Abstract

An improved safety system or apparatus for raising, lowering, and supporting in an elevated or lowered position a weighted article from an overhead support. The system or apparatus includes a safety pulley member having a pulley sheave over which a link chain passes, the link chain having one end connected to the weighted article and the other end connected to an attachment means positioned within reach of a person so that the person may pull the link chain downwardly to raise the weighted article to a desired elevation out of reach, the link chain then being locked to the attachment means. The weighted article may be a clothes basket, other receptacle, or any other article in which it is desired to suspend overhead. When tension in the link chain between the safety pulley member and the fixed attachment means is suddenly or abruptly reduced and the weighted article begins to fall by gravity and the safety pulley member swivels by gravity to a position where its arrestor arm interrupts the path of the link chain and grips a single link of the chain and prevents the weighted article from dropping freely to the floor.