Abstract: A safety device, such as a safety block, for use in a fall arrest system, has an exit arrangement for the safety line exiting the device; the exit arrangement being arranged to permit the safety line to exit the device over a range of different exit positions. The exit arrangement may be in the form of an elongate slot. When the safety line rewinds into the line drum, the position at which the line exits the slot may move along the slot.

Abstract: A fall arrest safety system has a traveller arranged to travel along a safety line and including a securing arrangement deployable in response to a fall event to secure the traveller in fixed position on the safety line. An energy absorber device is connected intermediately between the traveller and the user, the energy absorber device including a plastically deformable energy absorber deployable in response to a fall event to plastically deform from a stowed orientation to a deployed orientation. The energy absorber may have a coil-form portion and an elongate tongue portion extending in a linear direction at the periphery of the coil-form portion, the elongate tongue portion of the energy absorber being arranged to extend to project from the housing for connection to a karabiner, lanyard or other connection device.

Abstract: A speed responsive engagement device for use in a fall arrest system has a ratchet wheel having outwardly projecting spaced apart teeth and a pawl arranged for pivotal movement to engage the ratchet wheel teeth. The pawl and the ratchet wheel are rotatable relative to one another such that when relative rotation occurs between the ratchet wheel and the pawl in a first direction the pawl contacts the ratchet wheel, generating an oscillating movement of the pawl with an amplitude dependent on the speed of the rotation, and when the speed of rotation reaches a predetermined value the increased oscillating movement causes the pawl to move into the engaged orientation brakingly engaging with the ratchet wheel teeth preventing further relative rotation between the ratchet wheel and the pawl in the first direction. A biasing arrangement arranged to bias the pawl towards the disengaged orientation.

Abstract: A traveller for a fall arrest system including a body having a bore and a slot narrower than the bore linking to the bore to the exterior of the body. A load member is connected to the body for pivotal movement relative to the body and suitable for attachment to fall safety equipment. The body has a centre of gravity positioned so that when the traveller is supported on a safety line passing through the bore, the body will be urged by gravity to rotate about the safety line towards a position in which the slot has a predetermined orientation relative to the safety line.

Abstract: A support for a safety line of a fall arrest system includes a support section having a tube through which the safety line extends, an arm for attachment to a structure, an arm that is narrower than the support and that mounts the tube on the attachment, and at least one guide surface for rotating a traveller on the safety line for movement past the support.

Abstract: A speed responsive engagement device comprises: a wheel arranged for rotation about a first axis and having a plurality of outwardly projecting spaced apart teeth with each pair of adjacent teeth being separated by a circumferential surface with a constant radius; a pawl arranged for pivotal movement about a second axis between a first unengaged position and a second engaged position in which the pawl engages one of said teeth and contacts a circumferential surface; and a resilient means arranged to urge said pawl towards the first position when the pawl is not in contact with a circumferential surface. When the wheel rotates in a first direction each tooth contacts the pawl, generating an oscillating movement of the pawl from the first position towards the second position with an amplitude dependent on the speed of the rotation.

Abstract: A safety device for a fall arrest system comprises: a body, attachment means for attaching the safety device to a support structure, a drum mounted for rotation relative to the body, a safety line wound on the drum, a speed sensitive clutch connected to the drum, and a linear energy absorber connecting the body to the attachment means, in which the speed sensitive clutch is adapted to respond to rotation of the drum relative to the body in a direction tending to unwind the safety line from the drum and above a predetermined speed by locking the drum against further rotation in said direction relative to the body, and the linear energy absorber is adapted to respond, when the speed sensitive clutch has locked the drum, to an applied load along the safety line greater than a threshold value by deploying and absorbing energy so that the attachment means moves away from the body.

Abstract: An anchor assembly for an elongate safety line comprises safety line gripping means connected to a bracket means by a releasable clamping means. The releasable clamping means comprises a tapered clamp formed by first and second opposed clamping surfaces defining a tapered space between them, a tapered member having a tapered profile matching the tapered space and a clamping element adapted to urge the first and second clamping surfaces together to clamp the tapered member between them.

Abstract: A safety device for a fall arrest system comprises: a body, attachment means for attaching the safety device to a support structure, a drum mounted for rotation relative to the body, a safety line wound on the drum, a speed sensitive clutch connected to the drum, and a linear energy absorber connecting the body to the attachment means, in which the speed sensitive clutch is adapted to respond to rotation of the drum relative to the body in a direction tending to unwind the safety line from the drum and above a predetermined speed by locking the drum against further rotation in said direction relative to the body, and the linear energy absorber is adapted to respond, when the speed sensitive clutch has locked the drum, to an applied load along the safety line greater than a threshold value by deploying and absorbing energy so that the attachment means moves away from the body.

