EP2890461B1 - Traveller for a safety system comprising a guide element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a rotor for a security system with a guide element.

Such security systems are integrated, for example, in ladders attached to walls of buildings or other towering structures, e.g. High-voltage or other masts, are fixed and allow the rise of maintenance personnel. The security systems are intended to prevent a crash of the maintenance personnel.

The guide element of such a security system, which may for example be in the form of a guide rail or a rope, runs along the ladder. A runner of the security system is movably guided along the guide element. In the case of a crash of the person connected to the runner via a harness, the runner should prevent a relative movement to the guide element and thereby end the case of the person.

There are various ways for the design of the runners such security systems become known by the relative movement between the guide element and runner allows in the normal case, in the event of a crash, however, is prevented.

From the DE 20 2009 014 714 U1 For example, a generic safety system has become known, in which the blocking effect for preventing the relative movement is achieved by two brake bodies, which are mounted pivotably in a housing of the rotor and formed asymmetrically with respect to the pivot axis. In a release position of the brake body they do not touch the guide rail, so that a movement of the rotor relative to the guide rail in both directions is possible without braking. In a braking position of the brake body, a portion of the locking body is pressed against the guide rail and thereby frictionally prevents the relative movement between the rotor and the guide rail.

For pressing the locking body to the guide rail two independent actuating mechanisms are provided. On the one hand, the stop element on which the person to be secured can secure himself with the snap hook of his harness, integrated in an actuating lever which pivots at a high load in the direction of fall, as this is triggered by the crash of a person, this pivotal movement the brake body is transmitted. In addition, a wheel is still provided, which rolls permanently on the guide rail and is connected to a centrifugal clutch. When exceeding a critical angular velocity of the wheel, the centrifugal clutch engages and transmits the rotational movement of the wheel via levers on the brake body, which are thereby pivoted to the braking position.

The locking of the brake body by means of the centrifugal clutch takes place independently of the actuating lever. This is thus mounted in the housing so that it can move the locking body while in the locked position, however, initiated by the centrifugal clutch pivoting the brake body is not transmitted to the operating lever.

A problem in the handling of the DE 20 2009 014 714 U1 known safety device is often the release of the braking device after locking the brake body, as they have jammed due to the high, acting in the crash forces with the guide rail.

From the US 6,009,977 Another generic security system is known which has the same problem despite another construction.

Based on this prior art, the invention was based on the object of specifying an improved with regard to handling security system.

This object is achieved by a rotor and a security system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the rotor according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and will become apparent from the following description of the invention.

The invention is based on the idea, in a generic security system, as it is for example from the DE 20 2009 014 714 U1 It is known to solve the braked with the guide elements brake body characterized in that the actuating lever is manually loaded opposite to the direction of fall and the brake body are thereby moved out of its braking position.

A generic runner for a safety system with a guide element (in particular a guide rail and / or a (steel) cable) accordingly comprises a housing forming a guide for the guide element, (at least) a brake body and (at least) an actuating lever connected to the brake body, the (at least) a stop element, such as an eyelet for fixing a securing element connected to a person to be secured, e.g. Carabiner, wherein the brake body, by a movement of the actuating lever from a first position to a second position, from a release position in which the rotor is movable along the guide rail, in a braking position in which the brake body by a (force and / or form-fitting) contact with the guide element prevents or reduces a relative movement between the rotor and the guide element, is movable. Furthermore, it is provided that the brake body can be transferred from the locking position into the release position by a movement of the actuating lever in the direction from the second to the first position (and thus opposite to the direction in which the brake body can be pressed by the actuating lever against the guide element) ,

A safety system comprises at least one runner and (at least) one guide element (Guide rail, (steel) rope, etc.).

In an advantageous embodiment of the rotor can be provided that the actuating lever for releasing a jammed brake body, starting from the second position on the first position in a third position is movable, whereby the brake body, if it is in the braking position, in the direction of Release position is moved.

This can be achieved according to the invention in a runner, which preferably has a pivotable about a pivot axis and with respect to the pivot axis asymmetrically formed brake body, that between the brake body and the actuating lever an actuating guide is formed with a bolt guided in a slot, wherein the bolt a longitudinal axial end of the slot abuts when the brake body is moved by means of the actuating lever from the release to the braking position. In contrast, the bolt abuts the other longitudinal axial end of the slot when the brake body is moved by means of the actuating lever from the brake to the release position. In this case, the actuating guide ensures that the brake body by means of the actuating lever is indeed movable in both pivoting directions, but at the same time by the distance of the two stops formed by the slot relative movement between the brake body and operating lever is possible.

