

If a repair or replacement is necessary, this can be easily seen since the unit is not encapsulated. The present teachings disclose that the energy of a potential fall is absorbed through the material of a first embodiment of the present teachings, and wear and tear can easily be seen and the unit be replaced. The present teachings disclose a system that can be used on steel frames after a steel frame is erected, and not during the construction of a frame.

The first embodiment of the present teachings can deflect and absorb some of the energy of the fall, further protecting the worker from stress applied by the worker's harness during the fall event.

For a better understanding of the present embodiments, together with other and further aspects thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and detailed description, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example of a square plate for use in a first embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a channel for use in a first embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 3 illustrates the assembly of a first embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly of the first embodiment with a slotted circular plate in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 5 is an example of a channel for use in a second embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 6 is an example of a square plate for use in a second embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 7 is exemplary of a slotted circular plate for use in a second embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 8 illustrates the assembly of the second embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 9 illustrates the assembly of the second embodiment with a slotted circular plate in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 10 is an example of a circular plate with square hole for use with a third embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 11 is an example of a channel for use in a third embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 12 is an example of a rectangular plate for use with the third embodiment of the present teachings;

FIG. 13 illustrates the assembly of the third embodiment in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 14 illustrates the assembly of the third embodiment system with a rectangular plate in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 15 illustrates the assembly of a first embodiment in a joist girder in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 16 illustrates the assembly of a first embodiment on a beam in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 17 illustrates the assembly of a second embodiment in a joist girder in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 18 illustrates the assembly of a second embodiment on a beam in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 19 illustrates the assembly of a third embodiment with a rectangular plate and in a joist girder in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 20 illustrates the assembly of a third embodiment with a rectangular plate and on a beam in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 21 illustrates an exploded view of the assembly of a fourth embodiment with a stiffening jacket at a joist girder installation in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 22 illustrates the fourth embodiment with a stiffening jacket as installed on a wide flange beam in accordance with the present teachings;

FIG. 23 illustrates the stiffening jacket sub-assembly of the present teachings from an angle showing the hole in the bottom plate;

FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram of the engineering details of the jacket sub-assembly for the second and third embodiments;

FIG. 25 is a material list for the requirements of the jacket sub-assembly for the second and third embodiments;

FIG. 26 is schematic diagram of the engineering details of the pipe area effective in compression for the second and third embodiments;

FIG. 27 are the properties and mathematical calculations relevant to the pipe segment of the second and third embodiments;

FIG. 28 are the engineering calculations of available strength of the jacket sub-assembly of the second and third embodiments;

FIG. 29 is the deflection calculation of the jacket sub-assembly of the second and third embodiments; and

FIG. 30 is an alternate schematic diagram of the jacket sub-assembly of the second and third embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present teachings are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the present embodiments are shown. The following description is presented for illustrative purposes only and the present teachings should not be limited to these embodiments.

As required, detailed embodiments of the present teachings are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the teachings, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present teachings in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

The system of the present teachings can include, but is not limited to including, upper and lower assembly units corresponding to above and below planes of the fixed and rigid installation points. Four embodiments (e.g. ALIEN™, ALIEN SS™, STREET ALIEN™, and JACKETED ALIEN™) can be installed at girders fabricated from wide flange sections and/or at joist girders. The minimum flange requirement is at least 0.45 inches and girders must be properly connected at ends.

One of the advantages of the system is that the various embodiments can be installed at the site without welding like most of the rooftop fall arrest systems require today. The system of the present teachings also does not require an additional beam or trolley assembly like the carabineers (providing self-retracting lifelines) that is assembled to a fall protection trolley. Each embodiment may be designed to anchor two employees using the proper safety lanyard, harness and any other appropriate gear. The present embodiment is calculated to have a shear rupture value of over 11,000 pounds and a tension rupture value of over 19,000 meeting or exceeding the OSHA Requirements for Construction (Part 1926, Subpart M).

