Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02816742 2013-05-22
FIREFIGHTER SAFETY DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
The present disclosure relates generally to a safety device, and more
particularly, to a
safety device useful in providing balance to a firefighter while the
firefighter is venting a roof.
2. Background of the Invention.
Roof ventilation is a common procedure performed by firefighters when putting
out
fires. Although the ventilation of a roof poses many hazards, one of these
includes slips and/or
falls from the roof. Presently known objects used to anchor the firefighter to
the roof during the
ventilation process include a roof ladder and a pick head axe, wherein the
firefighter uses the
head of the axe as a foothold during the ventilation process. However, when
working from a
roof ladder, the firefighter will often need to reach in a lateral direction
from the ladder to cut the
largest possible opening, which oftentimes leads to poor balance.
Additionally, pick head axes
provide too small of a surface area on which to maintain balance and support.
Accordingly, what is needed is a readily portable device that can be easily
installed on the
roof, which can provide proper support to the firefighter, and which can
facilitate the ventilation
= of the roof by the firefighter.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above described deficiencies of the prior art are cured or alleviated by a
safety device
comprising a foothold comprising a body having a top side opposite to a bottom
side, and an
anterior wall opposite to a posterior wall. The safety device further
comprises a first support
subassembly and a second support subassembly, wherein each of the first and
second support
subassemblies comprises a rail having a top side opposite to a bottom side, an
anterior side
opposite to a posterior side, and a proximal lateral side opposite to a distal
lateral side, wherein a
channel is formed through the rail, and further wherein the bottom side of the
rail is disposed on
the bottom side of the foothold. Each of the first and second support
subassemblies further
comprises a foothold adjustment subassembly comprising a plate which engages
with the
channel of the rail to thereby adjust the position of the foothold; and a roof
rest member
comprising a body which is in communication with the foothold adjustment
subassembly and the
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rail, wherein a bottom side of the roof rest member is disposed on an exterior
side of a roof when
the device is in use.
The safety device further comprises a first grip subassembly and a second grip
subassembly, wherein each of the first and second grip subassemblies comprises
a grip member
having an arcuate shaped body, wherein a concave portion of the body is
directed towards the
top side of the body of the foothold, and further wherein the arcuate shaped
body is received
within a cut made in the roof when the device is in use.
The safety device may further comprise a securing member which serves to
further
support an operator when using the safety device. The safety device is
particularly well adapted
for use by a firefighter when the firefighter is ventilating a roof as it
provides stability, is
relatively simple to install, and is relatively lightweight and compact. The
safety device is
particularly well adapted for use by a firefighter as an anchor while fighting
a fire on a roof.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more
fully
understood from a reading of the following detailed description with reference
to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figures 1 and 2 are schematics depicting a top side of an exemplary
firefighter safety
device;
Figures 3 is a schematic depicting a bottom side of the firefighter safety
device depicted
in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4 is a schematic depicting a side view of the firefighter safety device
depicted in
Figures 1-3; and
Figures 5 and 6 are schematics depicting an exemplary support subassembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The safety device of the present invention is specially designed to be
installed on a roof
to provide greater stability to a firefighter when the firefighter is engaged
with fighting a fire
and/or ventilating the roof The safety device comprises a foothold and a
mounting assembly,
wherein the position of the foothold relative to the mounting assembly is
adjustable to
accommodate a variety of pitched roofs. The foothold provides a means whereby
a firefighter
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may stand upon the safety device to provide balance and stability when the
firefighter is on the
roof, while the mounting assembly provides a means whereby the device is
mounted and secured
to the roof, and further provides a means whereby the angle of the foothold
may be adjusted to
thereby allow the safety device to be used effectively on a variety of pitched
roofs.
In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting assembly comprises a pair of support
subassemblies and a pair of grip subassemblies. Each of the support
subassemblies from the pair
comprises a rail, a foothold adjustment subassembly, and a roof rest member.
The rail may be
disposed on the foothold, while the foothold adjustment subassembly may be
slidably engaged
with the rail and pivotally connected to the roof rest member. The roof rest
member is
configured such that it rests on an exterior surface of the roof when the
safety device is in use.