Such a design of the rotor can be particularly advantageous if it has a second actuating mechanism in addition to the actuating lever. This second actuating mechanism may preferably comprise a rolling on the guide member wheel which is connected to a centrifugal clutch which transmits the rotation of the wheel (directly or indirectly) to the brake body when exceeding a critical angular velocity of the wheel and thereby moves it into the braking position. The second actuating mechanism can thus move the brake body in the braking position without moving the actuating lever. Nevertheless, a jammed brake body can be solved by the operating lever by this is moved from the first in the direction of the third position.

Preferably, a backup should be provided which prevents the operating lever is moved unintentionally in the third position in which this dissolves a jammed brake body or could prevent movement of the brake body by the centrifugal actuator in the braking position. For this purpose, a manually releasable locking element can be provided, which prevents a movement of the actuating lever in the third position in its locking position.

It can be particularly preferably provided that the locking element is not solvable when the actuating lever is in the first position. To release the locking element may thus be required that the actuating element is first moved in the direction and preferably until reaching the second position, whereby, if not already done, the brake body is brought into the braking position.

A structurally simple and therefore inexpensive embodiment of such a rotor can provide that the actuating lever is supported in the second position on the locking element on the housing. If the blocking element is then to be loosened, this can preferably be released by pivoting in the direction of the actuating lever about an axis arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the actuating element, for which purpose the actuating lever is first brought out of the way, i. must be moved in the direction of the second position.

A further preferred embodiment of the rotor according to the invention can also provide a spring element which is biased in a movement of the actuating lever from the first to the third position and thereby retracts the actuating lever in the direction of the first position. It can thereby be achieved that the actuating lever, as soon as it is no longer manually loaded against the fall direction, automatically moves back into the first position. In this case, it can then be particularly preferably also provided that the blocking element, as soon as the operating lever reaches the first position, automatically locks again. As a result, the runner can reset automatically after releasing a jammed brake body back to the starting position in which the braking device is fully functional.

Fig. 1:

einen erfindungsgemäßen Läufer in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;

Fig. 2:

eine Führungsschiene für den Läufer gemäß Fig. 1 in einem Querschnitt;

Fig. 3:

den Läufer mit Karabinerhaken in einer Vorderansicht;

Fig. 4:

den Läufer in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene IV - IV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5:

den Läufer ohne Frontdeckel in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;

Fig. 6:

den Läufer in einer Aufsicht mit geöffnetem Gehäuse;

Fig. 7:

den Läufer in einer Seitenansicht in richtiger Ausrichtung;

Fig. 8:

den Läufer in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene VIII - VIII in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9:

den Läufer in einer Seitenansicht in falscher Ausrichtung;

Fig. 10:

den Läufer in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene X - X in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11:

den Läufer in einer Seitenansicht in richtiger Ausrichtung;

Fig. 12:

den Läufer in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene XII - XII in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13:

den Läufer in einer Seitenansicht in falscher Ausrichtung;

Fig. 14:

den Läufer in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene XIV - XIV in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15:

Teile des Läufers in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;

Fig. 16:

den Läufer in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene XVI - XVI in Fig. 3;

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. In the drawings shows:

Fig. 1:

a rotor according to the invention in a perspective view;

Fig. 2:

a guide rail for the runner according to Fig. 1 in a cross section;

3:

the runner with snap hook in a front view;

4:

the runner in a section along the plane IV - IV in Fig. 3 ;

Fig. 5:

the runner without front cover in a perspective view;

Fig. 6:

the runner in a view with the housing open;

Fig. 7:

the runner in a side view in the correct orientation;

Fig. 8:

the runner in a section along the plane VIII - VIII in Fig. 7 ;

Fig. 9:

the runner in a side view in the wrong orientation;

Fig. 10:

the runner in a section along the plane X - X in Fig. 9 ;

Fig. 11:

the runner in a side view in the correct orientation;

Fig. 12:

the runner in a section along the plane XII - XII in Fig. 11 ;

Fig. 13:

the runner in a side view in the wrong orientation;

Fig. 14:

the runner in a section along the plane XIV - XIV in Fig. 13 ;

Fig. 15:

Parts of the rotor in a perspective view;

Fig. 16:

the runner in a section along the plane XVI - XVI in Fig. 3 ;

In the following description of a preferred embodiment of a security system according to the invention, the terms "bottom" and "top" refer to the corresponding orientation with respect to gravity in the case of a correct, ie. functional orientation of the runner.

The illustrated rotor 1 comprises a housing 2 with a base body 3 and two side parts 4 connected to the base body 3.

