CONSTRUCTION SAFETY SYSTEM

DISPOSITIF DE SECURITE POUR LE SECTEUR DE LA CONSTRUCTION

English Abstract

A construction safety device for temporarily mounting on two opposing surfaces of a peaked roof, comprising, a first arm adapted to contact a first surface of the roof and adapted to receive a first length of tie-down rope, a second arm in pivotable engagement with the first arm, adapted to contact a second surface of the roof and adapted to securely receive a safety line and a second length of tie-down rope, a third arm, in pivotable engagement with the first arm adapted to securely receive a length of release rope means for releasable engagement of the third arm from the second arm; wherein when the third arm is engaged with the second arm, the first arm, second arm and third arm form a bracket for mounting on the roof of the building and being securable thereto by the lengths of tie-down rope and securely supporting the safety line, and wherein the release rope is pulled, the third arm is disengaged from the second arm, allowing the first arm to pivot relative to the second arm and allowing the bracket to be dismounted from the roof.

French Abstract

La présente demande porte sur un dispositif de sécurité pour le secteur de la construction destiné à être installé temporairement sur les deux surfaces opposées d'un toit à double pente. Le dispositif est constitué d'un premier bras devant être mis en contact avec une des surfaces du toit et recevant la première section d'un câble d'arrimage, d'un deuxième bras fixé au premier bras de façon à pouvoir pivoter par rapport à ce dernier et devant être mis en contact avec la deuxième surface du toit et recevoir de manière sécuritaire un filin de sécurité et la deuxième section d'un câble d'arrimage, ainsi que d'un troisième bras fixé au premier bras de façon à pouvoir pivoter par rapport à ce dernier et destiné à recevoir une section de corde de dégagement dont la fonction est de dégager le troisième bras du deuxième bras de sorte que, quand le troisième bras est engagé dans le deuxième bras, le premier bras, le deuxième bras et le troisième bras forment ensemble un support que l'on peut installer sur le toit d'un bâtiment et l'y fixer au moyen des câbles d'amarrage. Ce support est destiné à retenir de façon sécuritaire le filin de sécurité et, quand on tire sur la corde de dégagement, le troisième bras est détaché du deuxième bras, ce qui permet au premier bras de pivoter par rapport au deuxième bras et, de ce fait, de retirer le dispositif de sécurité du toit.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A construction safety device for temporarily mounting on two opposing
surfaces of a
peaked roof, comprising:
a. a first arm adapted to contact a first surface of the roof and adapted to
receive a
first length of tie-down rope;
b. a second arm in pivotable engagement with the first arm, adapted to contact
a
second surface of the roof and adapted to securely receive a safety line and a
second length of tie-down rope;
c. a third arm, in pivotable engagement with the first arm adapted to securely
receive
a length of release rope;
d. means for releasable engagement of the third arm from the second arm;
wherein when the third arm is engaged with the second arm, the first arm,
second
arm and third arm form a bracket for mounting on the roof of the building and
being securable thereto by the lengths of tie-down rope and securely
supporting
the safety line, and wherein the release rope is pulled, the third arm is
disengaged
from the second arm, allowing the first arm to pivot relative to the second
arm and
allowing the bracket to be dismounted from the roof.
2. A construction safety device as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for
releasable
engagement of the third arm from the second arm can be adjusted.
3. A construction safety device as defined in claims 1 or 2, wherein the first
arm, second
arm and third arm are aluminum.
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Description