In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting assembly further comprises a rod
which is
disposed on the foothold adjustment subassembly of each of the support
subassemblies from the
pair. The rod provides a ready means whereby an operator may adjust the
position of the support
subassemblies relative to the foothold.
Each of the grip subassemblies from the pair of grip subassemblies may
comprise a
mount in association with a grip member. In an exemplary embodiment, the mount
is disposed
on the foothold, and the grip members are rotatably engaged with the mount.
In an exemplary embodiment, each of the grip members comprises an arcuate
shaped
body. When in use, the arcuate shaped bodies of the grip members are disposed
within a cut(s)
made into a roof. The curved configuration of the arcuate shaped bodies
assists in stabilizing the
device to the roof as such configuration prevents the bodies from sliding out
from the cut(s)
made in the roof.
The safety device may further comprise an operator securing assembly. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the operator securing assembly comprises a plate which is disposed
on the
foothold. The operator securing assembly may further comprise a ring shaped
member having
an opening through which a fastening member, such as, for example, a lanyard,
a rope, a tether,
and the like, may be attached. An operator may attach the fastening member to
himself thereby
providing an effective means for preventing the operator from falling from the
roof in the event
the operator loses his balance.
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An exemplary safety device shall now be described with reference to the
figures, wherein
it is understood that the embodiment depicted in the figures is exemplary
only, and that the scope
of the invention is not limited to the embodiment depicted therein.
Referring to the figures, an exemplary firefighter safety device 10 comprises
a foothold
12 and a mounting assembly 14. Foothold 12 comprises a body 16 having a top
side 18 opposite
to a bottom side 20, an anterior wall 24 opposite to a posterior wall 26, and
a proximal lateral
wall 28 opposite to a distal lateral wall 30. Foothold 12 further comprises an
abutment wall 22
which surrounds top side 18 of body 16 such that top side 18 is recessed
relative thereto.
Mounting assembly 14 comprises a support subassembly 15, a support subassembly
15',
a grip subassembly 17, and a grip subassembly 17'. Support subassembly 15 is
substantially
identical to support subassembly 15'; accordingly, the description shall
describe support
subassembly 15, wherein it is understood that, unless otherwise specifically
stated, such
description shall equally apply to support subassembly 15'.
Support subassembly 15 (and support subassembly 15') comprises a rail 32. Rail
32
comprises a longitudinally extending body 33 which comprises a bottom side 34
oppositely
- situated to a top side 36, a proximal lateral side 38 oppositely situated
to a distal lateral side 40,
and an anterior side 41 opposite to a posterior side 43. Bottom sides 34 of
support subassembly
15 and 15' are fixedly disposed onto bottom side 20 of foothold 12 such that
posterior sides 43 of
rails 32 extend past posterior wall 26 of foothold 12. Rail 32 of subassembly
15 is positioned
towards distal lateral wall 30 of foothold 12, and rail 32 of subassembly 15'
is positioned
towards proximal lateral wall 28 of foothold 12.
Rail 32 further comprises a channel 42 formed through proximal lateral side 38
and distal
lateral side 40. Channel 42 begins at an anterior region 44 of body 33, and
terminates
approximately at a midline region thereof. Channel 42 comprises a
substantially linear-shaped
channel 45 which extends from an anterior region 44 of body 33 to expose a
wall 47, and which
terminates at an approximate midline region thereof to expose a wall 49.
Channel 42 further
respectively comprises a plurality of grooves 48 contiguously formed with
channel 45. As will
be discussed more fully below, grooves from plurality 48 are configured to
provide a catch
mechanism whereby the angle of foothold 12 may be adjusted.
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Rail 32 further comprises a hole (not shown) formed through proximal lateral
side 38 and
distal lateral side 40 towards posterior side 43 of rail 32, and a hole (not
shown) formed through
proximal lateral side 38 and distal lateral side 40 towards anterior side 41
of rail 32.
Support subassembly 15 further comprises plates 52 and 52'. As plates 52 and
52' are
substantially identical, a description of plate 52 shall be made wherein it is
understood that,
unless specifically stated otherwise, such description applies equally to
plates 52'.
