EP1683551B1

EP1683551B1 - Locking/lifting device for climbing

Info

Publication number: EP1683551B1
Application number: EP06000966A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Paglioli
Original assignee: ALUDESIGN SpA
Current assignee: ALUDESIGN SpA
Priority date: 2005-01-21
Filing date: 2006-01-18
Publication date: 2008-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2026-01-18
Also published as: DE602006001004D1; DE602006001004T2; ITMI20050012U1; ES2306296T3; PL1683551T3; EP1683551A1; ATE393654T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a locking and ascent device for climbs by means of either ropes or strings. The device (1) comprises a body provided with a seat (3) for housing a rope (4), a locking element (5) movable between a releasing position with the rope, where the rope slides within the respective seat, and an engaging position with the rope, where the rope is prevented to slide within its respective seat (3) in a direction (S), means (6) suitable for bringing the locking element back to the engaging position following a movement thereof and manual operation means (7) for the locking element (5). Advantageously, the manual operation means (7) comprise a feeler (8) cooperating with a surface (9) of the body (2) in order to move the locking element (5) to the releasing position.

Description

The present invention relates to a locking and ascent device for climbs by means of ropes, strings, and the like.
The use of mechanical devices which can be fastened to ropes, strings, cables, etc., in order to make the climb by a climber easier has been known for a long time. Several conventional devices can be fastened to ropes, strings, etc., such as to freely slide on the latter in a direction, generally the ascent one. When a load is applied in the substantially opposite direction, for example by the climber supporting on these devices, the latter are locked, by integrally coupling with their respective rope or string. These devices are usually known with the name of "rope clamps".
US-A-5,638,919 discloses an anti-fall device automatically lockable on a safety rope comprising a bracket and a lever. The lever is formed by a first part and a second element. The first part of the lever is articulated to the second element of the lever by means of a pin which project laterally outside each of the flanges of said lever. This second element of the lever is articulated about a pin which traverses the slot of the bracket. When the rope is engaged within the bracket by means of the cam of the first lever, the pin of the second lever penetrates in the oblique slot of the two notches.
FR-A-2554102 discloses a locking/lifting and descending device comprising said locking means and descending means on the same plate. The rope is accommodated within a seat provided in the folded edge of the plate. The locking means is constituted by a trigger (pawl) pivotally mounted on an axis fixed to said plate. The rope is held in locked position by means of the abutment surface of the trigger. An auxiliary lever, articulated around a point of the trigger, is provided for neutralizing the locking means by means of clockwise pulling a grip in an inactive position. A spring ensures the harpooning of the auxiliary lever on the shoulder of the folded edge.
The conventional locking and ascent devices generally comprise a body in which there is provided a seat for housing either a rope or an element equivalent thereto (a string, a cable, etc.) and a locking element, typically a tooth. The locking tooth is movable between a releasing position with the rope and an engaging position with the latter. In the first case, when the locking tooth does not engage the rope, the latter can slide within the respective seat. In the second case, the locking tooth engages the rope by clamping the latter and preventing that the latter may slide within its respective seat solely along a predetermined direction, generally the descent one causing the device to move downwards along the vertically extending rope. In fact, when the locking and ascent device is thrust by the user in the allowed direction along the rope, generally the ascent direction, the tooth will release the rope, thus allowing the latter to slide within its seat.
The conventional devices are usually provided with a handle for the climber and a spring having the function of bringing the locking tooth, following a movement of the same, back in contact with the respective rope. Thereby, the locking tooth is usually rested on the rope housed in the seat. Accordingly, a conventional device may slide on the rope in the direction allowed, with the locking tooth which does not interfere with the rope movement. When a load is applied to the device handle in the direction opposite to the free-sliding direction on the rope, the locking tooth moves towards the rope, thereby the latter is compressed in the respective seat and prevented from moving further.
The locking tooth is usually fastened to a safety lever to be manually operated by the climber. The safety lever allows the climbing user to intentionally unfasten the locking tooth from the rope, the latter being thereby brought to the releasing position.
A drawback with the conventional locking and ascent devices is that the safety lever is often difficult to operate by the climber. In fact, this lever is usually operated through the thumb of the hand with which the user manoeuvres the respective locking and ascent device. The movement to be performed by the user is not easy and does not often allow to apply a force on the lever sufficient to release the locking tooth from the rope. Moreover, the locking tooth can be permanently locked in its engaging position for different reasons, for example either because of the presence of ice or debris in the body of the device, or due to excessive deformation of the rope, etc., thereby actually causing the jamming of the device.
The need for having a locking and ascent device which is easy to be operated by the user, even in difficult conditions of use, has been felt for a long time.
The object of the present invention is to provide a locking and ascent device for climbs which overcomes the drawbacks of the conventional devices while being easy to manufacture and use.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which relates to a locking and ascent device for climbs comprising a body being provided with a seat for housing a rope, a locking element movable between a releasing position with said rope, where said rope slides within said seat, and an engaging position with said rope, where said rope is prevented from sliding within said seat in a direction, suitable means for bringing said locking element back to said engaging position following a movement of the latter and manual operating means for said locking element, characterized in that said manual operating means comprise a feeler cooperating with a surface of said body for moving said locking element to said releasing position.
The device according to the present invention may be advantageously used both in the sports field and in the professional field. Generally, the device may apply to all the cases where a user has to climb by means of either a rope, a string, a cable or an element equivalent thereto.
The presence of the feeler, which is coupled with a surface of the body of the device, for example according to a cam-feeler coupling, allows to sensibly reduce the force that the user has to apply to the manual operating means in order to release the locking element.
The locking element is rotatably fastened to the body of the device and is provided with an abutment surface suitable to compress a rope within its seat. Preferably, the manual operating means comprise a lever hinged on the locking element, for example a conventional safety lever, and the feeler is coupled with the lever.
According to the present invention, the feeler engages said surface of the body of the device upon a relative rotation of the lever relative to the locking element.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surface intended to cooperate with the feeler belongs to the seat for housing the rope.
In general, when the feeler, for example a protuberance, a cylinder or an equivalent abutment/sliding element, engages the surface being associated thereto, the lever moves the locking element towards its releasing position, thus requiring a lower effort by the user as compared with conventional devices. Advantageously, the locking element is operated by gradually reducing the pressure applied by the abutment surface on the rope (or string), since the fastening between the feeler and its respective sliding surface allows to enhance the force applied by the user to the lever. In fact, the contact point between the feeler and said surface is preferably a pitch point for the lever operated by the user.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description, which is given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example with reference to the annexed schematic drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a device according to the present invention in a first configuration;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 in a second configuration;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 in a third configuration;
Fig. 4 is a top view of the device illustrated in Fig. 2.

