Patent Publication Number: US-6981571-B2

Title: Climber catcher

Description:
NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION 
   A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figures contain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to safety devices and methods for use by a technician and other person of similar occupation when climbing a pole, such as poles carrying telephone lines or electrical power lines. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   In the telecommunications or electronics industry, it is common practice for a technician (also referred to as a “linesman”) to climb a pole to install equipment, to repair broken or damaged communications equipment, to test equipment, and/or other work-related reasons. In order to safely and effectively climb a pole and perform line work, the technician must maintain and properly utilize various types of climbing equipment. To utilize the various types of climbing equipment, the technician must also have the skills and the physical ability to sustain a great strain on their legs and back while the technician climbs and/or maintains a position about the pole. 
   Conventional climbing equipment employed by a technician typically includes a pair of gaffs, a body belt, and/or a safety strap. In general, the gaff is a sharp blade protruding from the inside of the foot about mid-foot level and having straps that secure about the leg and/or feet of a technician. To climb, the technician drives one of the gaffs into the pole, steps up onto the gaff, and then drives the other gaff into the pole at a higher position. The technician continues taking steps up or “gaffs up” the pole until reaching a desired height. 
   The body belt is secured around the waist of the technician. The body belt includes pockets for carrying tools and rings (e.g., “D-rings”) for attaching the safety strap. The safety strap typically includes a hook (e.g., snap buckle) at each end and a buckle for adjusting its length. During climbing, both hooks of the safety strap are attached to the same ring of the body belt on the left hip. Once in a position to perform line work, the technician releases one end of the safety strap from the body belt and wraps the safety strap around the pole. The technician then reattaches the end of the safety strap to the right D-ring on the body belt, thus allowing the technician to use his hands at the desired working elevation. Thus, the technician uses the safety strap for climbing as well as supporting the technician in his working position about the pole. 
   During elevated line work, both gaffs are pressed into the pole and the technician leans back against the safety strap. This position allows the weight of the technician to be supported by the gaffs and the tension in the safety strap. An error in technique or defect in equipment, however, may result in serious injury to the technician. For example, there are times when a gaff dislodges or “cuts out” from the pole. If one or both of the gaffs cuts out, the technician may (i) fall straight down from atop the pole, (ii) rotate downward and fall on the head, (iii) get one or more gaffs back into the pole, and (iv) may reach out to grab/hug the pole. In many of these scenarios, the technician may, and often does, sustain injury such as to the knees, back, and/or arms. 
   Safety devices have been proposed for supporting the weight of the technician to prevent accidents as described above; however, the usefulness of such safety devices depends upon the willingness of the technician to use them which in turn relies upon whether such devices are conveniently and easily used in the field. As an alternative to climbing the pole, some technicians resort to using ladders or bucket trucks to perform elevated line work so as to avoid the risk of injury from a fall. This solution requires the purchase and maintenance of additional equipment and, thus, results in increased expenses for the technician&#39;s employer. In addition, work related injuries still occur when using and transporting a ladder of the size necessary to reach the top of a pole. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention addresses the above-described needs, and other needs, by providing a portable safety device that is capable of catching and supporting a technician (i.e., the climber) who has fallen from a columnar member, such as a pole, a tree trunk, wall, rock face, or any other columnar/vertical member. The safety device of this invention, therefore, provides added security and safety when scaling and when working atop the columnar member. 
   According to an embodiment, a climber catcher safety device includes a flexible, elongated body comprising a first end and a second end, positioning means attached at the first end, and engagement means attached at the second end. The flexible, elongated body extends about a circumference of the columnar member and the positioning means attaches at the first end to position and secure a portion of the flexible, elongated body about a variety of circumferences of the columnar member—that is, the climber catcher can easily be positioned about a portion of the circumference of many different sized columnar members. Further, the engagement means engages or otherwise secures to a body belt of the technician. 
   In various embodiments, the flexible, elongated body may be made of a chain link, a knotted rope, and/or a braided rope. According to each of these embodiments, compatible positioning cinchers are used to position and secure the flexible, elongated body about the columnar member. Another embodiment includes a locking, clip-like engagement member attached at the second end to engage a body belt of the technician. 