Abstract: A traveller for a fall arrest system including a body having a bore and a slot narrower than the bore linking to the bore to the exterior of the body. A load member is connected to the body for pivotal movement relative to the body and suitable for attachment to fall safety equipment. The body has a centre of gravity positioned so that when the traveller is supported on a safety line passing through the bore, the body will be urged by gravity to rotate about the safety line towards a position in which the slot has a predetermined orientation relative to the safety line.

Abstract: A traveller for a fall arrest system including a body having a bore and a slot narrower than the bore linking the bore to the exterior of the body. A load member is connected to the body for pivotal movement relative to the body and suitable for attachment to fall safety equipment. The body has a center of gravity positioned so that when the traveller is supported on a safety line passing through the bore, the body will be urged by gravity to rotate about the safety line towards a position in which the slot has a predetermined orientation relative to the safety line.

Abstract: A bottom anchor assembly (10) for a substantially vertically-oriented elongate safety line (70) comprises safety line gripping means (20), safety line tensioning means (80) and a bracket (50). The gripping means (20) includes a manually adjustable clamp (20) and the tensioning means (80) includes a hollow shaft (40) through which the safety line (70) passes. The hollow shaft (40) is externally screw-threaded and carries the load-setting means (80) on its screw-threaded portion (41). The load-setting means (80) is adapted to bear against the underside of the bracket (50) for adjusting the safety line tension to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A fall arrest system is formed by a vertical cable extending between an upper anchor point and a lower anchor point and a fall arrest device arranged for movement along the cable. An energy absorbing means is associated with the upper anchor point to reduce the forces applied to the anchor point when a fall is arrested.

Abstract: A removable load transfer device 100 for use in height safety apparatus comprises: spaced-apart rotary members 101, 102 supported for rotation with respect to each other about a common axis of rotation along which the axle extends continuously between the rotary members; a slipper 110 defining a space 150 for receiving elongate element 250 on which the device 100 travels; an attachment 300 for attaching a load to the device 100, and an access for element 250 includes at least one notch 117, 118 in the hub of each rotary member 101, 102 and attachment 300 includes a moveable link assembly operable between blocking and release positions with respect to notches 117, 118 by said element 250, without movement of the rotary members away from each other along the common axis, such that the attachment prevents unintended release of the load from the device.

Abstract: A fall arrest device (100) for use on an elongate support (180) including locking cams (132, 133, 134, 135) embodied by first and second independent actuable cam elements (133, 135), said cam elements (133, 135) being biased by a bias (132, 133, 134, 135) into locking engagement with the elongate support (180) and being actuated by a common arrester (128) in response to a sudden change in load experienced by the device (100) such that said first cam element (133) traps the elongate support (180) relative to a chassis (102) when the elongate support (180) slopes in a first direction and such that said second cam element (135) traps the elongate support (180) relative to said chassis (102) when the elongate support (180) slopes in a second direction.

Abstract: A support for an elongate element comprises a body portion adapted to restrain a supported elongate element against lateral movement. The body portion has a plurality of partial shells extending therefrom, each partial shell having a cross section substantially conforming to a part of the profile of the elongate element to be supported. Adjacent partial shells extend in opposing lateral directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the support. The support may be a split cylinder having a helical groove extending longitudinally of the support, the width of the groove 16 being at least equal to the diameter of the elongate element to be supported.

Abstract: A personal safety device (10) adapted for longitudinal movement relative to an elongate support element (50) comprises a body (11) having a bore (12) for receiving the element (50), a slipper (20) mounted on the body (11) the slipper (20) having a surface (21) oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bore (12), and connector (30) connected to the slipper (20) and being adapted at its other end (31) for connection to a personal safety harness. Slipper (20) is movable between first and second positions in response to sudden loading of the connector (30). In the first position, surface (21) allows free passage element (50) through the bore (12). When slipper (20) is in the second position, surface (21) clamps element (50) firmly to body (11).

Abstract: A height safety system includes an elongate semi-rigid element (310) suspended from its end under tension between a pair of fixed anchors and is supported by intermediate guides (331). Shuttle means (360) are installed on the element (310) and are adapted for movement therealong between the fixed anchors. The shuttle means (360) are provided with attachment devices (365) for receiving a suspended load or a personnel safety line. The intermediate guides (331) are designed to grip the element (310) with a predetermined clamping force that allows limited slippage of the element (310) therethrough in response to an applied tensile load exceeding the clamping force. Slippage no longer occurs when the tensile load equals the predetermined clamping force. In this way, the tensile load is partially transferred to an adjacent span of the element (310).