Since the installation of any of the embodiments of the teachings is not limited by welding or an extraneous crane or trolley beam, the present embodiment can easily be distributed across the entire construction or steel erection site simply by installing as many units of the present embodiment as necessary for the job. The four embodiments of the present teachings can be made a part of the permanent structure after an assessment conducted by a person responsible for installing and inspecting the system of the present teachings.

Since the employees anchored to the present embodiment generally use a safety lanyard, harness and appropriate gear such as retractable lifeline, their range of reach will be limited by the type of accompanying equipment they use. The system of the present teachings is a stationary unit and should not be removed to a different location once installed. The anchorage unit does not glide along the beams like some beam trolleys may provide today. It should be noted that the present teachings will stop the fall, but not necessarily eliminate all the injuries that may be inflected by the actual fall and surrounding structures.

The system can include, but is not limited to including, a partially threaded rod or bolt roughly two feet in length. The threaded portion (bottom portion) is one foot long allowing installation through an assembly hole in a beam or the gap between the top chord members of a joist girder. The system is secured with a channel, a washer and two (a plurality of) nuts assembled and tightened at the distal end of the threaded portion of the rod. These components are referred to as the lower assembly components hereafter. The other side of the tightened assembly (at the proximal threaded portion of the rod) is supported by either a nut, washer and plate combination or a square or round plate belonging to a jacket sub-assembly, depending on the embodiment of the present teachings.

The non-threaded portion of the system (top portion) is roughly one foot in length and terminates in a mechanism (e.g., the “alien face” in each embodiment) for attachment of the workers' safety harness line. Depending on the version of the invention, the top portion is also used to house a jacket sub-assembly that reinforces the system against bending forces to meet the OSHA non-mandatory requirements for a non-engineered mechanism. Engineering calculations have been performed for device jacket sub-assemblies to verify that the device as shown in FIGS. 9, 13, 14, and 17-20 meets the non-mandatory OSHA standard of having deflection no greater than 0.04 inches when a force of 2,250 pounds is applied. See FIGS. 24-30.

All four described embodiments incorporate a plate under the channel and use double nuts. In the STREET ALIEN™ system, depicted in FIGS. 10 through 14, the two holes providing locations for attachment of safety harness clips on the horizontal rectangular plate 1200 in FIG. 12 of the STREET ALIEN™ system may be moved out to better accommodate the attachment of the safety harness clip.

Additionally, the circular plate 400 that is referred to as the ALIEN™ system in the FIG. 4 of the ALIEN™ system and FIG. 9 of the ALIEN SS™ embodiments is welded on top and on the bottom contact points to the ring 401. This does not compromise any strength or safety to the unit.

With respect to FIGS. 1 through 4, the stainless steel rod 300 of the first embodiment, known as the ALIEN™ system and depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, is approximately ¾-inch in diameter and approximately 2-feet 6 inches in length. The mechanism for attachment of the safety line consists of an approximate 51/2 inch diameter ring 401, as can be seen in FIG. 4, formed at the top of the energy absorption mast 302 from the proximal portion of rod 300 and welded to close the ring 401 formed and create an eye bolt of approximately 2 feet and ¼ inches in length. The material used to form the eye bolt is stainless steel; however other materials may be used in accordance with the present teachings. The circular plate 400 has two slots, each roughly in the shape of a letter “u” oriented horizontally. The assembly of the slotted circular plate 400 over ring 401 provides for two locations where a safety harness clip may be secured.

The upper assembly components, depicted in FIG. 1 and assembled in FIG. 3, located at the proximal threaded portion include one approximately ¾-inch stainless steel nut 100, one approximately ¾-inch stainless steel washer 102 and a steel square plate 101 detailed in FIG. 1. The lower assembly components located at the distal threaded portion include a steel channel 200, which may be treated with primer, or other coatings or galvanized, as detailed in FIG. 2. The steel channel may also be manufactured without a surface treatment. FIG. 3 illustrates the side view of channel 200, while FIG. 4 provides a frontal view of the channel 200. In addition, the lower assembly, depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 includes one approximately four inch washer 303 and two approximately ¾ inch nuts 304, all three components being stainless steel. As aforementioned, alternatives to stainless steel may be utilized in the system of the present teachings.