   This invention further includes a method for ascending a columnar member to a desired working elevation and/or positioning the climber catcher safety device described in the above and other embodiments so that the safety device engages the columnar member and is capable of supporting a suspended weight of the technician. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other embodiments, objects, uses, advantages, and novel features of this invention are more clearly understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying figures, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of a climber catcher safety device according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective side view of a climber catcher safety according to another embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of another climber catcher safety according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective side view of a cincher attached to a first end of the climber catcher of  FIG. 3  according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective top view of the cincher of  FIG. 5  according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective side view of an elevated, secured technician with the climber catcher safety device of  FIG. 1  positioned above and proximate to a safety strap secured to the technician according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective top view of the elevated, secured technician with the climber catcher safety device of  FIG. 1  positioned above and proximate to the safety strap secured to the technician according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective side view of the climber catcher safety device of  FIG. 1  supporting a body belt of a fallen technician according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective side view of an alternate climber catcher safety device according to an embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective front view of an alternate latching mechanism for the climber catcher safety device; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective side view of the alternate latching mechanism of  FIG. 10 ; and 
       FIG. 12  is a flowchart of a method for using the climber catcher safety device according to an embodiment of this invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, all statements herein reciting embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future (i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure). Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the schematics and the like represent conceptual views of illustrative structures embodying this invention. 
   In the claims hereof any element expressed as a means for performing a specified function is intended to encompass any way of performing that function including, for example, a combination of elements that performs that function. The invention as defined by such claims resides in the fact that the functionalities provided by the various recited means are combined and brought together in the manner that the claims call for. Applicant thus regards any means that can provide those functionalities as equivalent as those shown herein. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a climber catcher safety device  100  includes a flexible, elongated body of a chained link  110  having a first end  112  and a second end  114 . The first end  112  is attached at joint  116  to a positioning means. The positioning means is shown as a D-shaped ring  120  having a latch  122  for engaging one of the chain links  111  of the flexible, elongated body  110 . The second end  114  is attached at joint  118  to an engagement means. The engagement means is shown as a second D-shaped ring  130  having a locking latch  132  for engaging a body belt (shown as reference numeral  622  in  FIG. 6 ) of a technician (shown as reference numeral  610  in  FIG. 6 ). A portion of the chained link  110  may be positioned and secured about a variety of circumferences of a columnar member, such as a pole, a tree trunk, wall, rock face, or any other columnar/vertical member by wrapping the chained link  110  about the columnar member and fixing the D-ring  120  about the desired link such that the wrapped portion of the chained link  110  frictionally engages the columnar member. According to an embodiment of this invention, a length  150  of the chained link  110  is approximately five feet (approximately sixty inches). Alternatively, as one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates, this measurement may vary so long as the climber catcher safety device  100  supports the weight of a fallen technician as herein described. In addition, the climber catcher safety device  100  may be manufactured using any appropriate material that can support the weight of a technician, tools, and other gear (as well as any safety factor that accounts for stress loading, such as the force of a fall) and also withstand a wide range of temperatures, humidity, moisture, and other environmental conditions. For example, the climber catcher safety device  100  can be formed of steel, titanium, aluminum, and other metals. The climber catcher safety device  100  may also have a durable finish coating, such as polyurethane powder. Alternatively, the climber catcher safety device  100  could be constructed of other metals, polymer, plastic, composite, ceramic, glass, crystal, and/or other appropriate materials and combinations that are capable of being used as herein described. The safety device  100  could additionally or alternatively have a sacrificial coating for corrosion resistance. 
   As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the flexible, elongated support body is a chained link  110  with positioning means (i.e., the D-shaped ring  120  having a latch  122 ) at the first end  112  to position and secure the climber catcher safety device  100  about the columnar member. As one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates, however, the flexible, elongated support body, the positioning means, and the engagement means may comprise a variety of configurations and materials. For example,  FIG. 2  shows a climber catcher safety device  100  similar to  FIG. 1 ; however, the first end  112  has a flexible joint  216  attached to the D-ring  120  that allows the positioning means to move in a direction of line  226 . The second end  114 , similarly, has another flexible joint  218  attached to the second D-ring  130  that allows the engagement means to move in a direction of line  228 . Each of the D-rings (or alternate positioning means and engagement means)  120 ,  130  can be swiveled into a desired position for easily mating with the desired link or with the body belt.  FIG. 3  shows the flexible, elongated support body  100  as a braided cable  310  having holes  312  along a central portion of the braided cable  310 . A first end  314  includes a first loop  340  about a U-shaped cincher  320  having a hook  324  that fits through one of the holes  312  and a spring-loaded latch  322  that locks the U-shaped cincher  320  about the selected hole  312 . The loop  340  of the first end  314  is bound by a clamp  342 . A second end  316  includes a second loop  350  about a D-shaped, locking ring  330  with a second spring-loaded latch  332 . The loop  350  of the second end  316  is bound by a clamp  352 . 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show more detailed views of the U-shaped cincher  320  shown in  FIG. 3 . The U-shaped cincher  320  attaches to the loop  340  of the first end  314 . The U-shaped cincher  320  includes a ring  408  having an inner surface  410 . The first end  314  loops through the ring  408 . The ring  408  has an outer surface  412  that includes an outwardly extending arm  414  with the hook  324  at an end of the arm  414 . The hook  324  is sized so that a tip  418  can penetrate the selected hole  312 . The latch  322  closes behind the hole  312  and fixes the safety device  100  to a desired circumference such that the safety device  100  frictionally engages the columnar member. A similar cincher (not shown) may be used at the second end  316  to engage a body belt of the technician. The U-shaped cincher  320  is preferably stamped or pressed from metal material as an integral, single piece device. The U-shaped cincher  320  may alternatively be welded or cast from metal material. The metal material may have any composition, any cold/heat treatment, or any quenching. The metal material may have any rust inhibitor and/or sacrificial coating to reduce corrosion. The U-shaped cincher  320  could alternatively be formed from composite material(s), polymer material(s), and other appropriate materials if the application warrants. As one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates, the U-shaped cincher  320  may take on a variety of shapes such as V-shaped, D-shaped, and others so long as the cincher  320  is designed to fix the flexible, elongated body, such as the braided cable  310 , into a desired position about the columnar member. 
   Typically, the climber catcher safety device  100  is used as generally shown in  FIGS. 6–8 . When performing elevated work, a technician  610  positions the climber catcher safety device  100  above and proximate to a safety strap  620  extending about a pole  630 . Examples of elevated work include, but are not limited to installation, maintenance, testing, and/or other types of repair work on suspended equipment, such as terminals, wire pouches, J-hooks, network cable, transformers, and/or other types of hardware and equipment used by the telecommunications and/or electrical industry. In general, the pole  630  may be any type of pole, such as for example, a telephone pole, an electrical pole, a tree trunk, and other vertical, columnar members. In most cases, the pole  630  is tapered, such that a diameter of an upper portion of the pole  630  is less than the diameter of a lower portion of the pole  630 . 
   As shown, the technician  610  wears a body belt  622  secured about the technician&#39;s waist. The body belt  622  includes a pair of side locking members, shown as D-rings  624  and a sliding ring  650  encircled about a front portion of the body belt  622 . The sliding ring  650  may take on a variety of shapes, such as an “O”-shaped ring, a “D”-shaped ring, and the like, so long as the sliding ring  650  mates between the body belt and the safety device  100 . Alternatively, as one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates, the sliding ring  650  may be stationary (not shown). The D-rings  624  or alternate locking members (not shown) engage corresponding attachment members  626  (also shown as D-rings) on the ends of the safety strap  620 . The safety strap  620  extends around the pole  630  and connects with the body belt  622  worn by the technician  610 . When the D-rings  624  of the body belt  622  are engaged with the attachment members  626  of the safety strap  620 , the technician  610  may use the safety strap for climbing as well as supporting the technician  610  in a desired working position on the pole  630 . In addition, the technician  610  utilizes gaffs  640  having a bladed portion  642  that are driven into and that penetrate the pole  630  to prevent the feet of the technician  610  from slipping and to assist with climbing. When the technician  610  is in the desired working position to perform elevated work, the weight of the technician  610  is supported by the gaffs  640  and by the safety strap  620  such that the technician may freely use his hands to perform the elevated work. 
