Patent ID: 9670980
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A62B,E04G,F16F

Claim:
1. A safety device for use in a fall arrest or fall safety system, the safety device comprising: an energy absorber arrangement to absorb energy in the event of a fall or other impulse event, wherein the energy absorber arrangement consists of a resilient element providing an interference fit between a rotatable shaft of the device and a safety line drum of the device, the safety line drum mounted about the shaft, wherein the resilient element is configured to permit relative rotation between the shaft and the safety line drum in a first configuration of the resilient element and to prevent relative rotation between the shaft and the safety line drum in a second configuration of the resilient element so that in the second configuration the shaft and the drum are permitted to rotate together in unison; and a speed responsive engagement mechanism responsive to the speed of rotation of the drum, which is activated, above a predetermined rotational speed of the drum, wherein, a degree of resilience of the resilient element is such that, when the speed responsive engagement mechanism is activated, the energy absorber arrangement acts to absorb energy and slow rotation of the safety line drum by permitting relative rotation between the shaft and the drum of the device.