Safety clamp

Claim 2

A safety device comprising: a safety belt to be worn by a workman; gripping means comprising a clamp having a body with an internally contoured body and a gripping brake arm pivotally mounted on the body, one end of the gripping brake arm being fastened to said safety belt; an opposite end of said gripping brake arm having a contoured end positioned inside said internally contoured body for clutching a cable to prevent a workman from falling; means comprising a web anchored at opposite ends to said belt and passing through said one end of the gripping arm attaching same to said belt; and clamp supporting means comprising an angular open shelf mounted on said safety belt for supporting said clamp in a horizontal carrying position along the periphery of the safety belt while not in use, said clamp being swingably mounted on the web so as to be alternatively movable into a position for attachment with a cable and movable onto engagement with said angular open shelf on the belt when not in use.

Claim 3

The safety device of claim 1 further characterized by; means permanently attaching the web to said belt so that when the web passes through one end of the gripping arm, the web and the gripping arm are permanently attached to the safety belt.

Claim 4

A safety device according to claim 1 comprising: said clamp supporting means comprising a bracket for supporting said gripping clamp along the periphery of the safety belt while not in use.

Claim 5

A safety device according to claim 1 wherein said gripping clamp comprises: a body comprising means defining an internally contoured and externally opened cavity; and a gripping arm disposed in said cavity and pivotally attached to said body for clutching a cable to prevent a workman from falling.

Claim 6

A safety device according to claim 1, wherein said gripping clamp comprises; a body having means defining an internally contoured and externally open cavity; a pivot pin located in the body; a gripping arm attached to said body by said pivot pin and extending from said body and permanently fastened to the safety belt; and a constraint means to preclude an inadvertant release of the cable.

Claim 7

A safety device according to claim 5, wherein said gripping clamp comprises: an elongate arm having a geometrically contoured internal end for clutching the cable to prevent a workman from falling extends from said body and is permanently sewn between the harness and the web of said safety belt.

Claim 8

A safety device according to claim 5, wherein said constraint means comprises: a pin fitted with a detent at one end and at the other secured to said safety belt or said gripping clamp, having means to impede the angular motion of the gripping arm sufficient to preclude an inadvertent release of the cable and while in the at-rest position to keep the gripping arm locked in the vertical.

Claim 9

A safety device including a gripping clamp which comprises: a body comprising means defining an internally contoured cavity opening externally on a longitudinal face of said body resulting from the intersection of a longitudinal slot extending the length and opening on said face of width and depth sufficient to allow access for a cable into the intersecting bore centered at a head end of said body and another vertical slot opened on top, symmetric about a longitudinal axis of said body, opening normal to an aft end of said body of width and length sufficient to allow a gripping arm a full quadrant of rotation; pivot means on said body; a gripping arm having a geometrically contoured internal end for clutching the cable to prevent a workman from falling and to allow for minor variation in the cable diameter while keeping the pressure on the cable constant while rotating on the pivot means located in the aft end of said body, said gripping arm extending from the means defining the internal cavity through the vertical slot opened at the top in the aft end; and a constraint pin comprising means which impedes the angular motion of the gripping arm sufficient to preclude an inadvertent release of the cable.

Claim 10

A safety device including a gripping clamp which comprises: a body comprising means defining an internally contoured cavity opening externally on a longitudinal face of said body resulting from the intersection of a longitudinal slot extending the length and opening on said face of width and depth sufficient to allow access for a cable into the intersecting bore centered at a head end of said body and another vertical slot opened on top, symmetric about a longitudinal axis of said body, opening normal to an aft end of said body of width and length sufficient to allow a gripping arm a full quadrant of rotation; pivot means on said body; a gripping arm having a geometrically contoured internal end for clutching the cable to prevent a workman from falling and to allow for minor variation in the cable diameter while keeping the pressure on the cable constant while rotating on the pivot means located in the aft end of said body, said gripping arm extending from the means defining the internal cavity through the vertical slot opened at the top in the aft end; and a constraint pin comprising means which impedes the angular motion of the gripping arm sufficient to preclude an inadvertent release of the cable.

Claim 11

A safety device according to claim 8, wherein said constraint pin further comprises: means secured to a safety belt or said gripping clamp and fitted with a detent locking said means in said body but allowing for removal and reinsertion of said means in said body.

Claim 12

A safety device according to claim 9, wherein said constraint pin further comprises: means secured to the safety belt or said gripping clamp and which while the gripping clamp is in the at-rest position keeps said gripping arm locked in the vertical.

Claim 13

A safety device including a gripping clamp which comprises a body comprising means defining an internally contoured cavity opening externally on a longitudinal face of said body resulting from the intersection of a longitudinal slot extending the length and opening on said face of width and depth sufficient to allow access for a cable into the intersection bore centered at a head end of said body and another vertical slot opened on top, symmetric about a longitudinal axis of said body, opening normal to an aft end of said body of width and length sufficient to allow a gripping arm a full quadrant of rotation; pivot means on said body; a gripping arm having a geometrically contoured internal end for clutching the cable to prevent a workman from falling and to allow for minor variation in the cable diameter while keeping the pressure on the cable constant while rotating on the pivot means located in the aft end of said body, said gripping arm extending from the means defining the internal cavity through the vertical slot opened at the top in the aft end; and means for impeding the angular motion of the gripping arm sufficient to preclude an inadvertent release of the cable.

Claim 14

A safety device including a gripping clamp which comprises a body comprising means defining an internally contoured cavity opening externally on a longitudinal face of said body resulting from the intersection of a longitudinal slot extending the length and opening on said face of width and depth sufficient to allow access for a cable into the intersection bore centered at a head end of said body and another vertical slot opened on top, symmetric about a longitudinal axis of said body, opening normal to an aft end of said body of width and length sufficient to allow a gripping arm a full quadrant of rotation; pivot means on said body; a gripping arm having a geometrically contoured internal end for clutching the cable to prevent a workman from falling and to allow for minor variation in the cable diameter while keeping the pressure on the cable constant while rotating on the pivot means located in the aft end of said body, said gripping arm extending from the means defining the internal cavity through the vertical slot opened at the top in the aft end; and means for impeding the angular motion of the gripping arm sufficient to preclude an inadvertent release of the cable.