AU785084B2

AU785084B2 - Anchor point for timber

Info

Publication number: AU785084B2
Application number: AU18696/02A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Arvo Poldmaa
Original assignee: Safetylink Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Safetylink Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-26
Filing date: 2002-02-26
Publication date: 2006-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-26
Also published as: AUPR332901A0; AU2002018696A1

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 TRUE COPY COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT I certify that the following pages are a true and correct copy of the original specification in respect of an invention entitled: ANCHOR POINT FOR TIMBER ARVO POLDMAA \\server\e\docs\ltr\0202a220.dockr

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: ARVO POLDMAA Actual Inventor: ARVO POLDMAA Address for Service: Chrysiliou Law CMC Centre 143 Sydney Road Fairlight Sydney NSW 2094 Invention Title: Anchor Point For Timber The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: \\server\e\docs\lt\0202a 2 2 .dockI o:\docs~patents\comp\1 101 6.doc ANCHOR POINT FOR TIMBER Field of the Invention The invention pertains to anchor points and more particularly to an anchor point which is adapted for attachment to timber such as a timber rafter.

Background of the Invention At present there are available safety harnesses and ropes which are intended to be secured to a structure so that if the wearer of the safety harness falls, the fall will be halted by the safety rope. However, the integrity of the entire system relies on the rope being secured to an anchor point which can take the loading applied by a falling person.

Such a load may be in the order of 22,000N (equivalent to the weight of about 2.2 tons).

Most buildings or buildings under construction do not have any suitable anchor points, which may lead to a false sense of security ifa safety harness is worn and attached to an inappropriate anchor point.

is A further problem is that once a building structure and particularly a roof structure is covered and complete, it is not possible to attach a safety rope to the building's structure.

Summary of the Invention In an attempt to overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art, the invention in one broad form provides an anchor device for timber, the anchor device including: an eyebolt having at one end an eye, an elongated shank extending between the eye and a threaded end; a rafter strap having a central opening for admitting the threaded end, the central opening defining two sides of the strap, each side having formed in it a series of through openings; each series having an interior opening closest to the through opening; and o:\docs\patents\comp\1 101 6.doc each side of the strap having a kink located between the interior opening and the central opening.

In other embodiments of the invention, a steel fastener is threaded on to the threaded end of the eyebolt, the strap being located between the shank and the fastener.

In other preferred embodiments, the strap includes a flat spot located between the kinks into which is formed the central opening. The flat spot is intended to accommodate the fasteners which attach the eyebolt to the strap. The kinks are energy absorbing features which enhance the functionality of the device.

In other preferred embodiments, the strap is trapped between the fastener and a locking 10 nut carried on to the shank. The locking nut may be in the form of a truncated cone.

In some preferred embodiments, the invention includes a lateral brace, the brace 0" comprising another strap-like section which crosses a long axis of the strap and which has a central opening for admitting the eyebolt. The lateral brace is carried by the i eeyebolt between the fastener and the locking nut. In many embodiments utilising the lateral brace, the lateral brace will be orthogonal to the rafter strap.

:In particular embodiments, the through openings through the rafter strap form a pattern in which adjacent through openings are staggered with respect to one another.

In another broad form the invention provides an anchor device for a safety rope, the anchor device including: an eyebolt having an eye at one end, threads at the other end and elongated shank therebetween; an elongated rafter strap having a central opening for admitting the eyebolt, the rafter strap having a series of through openings formed in it; and a threaded steel block or nut which is used to attach the eyebolt to the strap.

o:\docs\patents\comp\1 101 6.doc Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments of the invention and drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side embodiment of one embodiment of the invention; s Figure 2 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device depicted in Figure 2.

Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Invention As shown in Figure 1, an anchor point for timber 10 comprises an eyebolt 11 which is attached to a rafter strap 12. The eyebolt 11 is generally of the type depicted in the 10 Applicant's International Patent Application No. PCT/AU98/00968 (International Publication No. WO 99/27213). This type of eyebolt is preferably formed from forged stainless steel (without welds). The eyebolt is characterised by a elongated and tapered shank 13 which terminates in a threaded connection 14. The eyebolt 11 may be used in conjunction with a cone lock nut 15 which assists with the fastening of the eyebolt 11 to the rafter strap 12. With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the rafter strap 12 is for example 700mm long and 40mm wide, being 5mm thick. A strap of this type is preferably formed from 310 stainless steel. The rafter strap may be understood as being subdivided by the central opening 16 through which the threaded end 14 of the eyebolt 11 passes. Thus, each side of the rafter strap is formed with a pattern or series of through 20 openings 17. The through openings 17 are not formed in a straight line and are offset with respect to one another to minimise cracking in any timber component to which the rafter strap 12 is attached. In the particular example of Figure 3, the innermost opening 18 and the outermost opening 19 in each half of the rafter strap are formed along the longitudinal central axis of the strap while the pair of interior openings 20 are offset from these and from one another.

The rafter strap 12 is preferably attached to a timber component such as a timber rafter 21 by a 14 gauge x 90mm hexhead bolts.

With references to Figures 1 and 2 it will be observed that there is kink 22 formed in the rafter strap 12 and located between the interior opening 18 and the central opening 16.

The kink is formed such that the steel nut or block 23 which fastens the eyebolt 11 to the strap 12 is accommodated snugly under the flat central portion 24 of the strap 12. In some embodiments, the steel block or nut 23 is spot welded to the strap 12. It should be o:\docs\patents\comp\101 6.doc noted that the kinks 22 in the strap are important for the absorption of energy which must occur when the anchor point is actually being used for its intended purpose.

In some embodiments, the anchor point for timber also incorporates a lateral bracing The lateral bracing may be formed, for example, by 40mm wide, 2mm thick stainless strap and may optionally be spot welded to the rafter strap 12. The lateral bracing is used in instances where the anchor point is located near an edge of a roof or rafter and where there exists the potential for a person to fall in a direction at right angles to the long axis of the rafter strap 12.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the rafter strap 12 may be generally flat, but for the presence of the kinks 22. In the alternative, and as shown at Figure 2, the rafter strap may be formed in a shape, the angle of the being determined by the angle formed by the rafters 21.

It will be appreciated that features such as the location of the through openings 17, the provision of kinks 22 in the rafter strap 12 as well as the length and dimensions of each 15 of the components have been carefully selected to increase the effectiveness of the device as it relates to the safety and well being of a person suspended from the eyebolt 11 and depending on the device 10 for their health and safety.

While the invention has been described with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example 20 and not as limitations to the scope or spirit of the invention.

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Claims

1016.doc The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. An anchor point for timber including: an eyebolt having at one end an eye, an elongated shank extending between the eye and a threaded end; a rafter strap having a central opening for admitting the threaded end, the central opening defining two sides of the strap, each side having formed in it a series of through openings; each series having an interior opening closest to the through opening; and each side of the strap having a kink located between the interior opening and the S 10 central opening.

2. The anchor point of claim 1, wherein a steel fastener is threaded onto the threaded end of the eyebolt, the strap being located between the shank and the fastener.

3. The anchor point of either of claims 1 or 2 wherein the strap includes a flat spot located between the kinks into which is formed the central opening. S. 15

4. The anchor point of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the strap is trapped between the fastener and a locking nut carried on the shank.

5. The anchor point of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the shank is tapered.

6. The anchor point of claim 4 further including a lateral brace, the brace comprising another strap-like section which crosses a long axis of the strap, having a central opening for admitting the eyebolt and carried by the eyebolt between the fastener and the locking nut.

7. The anchor point of claim 6, wherein the lateral brace is located between the strap and the locking nut.

8. The anchor point of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the series of through openings comprises two or more openings, staggered, each with respect to an adjacent opening.

9. The anchor point of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the fastener is spot welded to the strap. o:\docs\patents\comp\11016.doc An anchor point for timber, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the drawing Figures. Dated this 2 6 th day of February, 2002 Arvo Poldmaa By his Patent Attorneys Chrysiliou Law