The ALIEN™ embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 through 4 is designed such that as the threaded assembly components are tightened, a tensile force is established solely at the threaded portion of the rod 300. No force is exerted on the energy absorption mast 302 of the system upon assembly. Upon loading of the safety harness line, presumably by the fall of a worker, a load would be transferred to the attachment mechanism (the ring 401 covered by circular plate 400) and to the upper (non-threaded) portion (energy absorption mast 302 of the rod 300 in the form of a bending force. It should be noted that this version could be modified so that all components would be manufactured out of stainless steel, making this device suitable for use in a corrosive environment. FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate the assembly of use in a first embodiment of the present teachings in a joist girder 1500 and on a beam 1600, respectively.

The stainless steel rod 300 of the second embodiment of the present teachings, known as ALIEN SS™ (FIGS. 5 through 9), is approximately ⅞ inch in diameter stainless steel and is approximately 2 feet 6 inches in length. The mechanism for attachment of the safety line consists of an approximate 5½ inch diameter circular ring 401 formed out of the proximal portion of the rod 300. The end of the formed ring 401 is welded to the main rod 300 to create a joint, leaving an approximate 2 feet and ¼ inch of substantially straight length remaining in the rod 300. The face of the ring 401 is covered with an approximately ⅛ inch thick circular plate 400, illustrated in FIG. 4, made of stainless steel. The circular plate 400 has two slots, each roughly in the shape of a letter “u” oriented horizontally. The assembly of the slotted circular plate 400 over the ring 401 provides for two locations where a safety harness clip may be secured.

The upper assembly components in the ALIEN SS™ system consist of a jacket sub-assembly 900 containing circular plate 400, a pipe 800, and a square plate 600 (illustrated in FIG. 6), all components being stainless steel. The jacket sub-assembly 900 is attached to the main rod 300 of the ALIEN SS™ system by a welded joint 901 at the top of the rod 300 that is located immediately below the joint for the ring 401. The welded joint 901 provides a water-proof seal between the main rod 300 and the hole of the circular plate 400. The bottom of the circular plate 400 is welded and sealed to the top of a pipe 800, as detailed in FIG. 9. The bottom of the pipe 800 is in turn welded to the top of the square plate 600, as is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate that the square plate 600 is located at the top of the threaded portion of the rod 300, approximately one foot above the bottom of the ALIEN SS™ system. It is important to note that the approximately ⅞ inch diameter rod 300 is in clearance of the approximately 15/16 inch diameter hole in the square plate and that no method of attachment or welding is applied between the main rod 300 and the square plate 600. All rod components making up the eye bolt assembly are stainless steel and 7/8 inch in diameter. Upon assembly of the ALIEN SS™ system, the bottom surface of the square plate 600 comes into contact with the top surface of the beam 1800 or the top chord of a joist girder 1700.

The lower assembly components located at the distal threaded portion of FIGS. 8 and 9 include a steel channel 500, detailed in FIG. 5, that may be treated with primer, or other coatings, or galvanized. The steel channel may also be manufactured without any surface treatment. FIG. 8 illustrates the side view of channel 500, while FIG. 9 provides a frontal view of the channel 500. In addition, the lower assembly includes one approximately ⅞ inch washer 801 and two approximately ⅞ inch nuts 802, all three components made of stainless steel.

The ALIEN SS™ embodiment is designed such that as the assembly components are tightened, a tensile force is established through a majority of the length of the main rod 300. Specifically, the tensile force in the rod is established from the level of the lower assembly components 500, 801, and 802 to the level of the weld joint 901 of the circular plate 700 at the top of the jacket sub-assembly 900. Consequently, in accordance with the equilibrium of forces in a system, an equivalent compressive force is established through the length of the jacket sub-assembly 900. Specifically, the compressive force is established form the weld joint 901 of the circular plate 700 to the bottom of square plate 600.