   Once the technician  610  reaches the desired working position on the pole  630 , the technician  610  positions the climber catcher safety device  100  above and proximate to the safety strap  620  by wrapping the flexible, elongated body (shown as chained link  110 ) about the pole  630  and securing the D-ring  120  (or alternate positioning means) such that the safety device  100  frictionally engages the pole  630  such that the safety device  100  maintains a desired position above and proximate to the safety strap  620  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thereafter, the technician  610  attaches the second D-ring  130  (or alternate engagement means) to the sliding ring  650  of his body belt  622 .  FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective side view of the climber catcher safety device  100  supporting the body belt  622  of a fallen technician (not shown). When the technician falls, the portion of the chained link  110  positioned about the pole  630  frictionally engages the pole  630  and the second end  114  with the second D-shaped ring  130  attached to the sliding ring  650  of the body belt  622  is caught. The climber catcher safety device  100  thus supports the weight of the fallen technician and prevents the technician from falling to the ground (or alternate lower surface). The climber catcher safety device  100  helps prevent or reduce resultant injuries that may have been caused by the impact of the fall to the ground. 
   In addition to the above described embodiments, the climber catcher safety device  100  may include a knotted, rope-like body  910  having one or more knots  912  as shown in  FIG. 9 . A first end  914  includes a first loop  940  about a knot cincher  920  having a hook  924  that fits about one of the knots  912 . The loop  940  of the first end  914  is bound by a clamp  942 . A second end  916  includes a second loop  950  about a “D”-shaped, locking ring  930  (similar to D-ring  130  shown in  FIG. 1 ), and the loop  950  of the second end  916  is bound by a clamp  952 . The rope-like body  910  may have existing knots  912 , or alternatively, the technician could tie a knot to a specific location on the rope-like body  910  to more accurately position the safety device  100 . As one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates, the positioning means, engagement means, and connections means (e.g., chained link  110  shown in  FIG. 1  and rope-like body  910  in  FIG. 9 ) may take on a variety of shapes and dimensions. For example,  FIGS. 10–11  show a substantially, flat elongated body  1000  with an end  1010  looped through a slotted portion of a positioning fastener  1020 . The fastener  1020  includes a U-shaped end  1022  with a hooking portion  1024  and a spring loaded latch  1026 . 
   In addition to the above embodiments, this invention includes a method of positioning the climber catcher safety device and/or a method of supporting or otherwise holding a fallen technician using the climber catcher safety device as herein described. As shown by the flowchart of  FIG. 12 , the method may include the technician donning a climbing belt and safety strap on the technician&#39;s waist as well as putting on additional safety equipment (e.g., hard hat), tools, and the climber catcher safety device [block  1210 ]. The technician places himself at the base of the pole [block  1220 ] and dons the foot gaffs [block  1230 ]. Thereafter, the technician places his/her hands on the side of the pole opposite his/her face [block  1240 ] and initiates a hand-over-hand ascent up the pole [block  1250 ]. Once the technician reaches a desired working elevation (e.g., the desired work position), then the technician ensures that the safety strap is secured around the pole and may lean back on the strap and use the secured foot gaffs to support the technician&#39;s weight to maintain the position [block  1260 ]. Thereafter, the technician uses a free hand to position the climber catcher safety device above and proximate to the safety strap by securing a first end of the climber catcher safety device about the pole and attaches the second end of the climber catcher safety device to the climbing belt [block  1270 ]. If the technician should fall, then the climber catcher safety device catches the technician and supports the weight of the suspended technician from the second end attached to the climbing belt. 
   Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.