Latchways Plc

Other

Alan W Tupper

Peter R Flux

A releasable gripping or locking device having a body part for sliding cooperation with a rope to be releasably gripped or locked with respect to the body part. A gripping or locking member is movably mounted on the body part for movement between a free condition and a gripping or locking condition in which loading applied to the device is borne by the gripping or looking member. A control member is provided for controlling movement of the gripping or locking position. The control member includes telescoping components having interengageable latching elements which are actuated by relative movement between the device and the rope. The latching elements are adapted to be automatically engaged in a latched condition when these parts are moved relative to one another in a first direction by a predetermined amount and are brought automatically into an unlatched condition on a predetermined amount of relative movement therebetween from the latched condition in the first direction, allowing subsequent free relative movement of the telescoping components. The free, and gripping or locking, conditions of the gripping or locking member correspond respectively with the latched and unlatched conditions of the control member.

Releasable gripping, locking, coupling or support devices

Load-transfer device

A linkage mechanism for a safety attachment system in which a pair of traversing devices are engaged with an elongate safety line for sliding movement therealong past intermediate securing devices for the safety line. The traversing devices are coupled to the mechanism, and a lanyard connected to the mechanism applies a force thereto, when the lanyard is under tension, in a direction generally away from the safety line. The mechanism is adapted to cause relative movement of the traversing devices along the safety line when the force is applied thereto by the lanyard. An actuator, preferably using a spring, is provided in the mechanism to cause opposite relative movement of the traversing devices when the force is reduced.

Safety attachment systems, and parts and fitting therefor

A load attachment device attaching a person to a safety line to provide a fall-arrest facility, comprises a slipper member for engaging an elongate member for sliding movement therealong, and load sensitive locking member having an unlocked condition perimitting free sliding movement of the device and a locked condition in which a grip portion of the locking member engages and grips an elongate member slidably engaged, in use, with the slipper member, the locking member including biassing member to cause the locking member to be brought automatically into its locked condition when an applied loading, which is required to maintain the locking member in its unlocked condition on an inclined, or a vertical or near vertical elongate member, or portions of an elongate member, is removed.

Lockable load attachment device

Threading device for a fishing line or the like

Releasable locking coupling or support device

Threading device

A threading device comprises a star wheel formed of two half sections secured together and rotatably mounted in a casing to project therefrom. The confronting surfaces of the radial projections of the mating star wheel parts near the tip thereof are formed with arcuate grooves in which an arcuate central portion of a rod-like threading member is slidably located but trapped therebetween. The threading member has elongate end portions projecting one on each side of the star wheel and one such portion is adapted for connection thereto of a flexible elongate line to be threaded by the device. The leading elongate end portion of the threading member is passed through, or beneath, an element with which the line is to be threaded to effect a threading operation.

A system for securing a life-line around the outside of a structure, e.g., the wheelhouse of a boat, includes attachment devices for the life-line at intermediate positions therealong (particularly at corner parts of the structure) which allow a hook of a safety line attached for sliding movement to the life-line, to pass those attachment points. In one embodiment each attachment device comprises a recessed wheel and a slipper member located to embrace tip portions of the wheel projections to be held thereby while allowing rotation of the wheel relative to the slipper member. In this way the slipper member guides the line in an arcuate path around a peripheral part of the wheelhouse to allow a hook engaged for sliding movement along the life-line to traverse the attachment point by engaging in a recess in the wheel which then rotates relative to the slipper member to pass the hook through the attachment device.

Load-transfer device and system

A device for threading a line with, or through, an annular member, or other endless or apertured member, from a remote position, comprises a body for location at the end of a pole, a rotor having a recess therein, and a threading member to which a line is connected. The rotor comprises a pair of spaced discs having arcuate recesses on their facing surfaces which engage corresponding arcuate flanges on the body and threading member to allow the rotor to rotate with respect thereto. The rotor is biassed to maintain the recess therein open to a space between a threading portion of the threading member and a confronting portion of the body to receive a ring or other similar element in which the threading portion is engaged. On further movement, the rotor rotates relative to the threading member to allow the ring to pass onto a line attached to the threading member.

Load transfer device

A load-transfer device comprises a pair of rotary members each having an annular series of projecting peg-like elements, and a location member having arcuate tracks in its opposite sides to receive tip portions of the elements respectively. A wire or other elongate element extends beneath the location member and the upright parts of U-shaped clips supporting the wire are received in the spaces between the elements when the device encounters such clips, whereupon the members rotate relative to the location member to permit the clips to pass through the device.

A load-transfer device comprising at least one rotatable wheel having a series of equally spaced peripheral recesses, a guide element mounted at a peripheral part of the wheel, and a load connection element for attachment of a load to the device. The wheel and guide member have cooperating portions allowing rotation of the wheel about its axis relative to the guide member to allow transversely extending support elements, which the device encounters in use, to pass through the device in one of said recesses as the wheel rotates relative to the guide member. In order to enable the device to withstand relatively heavy loading, interengaging plug and socket portions are provided between the connection element and an adjacent face of the wheel.

Load transfer or traversing device

A track is provided by a series of rigid or semi-rigid members supported solely or principally at their ends to extend across the track at spaced locations along the track. A load-transfer device is provided to engage with the track for movement along the track. The device comprises at least one rotary wheel having several equally spaced recesses provided in its periphery and a guide member mounted on the wheel, the wheel and guide member having cooperating relatively rotatable surfaces to allow rotation of the wheel relative to the guide member. The rigid or semi-rigid members are received in respective recesses in the wheel when the device moves along the track and the wheel rotates relative to the guide member to allow such members to pass through the device with at least one of those members being located with respect to the wheel by the guide member at any one time.

Growing community of inventors

Chippenham, United Kingdom

Alan W Tupper