Upon loading of the safety harness line, presumably by the fall of a worker, a load would be transferred to the attachment mechanism (the ring 401 and the circular plate 700) and to both the pre-tensioned main rod 300 and the pre-compressed jacket sub-assembly 800 in the form of a bending force. The ALIEN SS™ embodiment is designed such that critical bending forces exerted on the system do not lead to excessive deflection or to yielding of the system. This design makes the ALIEN SS™ compatible with the OSHA non-mandatory requirement for non-engineered systems. See FIGS. 24-30. It should be noted that this version could be modified so that all components would be manufactured from stainless steel, making this device suitable for use in a corrosive environment. All versions or components of choice could be manufactured from stainless steel, carbon steel with galvanization or carbon steel without galvanization. FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the assembly of the ALIEN SS™ system of the present teachings in a joist girder 1700 and on a beam 1800, respectively.

The galvanized bolt 1304 of the third embodiment of the present teachings, known as the STREET ALIEN™ system (illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 14), is approximately ⅞ inch in diameter bolt and is approximately 2 feet 3 inches in length. The mechanism for attachment of the safety line consists of an approximately ½ inch thick rectangular plate 1200 with an area of 12×6 inches, preferably manufactured of grade A36 steel. This plate is welded horizontally to the top of a jacket sub-assembly 1300 described below. The rectangular plate 1200 has a centrally located 15/16 inch diameter hole 1201 for assembly of the galvanized bolt 1304. Additionally, the rectangular plate 1200 has two 15/16 inch diameter clip holes 1202, each located five inches from either side of the central hole 1201, near the ends of the plate. These clip holes 1202 are intended to provide a plurality of locations for attachment of safety harness clips.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show that the upper assembly components in the STREET ALIEN™ system of the present teachings contain a jacket sub-assembly 1300 containing a rectangular plate 1200, a pipe 1301, and a circular plate 1000 with a square hole. All components are fabricated out of steel and hot-dipped galvanized after assembly. The jacket sub-assembly 1300 is constrained by the head of the bolt 1304 assembled through a rubber water tight washer 1203 and the rectangular plate 1200, providing a water tight seal. The bottom of the rectangular plate 1200 is welded to the top of the pipe 1301 (approximately 1 foot 2 inches long), as detailed in FIG. 14.

The bottom of the pipe 1301 is, in turn, welded to the top of the circular plate 1000 with a square hole. In FIG. 14, the STREET ALIEN™ system shows that circular plate 1000 is located at the top of the threaded portion of the bolt 1304, approximately one foot above the bottom of the STREET ALIEN™ system. It is important to note that the approximately ⅞ inch diameter bolt 1304 is in clearance of the 2-inch square hole in the circular plate 1000 and that no method of attachment or welding is applied between the bolt 1201 and the circular plate 1000. Upon assembly of the STREET ALIEN™ system, the bottom surface of the circular plate 1000 comes into contact with the top of the system of the beam 2000 (illustrated in FIG. 20) or the top chord of the joist girder 1900 (illustrated in FIG. 19). The rectangular plate on the upper assembly may be restrained either by the head of a bolt (illustrated in FIG. 13) or an internally threaded fastener 2002 (illustrated in FIG. 20), although not limited thereto.

The lower assembly components of the third embodiment of the present teachings known as the STREET ALIEN™ system are located at the distal threaded portion and include a steel channel member 1100 detailed in FIG. 11 treated with Gray Primer. FIG. 13 illustrates the side view of channel 1100, while FIG. 14 provides a frontal view of the channel member 1100. In addition, the lower assembly includes one approximately ⅞ inch washer 1302 and two approximately ⅞ inch nuts 1303, all three components being galvanized.

The STREET ALIEN™ embodiment is designed such that as the assembly components are tightened, a tensile force is established through a majority of the length of the bolt 1304. Specifically, the tensile force in the bolt 1304 is established from the level of the lower assembly components to below the head of bolt 1304. Consequently, in accordance with the equilibrium of forces in the system, an equivalent compressive force is established through the length of jacket subassembly 1300. Specifically, the compressive force is established from the top of the rectangular plate 1200 to the bottom of the circular plate 1000. Upon loading of the safety harness line, presumably by the fall of a worker, a load would be transferred to the attachment mechanism (the rectangular plate 1200) and to both the pre-tensioned bolt 1304 and the pre-compressed jacket sub-assembly 1300 in the form of a bending force.

