Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to working at heights. Applications to which the invention is particularly suited are abseiling and related occupations and pursuits.

Background Art

Ropes are generally used to support a worker or user when working at heights and/or abseiling. These ropes usually pass through carabiners which in turn are connected to anchors having eyes or other types of closed loop. These anchors and eyes are constructed in such a manner which make them unsuitable for supporting constant loads such as those encountered during abseiling, and are unsightly, expensive, and difficult to operate and install. The present inventor has developed a new anchor and system of support.

Summary of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an anchor apparatus comprising: a main anchor body for connecting to a structure, the main anchor body adapted to be mounted within the structure, the main anchor body including a proximal end which when the main anchor body is installed, is disposed proximal a face of the structure, the proximal end including a first end stop; and a connector body operatively connected to the main anchor body, the connector body including a connecting element and a connector base, the connector body movable between a deployed position in which the connecting element extends from the main anchor body and the connector base abuts the first end stop to inhibit the disconnection of the connector body from the main anchor body, and a stowed position in which, in use, the connecting element is disposed substantially within the structure and/or main anchor body. The main anchor body in use is adapted to be affixed to a structure. The fixing method may be any suitable method, including mechanical means such as for example by an expanding portion of the shank, or a threaded wedge system, or some other kind of displaceable body section and/or a chemical means. Indeed, in a preferred embodiment the main anchor body is adapted to bond to a suitable setting resin or adhesive as described herein.

The shank is preferably in the form of a tube which includes a void or hollow portion within which the connector body may be wholly or partially received when in the stowed position. Furthermore, the shank preferably includes ribs on one or more outer faces in order to increase friction and/or a mechanical retention between the structure and the shank. Preferably the ribs extend along and/or around an exterior face of the shank. Preferably the ribs are in the form of a plurality of discrete, spaced-apart, circumferential ribs extending along the shank, and may be in the form of a helical thread.

Preferably the shank includes a taper or chamfer at a distal end so as to facilitate insertion of the shank into a hole in the structure. The taper or chamfer also facilitates even spreading of setting resin, adhesive or Chemset along the shank during installation. Preferably the end stop is in the form of an end plate which at least partially closes a hollow opening across the proximal end. Preferably the end plate includes an opening so that the connector body may extend therethrough. Preferably the opening is a guide opening and in the form of a shape which corresponds to the shape of a corresponding part of the connector body so that the connector body extends into the deployed position in a repeatable and predictable manner. For example, the opening may be rectangular and is intended to be installed with the rectangle's longitudinal axis aligned with a vertical axis so as to guide the corresponding portion of the connector body in a repeatable vertical fashion and also to facilitate an increased strength (since the moment of inertia for a rectangle is higher at that vertical orientation (compared to the horizontal) to resist vertical bending stresses).

The end plate includes a flange extending in a transverse direction from the outer circumference of the shank so as to stop the shank from extending to a position further into the structure than is intended. The flange generally facilitates positioning of the proximal end of the shank when installed in a substantially flush disposition relative to the structure.

Preferably the end plate includes an access means in the form of an aperture to allow access to the connector body by a finger or tool to move the connector body between the stowed and deployed positions. The aperture may be disposed beside the end plate opening and in one embodiment is in the form of a bight along one edge of the end stop opening. The end plate aperture may be of any suitable shape including half- round, rectangular or the like. The end plate aperture may be closed and may not extend through the entire thickness of the plate so as to improve strength of the end plate.

Preferably the conector body includes a connector element in the form of a tongue for extending outward from the shank when in the deployed position, and a keeper which in use keeps the tongue at least partially within the shank when in that deployed position by abutting the end plate. The keeper preferably includes the connector stop which is in the form of a stop face extending transversely from the tongue. The keeper is in the form of a plug body to engage with internal walls of the shank hollow for control and selective positioning of the connector body, and the plug further includes the stop face at a proximal end. The keeper is integral with or connected to the tongue and is disposed at a base or distal region of the tongue.

The connecting element or tongue preferably includes a closed through hole suitable for receiving an opened carabiner. When the connector body is in the stowed position it is preferably disposed wholly within the void of the main anchor body and when the connector body is in the deployed position the connecting element or tongue is preferably disposed extending from the main body while the keeper abuts the end stop or end plate. The movement between the deployed and stowed positions may be any suitable movement including a pivoting movement or swinging movement, but the preferred movement is a translation, sliding or reciprocating movement.

Preferably the connector body is held in the stowed position by friction between the plug body and the internal walls of the hollow portion of the shank. An O-ring is preferably provided in order to provide the friction, although any suitable method may be employed including a light friction fit. Other means of releasable retention may also be used, including detent buttons or other means.

In the stowed position the end plate aperture provides access to the through hole when the tongue to facilitate the removal of the tongue from its stowed postion.

Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia before the priority date of each claim of this specification.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the following drawings and examples.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an anchor connected to a carabiner, the anchor assembly being in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a connector body shown extended into a deployed position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view, partially translucent, of the anchor of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a plan view of the anchor of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a front elevation view, partially translucent, of the anchor of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a side elevation view of a connector body in accordance with a portion of the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a front elevation view of the connector body shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an isometric view of the anchor shown in Figure 1 , displayed in an installed position, the connector body extended into the deployed position;

Figure 8 is a front elevation view of the anchor shown in Figure 1 , the connector body displayed in a stowed position;

Figure 9 is an isometric view of the anchor shown in Figure 1 without the carabiner connected;

Figure 10 is a side elevation view of the anchor of Figure 1 without the carabiner; Figure 11 is another side elevation view of the anchor of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an isometric view of a proximal portion of the shank which is a portion of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 is an isometric view of the proximal portion of the shank shown at

Figure 12; Figure 14 is an isometric view of the connector body shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 15 is an isometric view of a distal portion of the shank which is a portion of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Referring to the drawings there is shown an anchor apparatus generally indicated at 10, the anchor apparatus 10 including a main anchor body 12 for connecting to a structure 14, the main anchor body 12 including a shank 13 having a proximal end 15 and a distal end 16. The main anchor body 12 further includes a connector body 18 movable between a deployed position wherein the connector body 18 extends at least partially from the proximal end (Figures 1 and 7) and a stowed position in which the connector body 18 is disposed fully within the main anchor body 12 (Figure 8). The shank 13 further includes a first end stop 11 at the proximal end 15 and the connector body 18 includes a connector stop 19. In the deployed position, the connector stop 19 abuts the end stop 11 so that the connector body 18 is retained within the shank 13.

