Suspension Harness with Adjustable Attachment Point

Harnesses for personal suspension are well known for abseiling, mountaineering, tree surgery and the like. The attachment elements (1 ) of such harnesses (the point where the harness is connected to the rope, abseiling device etc.) may take the form of a Metal d-ring, webbing loop or strap etc. Such a point is however always fixed relative to the harness. Harnesses do exist with a d-ring mounted on a strap such that it may slide from side to side, such harnesses however only allow the wearer to lean from side to side, they do not allow the degree of support or balance position to be varied.

A problem therefore arises with wearers of different builds/body sizes. A wearer of small build will have a low centre of gravity and will be held upright, however when the wearer is of a larger build (particularly with a large upper body) their centre of gravity is higher meaning that they receive less support form the harness and can be inclined to topple over. The degree of support is important when working from a harness, in order to reduce fatigue the wearer needs to be able to move freely yet not have to exert a force to stay upright.

The invention seeks to eliminate this problem by providing a harness with an adjustable attachment point such that the wearer can adjust the harness to suit their particular centre of gravity.

According to the present invention there is provided a suspension harness comprising a plurality of strap portions adapted to secure the harness to a wearer's body, an attachment member being provided on the harness for connection to a rope or safety line, the attachment member being adjustably mounted on the harness, whereby, in use, the vertical position of the attachment member with respect to the centre of gravity of the wearer can be varied.

Preferably the harness comprises a belt portion adapted to extend around the waist of the wearer and first and second leg portions, each leg portion defining a

closed loop adapted to extend around a respective thigh portion of the wearer. Said attachment member is preferably mounted on connection portions extending between the belt portion and said first and second leg portions.

Preferably said connection portions are releasable such that said attachment member may be replaced.

In one embodiment said connection portions comprise a first strap member extending between the first leg portion and said attachment member, a second strap member extending between the second leg portion and said attachment portion and at least one further strap member extending between said attachment member and the belt portion, the length of each of the first, second and further strap portions being adjustable to vary the position of the attachment member with respect to the belt portion of the harness and the first and second leg portions of the harness. Preferably said further strap portions comprise a third strap portion extending between a first side region of the belt portion and said attachment member and a fourth strap portion extending from a second side region of the belt portion, substantially opposite said first side region, and said attachment member, each of said third and fourth strap portions being adjustable in length.

The attachment member may comprise a closed ring-like member, each of said first, second, third and fourth strap portions being secured to said ring member.

In an alternative embodiment, the attachment member may comprise an elongate member extending between first and second closed ring-like members, said first and third strap portions being secured to said first ring-like member and said second and fourth strap portions being connected to said second ring-like member.

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a typical suspension harness with a fixed attachment element Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention

The invention comprises a harness wherein the suspension element is attached (to the load supporting members/body contact members/body supporting members) via adjustable means (such that its position relative to the harness may be moved)

A preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a harness comprising a belt (2) and two leg loops (3). Four connecting elements extend to a central ring (4) (attachment point) one from each leg loop(5) and one from each side of the belt (6). Each connecting element is fitted with adjustment means (7). By shortening the belt connecting elements and lengthening the leg connecting elements the degree of support is increased (the wearer is pulled into a more upright position). By lengthening the belt connecting elements and shortening the leg connecting elements the degree of support is decreased (the wearer tends towards a more supine position).

An alternative embodiment has two attachment rings with a strap connected between them, the strap (10) forming the attachment point. The left leg loop strap and the left belt strap attach to the left hand ring (8), the right leg loop strap and the right belt strap attach to the right hand ring (9). The strap has the advantage of allowing the wearer to twist from side to side, the attachment means (shackle, karabiner etc) sliding on the strap.