The STREET ALIEN™ version is designed such that critical bending forces exerted on the system do not lead to excessive deflection or to yielding of the inventive system. It is important to note that this design makes the STREET ALIEN™ system compatible with the OSHA non-mandatory requirement for non-engineered systems. See FIGS. 24-30. FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate the assembly of the STREET ALIEN™ embodiment of the present teachings in the joist girder 1900 and on a beam 2000, respectively.

Referring now to FIGS. 21 and 22, the steel rod of the fourth embodiment of the present teachings, known as JACKETED ALIEN™, is approximately ¾ inches in diameter carbon steel ASTM A1554 grade 55 and is approximately 2 feet 6 inches in length. The mechanism for attachment of a maximum of two safety lines consists of an approximate 5½ inch diameter circular ring 401 formed out of the proximal portion of the rod 300. The end of the formed ring 401 is welded to the main rod 300 to create a joint, leaving an approximate 2 feet and ¼ inch of substantially straight length remaining of the rod 300. The face of the ring 401 is covered with approximately ⅛ inch thick circular plate 400. The circular plate 400 has two slots, each roughly in the shape of the letter “u” oriented horizontally. The assembly of the slotted plate 400 over the ring 401 provides for two locations where one safety harness clip (for each location) may be secured. This plate is welded onto the ring in two locations, and does not compromise any strength the unit.

The upper jacket sub-assembly 2100 in the JACKETED ALIEN™ consists of hollow member 2110 and a square plate with a hole 2120 to allow the mast to pass through the jacket. The hollow member is a 1 foot-¾″ long pipe is connected to the 3 inch by 3 inch plate through the welded joint 2130. All components are made of carbon steel ASTM A53 grade B or ASTM A500, grade B or C. All members of this device can also be manufactured of stainless steel and members can also be treated with primer, galvanized or other coatings.

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 21 and 22, what is illustrated is that the approximately ¾ inch rod 300 is in clearance of the approximately 13/16 inch diameter hole in the square plate 2120. This jacket unit adds stiffness to the base Alien device. Upon assembly of the JACKETED ALIEN™, the plate of the jacket assembly is in direct contact with the building structure (wide flange beam or joist girder) and the top of the jacket's hollow member is in contact with the “Alien head” ring 401.

The JACKETED ALIEN™ embodiment is designed such that as the assembly components are tightened, a tensile force is established through a majority of the length of the main rod 300. Specifically, the tensile force in the rod is established from the lower level components 200, 303, 304 and 305 to the level of the head 401. Consequently, in accordance with equilibrium of forces in a system, an equivalent compressive force is established through the length of the jacket sub-assembly 2100.

Upon loading of the safety harness line, presumably through the fall of a worker, a load would be transferred to the attachment mechanism and to both the pre-tensioned main rod 300 and the pre-compressed jacket sub assembly 2100 in the form of a bending force. The JACKETED ALIEN™ embodiment is designed such that critical bending forces on the system allow for some deflection or bending but minimize the yielding experienced in the base version of the invention. All versions or components of choice can be made from stainless steel, carbon steel with galvanization or carbon steel without galvanization. What is further illustrated is the assembly of the JACKETED ALIEN™ system of the present invention in a joint girder 1900 (FIG. 21) and on a beam 2000 (FIG. 22).

Referring now to FIGS. 21-23, the fall arrest safety system can include, but is not limited to including, (a) a steel bolt 300 of a predetermined diameter having a proximal portion 302 and a distal portion 301 wherein the distal portion is partially threaded, and (b) a tension member 302 configured at the proximal portion, the tension member having an upper jacket sub-assembly 2100 and a lower assembly 2200, wherein the lower assembly includes a retainer 200, a lock washer 305, a washer 303, and two internally threaded fasteners 304. The system can further include (c) a ring 401 configured at the upper assembly of the tension member, (d) a slotted plate 400 assembled over the ring, and (e) a jacket sub-assembly 2100 encompassing the tension member and surrounded by the upper assembly, the jacket sub-assembly having a top hollow member portion 2110 of a slightly larger diameter than the tension member and a bottom plate 2120 with an opening therein of a larger size than the predetermined bolt diameter allowing the tension member to pass through the plate, the top hollow member secured by a weld joint 2130 with the plate.

