Chain – staple – and horseshoe making – Chains – Links
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2001-01-23
Jones, David (Department: 3725)
Chain, staple, and horseshoe making
Chains
Links
C059S083000, C059S085000, C059S090000, C059S093000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176073
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A karabiner is an oval or D-shaped coupling link with a closure and is an essential piece of equipment when rock climbing and mountaineering. Existing karabiner designs rely on a spring biased gate and it is this gate which is the main weakness of the karabiner. In particular, the gate can open due to the rope pressing on the gate, or when the karabiner is subjected to a sudden shock. Since the strength and safety of the karabiner is adversely affected when the gate is open, karabiners having a locking mechanism in the form of a screw-gate or bayonet fitting are available for use when safety is critical to protect against accidental opening of the karabiner gate. However, these karabiners are much more expensive, harder to use, heavier and can still open during routine use. Furthermore, karabiners in general are designed to be structurally loaded only along their major axis and are much weaker if cross-loaded, loaded in more than two directions, or loaded over a sharp edge, and ultimately may fail under these conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a coupling link comprises a unitary body having a closed loop and a dependent limb which is shaped so that a free end of the limb passes through the closed loop, the limb being flexibly resilient to provide a closable gap between the limb and a surface of the closed loop.
The majority of problems associated with existing karabiner designs are due to the gate. The three dimensional topology of the coupling link of the present invention eliminates the requirement for a spring biased gate and is therefore inherently safer than a conventional karabiner. Loading of ropes, slings or protection onto the coupling link is simply a matter of temporarily deforming the rope or device and looping it over the third limb. Although loading and unloading are simple actions to perform by hand, the required unloading action is too complex for it to happen accidentally. The design also makes it difficult to cross-load the coupling link. In any case, the coupling link is not particularly sensitive to the direction of loading so that simultaneous loading in several different directions is possible and much safer in comparison to conventional karabiner designs.
Preferably, the closed loop lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the limb.
Preferably, one end of the limb is adapted to form a tongue which is spaced apart a predetermined distance from the closed loop. This creates a gap which just allows a loop of roping to pass over the limb.
Preferably, the limb is flexibly resilient in the plane defined by the limb.
The coupling link may be solid or hollow and made of any suitable material having a high tensile strength. The limbs may have a cross-section having any suitable shape, which may vary along the length of the limbs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 594959 (1897-12-01), Morris
patent: 1403905 (1922-01-01), Johnson
patent: 1676966 (1928-07-01), Seager
patent: 1688011 (1928-10-01), Gouverneur
patent: 1848491 (1932-03-01), Nourse
patent: 2177816 (1939-10-01), Wertman
patent: 3418803 (1968-12-01), Martin
patent: 4227021 C1 (1994-01-01), None
patent: WO 89/08998 (1989-10-01), None
Jones David
Perman & Green LLP
LandOfFree
Coupling link does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Coupling link, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Coupling link will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2483063