Fall arrest device with locking roller

The invention relates to a follower fall arrest device used with a fixed safety rope and comprising a body equipped with a securing system arranged to occupy either an active locking position in case of a fall or an inactive unlocking position enabling the user to progress along the rope in the ascending direction, or in the opposite direction when performing a controlled descent, said securing system comprising:

a support arm articulated on a first spindle of the body, a locking roller in the form of a cylindrical wheel mounted rotating free on a second spindle securedly attached to the support arm, and a centrifugal coupling means arranged between a drive member of the roller and the support arm so as to occupy a disengaged position or an engaged position.

State of the Art

In normal use for ascending or descending, fall arrest devices follow the progression of the person along the rope without causing any jamming. The person is free to move without any manual unlocking action on the fall arrest device. Locking only takes place in case of a fall.

The securing system of known fall arrest devices generally comprises a pivoting lever having at one of the ends thereof an attachment ring for connection to a harness, and at the opposite end thereof a cam for jamming the rope. Such an arrangement acts as a jamming cleat, which is liable to prevent locking if the user were to grab the lever in case of a fall.

The document WO 00/24471 relates to a two-directional locking device for a fall arrest device, comprising a locking means equipped with two cams actuated in independent manner by a common locking member in reaction to a sudden change of weight. Locking of each of the cams depends on the incline of the rope with respect to the frame of the means.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,037 describes a fall arrest device having a securing system composed of an articulated support arm which is equipped with a cylindrical wheel mounted rotating free, and with a centrifugal mechanical coupling means arranged as a pawl. The circumference of the wheel comprises a series of teeth forming a sprocket causing rotation of the wheel by friction effect with the rope. To insert the vertical lifeline in the fall arrest device, an articulated U-shaped angle bracket has to be used and the latter be made pivot outwards, which complicates operations. The use of springs in the form of pins does not enable the locking threshold of the coupling means to be controlled with precision.

The object of the invention is to provide a fall arrest device for a fixed rope enabling a precise locking threshold to be achieved according to the speed or acceleration of the locking roller.

The fall arrest device according to the invention is characterized in that the centrifugal coupling means comprise at least one flyweight movable along a ramp of the drive member against a compression spring, and a connecting interface engaged inside a cylindrical rim of the support arm to transmit the elastic force of the spring to the flyweight.

In normal use for ascending or descending, the coupling means are in the disengaged position, and the fall arrest device follows the progression of the person along the rope without any manual unlocking action of the securing system. In the event of a fall, locking takes place automatically at a preset threshold. In this case, the coupling means are in the engaged position resulting in a strong pressure being exerted by the roller against the rope.

According to a preferred embodiment, the flyweight is of cylindrical shape, and operates in the engaged position in conjunction with the cylindrical rim of the support arm. The peripheral surface of the flyweight and of the ramp of the drive member is advantageously serrated so as to form a rack.

Preferably, the centrifugal coupling means comprise two flyweights and two compression springs arranged symmetrically with respect to the second spindle of the roller.

Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given as a non-restrictive example only and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of the fall arrest device according to the invention, which is fitted on a belaying rope after an attachment snap-hook has been fitted;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the fall arrest device of FIG. 1 , after disassembly with respect to the rope;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the securing means of the fall arrest device;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the locking roller with the centrifugal coupling means with flyweights in the disengaged position;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views along the lines L—L and G—G of FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 7 is an identical view to FIG. 4 in the engaged position of the coupling means for jamming in case of a fall.

In FIGS. 1 to 7 , a fall arrest device 10 is used for the safety of a person moving along a fixed belaying rope 12 . A snap-hook 14 is hooked onto the fall arrest device 10 so as to be connected to the body harness, either directly or via an absorption lanyard. In normal use for ascending or descending, the fall arrest device 10 follows the progression of the person along the rope 12 without causing locking. The person is then free to move without any manual unlocking action of the fall arrest device 10 .

The fall arrest device 10 is composed of a rigid body 16 and a movable securing means 18 operating in conjunction with the rope 12 to occupy either an active locking position in case of a fall, or an inactive unlocking position in the ascending direction, or in the opposite direction during a controlled descent. The preferably metal body 16 comprises a straight U-shaped channel 20 for passage of the rope 12 , and a bracket 22 for fitting a first spindle 24 extending transversely with respect to the direction of the channel 20 . Two holes 23 are drilled in the upper part of the channel 20 to allow the snap-hook 14 to pass.

The securing means 18 comprise a support arm 26 articulated on the first spindle 24 , and a locking roller 28 in the form of a wheel mounted rotating free on a second spindle 30 securedly attached to the support arm 26 . The peripheral surface of the locking roller 28 is cylindrical and is equipped with a plurality of spurs 32 each having a predetermined incline with respect to the radial direction passing through the spindle 30 . A tension spring 31 is threaded onto the first spindle 24 and biases the support arm 26 in the direction of the channel 20 .

The locking roller 28 is equipped with an internal drive member 33 , wherethrough there passes a tubular bearing 36 housing the second fixed spindle 30 . Inside the locking roller 28 there is located in addition a centrifugal coupling means 38 formed by a pair of cylindrical flyweights 40 arranged between opposite ramps 42 of the drive member 33 and a circular rim 44 of the support arm 26 .

A pair of compression springs 46 biases the centrifugal coupling means 38 to the disengaged position so as to arrange a radial clearance between the flyweights 40 and the cylindrical rim 44 of the drive member 33 of the arm 26 ( FIG. 4 ). A connecting interface 45 is engaged inside the rim 44 and transmits the relaxation forces of the springs 46 to the flyweights 40 . The presence of the connecting interface 45 and of the compression springs 46 defines with precision the engagement threshold of the centrifugal coupling means 38 according to the speed or acceleration of the drive member 33 of the rotary roller 28 .

Should the user fall, fast rotation of the drive member 33 of the locking roller 28 around the second spindle 30 in the direction of the arrow F 1 causes movement of the flyweights 40 by centrifugal effect to the disengaged position ( FIG. 7 ). The flyweights 40 are subjected to a centrifugal force which is greater than and of opposite direction to the return force of the springs 46 . This movement along the ramps 42 causes compression of the springs 46 and generates a jamming effect of the flyweights 40 against the rim 44 . The roller 28 is thus secured to the support arm 26 so as to form a jamming cleat able to swivel around the first spindle 24 and to stop the fall by jamming the rope 12 .

The peripheral surface of the flyweights 40 and of the ramps 42 of the drive member 33 is advantageously serrated so as to form a rack facilitating engagement and disengagement of the centrifugal coupling means 38 . The compression springs 46 present uniform stiffnesses enabling the coupling threshold to be controlled.