US3814210A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rope climbing device
Assignee: Bear Manufacturing Corp
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Filing: 1973-02-05
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Granted: 1974-06-04
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Expires: 1993-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A device to be used for ascending and descending on a rope, which rope is anchored near its upper end. A portion of the device which is attachable to the harness, as by a loop, is threaded laterally onto the rope and a holding member is rotated into position to prevent the rope from passing laterally outward therefrom. The portion of the device which attaches to the harness performs three functions; first, when the rope is passed around the friction members thereof, it will enable the controlled lowering of the climber from a upper elevation to a lower elevation, at a desired rate of speed or the climber may be stopped on the rope, or the descent thereon controlled by tensioning of the rope below the device; second, a brake is provided to which the body harness is so attached as to engage the brake member with the rope so as to hold the body against downward descent; third, with the rope passing longitudinally through the device attached to the harness, without engaging the friction members and with the brake suspending the body, foot engaging members may be hooked together, intermediate the length of the rope, so as to encompass the rope and upon raising the feet upward on the rope, without engaging a cam thereon, the rope will slide therethrough, however, by moving the feet to one position to engage the cam with the rope, the weight of the body may be pushed upward together with the device attached to the body harness and upon the climber attaining an upright position, the weight of the body is shifted so that the shoulder clamps will cause the brake member to engage the rope so as to enable the repeating of the movement to move the climber up the rope.
Inventors
- 👤 J Hoffman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 13:18
CPC Classifications
A; A62; A62B; A62B1/00; A62B1/06; A62B1/14; A63; A63B; A63B29/00; A63B29/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, which device comprises; a. a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel plates, b. a braking member pivotally mounted between said spaced apart plates, and spaced from a complementary plate to perform a braking action on a rope when moved to one position, 1. said braking member adapted to release the rope when moved to another position, c. said spaced apart plates having a longitudinal slot extending therealong for passage of a rope laterally thereinto between said braking member and said complementary plate, 1. said braking member having an outwardly extending apertured lever thereon to move said braking member, d. a guard member having an inturned hook thereon adapted to receive the rope laterally thereinto when in one position and to rotate arcuately to move the rope into close fitting relation with one of said plates when in another position so said rope will be held against lateral movement within said longitudinal slot, e. a pair of loops fitted within the apertures in said outwardly extending apertured brake lever, 1. one of said loops adapted to support a load thereon to move the brake lever into one position to engage the braking member with the rope, 2. the other of said loops adapted to be connected to a support strap on the harness to move the lever in the opposite direction to release said braking member from the rope.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
255 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, which device comprises; a. a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel plates, b. a braking member pivotally mounted between said spaced apart plates, and spaced from a complementary plate to perform a braking action on a rope when moved to one position, 1. said braking member adapted to release the rope when moved to another position, c. said spaced apart plates having a longitudinal slot extending therealong for passage of a rope laterally thereinto between said braking member and said complementary plate, 1. said braking member having an outwardly extending apertured lever thereon to move said braking member, d. a guard member having an inturned hook thereon adapted to receive the rope laterally thereinto when in one position and to rotate arcuately to move the rope into close fitting relation with one of said plates when in another position so said rope will be held against lateral movement within said longitudinal slot, e. a pair of loops fitted within the apertures in said outwardly extending apertured brake lever, 1. one of said loops adapted to support a load thereon to move the brake lever into one position to engage the braking member with the rope, 2. the other of said loops adapted to be connected to a support strap on the harness to move the lever in the opposite direction to release said braking member from the rope.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
a movable pin fitted within said holes when said holes are in register to fixedly hold said braking member out of engagement with the rope, when said braking member is in another position,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
a movable pin fitted within said holes when said holes are in register to fixedly hold said braking member out of engagement with the rope, when said braking member is in another position,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 1; wherein a. a further plate is secured a spaced distance from one of said aforementioned plates, b. a pair of spaced apart, rounded friction members extending between said last mentioned plate and the adjacent plate, the spacing being such as to enable a doubled rope to be passed therebetween and over the ends of the last mentioned plate so as to cause the rope to frictionally engage the greater portion of the circumferences of said rounded friction members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
the other of said loops adapted to be connected to a support strap on the harness to move the lever in the opposite direction to release said braking member from the rope.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
the other of said loops adapted to be connected to a support strap on the harness to move the lever in the opposite direction to release said braking member from the rope.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
said load adapted to be lowered on said rope by controlling the tension on the rope below the descending device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
said load adapted to be lowered on said rope by controlling the tension on the rope below the descending device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
the other of said foot engaging members has an inwardly and upwardly extending member thereon,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
the other of said foot engaging members has an inwardly and upwardly extending member thereon,
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
a transverse, rounded bar-like member on the upper end of said inwardly and upwardly extending member,
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
a transverse, rounded bar-like member on the upper end of said inwardly and upwardly extending member,
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
said braking member adapted to pivot about said axle member when said movable pin is removed from engagement in said hole in said braking member to permit said braking member to be selectively engaged with the rope.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
said braking member adapted to pivot about said axle member when said movable pin is removed from engagement in said hole in said braking member to permit said braking member to be selectively engaged with the rope.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 1; wherein a. an axle member passes through at least two of said plates and said braking member to pivotally mount said braking member thereon, b. said plates and said braking member each having a hole formed therethrough, which holes are in off-set relation to said axle member,
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
