Brake apparatus for use in rappelling

Claim 2

A braking apparatus for use in rappelling, comprising an elongate brake bar body member defining a pair of apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member, each said aperture having two open ends, and a plurality of carabiners removably attached to said body member adjacent one another so that a portion of the loop of each carabiner is disposed within each said aperture, said body member including a slot formed therein extending between the two open ends of one said aperture for receiving said carabiners, said slot defining a gap in a portion of said body member which forms said one aperture, and said other aperture of said body member including a jog formed in said body member and directed toward the center thereof for facilitating the attachment of a subsequent one of said plurality of carabiners after a first of said carabiners has been attached to said body member.

Claim 3

A brake bar for simultaneous attachment of a plurality of carabiners thereto, comprising an elongate body member defining a pair of oblong apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member, each said aperture having two open ends and the longest diameter of each said aperture being oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said body member, said bar member including a slot formed therein extending between the two open ends of one said aperture, said other aperture being fully enclosed and including a jog formed in said body member and directed toward the center of said body member for facilitating the attachment of a subsequent one of said plurality of carabiners after a first one of said carabiners has been attached to said brake bar.

Claim 4

A brake bar for simultaneous attachment of a plurality of carabiners thereto, comprising an elongate body member defining a pair of oblong apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member, each said aperture having two open ends and the longest diameter of each said aperture being oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said body member, said bar member including a slot formed therein extending between the two open ends of one said aperture, said other aperture being fully enclosed and including a jog formed in said body member and directed toward the center of said body member for facilitating the attachment of a subsequent one of said plurality of carabiners after a first one of said carabiners has been attached to said brake bar.

Claim 5

A brake bar for simultaneous attachment of a plurality of carabiners thereto, comprising an elongate rigid body member defining a pair of oblong apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member, each said aperture having two open ends and the longest diameter of each said aperature being oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said body member, said body member including a slot formed therein defined by two edges extending between the two open ends of one of said aperture thereby forming an open gap in a portion of said body member which forms said one aperture, said other aperture being fully enclosed, a central portion of said body member extending from side to side thereof between said apertures and being recessed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of said apertures through said body member so that said central portion is relatively narrower than the rest of said body member thereby defining a space along one side thereof, and said portion of said body member forming said one aperture having a wall portion extending from the end of said body member adjacent said one aperture toward the opposite end of said body member on the recessed side thereof, and terminating at one edge of said slot located at a position spaced away from said central portion of said body member in a direction opposite the direction of the recession of the central portion, the other edge of said slot being formed by that part of the central portion of said body member located at the junction of said one aperture and said space, said slot opening into said space.

Claim 6

A brake bar for simultaneous attachment of a plurality of carabiners thereto, comprising an elongate rigid body member defining a pair of oblong apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member, each said aperture having two open ends and the longest diameter of each said aperature being oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said body member, said body member including a slot formed therein defined by two edges extending between the two open ends of one of said aperture thereby forming an open gap in a portion of said body member which forms said one aperture, said other aperture being fully enclosed, a central portion of said body member extending from side to side thereof between said apertures and being recessed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of said apertures through said body member so that said central portion is relatively narrower than the rest of said body member thereby defining a space along one side thereof, and said portion of said body member forming said one aperture having a wall portion extending from the end of said body member adjacent said one aperture toward the opposite end of said body member on the recessed side thereof, and terminating at one edge of said slot located at a position spaced away from said central portion of said body member in a direction opposite the direction of the recession of the central portion, the other edge of said slot being formed by that part of the central portion of said body member located at the junction of said one aperture and said space, said slot opening into said space.

Claim 7

The brake bar of claim 3 wherein the outside edges opposite said recessed side of said central portion of said body member are rounded to provide a smooth surface over which a rope may move.

Claim 8

A braking apparatus for use in rappelling, comprising an elongate rigid brake bar body member defining a pair of apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bar member, a plurality of carabiners removably attached to said body member adjacent one another such that a portion of the loop of each carabiner is disposed within each said aperture, each said carabiner having a hinged gate formed in one side of the loop thereof with two of said carabiners being oriented with their respective gates adjacent opposite ends of said brake bar, and means for retaining said carabiners in said apertures of said body member such that they may be removed only by opening said gates.

Claim 9

A braking apparatus for use in rappelling, comprising an elongate rigid brake bar body member defining a pair of apertures extending respectively through each end thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bar member, a plurality of carabiners removably attached to said body member adjacent one another such that a portion of the loop of each carabiner is disposed within each said aperture, each said carabiner having a hinged gate formed in one side of the loop thereof with two of said carabiners being oriented with their respective gates adjacent opposite ends of said brake bar, and means for retaining said carabiners in said apertures of said body member such that they may be removed only by opening said gates.