The side parts 4 each have a guide groove 5, which together form a guide for a in the Fig. 2 Form guide rail 6 shown in cross section. The guide rail 6 has in cross-section a U-shaped base portion with a central leg 7 and two arranged at right angles thereto, outer legs 8. At the outer leg 8 is followed in each case at right angles to the outside a side portion 9 ("hat profile"). The free longitudinal edges of the side portions 9 are guided in the guide grooves 5 of the side parts 4 of the housing 2, so that in principle a movement of the rotor 1 in both directions along the guide rail 6 is possible.

The guide rail 6 can for example be fastened to a building wall, for which purpose through openings are provided in the central leg 7 at regular intervals, through which screw connections can extend.

The main body 3 forms a receiving space within which functional parts of the rotor 1 are arranged.

These include an actuating lever 10 which projects through a guide opening in a front plate of the main body 3 and forms an eyelet. At this eyelet is a snap hook 11 (in the Fig. 1 . 5 and 6 not shown) in which in turn a safety belt of a personal protective equipment of a person can be hooked, which is to be secured by means of the trained by the rotor 1 and the guide rail 6 security system. The operating lever 10 is rotatably mounted on a first axis 12. This axle 12 also rotatably receives two brake bodies 13, which are formed asymmetrically with respect to this axis 12. In an operating section, the two brake bodies 13 have a passage opening through which an actuating bolt 14 extends. This connects the two brake body 13 with each other. In this case, the actuating bolt 14 also extends through a part-circular slot 15 of the actuating lever 10 and through openings at the lower ends of two actuating rods 16 which are connected at their upper ends via a second axis 17 to the housing 18 of a centrifugal clutch.

By means of the actuating bolt 14, the brake body 13 can be pivoted about the first axis 12 (down) from the release position shown in the drawings in a braking position in which the brake body 13 are brought into a frictional engagement with the two side sections 9 of the guide rail 6 ,

The actuating pin 14 and thus the brake body 13 can be pivoted by means of the actuating lever 10. This is done in particular when the person secured to the security system crashes and thus the operating lever, starting from the first position shown in the drawings, the starting position, loaded with a significant force (component) down. In the first position of the actuating lever 10 and in the release position of the brake body 13, the actuating pin 14 abuts against the upper end of the elongated hole 15. A movement of the actuating lever 10 down is thus transmitted directly to the actuating pin 14 and thus the brake body 13, so that they are pivoted in the direction of their braking position. The present when reaching the braking position position of the actuating lever 10 is referred to as its second position.

The actuating pin 14 and the brake body 13 can continue to be pivoted by means of a centrifugal actuator. This includes, in addition to the actuating rods 16 and the centrifugal clutch two wheels 19, which are arranged laterally next to the centrifugal clutch and roll on the side portions 9 of the guide rail 6. The wheels 19 are over a Shaft 20 rotatably connected to a rotor of the centrifugal clutch, which comprises two clutch shoes 21. The clutch shoes 21 are pressed by the rotation of the wheels 19 by the centrifugal forces acting on them and to the outside. In this case, springs are tensioned, which pull back the clutch jaws 21 at decreasing angular velocity. With increasing angular velocity, the clutch shoes 21 are pressed with increasing pressure against the inside of the clutch housing 18. As a result, the clutch housing 18 is rotated by the wheels 19 a piece far from a defined critical angular velocity. This rotation is transmitted via the connected to the clutch housing 18 actuating rods 16 on the actuating pin 14, which is pressed together with the brake bodies 13 down, causing the brake body 13 enter the braking engagement with the guide rail 6.

The brake body 13 can therefore be actuated independently of each other by both the actuating lever 10 and the centrifugal actuator, wherein in the event of a crash of the secured person usually both actuators together acting on the actuating pin 14 and thus the brake body 13, since both the actuating lever 10 through the beginning case of the secured person is pulled down, as well as an incipient acceleration of the rotor 1 leads to an activation of the centrifugal brake.

The arrangement and design of the brake body 13 is such that they act self-reinforcing after an incipient engagement with the guide rail 6, the resulting friction forces thus support the pressing of the brake body 3 to the guide rail 6. This can cause the brake body 13 after the activation of the rotor 1 relatively firmly jammed with the guide rail 6 and thus can be solved only with difficulty.

To simplify this, it is provided to be able to pivot the actuating lever 10 upwards starting from the second position beyond the first position. If the brake body 13 are in the braking position, the actuating lever 10 due to the leadership of the actuating bolt 14 in the Slot 15 are moved between the second and the first position, without this the actuating pin 14 entrains. Only when reaching the first position of the actuating pin 14 abuts against the lower end of the slot 15. Only a further movement of the actuating lever 10 upwards then causes the actuating pin 14 and thus the brake body 13 is pivoted upwards and thus can be brought out of the braking engagement with the guide rail 6.

