Anchor for securing safety device

Abstract

An anchor ( 1 ) is provided for securing at least one safety device to a structure ( 40, 70, 97 ), the anchor ( 1 ) including: a) a shaft ( 12 ) terminating in engagement means ( 11 ), such as an eyelet, the shaft ( 12 ) located in the structure ( 40, 70, 97 ) and adapted to reciprocate between a retracted position in the structure ( 40, 70, 97 ) and an extended position whereby the engagement means ( 11 ) is capable of extending beyond the external surface of the structure ( 40, 70, 97 ); b) stop means ( 31 ) adapted to limit the extent to which the engagement means ( 11 ) may be extended beyond the surface of the structure ( 40, 70, 97 ); and c) resiliently deformable means ( 14 ) such as a compressible rubber sleeve, adapted to coact with the shaft ( 12 ) and the stop means ( 31 ) to resist axial extension of the shaft ( 12 ) up to the extent determined by the stop means ( 31 ).

1 . An anchor for securing at least one safety device to a structure, the anchor including 
 a) a shaft terminating in engagement means, said shaft located in the structure and adapted to reciprocate between a retracted position in the structure and an extended position whereby the engagement means is capable of extending beyond the external surface of the structure;    b) stop means adapted to limit the extent to which the engagement means may be extended beyond the stucture's surface;    c) resiliently deformable means adapted to coact with the shaft and the stop means to resist axial extension of the shaft up to the extent determined by the stop means.    
     
     
         2 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is capable of supporting a sudden high load applied through the safety device.  
     
     
         3 . An anchor according to  claim 2 , wherein the resiliently deformable means is capable of at least partially absorbing the energy associated with the application of the high load by the compression or tensioning of said resiliently deformable means.  
     
     
         4 . An anchor according to  claim 2 , wherein the shaft means is capable of at least partially absorbing the energy associated with the application of the high load by deforming.  
     
     
         5 . An anchor according to  claim 4 , wherein the shaft is adapted to plastically deform.  
     
     
         6 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently deformable means is a compression spring.  
     
     
         7 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is secured in the structure by a sleeve located in a bore within the structure.  
     
     
         8 . An anchor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stop means is located in the sleeve.  
     
     
         9 . An anchor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stop means is in the form of an annular shoulder on the internal surface of the shaft.  
     
     
         10 . An anchor according to  claim 7 , wherein the stop means is in the form of an insert adapted to threadably engage the internal surface of the shaft.  
     
     
         11 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the stop means has an internal bore adapted to permit the axial reciprocation of the shaft therethrough.  
     
     
         12 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes reaming means adapted to coact with the stop means to limit the extent to which the engagement means may be extended beyond the structure's surface.  
     
     
         13 . An anchor according to  claim 12 , wherein the retaining means is located remotely from the structure's external surface and the stop means is adapted to is prevent the passage of the retaining member past the stop means.  
     
     
         14 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor includes an extension adapted to extend through the structure so that the anchor is secured thereto by coacting with the opposed surfaces of the structure.  
     
     
         15 . An anchor according to  claim 14 , wherein the extension includes an extension shaft threadably engageable to the end of the shaft remote from the engagement means.  
     
     
         16 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a metal plate having a bore adapted to receive the anchor and the anchor has securement means capable of securing the anchor to the plate.  
     
     
         17 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor includes a housing within which the engagement means is adapted to rest when the anchor is in the non-extended position.  
     
     
         18 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchor includes a cover adapted to obscure the engagement means when the anchor is in the non-extended position.  
     
     
         19 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the structure is an internal wall of a building and the anchor is adapted for location adjacent a wall opening.  
     
     
         20 . An anchor according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall opening is a window and the safety device supports an operator outside the building.