Referring now to FIGS. 24-30, calculations and specifications show conformance to OSHA 1926 Subpart M, App C, para. I(b)(2) which reads as follows: “(2) The anchorage should be rigid, and should not have a deflection greater than 0.04 inches (1 mm) when a force of 2,250 pounds (10 kN) is applied.”

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of an obvious nature may be made, and all such changes and modifications are considered to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments of the present teachings will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the present teachings disclosed herein. In particular, it is noteworthy that the plates in the four embodiments may be any geometric shape. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the present teachings being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.

While the present teachings have been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that they are not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and other embodiments will come to mind to those skilled in the art to which this pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is intended that the scope of the present teachings should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.

Claims

1. A fall arrest safety system, the system comprising:

(a) an eye bolt having a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the distal portion is partially threaded;

(b) an energy absorption mast located at the proximal portion having an upper assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the upper assembly includes a washer, an internally threaded fastener, and a plate, and wherein the lower assembly comprises a retainer, a washer, and at least one internally threaded fastener;

(c) a ring formed at the top of the energy absorption mast; and

(d) a slotted plate covering at least a portion of the ring.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the internally threaded fastener of the upper assembly and lower assembly may be a nut.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ring may be substantially circular.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the slotted plate comprises two slots for the attachment of a safety harness clip in each of said slots.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the slotted plate may be circular.

6. A fall arrest safety system, the system comprising:

(a) an eye bolt having a proximal portion and a partially threaded distal portion, the proximal portion having an upper assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the upper assembly includes a washer, an internally threaded fastener, and a first plate, and wherein the lower assembly comprises a retainer, a washer, and at least one internally threaded fastener;

(b) a jacket sub-assembly connected to the eye bolt and within the upper assembly, wherein the jacket sub-assembly comprises a pipe having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion forming a weld joint with a second plate, and further wherein the first plate is sealed to the bottom portion of the pipe and located at the top of the partially threaded distal portion of the eye bolt;

(c) a ring connected to the top of the jacket sub-assembly; and

(d) a slotted plate covering at least a portion of the ring.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the internally threaded fastener of the upper assembly and lower assembly may be a nut.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the retainer may be a channel or a plate.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the ring may be substantially circular.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the plate has a hole that is in clearance of the eye bolt when the system is assembled.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the ring is formed by a rod.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the slotted plate comprises two slots for the attachment of a safety harness clip in each of said slots.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the slotted plate may be circular.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the jacket sub-assembly comprises a deflection of less than or equal to 0.04 inches when a force of at least 2250 pounds is applied.

15. A fall arrest safety system, the system comprising:

(a) a steel bolt of a predetermined diameter having a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the distal portion is partially threaded;

(b) a tension member configured at the proximal portion, the tension member having an upper jacket sub-assembly and a lower assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes at least one retainer, at least one lock washer, at least one washer, and at least two internally threaded fasteners;

(c) a ring configured at the upper assembly of the tension member;

(d) a slotted plate covering at least a portion of the ring; and

(e) a jacket sub-assembly encompassing the tension member and surrounded by the upper jacket sub-assembly, the upper jacket sub-assembly having a top hollow member portion of a relatively larger diameter than the tension member and a bottom plate with an opening therein of a relatively larger size than the predetermined bolt diameter allowing the tension member to pass through the bottom plate, the top hollow member secured by a weld joint to the bottom plate.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least two internally threaded fasteners comprise nuts.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one retainer comprises a channel member.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the ring comprises a substantially circular shape.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the slotted plate comprises two slots for the attachment of no more than one safety harness clip in each of the two slots.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the slotted plate comprises a circular shape.