With reference to Figs. 1-4, a device 1 according to the present invention is shown comprising a body 2 provided with a seat 3 in which either a rope 4 or an element equivalent thereto, for example a string, a cable, etc., can be slidingly housed. The rope 4 extends, for example, vertical to a surface which a user has to ascent.
The device 1 is provided with a handle M for a user's grip. The handle M can be covered with a suitably shaped, anti-slip material.
A locking element 5 is rotatably fastened to the body 2, through the hinge 51. The element 5 may have different shapes, but in general is provided with an abutment surface 10 intended to compress the rope 4 within the seat 3. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the device 1 is provided with resilient means 6 having the function of bringing the locking element 5, following a movement of the latter, back in contact with rope 4. In the embodiment shown, the resilient element 6 is a spring fastened to the hinge 51.
Fig. 2 shows the device 1 with the locking element 5 in the releasing position thereof with the rope 4. In this position the pressure that the element 5 exerts on the rope 4 through the abutment surface 10 is the least, and is essentially due to the action of the spring 6. Any sliding of the rope 4 in the direction of arrow S, this sliding being due for example to a load L applied to the device 1, causes the locking element 5 to move to the engaging position shown inFig. 1. In fact, any sliding of the rope 4 in the direction of arrow S causes a sudden rotation of the locking element 5 in the direction of arrow C, due to the friction generated between the surface 10 and the rope 4. The friction between the rope 4 and the element 5 increases when the element 5 is rotated, and the rope is locked within the seat 3.
Fig. 1 shows the device 1 with the locking element 5 in the engaging position, where the rope 4 is prevented to slide within the seat 3 in the direction S. The load L is for example the weight applied by the climber clinging at the handle M for supporting.
The device 1 is provided with means 7 having the function of allowing the manual operating of the locking element 5. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-4, the device 1 is provided with a lever 7 being rotatably fastened to the locking element 5 through the hinge 71. The lever 7 is movable in a seat 52 provided on the upper surface of the locking element 5. Therefore, the rotation of the lever 7 relative to the element 5 is comprised within an angle interval determined by the shape of the seat 52.
In order to facilitate the grip of the lever 7 by the user, for example through the thumb, the lever 7 is preferably provided with a protuberance 72 (Figs. 2 and 4), for example a cylinder.
After the locking element 5 is in the engaging position such as shown in Fig. 1, the user can operate the lever 7, for example by applying a force in the direction L on the latter, in order to release the element 5 from the rope 4. The lever 7 rotates relative to the element 5 and, through the hinge 71, causes the element 5 to rotate in the opposite direction of arrow C. Thereby, the locking element 5 can be brought to its releasing position such as shown in Fig. 2. Advantageously, the device 1 is provided with a feeler 8 having the function of facilitating the operation of element 5 through the lever 7.
The feeler 8 cooperates with a surface of the device 1 in order to guide the lever 7 when the latter is operated and enhance the force that the lever 7 transmits to the locking element 5. The coupling between the feeler 8 and the corresponding surface can be of the cam-feeler type. In general, the feeler 8 may be a pivot, a cylinder, a wheel, a protuberance or any element suitable to either slide or roll on a sliding surface. In the embodiment shown, the feeler 8 is a cylinder integral to the lever 7, the surface associated thereto being the end 9 of the seat 3.
As illustrated in Fig. 2, when the lever 7 is operated by the user in order to release the rope 4 and allow the same to slide within the seat 3, the feeler 8 contacts the surface 9, thus engaging the latter along a tract. In the embodiment shown, the cylinder 8 slides on the surface 9. Preferably, the contact point between the cylinder 8 and the surface 9 is a pitch point for the lever 7.
After the locking element 5 has been brought to the releasing position as shown in Fig. 2, it can be further rotated in order to completely release the seat 3. Fig. 3 shows the device 1 with the locking element 5 in the end-of-stroke position, where the lever 7 engages the surface 11 of the body 2 and the rope 4 can be separated from the device 1.
As stated above, the fastening between the feeler 8 (in this particular case, the cylinder), and the surface 9 enhances the effect of lever 7 on the element 5. Consequently, a lower operating force is required to the user as compared with the conventional devices which are not provided with the feeler, even in the case where the jamming element of the locking element 5 on the rope 4.