In the normal state, this movement of the actuating lever 10 is prevented beyond the first position to a third position by a locking member 22 which is fixed to the housing 2 about a third axis 23 which is perpendicular to the first axis 12 and the second axis 17 is. The drawings show the locking element 22 in its locking position in which it is supported between the top of the actuating lever 10 and the upper end of the guide opening. To release the locking element 22, the actuating lever 10 - if it is in the first position - from this in the direction of the second position, i. to be moved down. The resulting space between the top of the actuating lever 10 and the locking element 22 allows this to pivot about 90 ° down. As a result, the blocking element 22 releases the upper part of the guide opening, so that the actuating lever 10 can now be moved upwards beyond the first position in order to release the jammed brake body 13 from the guide rail 6.

Once this is done, the actuating lever 10 is again moved a little way beyond the first position in the direction of the second position, thereby allowing the locking member 22 to pivot back into its locking position. This movement of the actuating lever 10 is supported by a spring 24 which is biased in the movement of the actuating lever 10 in the direction of the third position. It can also be provided that the pivoting of the locking element 22 is spring-assisted in its locking position.

The housing 2 of the rotor 1 can be opened to - in addition to the pushing on the upper or lower end of the guide rail 6 - attaching and securing the rotor 1 at any point of the guide rail 6 to enable. An opening of the housing 2 is effected by a displacement of one of the side parts 4 transversely to the direction of movement or the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 6. This side part 4 is guided on several (in the present case seven) guide pins 25 which are fixed to the main body 3 of the housing 2 and extend through corresponding receiving openings of the side part 4 and a laterally attached to the side part 4 handle 26. The Fig. 6 shows the rotor 1 in a plan with the housing 2 open.

In order to open the housing 2, a locking device must first be manually released. This comprises an approximately 90 ° angled push handle 27 which is connected to the upper end of a locking bolt 28 (screwed). The locking bolt 28 consists of two parts 29, 30 which are screwed together (see. Fig. 14 ), and is slidably disposed within a through hole 31 of the side part 4. The passage opening 31 forms in its upper portion a circumferential projection 32. Within this projection 32, the diameter is reduced compared to the other sections of the passage opening 31. Within the projection 32, a portion of the upper part 29 of the locking bolt 28 is movably guided, which has a correspondingly small outer diameter for this purpose. This portion of the upper part 29 of the locking bolt 28 ends up in a shoulder which serves as a stop for the movement of the locking bolt 28 down. Furthermore, the upper portion 29 of the lower part 30 of the locking bolt 28 has an outer diameter which substantially completely fills the inner diameter of the passage opening 31. In conjunction with the upper part 29 of the locking bolt 28 thus another paragraph is formed. Between this shoulder and the underside of the projection 32, a spring 33 is held under (pressure) bias, which thereby holds the locking pin 28 in its locking position.

In the locking position of the locking bolt 28 engages with these sections, which are characterized by relatively large outer diameter, in grooves 34 with a part-circular cross section, which are formed on three of the guide pins 25 circumferentially. As a result, the locking pin 28 locks against displacement of the side part 4 along the guide pin 25th

If the housing 2, however, be opened, the locking pin 28 is pushed manually by means of the push handle 27 and against the force of the spring 33 a piece up, whereby portions of the locking bolt 28 having a relatively small outer diameter, in addition to the guide pin 8 with grooves to be brought. The guide pin no longer engages in the grooves 34, so that then the side part 4 can be moved with the locking pin 28 along the guide pin 25.

The opened housing 2 can thereby be attached to the guide rail 6 and fastened by closing the housing 2. The closing of the housing 2 is effected by pushing together side part 4 and residual housing. The held as a result of a stop on the guide pin 25 in the open position locking pin 28 moves when it reaches the fully closed position of the housing 2 due to the application of the spring 33 back into its locking position.

The braking device of the rotor 1 only works in one direction of movement. To secure a person against falling, it is therefore necessary to fix the rotor 1 in the correct orientation on the guide rail 6. To prevent attachment in the wrong orientation two independently functioning anti-rotation devices are provided.

On the one hand, a T-shaped securing element 36 is provided in a receiving opening 35 of the non-displaceable side part, which pivotable about a fourth axis 37, which is perpendicular to the guide plane spanned by the guide. The fourth axis runs in the vicinity of the end of a first leg of the securing element 26. As shown in the FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown, the fuse element 36 is in a correct orientation of the rotor 1 due to gravity completely within the receiving opening 35, thus is without security function.

