Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B1/00—Devices for lowering persons from buildings or the like
  • A62B1/06—Devices for lowering persons from buildings or the like by making use of rope-lowering devices
  • A62B1/14—Devices for lowering persons from buildings or the like by making use of rope-lowering devices with brakes sliding on the rope

Definitions

• Double braking descenders those which lock if they are released or the operating means is over operated in panic, are well known for abseiling etc. Due to the mechanism of such devices it is very difficult to pay out rope when not under full body weight. This function is important when the user approaches an edge along flat or lightly angled ground. The descender is normally attached to the rope well away from the edge to prevent the user falling over it. However for the user to approach the edge they must obviously pay rope through the descender, existing descenders provide sufficient friction for the user to descend vertically so that when the user does not have his/her full weight on the descender movement is very difficult. This problem is further compounded by the double brake mechanism as it is particularly difficult to find the minimum friction position i.e.
• a descender for controlling the lowering and/or raising of a load on a rope
• the descender comprising rope guide means for guiding and controlling the passage of a rope through the descender and attachment means for attaching the descender to a further rope and/or an object/person to be lowered and/or raised
• the rope guide means includes locking means comprising a first locking member moveable between a rope jamming position wherein the rope is trapped between the locking member and an adjacent abutment and a release position wherein the locking member is spaced from said abutment, the rope guide means being arranged such that the first locking member is urged towards its rope jamming position when a load is applied to a downstream end of the rope, the first locking member being selectively moveable towards its release position in order to selectively control the movement of the rope through the rope guide means, wherein the rope can be mounted in the rope guide means in two operative configurations, a first configuration for controlled lowering/raising a load and a second configuration wherein the rope can move
• the rope guide means comprises a pulley and a bollard, the rope passing around the pulley and between the pulley and the bollard only when the rope is in its first configuration.
• the pulley is non-rotatable whereby the rope must slide around the pulley when the rope is in its first configuration.
• the descender comprises a first mounting plate, the rope guide means being mounted on the first mounting plate, a second mounting plate being mounted on the first mounting plate for movement between a rope loading position wherein the rope can be located in the rope guide means in either its first or second operative configurations and a closed position wherein the second mounting plate covers at least the gap between the first locking member and its adjacent abutment, preventing removal of rope from the locking means, the second mounting plate being shaped to allow the rope to be moved between its first and second operative configurations while the second mounting plate is in its closed position.
• the first locking member is moveable towards its release position by a control lever.
• the locking means comprises a second locking member, the second locking member being mounted on and/or actuated by said control lever and being co-operable with a second abutment, the second locking member being moveable between a rope jamming position wherein the rope is trapped between the second locking member and the second abutment and a release position wherein the second locking member is spaced from said second abutment.
• control lever has three operative positions, a first position wherein the rope is trapped between the first locking member and its adjacent abutment and the second locking member is spaced from the second abutment, a second, intermediate, position wherein both the first and second locking members are spaced from their respective abutments to permit passage of the rope through the rope guide means, and a third position wherein the rope is trapped between the second locking member and the second abutment and the first locking member is spaced from its adjacent abutment.
• the first locking member comprising a first cam or eccentric pulley pivotably mounted on the first mounting plate for rotation about a rotational axis normal to said first mounting plate between its rope jamming position and its release position, said adjacent abutment being mounted on and extending from said first backing plate.
• Figure 1 is a front view of the descender according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a front view of Fig.1 with the cover plate removed and with the primary braking mechanism in a first operative position to lock the descender onto the rope and the secondary braking mechanism in a first operative position free of the rope.
• Figure 3 is a front view of Fig.1 with the cover plate removed and with the primary braking mechanism in a second operative position
• Figure 4 is a front view of Fig.1 with the cover plate removed and with the primary braking mechanism in a third operative position and the secondary braking mechanism in a second operative position.
• Figure 5 is a front view of Fig. 1 with the cover plate removed and the rope in the low friction position.
• Figure 6 is a front view of Fig 1. With the cover plate moved to its rope loading/unloading position.
• a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a predominantly circular pulley 1 mounted eccentrically with relation to its centre on a spindle 3 secured normally on a flat portion of a first supporting plate 5.
• a second supporting plate 6 or cover plate is mounted parallel to the first supporting plate 5, the second supporting plate 6 being pivotally movable between a rope loading/unloading position and a closed position to allow rope 7 to be inserted and then retained in the device.
• the outer circumferential surface of the first pulley 1 is provided with a groove to retain the rope around the circumferential surface of the pulley.
• An aperture 8 corresponds with a similar aperture 9 in the second supporting plate 6 to allow a connector, such as a karabiner or screw link, to be inserted to connect the device to a person or a secure anchorage point.
• a first abutment member 10 is mounted normally on the first supporting plate 5 adjacent to the pulley 1.
• a second abutment member 11 is mounted on the first supporting plate 5 between the pulley 1 and the first bollard 2.
• a first and second bollard 2,18 are mounted normally on the first supporting plate 5 such that they define between them a substantially s-shaped rope path with the rope 7 passing around pulley 1 , between pulley 1 and abutment member 10, around first bollard 2 then around second bollard 18. In an alternative arrangement the rope 7 only passes around the pulley 1 and past second abutment member 11.
• a control handle 12 comprising an elongate flat plate is secured to the first pulley 1 parallel to and adjacent to the first supporting plate 5.
• a third abutment member or bollard 13 is mounted on the control handle 12, normally to the control handle 12 so that the rope 7 leaving the pulley 1 passes between the bollard 13 and the abutment member 11.
• the first pulley 1 , the first bollard 10 and control handle 12 together constitue a primary braking mechanism, while the bollard 13 and abutment means 11 constitute a second braking system.
• the second supporting plate 6 In use the second supporting plate 6 is moved to its rope loading/unloading position and a rope 7 is threaded anti-clockwise in a U-shape around the pulley 1 , moving away from the downstream end 14 of the rope 7 (i.e. the end of the rope to which the load is to be applied). The rope 7 is then passed between the pulley 1 and the first bollard 10. Next the rope 7 passes between the abutment means 11 and bollard 13, it is then threaded clockwise around the bollard 2 to describe an S-shape before passing the around the bollard 18 and leaving the device.
• control handle 12 In order to release the rope 7 the control handle 12 is pressed towards the first and second supporting plates 5,6, moving the pulley in an anti clockwise direction. Once the control handle 12 has been pressed to release the rope 7 the rope can move through the device, with additional friction provided by bollards 2 and 18.
• the second plate 6 contains a cut out 17 so that the free end of the rope 15 may be threaded around or removed from bollards 2 and 18 whilst the second plate 6 is in the closed position and if required, whilst either the primary or secondary braking mechanisms are in operation.
• This alternative threading arrangement provides a low friction position which allows the user to take in slack rope by pulling the free end of the rope 15, or, to pay out rope by operating the control handle 12, without the additional friction form bollards 2 and 18.
• the abutment means may take the form of a cleat to allow large loads to be held by the secondary braking mechanism without large forces being applied to the control handle 12.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=35458420

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (8)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2005
  • 2005-10-21 GB GB0521432A patent/GB2431456A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2006
  • 2006-10-18 WO PCT/GB2006/003855 patent/WO2007045855A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-10-18 EP EP06794798A patent/EP1948321A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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