Claims

A locking and ascent device (1) for climbs comprising a body (2) provided with a seat (3) for housing a rope (4), a locking element (5) movable between a releasing position with said rope, where said rope (4) slides within said seat (3), and an engaging position with said rope (4), where said rope (4) is prevented to slide within said seat (3) in a direction (S), means (6) suitable for bringing said locking element back to said engaging position following a movement of the latter and manual operation means (7) for said locking element (5), characterized in that said manual operation means (7) comprise a feeler (8) cooperating with a surface (9) of said body (2) in order to move said locking element (5) to said releasing position.
The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said locking element (5) is hinged to said body (2) and is provided with an abutment surface (10) suitable to compress said rope (4) in said seat (3) and said manual operation means (7) comprise a lever (7) hinged to said locking element (5), characterized in that said feeler (8) is coupled with said lever (7).
The device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said feeler (8) slides on said surface (9) of said body (2) upon a relative rotation of said lever (7) relative to said locking element (5).
The device (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said surface (9) of said body (2) belongs to said seat (3).
The device (1) according to any preceding claim 2 to 4, characterized in that when said feeler (8) engages said surface (9) of said body (2), said lever (7) moves said locking element (5) towards the releasing position thereof through a reduction in the pressure applied by said abutment surface (10) on said rope (4).
The device (1) according to any preceding claim 2 to 5, characterized in that the contact point between said feeler (8) and said surface (9) of said body (2) is a pitch point of said lever (7).
The device (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that means (6) suitable for bringing said locking element back to said engaging position comprise a resilient element (6).