EP2754466B1 - Fall-arresting safety apparatus on a rope with blocking function - Google Patents

Description

Technical field of the invention

• un corps rigide pourvu d'une goulotte de logement de la corde,
• un système de retenue à galet rotatif avec détection de la vitesse de rotation, ledit galet étant monté sur un bras mobile pouvant être déplacé entre une position de blocage de la corde en cas de chute, ou une position de déblocage.

The invention relates to a rope fall safety apparatus, comprising:

• a rigid body provided with a chute housing the rope,
• a rotatable roller retainer system with rotational speed detection, said roller being mounted on a movable arm movable between a locking position of the rope in the event of a fall, or an unlocking position.

State of the art

During normal climb or descent use, known fall arrest devices track the person's progress along the rope without causing blockage. The person is free to move without any manual intervention to unblock the fall arrest device. The blocking on the rope intervenes only in case of fall.

A fall arrest device with a rotating roller is described in the documents EP 1525903 and EP 1380320 . The restraint system includes an articulated support arm, and a roller mounted freely rotatable on the arm. A centrifugal coupling is arranged inside the roller, between a drive member of the roller and the support arm so as to occupy a disengaged position or an engaged position depending on the speed of rotation of the roller. The peripheral surface of the roller is provided with a plurality of pins, whose inclination is arranged to generate a rotation of the roller in the direction of the descent, and a sliding on the rope in the direction of the rise. The centrifugal coupling is in the disengaged state during normal use of ascent or descent. Locking occurs automatically in case of a fall, following the passage of the centrifugal coupling in the engaged state. Such a device operates exclusively as a fall protection device.

In self-insurance at the climb, users are used to use in addition a blocking device operating in cleat. It usually has a pivoting cam that jams the rope under the effect of weight. This type of blocker described in the document FR 2,005,895 , serves for the ascent along a rope.

For work at heights, and caving, it is thus necessary to have two devices per user.

A fall arrest device known under the name STICK RUN, comprises a simple cam with a return spring to stop the fall. An auxiliary lever can be operated to add extra force to the cam to lock the rope.

Another ROCKER device is a cam fall arrester, whose trigger sensitivity is controlled by a torsion spring. An actuating member can be rotated to add additional stress to the spring promoting locking.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a rotational roller bearing safety device with speed detection, also having an independent blocking function.

The security device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a control selector of a pawl adapted to occupy an inactive unlocking position allowing the roller to rotate in both directions of rotation in a first mode. operating in fall arrest, and an active position of unidirectional locking in rotation of the roller relative to said arm in the direction of the descent, corresponding to a second mode of operation of the apparatus as a single blocker.

The presence of the selector allows the user to choose the operating mode of the rope safety device, either in fall arrest, or in blocker for self-insurance during the climb.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pawl is pivotally mounted about an axis, and has at one end an abutment engageable in the locking position in at least one notch of the roller. The notch is shaped to allow in the locking position of the pawl, the free rotation of the roller in the direction of the rise.

According to one characteristic of the invention, a compression spring acts on the other end of the pawl to maintain it stably in each of the active and inactive positions.

The selector knob is advantageously associated with a transmission member cooperating with a wedge forming a hard point when the button is in an intermediate position.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un appareil de sécurité antichute équipé du sélecteur selon l'invention ;
• les figures 2 et 3 montrent des vues en perspective du système de retenue à galet de la figure 1, respectivement en mode antichute et en mode bloqueur ;
• la figure 4 représente une vue en coupe verticale du dispositif de retenue de la figure 3, avec le sélecteur en position abaissée correspondant au mode bloqueur ;
• la figure 5 représente une vue en coupe verticale du dispositif de retenue de la figure 2, avec le sélecteur en position relevée correspondant au mode antichute ;
• la figure 6 est une vue identique de la figure 4, dans une position intermédiaire du sélecteur ;
• les figures 7 et 8 sont des vues en coupe respectives selon les lignes 7-7 et 8-8 des figures 4 et 5.