95 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 1; wherein a. said apertured lever which extends outwardly from said braking member has a looped member in each said aperture thereof, b. a supporting harness secured to one of said loops in said outwardly extending, apertured lever to engage said braking member, upon directing the weight of the body of the climber onto said loop by shifting the weight of the climber thereonto.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
said inwardly and upwardly extending member having a cam surface formed on the upwardly extending portion thereof adjacent said inwardly extending, hook-like member so as to pass between the bifurcations thereof and enclose a rope therein,
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
said inwardly and upwardly extending member having a cam surface formed on the upwardly extending portion thereof adjacent said inwardly extending, hook-like member so as to pass between the bifurcations thereof and enclose a rope therein,
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
A device For longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 1; wherein a. one of said plates has an abutment formed thereon so as to limit the upward pivotal movement of said outwardly extending apertured lever.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
a complementary face between the bifurcations of said bifurcated member to receive the rope between said cam face and the face between the bifurcations of said bifurcated member,
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
a complementary face between the bifurcations of said bifurcated member to receive the rope between said cam face and the face between the bifurcations of said bifurcated member,
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
said rounded bar-like member complementally and selectively interengages with said inwardly extending hook-like member, while the climber is on the rope, to pivot within said hook-like members, so upon movement of the feet to one position said cam face is moved about the axis of said rounded bar-like member to grip the rope between said cam-like face and said face between the bifurcations of said hook-like member to maintain said foot engaging members and the climber against downward movement on the rope,
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
82 words
said rounded bar-like member complementally and selectively interengages with said inwardly extending hook-like member, while the climber is on the rope, to pivot within said hook-like members, so upon movement of the feet to one position said cam face is moved about the axis of said rounded bar-like member to grip the rope between said cam-like face and said face between the bifurcations of said hook-like member to maintain said foot engaging members and the climber against downward movement on the rope,
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
89 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 5; wherein a. the supporting harness has straps to extend over the shoulders of the climber, with fastening means thereon engageable with one of said loops on said outwardly extending apertured brake lever, so as to enable the straps to selectively move said lever upwardly against said abutment to release said braking member from engagement with said rope.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 1; wherein a. a foot engaging member secured to each foot of the climber,
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
42 words
said foot engaging members adapted to be moved into another position to move said rounded bar-like member about the axis thereof to disengage said cam face from the rope to permit movement of said foot engaging members relative to the rope, and
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
said foot engaging members adapted to be moved into another position to move said rounded bar-like member about the axis thereof to disengage said cam face from the rope to permit movement of said foot engaging members relative to the rope, and
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
87 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 7; wherein a. said rounded bar-like member is oval in cross-section, b. the lesser cross-sectional area dimension of said rounded bar-like member will pass into the bifurcated hook-like member, when in one position, and c. when the rounded bar-like member is moved to another position, the greater dimension will not pass outwardly through said hook-like member.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
85 words
said foot engaging members and said braking member attached to the support harness are coordinated to enable the climber to engage the rope with the foot engaging members, to rise to an upright position, and engage the braking member connected to the supporting harness to enable the lower portion of the body of the climber to be raised upward along the rope and the foot engaging members re-engaged with the rope and the operation repeated to enable the climber to move upward along the rope.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
85 words
said foot engaging members and said braking member attached to the support harness are coordinated to enable the climber to engage the rope with the foot engaging members, to rise to an upright position, and engage the braking member connected to the supporting harness to enable the lower portion of the body of the climber to be raised upward along the rope and the foot engaging members re-engaged with the rope and the operation repeated to enable the climber to move upward along the rope.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
68 words
A device for longitudinal movement of a climber on a rope, which climber wears a supporting harness and which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, as defined in claim 7; wherein a. said rounded bar-like member is disengageable from said bifurcated hook-like member, when in one position, to move laterally to free the rope from between said bifurcations so the climber may move the feet outwardly.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
195 words
A descending device for controlled downward movement of a load on a rope, which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, which device comprises; a. a pair of spaced apart, substantially paralleled plates, b. said spaced apart plates having a longitudinal slot extending therealong for passage of the rope laterally thereinto, c. a guard member comprising an inturned hook, which guide member is adapted to receive the rope laterally into said slot, when in one position, and to rotate arcuately to move the tope into close fitting relation with one of said plates when in another position, so said rope will be held against lateral movement within said longitudinal slot, d. a further plate secured a spaced distance from one of said aforementioned plates, e. a pair of spaced apart, rounded friction members extending between said last mentioned plate and the adjacent plate, the spacing being such as to enable a doubled rope to be passed therebetween and over the ends of the last mentioned plate so as to cause the rope to frictionally engage the greater portion of the circumferences of said rounded friction members, f. a loop mounted on said descending device,
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
195 words
A descending device for controlled downward movement of a load on a rope, which rope is anchored near the upper end thereof, which device comprises; a. a pair of spaced apart, substantially paralleled plates, b. said spaced apart plates having a longitudinal slot extending therealong for passage of the rope laterally thereinto, c. a guard member comprising an inturned hook, which guide member is adapted to receive the rope laterally into said slot, when in one position, and to rotate arcuately to move the tope into close fitting relation with one of said plates when in another position, so said rope will be held against lateral movement within said longitudinal slot, d. a further plate secured a spaced distance from one of said aforementioned plates, e. a pair of spaced apart, rounded friction members extending between said last mentioned plate and the adjacent plate, the spacing being such as to enable a doubled rope to be passed therebetween and over the ends of the last mentioned plate so as to cause the rope to frictionally engage the greater portion of the circumferences of said rounded friction members, f. a loop mounted on said descending device,
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-03 | 1977-12-03 | 1978-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-03 | 1981-12-03 | 1982-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-03 | 1985-12-03 | 1986-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |