Patent ID: 8646575

Claim:
A beam anchor for attaching to an I-beam or other flanged structure that has been made a part of a larger structure, to provide fall protection for a worker working on the larger structure, the beam anchor comprising: an elongate cross-member defining an elongate axis and two opposed axial directions parallel thereto, said cross-member having an axially extending sequence of depressions therein; a lanyard attachment structure attached to said cross-member; a pair of first and second, spaced apart beam capturing members attached to said cross-member so that the spacing between said capturing members is adjustable, the capturing members including respective capturing portions for capturing the flange therebetween so that the beam anchor can hang therefrom; and a locking mechanism pivotally connected with an associated one of said capturing members via a pivot element, said locking mechanism having a lever adapted for digital manipulation by a user of the beam anchor for manipulating a depression-engaging portion of said locking mechanism, said lever supported by said pivot element along a first portion of said pivot element allowing the user to pivot said locking mechanism about said pivot element between a locked configuration wherein said locking mechanism pivotally engages with said cross-member by engaging said depression-engaging portion with a selected one of the depressions of said sequence, for locking the associated one of said capturing members to said cross-member at a selected axial position on said cross-member, and an unlocked configuration wherein said locking member pivotally disengages with said cross-member by disengaging said depression-engaging portion from the selected depression, to release the associated one of said capturing members from the selected axial position so that the associated one of said capturing members becomes slidable along the cross-member in either of said axial directions, wherein said first portion of said pivot element is cantilevered from said capturing member.