Sealed self-retracting lifeline

1 . A self-retracting lifeline assembly comprising:

a housing;

a housing cover piece;

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft fixedly coupled at the proximal end to the housing, thereby preventing rotational motion of the shaft relative to the housing;

a spring carried on the shaft;

a drum comprising a pawl mechanism, the drum supported upon the shaft at a position distal the spring, the drum configured to retain a lifeline for selective deployment and retraction; and

a brake module carried on the shaft at a position distal the spring and distal the position at which the drum is supported on the shaft, wherein the brake module can be disposed to and removed from the shaft via the distal end without moving the spring relative to an axial direction of the shaft, the brake module comprising:

a disc mount removably receivable on the shaft and fixed against rotation relative to the shaft; and

a first rotatable frictional element and a second rotatable frictional element, both mounted on the disc mount and rotatable relative to the shaft, wherein the first rotatable frictional element is fixed for rotation with the second rotatable frictional element via axially extending flanges provided on the first rotatable frictional element that extend into receiving openings on the second rotatable frictional element, and wherein the second rotatable frictional element is a pawl engagement disc for selective engagement with the pawl mechanism.

2 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drum is a two-piece construction with a first drum portion defining a compartment and a second drum portion forming a cover for closing the compartment.

3 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 2 , wherein the housing cover piece and the second drum portion are removable to allow for removal of the brake module as a self-contained subassembly.

4 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drum extends radially from the shaft and axially towards the distal end of the shaft such that the drum extends substantially about the brake module.

5 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second drum portion is supported upon the shaft at a position distal the brake module, and

wherein a seal is sandwiched between the first drum portion and the second drum portion such that the first drum portion and the second drum portion are configured to be disposed about the brake module when assembled on the shaft.

6 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 5 , wherein the seal sandwiched between the first drum portion and the second drum portion is operable to allow for sealed rotational movement of the two-part drum radially about the shaft.

7 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring is configured to apply a winding force to the drum.

8 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 7 , wherein the brake module further comprises:

a fixed frictional element mounted on the disc mount, wherein the fixed frictional element is fixed against rotation relative to the shaft and the first and second rotatable frictional elements are rotatable relative to the fixed frictional element; and

a securing element secured to the disc mount for maintaining the fixed frictional element and the first and second rotatable frictional elements held in forced frictional engagement against each other and retained against axial movement within the brake module.

9 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 8 , wherein the pawl mechanism is mounted on the drum for rotation therewith and configured to selectively engage the brake module in response to a pre-determined rotational speed of the drum relative to the shaft.

10 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 8 , wherein the brake module is configured to be assembled to and removed from the self-retracting lifeline assembly as a self-contained subassembly.

11 . A self-retracting lifeline assembly comprising:

a housing;

a housing cover piece;

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft fixed at the proximal end to the housing such that rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about a central axis of the shaft is prevented;

a spring carried on the shaft;

a drum comprising a pawl mechanism, the drum supported upon the shaft at a position distal the spring, the drum configured to retain a lifeline for selective deployment and retraction, the spring configured to apply a rotational force to the drum relative to the shaft; and

a brake module carried on the shaft at a position distal the spring and distal the position at which the drum is supported on the shaft, the drum extending radially from the shaft and axially towards the distal end of the shaft such that the drum extends substantially about the brake module, the brake module being configured to be slidably removed from the distal end of the shaft, wherein the brake module can be disposed to and removed from the shaft via the distal end without moving the spring relative to an axial direction of the shaft, and wherein the brake module comprises:

a disc mount removably receivable on the shaft and fixed against rotation relative to the shaft; and

a first rotatable frictional element a second rotatable frictional element, both mounted on the disc mount and rotatable relative to the shaft, wherein the first rotatable frictional element is fixed for rotation with the second rotatable frictional element via axially extending flanges provided on the first rotatable frictional element that extend into receiving openings on the second rotatable frictional element, and wherein the second rotatable frictional element is a pawl engagement disc for selective engagement with the pawl mechanism.

12 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 11 , wherein the drum is a two piece construction with a first drum portion defining a compartment and a second drum portion forming a cover for closing the compartment.

13 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second drum portion is supported upon the shaft at a position distal the brake module.

14 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 13 , wherein a seal is sandwiched between the first drum portion and the second drum portion such that the first drum portion and the second drum portion are configured to be disposed about the brake module when assembled on the shaft.

15 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 14 , wherein the seal mounted between the first drum portion and the second drum portion is operable to allow for sealed rotational movement of the two-part drum radially about the shaft.

16 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 11 , wherein the brake module further comprises a securing element secured to the disc mount for maintaining the first and second rotatable frictional elements held in forced frictional engagement against each other and retained against axial movement within the brake module.

17 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 11 , wherein the pawl mechanism is mounted on the drum for rotation therewith and configured to selectively engage the brake module in response to a pre-determined rotational speed of the drum relative to the shaft.

18 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 11 , wherein the brake module is configured to be assembled to and removed from the self-retracting lifeline assembly as a self-contained subassembly.

19 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 11 , wherein the brake module is configured to be assembled to and removed from the self-retracting lifeline assembly without moving either the lifeline or the spring relative to the axial direction of the shaft.

20 . The self-retracting lifeline assembly of claim 11 , wherein the brake module further comprises at least one intervening rotatable frictional element mounted on the disc mount between the first and second rotatable frictional elements, wherein the axially extending flanges provided on the first rotatable frictional element engage against abutment surfaces on the least one intervening rotatable element when extended into the receiving openings on the second rotatable frictional element.