Plate 52 comprises a longitudinally extending body 54 having an anterior
terminal end 56
opposite to a posterior terminal end 58, and having a front side 60 opposite
to a back side 62. A
hole 64 is formed through front side 60 and back side 62 near anterior
terminal end 56, and a
hole 66 is formed through front side 60 and back side 62 near posterior
terminal end 58.
Each of support subassemblies 15 and 15' further comprises an upper connector
member
53. Upper connector member 53 of support subassembly 15 is disposed through
the hole formed
through proximal lateral side 38 and distal lateral side 40 towards anterior
side 41 of rail 32, and
joins plates 52 and 52' to rail 32. Similarly, upper connector member 53 of
support subassembly
15' is disposed through the hole formed through proximal lateral side 38 and
distal lateral side 40
- towards anterior side 41 of rail 32 of support subassembly 15' to join
plates 52 and 52' of
support subassembly 15' to rail 32 of support subassembly 15'.
Upper connector member 53 comprises a shaft 55 having a proximal terminal end
57
oppositely situated to a distal terminal end 59. Shaft 55 is configured such
that it can freely
move through channels 45 of rails 32 of support subassemblies 15 and 15', and
can be received
by, and removably secured within, grooves 48 of rails 32 of support
subassemblies 15 and 15'.
Attached to proximal terminal end 57 of upper connector member 53 is a
buttress 61 and
attached to distal terminal end 59 is a buttress 63. Upper connector member 53
is disposed
through body 33 of rail 32 such that shaft 55 of upper connector member 53 is
disposed within
channel 42 and such that buttress 61 of upper connector member 53 abuts
proximal lateral side
38 of rail 32, and buttress 63 abuts distal lateral side 40 of rail 32.
Support subassemblies 15 and 15' each further comprises plates 68 and 68'. As
plates 68
and 68 are substantially identical, a description shall be made with reference
to plate 68,
wherein it is understood that, unless specifically stated otherwise, such
description shall apply
equally to plate 68'. Plate 68 comprises a front side 70 opposite to a back
side 72, an anterior
wall 74 oppositely situated to a posterior wall 76, and a bottom side 97
opposite to a top side 99.
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A hole 78 is formed through front side 70 and back side 72 towards anterior
wall 74, and a hole
80 is formed through front side 70 and back side 72 towards posterior wall 76.
Each of support subassemblies 15 and 15' further comprises a lower connector
member
82 which is disposed between plates 68 and 68'. Connector member 82 comprises
a body 84
having two terminal ends located at 83 and 85.
A bolt 88 is positioned through holes 80 of plates 68 and 68' and through
terminal ends
83 and 85 of lower connector member 82 to fixedly secure plates 52 and 52' to
plates 68 and 68',
while a bolt 89 is secured through holes 78 of plates 68 and 68' and through
the hole located
through distal lateral side 40 and proximal lateral side 38 towards posterior
side 43 of rail 32 to
fixedly secure plates 68 and 68' to rail 32.
Firefighter safety device 10 further comprises a rod 90 having a proximal
terminal end 92
oppositely situated to a distal terminal end 94. Proximal terminal end 92 is
disposed on front
side 60 of plate 52' of support subassembly 15, while distal terminal end 94
is disposed on back
side 62 of plate 52 of support subassembly 15'.
Based upon the configuration of support subassemblies 15 and 15' as described
above,
- and as illustrated in the figures, it is apparent that the angle of
foothold 12 may be adjusted based
upon the movement of support subassembly 15. More particularly, by applying a
directional
force to rod 90, shafts 55 of upper connector members 53 of support
subassemblies 15 and 15'
respectively move through channels 45, and may be retained within a respective
groove 48 to
achieve a desired position for foothold 12.
Grip subassemblies 17 and 17' of mounting assembly 14 serve to secure
firefighter safety
device 10 to a roof. Each of grip subassemblies 17 and 17' are substantially
identical.
Accordingly, grip subassembly 17 shall be described, wherein it is understood
that such
description shall apply equally to grip subassembly 17 unless specifically
stated otherwise.
