Patent ID: 10099073

Abstract:
A body belt for use by linemen and others engaged in operations on poles or similar structures having a secondary set of D-rings, typically disposed slightly rearward of the primary D-rings on the belt or an auxiliary belt or attachment above or below the primary D-ring of the belt. The secondary D-rings which may differ in size from the primary D-rings, allow a wearer to separate devices that are normally attached to the primary D-rings. This allows less crowding of the primary D-rings, thereby making detachment and reattachment of one or more ancillary safety devices from the body belt as a lineman encounters an obstacle during his or her work on a pole or other elevated structure, thereby improving safety. An add-on D-ring assembly is provided for retrofitting body belts of the prior art. In another embodiment of the invention, an auxiliary body belt is detachably connected to the primary body belt, the auxiliary body belt having its own set of D-rings. Rather than providing all four D-rings in a common plane, as described above, this embodiment provides one plane for the first set of D-rings (on the primary body belt) and a second, parallel plane for the second set of D-rings (on the auxiliary body belt).