WEIGHT BEARING FALL PROTECTION CONNECTOR HAVING A WIRELESS FALL INDICATOR

• Main Authors: HUSETH, Steve, ZACHAR, William A. Jr, DEETS, Cinnamon C, ROHLF, Bradley, FEGLEY, Michael, SHARP, Steven Joseph
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 09.08.2023
• Subjects: BLASTING; DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS ORMACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS,CLIPS, WEDGES, JOINTS OR JOINTING; DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIRE-FIGHTING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LIFE-SAVING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A weight bearing fall protection connector for connecting one piece of fall protection equipment to another piece of fall protection equipment to transfer the weight of a worker in an event of a fall, the connector comprising: a first connection member configured to attach the connector to one piece of fall protection equipment; a second connection member configured to attach the connector to another piece of fall protection equipment, the first and second connection members rotatably fixed to each other and configured to transfer the weight of a worker in a fall event and for movement relative to each other between a ready position where the connector has not experienced a fall event while connected to a worker and a fall position where the connector has experienced a fall event while connected to a worker; a breakable component operably connected to the first and second connection members and having a retaining condition wherein the breakable component maintains the connection members in the ready position and a broken condition wherein the breakable component allows the connection members to move to their fall position after the breakable component has been broken by a weight transfer from a fall event; and a wireless fall indicator comprising: a wireless transmitter, and a switch configured to activate the wireless transmitter in response to movement of the connection members from the ready position to the fall position, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit a wireless signal indicating that a worker has fallen when the wireless transmitter is activated by the switch.