Grip subassembly 17 comprises a bracket 102 and a bracket 104. Brackets 102
and 104
each respectively comprises a front side 106 and 108 opposite to a back side
110 and 112,
wherein a hole 114 is formed through front side 106 and back side 110 and a
hole 116 is formed
through front side 108 and back side 112. A bolt 118 is disposed through holes
114 and 116
such that a shaft 120 of bolt 118 is disposed between brackets 102 and 104.
Grip subassembly 17 further comprises a grip member 122. Grip member 122
comprises
a sleeve portion 124 which is disposed around shaft 120 such that grip member
122 is disposed
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between brackets 102 and 104, and such that grip member 122 is rotatable, at
least partially,
around shaft 120.
Grip member 122 further comprises a body 126, which is coextensive with sleeve
portion
124. Body 126 comprises a front side 128 oppositely situated to a back side
130. Body 126
further comprises a generally arcuate shaped configuration wherein front side
128 comprises a
concave curve 132. Body 126 terminates at a terminal end 134 which is
oppositely situated to
sleeve portion 124.
Each of grip subassemblies 17 and 17' are disposed on foothold 12 such that
brackets 102
and 104 of each of grip subassemblies 17 and 17' are disposed on bottom side
20 of foothold 12
and such that grip members 122 of grip subassemblies 100 and 100' extend below
posterior side
26 of foothold 12 and are orientated such that concave curve 132 is directed
towards top side 18
of foothold 12.
Firefighter safety device 10 further comprises an operator securing assembly
150.
Operator securing assembly 150 comprises a plate 152 having a longitudinally
extending body
154. Body 154 comprises a top side 156 oppositely situated to a bottom side
158, a proximal
lateral side 160 oppositely situated to a distal lateral side 162, and an
anterior terminal end 164
oppositely situated to a posterior terminal end 166. Body 154 is positioned on
bottom side 20 of
foothold 12 such that posterior terminal end 166 is directed towards posterior
side 26 of foothold
12 and anterior terminal end 164 is directed towards anterior side 24 of
foothold 12. A hole 168
is formed through proximal lateral side 160 and distal lateral side 162
proximate to anterior
terminal end 164.
Operator securing assembly 150 further comprises a substantially ring shaped
member
170. Ring shaped member 170 comprises a substantially U-shaped body 172 having
a terminal
end 175 and a terminal end 177. A bolt 179 connects terminal end 175 to
terminal end 177, and
forms an opening 174 with body 172. A lanyard (not shown) may be attached to
ring shaped
member 170 at one end thereof and another end of the lanyard may be attached
to a firefighter to
protect the firefighter from falling from the roof
An exemplary method of using firefighter safety device 10 comprises inserting
bodies
= 126 of grip members 122 of grip subassemblies 17 and 17' through one or
more cuts made
through a roof through the use of, e.g., a chainsaw, while placing bottom
sides 97 of plates 68
and 68' of structural supports 15 and 15' directly onto the roof. The curved
configuration of grip
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members 122 creates stability in the hold of device 10 by the roof. Depending
on the slope of
the roof, a firefighter may adjust the angle of foothold 12 relative to
support subassemblies 15
and 15' by either pulling rod 90 towards anterior end 24 of body 16 of
foothold 12 or towards
posterior end 26 of body 16, thereby, causing shafts 55 of upper connector
members 53 of
support subassemblies 15 and 15' to move along respective channels 45, and to
catch within and
be held by the appropriate grooves of plurality 48. A firefighter may then
stand on top side 18 of
foothold 12 to secure the firefighter's footing and balance when the
firefighter is on the roof for
purposes of, for example, venting the roof.
To prevent a firefighter from falling from the roof, the firefighter may
secure a fastening
member to both himself and to ring shaped member 170. In this manner, in the
event the
firefighter loses his balance and begins to fall from the roof, he may be
caught through the
tension established in the lanyard, thereby, preventing the firefighter from
falling from the roof.
While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to a certain
preferred
embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes in form
and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of
the disclosure.
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