CA 02605054 2008-10-20
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a construction safety system, and more
particularly, relates to
construction safety system for installation on the peak of a sloped roof to
reduce the likelihood of
falling from the sloped roof during construction and/or repairs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Construction safety is an important part of any construction job, particularly
when serious injury
or death may result when insufficient efforts are made to reduce the risks to
a construction
worker. When working at a height off of the ground, for example, when building
or shingling a
sloped roof, it is important to have safety systems and tools which are easy
to install, easy to use,
and easy to uninstall, and which significantly reduce the likelihood that a
construction worker
working on the roof will fall from the roof and be injured, or killed.
United States Design Patent No. 254,534 (Glynn et. al) discloses a device
which is designed to be
nailed over the peak of a sloped roof, providing an anchor point for the
attachment of a safety
rope. However, while installing and/or uninstalling this device, the worker
installing or
uninstalling this device needs to be physically present on the roof (to nail
the device to the roof,
or to un-nail it from the roof when finished) remains unprotected from a fall
during the
installation and/or deinstallation processes. Furthermore, as this device is
nailed to the roof, the
device needs to be physically removed from the roof when finished, thereby
potentially damaging
the roof, or alternatively, hiding the device by shingling over it, a less
than satisfactory solution.
It is desirable to have a safety device and system that reduces the likelihood
that a construction
worker working on the roof will fall from the roof and be injured, or killed,
that is easy to install,
easy to use, and easy to uninstall, that does not leave the worker unprotected
during installation
and uninstallation, and that does not damage the roof and can be fully removed
from the roof
when the work has been completed.
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CA 02605054 2008-10-20
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a safety device
and system that
reduces the likelihood that a construction worker working on a roof will fall
from the roof and be
injured, or killed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device and
system that is easy to
install on a roof, easy to use, and easy to uninstall from the roof when the
work is completed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device and
system that does not
leave the worker unprotected during installation and uninstallation of the
safety device and
system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device and
system that does not
damage the roof and can be fully removed from the roof when the work has been
completed.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
construction safety device
for temporarily mounting on two opposing surfaces of a peaked roof,
comprising, a first arm
adapted to contact a first surface of the roof and adapted to receive a first
length of tie-down
rope, a second arm in pivotable engagement with the first arm, adapted to
contact a second
surface of the roof and adapted to securely receive a safety line and a second
length of tie-down
rope, a third arm, in pivotable engagement with the first arm adapted to
securely receive a length
of release rope means for releasable engagement of the third arm from the
second arm; wherein
when the third arm is engaged with the second arm, the first arm, second arm
and third arm form
a bracket for mounting on the roof of the building and being securable thereto
by the lengths of
tie-down rope and securely supporting the safety line, and wherein the release
rope is pulled, the
third arm is disengaged from the second arm, allowing the first arm to pivot
relative to the
second arm and allowing the bracket to be dismounted from the roof.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a a safety device
and system that reduces
the likelihood that a construction worker working on a roof will fall from the
roof and be injured,
or killed.
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CA 02605054 2008-10-20
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a safety
device and system that is
easy to install on a roof, easy to use, and easy to uninstall from the roof
when the work is
completed.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a safety
device and system that
does not leave the worker unprotected during installation and uninstallation
of the safety device
and system.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a safety
device and system that
does not damage the roof and can be fully removed from the roof when the work
has been
completed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially in ghost, of one embodiment of the
present
invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention
installed on a
sloped roof;
Figure 3 is a side view, partially in ghost, of the embodiment of the present
invention
illustrated in Figure 1;
Figure 4A is a perspective view of a first arm of the device of one embodiment
of the
present invention;
Figure 4B is a perspective view of a second arm of the device of one
embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 4C is a perspective view of a third arm of the device of one embodiment
of the
present invention;
Figure 4D is a magnified top view of a bolt or pin illustrated in Figure 4B
attached to the
second arm of the device of one embodiment of the present invention.
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CA 02605054 2008-10-20
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figures
1, 2 and 3, a safety
bracket, generally shown as 2, is provided, and adapted for temporary
installation straddling a
peak of a sloped roof 3, having, in a preferred embodiment, a first arm 4,
preferably made of a
length of angle aluminum as illustrated in Figure 4A (for example, the length
being up to a meter
or more in length, it being understood that alternative materials and material
configurations may
alternatively used as would be understood by a person skilled in the art), the
first arm 4 having a
lower hole 6 therein, adapted to securely and temporarily receive a length of
tie-down rope 8 or a