The shank 13 is in the form of a tube 21 which includes a hollow portion or a void 22 within which the connector body 18 is received and may move between the deployed (Figs 1, 2, 4 7, 9, 10 and 11) and stowed (Fig 8) positions. The tube 21 is circular in cross-section and has an outside wall upon which ribs 24 are disposed for increasing friction and/or facilitating a mechanical bond between the structure 14 and the shank 13. A plurality of ribs 24 extend in transverse circumferential rings 25 around the shank 13 to inhibit longitudinal pullout of the shank 13 from the structure 14.

The shank 13 includes a taper or chamfer 26 at the distal end 16 so as to facilitate insertion of the shank 13 into the structure 14 and to facilitate even spread of resin, adhesive or Chemset or the like upon insertion of the shank 13 into the structure 14. The shank 13 is constructed from stainless steel 27 and is formed in two parts, being a distal part 28 and a proximal part 29. The distal part 28 includes a solid block comprising a second end stop 77 in the form of a boss 78 which, when the distal part 28 is connected to the proximal part 29 is disposed that the connector body 18 may abut the end stop 77. This abutment inhibits the connector body 18 from retracting into a stowed position which is out of access reach within the shank 13 and too far towards the distal end 16.

A sump 79 in the form of an annular recess 81 around the end stop 77 is to collect dirt and refuse and other detritus from use and installation and movement of the connector body 18 reciprocating inside the hollow walls of the proximal part 29 of the shank 13.

The first or proximal end stop 11 of the shank 13 is in the form of an end plate 30 which at least partially closes the void or hollow portion 22 at the proximal end 15. The end plate 30 includes an opening 31 to allow the connector body 18 to extend through. The opening 31 is a guide opening in the form of a shape which corresponds to the shape of a corresponding part (the connecting element or tongue) of the connector body 18 so that the connector body 18 extends into the deployed position in a repeatable, predictable manner. That is, in the form shown the guide opening 31 is a rectangle 32 having a longitudinal side or axis extending generally vertically, so that a connecting element or tongue 33 of the connector body 18 having a rectangular cross-section may emerge from the opening 31 in the same vertical orientation every time. The vertical orientation of the rectangular connecting element or tongue 33 also improves bending resistance since the Moment of Inertia (MoI) of a rectangle in vertical orientation is higher than the MoI of a horizontally-disposed rectangle.

The end plate 30 also includes an access opening or end plate aperture 34 to allow access to the connector body 18 by a finger or a tool (not shown) to move the connector body 18 between the stowed and deployed positions. The access opening 34 is adjacent the opening 31 and is along one side of it, effectively making the opening 31 to include a lobe or bight 35.

In addition, the end plate 30 includes a stop flange 55 which extends from the outside of the shank 13 so as to abut the structure 14 when installed and inhibit the shank 13 from placement too far inside the structure 14.

As described above, the connector body 18 includes a connecting element or tongue 33 which may extend outwardly from the shank 13 at the proximal end 15 when in the deployed position for engagement with a carabiner. The connector body 18 also includes a connecting base or keeper 65 which keeps the tongue 33 at least partially retained within the shank 13 under load when in the deployed position. The keeper 65 is in the form of a plug body 36 so as to engage with internal walls of the hollow portion 22 of the shank 13 to facilitate control and selective positioning of the connector body 18 within the shank 13. The plug. body 36 includes the connector stop 19 which is in the form of a stop face 37 extending transversely from the tongue 33 at a base region 38 thereof. The keeper 35 is integral with or attached to the tongue 33 and is disposed at the base region 38 thereof. To enable infinitely variable selective control and positioning of the connector body 18 relative to the shank 13, the plug body 36 includes a friction means in the form of an O-ring mount 40. This friction arrangement, which may also be effected in other ways such as for example, an interference fit, also allows friction to inhibit the connector body 18 from falling out of the hollow portion 22 when the shank 13 is mounted in a roof (not shown) or an inclined wall (not shown). It is also contemplated that other means may be employed to provide discrete stops between deployed and stowed positions such as a rack, other method.

To install, a hole of a suitable diameter and depth (similar to or just larger than the diameter of the ribs 24 as is usual practice) is drilled in the structure 14 and filled with a setting resin. The distal end 16 of the shank 13 is inserted into the hole, the tapered end assisting the even flow of setting resin around the shank 13 until the flange 55 abuts an outside face of the structure 14. The resin is allowed to set and the anchor 10 is ready for use. In operation, a tool or finger is inserted into the end plate aperture or access opening 34 and the closed through hole 62 in the connecting element or tongue 33 can be accessed to facilitate removal of the tongue 33 from the stowed position. The connecting element or tongue 33 is withdrawn in a translating or sliding motion until the stop face 37 abuts the end stop 11. A carabiner 60 is inserted through the closed through hole 62 in the connecting element or tongue 33 and a worker or person can then be supported on the carabiner 60 via a rope (not shown).

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.