Other advantages and features will emerge more clearly from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example, and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a fall arrest safety device equipped with the selector according to the invention;
• the Figures 2 and 3 show perspective views of the roller retainer system of the figure 1 , respectively in fall arrest mode and in blocking mode;
• the figure 4 represents a vertical sectional view of the retaining device of the figure 3 , with the selector in the down position corresponding to the blocking mode;
• the figure 5 represents a vertical sectional view of the retaining device of the figure 2 , with the selector in the up position corresponding to the fall arrest mode;
• the figure 6 is an identical view of the figure 4 in an intermediate position of the selector;
• the Figures 7 and 8 are respective sectional views along lines 7-7 and 8-8 of Figures 4 and 5 .

Description of a particular embodiment

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 , a fall arrest apparatus 10 is used for the safety of a person moving along a fixed insurance rope 11. The fall arrest device 10 is connected to the harness, and follows the progression of the person without causing a blockage during the normal use of climb or downhill. The person is then free to move without any manual intervention of unlocking the fall arrest device 10.

The fall arrest device 10 comprises a rigid body 12, preferably a metal body, having on one side a rectilinear channel 13 of U section for the passage of the rope 11, and on the other side a stirrup 14 for mounting a retaining system 15 to 16 rotatable roller.

The retaining system 15 with a roller 16 blocker is capable of occupying either an active blocking position in the event of a fall, or an inactive unlocking position allowing the person to progress along the rope 11 in the upward direction or in the opposite direction during a controlled descent. The roller 16 in the form of a cylindrical wheel, is carried by a pivoting double arm support device 17 hinged about a first axis 18 of the body 12. The peripheral surface of the roller 16 is provided with inclined pins. A torsion spring (not shown) is threaded on the first axis 18 to urge the roller 16 in contact with the rope 11 inside the chute 13. The roller 16 is mounted to rotate freely on a second axis 19 of the arms 17 supports, and the inside of the roller 16 contains a centrifugal coupling (not shown) for occupying a disengaged position or a position engaged according to the speed or acceleration of the roller 16 blocker.

During normal use of ascent or descent, the centrifugal coupling is in the disengaged position, and the roller 16 follows the progression of the person without manual intervention to release the restraint system 15. In the event of a fall, the locking occurs automatically after passing the centrifugal coupling to the engaged position, causing pivoting of the support arms 17 with a high pressure of the roller 16 against the rope 11. The latter is pressed against the bottom of the chute 13 so as to stop the fall. The operation of such a speed-detecting retaining system by means of a centrifugal coupling is described by way of example in the documents EP 1525903 and EP 1380320 .

The body 12 further comprises a rocker 20 in the shape of an inverted U mounted to tilt around a third axis 21 by straddling the stirrup 14. The rocker 20 is intended to be connected to the user's shoulder belt, either directly by a connecting lanyard, either via a shock absorber.

For the installation of the rope 11 in the chute 13, it is sufficient to move the roller retainer 15 away from the chute 13 by pivoting the arm assembly 17 and the roller 16 counterclockwise. of a watch, and against the restoring force of the torsion spring. A pair of tabs 22 articulated to the arms 17 allows this maneuver.

The fall arrest apparatus 10 is equipped according to the invention with a selector 23 making it possible to choose two modes of operation, either the speed-detecting fall-prevention function described above or a blocking function. The selector 23 is formed by a button protruding from a rectangular opening 24 formed in one of the arms 17, said selector being able to be displaced in translation between two stable positions, one raised ( figure 2 ) corresponding to the fall arrest mode, and the other lowered ( figure 3 ) relating to the blocking mode.

With reference to Figures 4 to 8 , the selector 23 is provided with a transmission member 25 for cooperating with a pawl 26, which is mounted to pivot limited around a fourth axis 27 between two stable angular positions. The periphery of the roller 16 is provided with a plurality of notches 28 spaced at regular angular intervals on the two annular edges opposed. The pawl 26 comprises at one end, an abutment 30 U-shaped inverted, and adapted to engage in two notches 28 opposite the roller 16 to block the rotation of the latter in the direction of descent. Due to the mounting of the roller 16 on the pivoting arms 17, the rotation of the roller 16 is blocked with respect to the arms 17.

The notches 28, for example six in number on each side, are shaped to allow free rotation of the roller 16 in the upward direction. A compression spring 29 acts continuously on the other end of the pawl 26.

