Safety vest

Abstract

A safety vest incorporates a safety harness between a vest inner lining and a vest outer shell with attachment couplers and rings incorporated in the vest in vest pockets that store the attachment couplers and rings out of sight in communicating between harness and a lanyard external to the vest. Thus, the attachment rings are stored in vest pockets except during use, making the vest appear as a 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. The harness is multiuse and versatile with attachment rings and couplers in various locations on the harness so a wearer can move between different applications, including a ring on the dorsal back for use in fall arrest, rings on waist sides so the vest can be used for work positioning, a coupler at the sternum, a ring at the waist buckle for repel attachments, and leg straps for support below the waist when required. In each case, the attachment ring is conveniently stored out of sight during nonuse in a vest pocket. The safety harness can be inspected through the lumbar pocket.

Description

.Iadd.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..Iaddend.BACKGROUND1. Field of the InventionThis 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 ArtUse 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 att...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

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.

Problems solved by technology

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.

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.

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