shackle (not shown) or other similar device to which the tie-down rope 8A is
securely attached as
illustrated in Figure 2, which tie-down rope 8A is to be secured to the ground
or building to
provide a tie-down for the bracket as more fully described herein.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second arm 20 is
provided preferably
made of a length of angle aluminum as illustrated in Figure 4B (for example,
the length being up
to a meter or more in length, it being understood that alternative materials
and material
configurations may alternatively used as would be understood by a person
skilled in the art), the
second arm 20 having a lower hole 22 therein, adapted to securely and
temporarily receive a
second length of tie-down rope 8B or a shackle (not shown) or other similar
device to which the
second rope 24 is securely attached as illustrated in Figure 2, which tie down
rope 8B is to be
secured to the ground or building to provide a tie-down for the bracket as
more fully described
herein. An additional lower hole 23 is provided into which hole a safety line
62 is inserted, to be
used by the worker as needed (for example, to be attached to a safety harness
or other fall arrest
device in a manner known to a person skilled in the art).
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a third arm 40 is
provided preferably made
of a length of flat aluminum bar as illustrated in Figure 4C (for example, the
length being up to a
meter or more in length, it being understood that alternative materials and
material configurations
may alternatively used as would be understood by a person skilled in the art),
the third arm 40
having an outer hole 42 therein, adapted to securely and temporarily receive a
length of release
rope 44 or a shackle (not shown) or other similar device to which the release
rope 44 is securely
attached as illustrated in Figure 2, which release rope is available to the
worker as a release line
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CA 02605054 2008-10-20
as more fully described herein. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the third
arm 40 has a series of openings 50 therein adapted to receive a bolt or pin 52
which has been
bolted or otherwise securely fastened (by means of a nut 53, for example) to
the second arm,
which bolt or pin 52 preferably has an enlarged head 54, an embodiment of
which bolt or pin 52
is illustrated in Figure 4D, which illustrates a magnified view of one end of
the second arm
illustrated in Figure 4B.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first arm 4 is
securely and pivotably
engaged with the second arm 20, preferably by way of corresponding holes 30
and 32
respectively in the first arm and second arm, through which holes 30 and 32 a
pivot bolt 28 or
other similar device is securely positioned, to allow the first arm and second
arm to pivot relative
to one another (as illustrated by the arrow 25 in Figure 3) so that the
bracket can be adapted for
use on roofs of a wide range of different pitches. In this embodiment of the
present invention,
the first arm 4 is also securely and pivotably engaged with the third arm 40,
preferably by way of
corresponding holes 46 and 48 respectively in the first arm and third arm,
through which holes
46 and 48 a pivot bolt 50 or other similar device is securely positioned, to
allow the first arm and
third arm to pivot relative to one another (as illustrated by the arrow 53 in
Figure 3) so that the
bracket can be engaged and released as hereinafter described.
Prior to installing the bracket of the present invention on a roof, tie-down
ropes are attached to
the first and second arms, a release line is attached to the third arm and a
safety line 62 is
attached to the additional lower hole 23 in the second arm. Also prior to
installing the bracket on
the roof, the angle between the first arm and second arm is adjusted (by
pivoting the first arm
about the pivot bolt 28 relative to the second arm) to correspond to the
relative angle of the
corresponding surfaces of the roof onto which the device is to be positioned,
and thereafter
locking this angle into place by inserting the bolt or pin 52 into the
appropriate opening 50 in the
third arm (it being understood that in an alternative embodiment of the
present invention, the
adjustment and securement of the angle between the first arm and second arm
can be done after
the bracket is temporarily positioned on the peak of the roof and prior to
final positioning
thereon). Thereafter, the device of the present invention is positioned at the
highest point on the
roof (preferably by throwing one end of one of the tie-down ropes over the
peak of the roof and
down the other side (with or without the use of a piece of extension twine as
needed) and
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CA 02605054 2008-10-20
thereafter pulling this rope from the other side until the bracket is
positioned at the roof's peak),
the first and second arms extending over the top of and downwardly on opposite
sides of the
roof, straddling the peak. The tie-down ropes attached to the first and second
arms are thereafter
secured to the ground or building to securely position the bracket in location
on the roof. The
safety line 62 may then be attached to the worker or the worker's harness in a
conventional
manner, the length of the safety line being adjustable relative to the worker
or the worker's
harness in a conventional manner to secure the worker relative to the bracket
and the roof. When
the bracket is no longer needed, it may be removed from the roof, by gentling
tugging on the
release line to rotate the third arm so that the bolt or pin 52 is no longer
engaged with the opening
50, allowing the bracket to be removed from the roof by disconnecting one of
the tie-down ropes
on one side of the roof, and in a controlled manner releasing that tie-down
rope in step wise
fashion, while allowing the bracket to be pulled down the other side of the
roof by way of the tie-
down rope on that other side of the roof until the bracket safely reaches the
ground on that other
side of the roof.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred
embodiments. However,
it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations
and modifications can
be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.
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Representative Drawing