Safe auto-locking belay override mechanism

Details Safe auto-locking belay override mechanism Safe auto-locking belay override mechanism

2005-06-21

2005-06-21

Butler, Douglas C. (Department: 3683)

Brakes

Strand

C182S005000, C182S192000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06907960

ABSTRACT:
A Safe Auto-Locking Belay Override Mechanism (24) is provided which causes an auto-locking belay device to lock a rope against movement if a belayer panics, as sometimes happens if a climber falls, after the belayer has overridden the normal function of the auto-locking belay device. The mechanism of the subject invention makes use of the realization that a belayer tends to grip an auto-locking belay device tightly when the belayer panics. The subject invention contains a pressure sensitive activation mechanism that acts on an override mechanism such that the normal function of the belay device will be overridden by only one of three different force levels. At either relatively low or relatively high levels of force exerted by the belayer on the pressure sensitive activation mechanism, the auto-locking belay device will function normally and lock a rope against further movement in the event that the rope exerts sufficient force on the auto-locking belay device such as when a climber falls. If, however, the belayer exerts an intermediate level of force on the pressure sensitive activation mechanism, the normal function of the auto-locking belay device will be overridden such that rope can be fed rapidly though the device.

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patent: 2004/0020727 (2004-02-01), Petzl et al.

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