If, however, the rotor 1 is rotated by 180 °, held in the wrong orientation (see. FIGS. 9 and 10 ), so the fuse element 36 pivots due to gravity and thus automatically by 90 °, so that a second of the legs in the guide groove 5 of the side part 4 projects and thereby prevents the correct recording of the associated longitudinal edge of the guide rail 6. The securing element 36 prevents not only a closing of the housing 2 in the central attachment of the rotor 1 on the guide rail 6 but also when pushed onto the lower or upper end. In an attempted sliding onto the lower end, the lower end of the associated side section 9 of the guide rail 6 collides with the second leg of the securing element 36 and tries to further pivot it. However, this is prevented by a striking of the third of the legs at a corresponding portion of the side part 4. In an attempted sliding onto the upper end, the upper end of the associated side portion 9 of the guide rail 6 collides with the second leg of the securing element 36 and tries to pivot it back. However, this is prevented by striking the third leg on the longitudinal edge of the guide rail 6.

Another security element 38, which is displaceably guided in a receiving opening 39 of the handle 26, acts as a further security against rotation. The securing element 38 is located in the correct orientation of the rotor 1 due to gravity in a portion of the receiving opening 39, in which this has no function (see. FIGS. 9 and 10 ). If the rotor 1 is held in the open housing 2, however, in the wrong orientation (see. FIGS. 11 and 12 ), the securing element 38 falls by gravity into a portion of the receiving opening 39, in which this is arranged in front of the end face of the guide pin 25. A collapse of the housing 2 is then not possible due to a collision of this guide pin 25 with the securing element 38.

A middle part of the main body 3 and the side parts 4 of the housing 2 are made of light metal and in particular aluminum and can be advantageously prepared as die-cast components. As a result, lightweight yet stable components can be created. For reinforcement of the base body 3 comprises on both sides of the central part still two reinforcing plates 40 of (stainless) steel, or in which many of the functional parts are attached or stored. The handle 26 is preferably made of plastic for cost and weight reasons.

Claims (9)

1. Traveller (1) for a safety system with a guide element, with

   - a housing (2) forming a guide for the guide element

   - a braking body (13) as well as

   - an operating lever (10) connected to the braking body (13) which has an attachment element for the attachment of a securing element connected to a person who is to be secured,

   wherein, through a movement of the operating lever (10), the braking body (13) can be moved from a first position into a second position, from a release position in which the traveller (1) can be moved along the guide element, into a braking position in which the braking body (13) prevents or brakes a relative movement between the traveller (1) and the guide element through a contact with the guide element, and wherein the braking body (13) can, through a movement of the operating lever (10) in the direction from the second position to the first position, be moved from the braking position into the release position, characterised by an operating guide with a bolt guided in a slot (15) which connects the braking body (13) and the operating lever (10) and permits a relative movement between the braking body and the operating lever, wherein the bolt comes to rest against a longitudinal axial end of the slot (15) if the braking body (13) is moved by means of the operating lever (10) from the release position into the braking position, and the bolt comes to rest against the other longitudinal axial end of the slot (15) if the braking body (13) is moved by means of the operating lever (10) from the braking position into the release position.
2. Traveller (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that, starting out from the second position, the operating lever (10) can be moved via the first position into a third position, as a result of which the braking body (13), which is located in the braking position, is moved in the direction of the release position.
3. Traveller (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the braking body (13) can be swivelled around a shaft (12) and is asymmetrical in design in relation to the shaft (12).
4. Traveller (1) according to claim 2 or one of the claims dependent on claim 2, characterised by a manually released blocking element (22) which, in its locking position, prevents a movement of the operating lever (10) into the third position.
5. Traveller (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that, in the first position, the operating lever (10) rests against the housing (2) via the blocking element (22), wherein the blocking element (22) cannot be released if the operating lever (10) is in the first position.
6. Traveller (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the blocking element (22) is fixed to the housing (2) so as to swivel around a shaft (23) arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the operating element (10) and is released by being swivelled in the direction of the operating lever (10).
7. Traveller (1) according to claim 2 or one of the claims dependent on claim 2, characterised by a spring element which is pre-tensioned through a movement of the operating lever (10) from the first position into the third position.
8. Traveller (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a wheel (19) rolling on the guide element which is connected to a centrifugal clutch which, when an angular velocity limit is exceeded, transmits the rotation of the wheel (19) to the braking body (13), thereby moving it into the braking position.
9. Safety system with a traveller (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a guide element.

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