Safety apparatus for arresting a fall of a worker

Abstract

A safety apparatus ( 10 ) includes a frame unit ( 12 ) placed on a surface ( 102 ). A cable ( 62 ) is mounted around a pulley ( 60 ) rotatably mounted to the frame unit ( 12 ) about a rotation axis ( 58 ). A slide ( 90 ) is slideably mounted to the frame unit ( 12 ) along a slide axis ( 92 ) at a non-parallel angle to the rotation axis ( 58 ) and movable between upper and lower positions. The cable ( 62 ) is attached between the slide ( 90 ) and a worker ( 100 ) on the surface ( 102 ). A biasing member ( 110 ) is mounted between the slide ( 90 ) and the frame unit ( 12 ) and biases the slide ( 90 ) from the lower position to the upper position. An engaging member ( 120 ) is mounted to the slide ( 90 ) to move therewith. The engaging member ( 120 ) is above the surface ( 102 ) when the slide ( 90 ) is in the upper position. If the worker ( 100 ) falls from the surface, the engaging member ( 120 ) is moved downward and grips the surface ( 102 ) under the action of force resulting from falling of the worker ( 100 ) to retain the safety apparatus ( 10 ) on the surface and, thus, arrests the fall of the worker ( 100 ) from the surface ( 102 ).

1 . A lifting attachment for a frame unit adapted to be lifted on a surface, with the lifting attachment comprising an attach element comprising, in combination:
 first and second sides spaced in a first direction;   first and second edges each extending between the first and second sides, with the first and second edges spaced in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   third and fourth edges each extending between the first and second sides and between the first and second edges, with the third and fourth edges spaced in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions;   a first passage extending between the first and second sides in the first direction and extending from the first edge towards but spaced from the second edge in the second direction, with the first passage spaced from the third and fourth edges in the third direction; and   a second passage extending between the first and second sides in the first direction and extending from the first passage towards but spaced from the third edge in the second direction, with the second passage spaced from the first, second, and fourth edges.   
     
     
         2 . The lifting attachment as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising, in combination: an extension extending between the first and second sides and extending from the first passage through the fourth edge in the third direction and extending from the first edge towards but spaced from the second edge in the second direction, with the second passage intermediate the extension and the second edge in the second direction. 
     
     
         3 . The lifting attachment as claimed in  claim 2 , with the attachment element formed homogeneously from a same material and extending integrally between the first and second sides in the first direction, extending integrally between the first and second edges in the second direction and extending integrally between the third edge and the second passage in the third direction.