The reaction of the spring 29 on the pawl 26 makes it possible not to be hyperstatic when going into blocking mode ( figure 4 ), while the U-stop 30 of the pawl 26 is not opposite the notches 28 of the roller 16. The pawl 26 is then resting on the outside of the roller 16, until the roller 16 rotates sufficiently allowing the stop 30 of the pawl 26 to fall into the notches 28.

• Les figures 4 et 7 montrent l'appareil en mode bloqueur. Le bouton du sélecteur 23 est en position abaissée, et le cliquet 26 se trouve en position active d'engagement de la butée 30 dans deux encoches 28 du galet 16. La rotation de ce dernier par rapport aux bras 17, est alors inhibée dans le sens de la descente, mais autorisée dans le sens de la montée. Cette position active du cliquet 26 est stable en mode bloqueur, grâce à la pression exercée par le ressort 29 de compression, et à l'appui de l'organe de transmission 25 et du cliquet 26 sur deux faces inclinées d'un coin 31 formant un point dur fixe situé sur le bras 17 avant.

The operation of the safety device 10 with fall arrest function, is as follows:

• The figures 4 and 7 show the device in blocking mode. The button of the selector 23 is in the lowered position, and the pawl 26 is in the active position of engagement of the stop 30 in two notches 28 of the roller 16. The rotation of the latter with respect to the arms 17, is then inhibited in the direction of the descent, but allowed in the direction of the ascent. This active position of the pawl 26 is stable in blocking mode, thanks to the pressure exerted by the compression spring 29, and in support of the transmission member 25 and the ratchet 26 on two inclined faces of a wedge 31 forming a fixed hard point located on the front arm 17.

When the selector knob 23 is moved to the raised position for the passage into fall arrest mode, the transmission member 25 passes through the wedge 31 of the hard point by slightly turning the selector knob 23 to the intermediate position of the figure 6 . The pawl 26 pivots counterclockwise, and releases the stop 30 from the notches 28.

In the raised position of the button, the device is in fall arrest mode ( figures 5 and 8 ). The stop 30 of the pawl 26 is in the inactive position of unblocking of the roller 16, which can rotate freely in both directions of rotation, on the one hand during the climb, and on the other hand during the descent if the coupling Centrifugal is in the disengaged state. The inactive position of the pawl 26 is also stable after crossing the hard point, and the transmission member 25 is wedged between the wedge 31 and the pawl 26. The spring 29 participates in maintaining the pawl 26 in this position.

The presence of the selector 23 allows the user to choose the operating mode of the rope safety device, either in fall arrest, or as a blocker for self-insurance during the climb. In the fall arrest function, the other blocking function is deactivated. Conversely, in the blocking function, the other fall arrest function is deactivated.

Claims (6)

1. A fall arrest safety apparatus (10) on a rope, comprising:

   - a rigid body (12) provided with a trunking (13) for housing the rope (11),

   - a securing system (15) with a rotary roller (16) with detection of the speed of rotation, said roller being fitted on a mobile arm (17) able to be moved between a blocking position of the rope in the event of a fall and a released position,

   characterized in that it comprises a control selector (23) of a ratchet (26) able to occupy an inactive releasing position enabling the roller (16) to rotate in both directions of rotation in a first fall arrest operating mode, and an active position with unidirectional blocking of the roller (16) in rotation with respect to said arm (17) in the descending direction, corresponding to a second operating mode of the apparatus as a simple ascender.
2. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratchet (26) is mounted swivelling around a pivot-pin (27) integral to said arm (17) and comprises a stop (30), at one of its ends, designed to engage in at least one notch (28) of the roller (16) in the blocking position.
3. The safety apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a compression spring (29) acts on the other end of the ratchet (26) to secure it in stable manner in each of the active and inactive positions.
4. The safety apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the selector (23) comprises a button salient from an opening (24) arranged in one of the arms (17), said button being able to be moved in translation between two positions respectively corresponding to fall arrest mode and to ascender mode.
5. The safety apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the button of the selector (23) is associated with transmission means (25) collaborating with a wedge (31) forming a hang-up point when the button is in an intermediate position.
6. The safety apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that each notch (28) is shaped to enable free rotation of the roller (16) in the ascending direction in the blocked position of the ratchet (26).

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