Apparel – Body garments – Vests
Reissue Patent
2000-04-12
2001-10-02
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Body garments
Vests
C002S069000, C182S003000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037394
ABSTRACT:
This is a reissue application of this inventor's application filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Sep.
17
,
1998
and assigned Ser. No.
09
/
154
,
790
and issued Mar.
14
,
2000
, under U.S. Pat. No.
6
,
035
,
440
.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to safety harnesses and, more specifically, to a safety harness in combination with a vest or similar garment with retractable attachment rings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Use of safety harnesses is well-known. Commonly, the harness is fabricated of a strong webbing fabric. The harness usually comprises a combination of straps that wrap the user's torso and perhaps his legs. Typically, one is worn by persons working at precarious heights to which is attached a lanyard connected to an anchor point. Various points of attachment to the vest are provided depending its intended use. Generally, a ring or other coupling mechanism is incorporated into the harness webbing to which the lanyard is attached. A common complaint of user's is that such a harness, though quite functional and adequate for its purpose, is at least inconvenient and sometimes difficult to put on.
There are several disclosures in the prior art that combine a safety harness with a garment such as a vest or a jacket with the harness inside, outside or between inner and outer shells of the garment. Thus, when the garment is put on in the normal manner, the harness attached thereto is also put on—the straps are constrained to maintain their intended relationship. As a result, putting on the harness is as simple as putting on a jacket.
Such a garment-safety harness combination remains a work garment, unsightly for wear off a work location, and it does not include leg straps in which a user can sit or be supported from below the waist.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to a safety harness incorporated between an inner lining and an outer shell of a vest with attachment couplers and rings incorporated in the vest as lanyard attachment points in vest pockets in communication with the harness. The rings are removable from the pockets while still attached to the harness for lanyard attachment external to the vest.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to present a garment such as a vest which incorporates a safety harness inside a vest outer shell. It is a further object that the attachment rings be stored in vest pockets except during use, making the vest appear as a more normal garment suitable for general wear off a work location or during general harness nonuse periods. Storing the rings in vest pockets also avoids the rings becoming annoyances or hazards, such as hitting or catching on things, when not in use with the harness.
It is another object that the harness be multiuse and versatile with attachment rings or couplers in various locations on the harness so a wearer can move between different applications. This is achieved in part by a ring on the dorsal back for use in fall arrest. Similarly, rings are provided on waist sides so the vest can be used for work positioning, such as when the user attaches himself to a wall and leans out onto the harness. A coupler is also provided at the sternum so the harness can be used with a cable grab lanyard for climbing a vertical cable. Another ring is provided at the waist buckle for repel attachments. In each case, the attachment ring is conveniently stored out of sight during nonuse in a vest pocket.
It is a further object that the harness include leg straps for support below the waist when required. This is achieved in a pair of straps each depending from a harness waist band with a distal end attachable to the waist band forming a loop around a user's leg. The leg straps are stored during nonuse in a rear vest pocket at the lumbar area. During use, the straps are pulled from the lumbar pocket.
It is a final object that the vest be adapted for physical inspection of the harness to check for wear and general integrity of the harness. This object is achieved in the lumbar pocket extending sufficiently across the vest back to allow the vest to be inverted, or turned inside out, with the harness between the vest inner lining and outer shell exposed to view.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2290218 (1942-07-01), Vosseller
patent: 2887286 (1959-05-01), Morgan
patent: 2979153 (1961-04-01), Hoagland et al.
patent: 4076101 (1978-02-01), Himmelrich
patent: 4177877 (1979-12-01), Gallinati
patent: 4273216 (1981-06-01), Weissmann
patent: 4302847 (1981-12-01), Miles
patent: 4625335 (1986-12-01), Vinai
patent: 4731882 (1988-03-01), Ekman
patent: 4854418 (1989-08-01), Hengtenberger et al.
patent: 5136724 (1992-08-01), Grilliot et al.
Guardian Fall Protection, Inc.
Hale Gloria M.
Patel Tejash
Tingey David L.
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