Multifunctional belaying device for a rope

Abstract

A belaying device for a rope comprises a cam able to rotate between a securing position corresponding to securing the rope by jamming effect against the stud and a separated position allowing the rope to run freely in the gap between the cam and the stud. The cam is associated with a triggering ratchet able to occupy either a locked position blocking the cam in the separated position or an unlocked position following a deliberate control action releasing said cam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of two embodiments of the invention given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate front and rear perspective views of the belaying device according to the invention after the swiveling flange-plate has been closed and the rope and attachment carabiner have been fitted in place;

FIG. 3 represents an elevational view of the internal face of the support plate supporting the cam, the triggering ratchet, and the fixed stud, the cam being positioned in the separated position;

FIG. 4 shows an elevational view of the external face of the support plate equipped with the selector and with the operating handle, the selector being positioned in the first setting position 1 corresponding to a belaying function of the leading climber and the operating handle being stowed in an inactive position interrupting the mechanical connection with the cam;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 illustrating the cam locked in the separated position by the triggering ratchet to let the rope run freely;

FIG. 6 represents an identical view to FIG. 3 when the downline rope strand is pressing on the triggering ratchet vane;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 showing unlocking of the cam by removal of the ratchet;

FIG. 8 is an identical view to FIG. 7 after the cam has rotated to the securing position blocking the rope against the fixed stud;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are identical views to FIGS. 8 and 4 after the selector has been set to the second setting position 2 corresponding to a belaying function of the second climber, or a descender function, the triggering ratchet being permanently blocked in the unlocked position to release the cam acting as a jammer;

FIGS. 11, 12, 13 represent different phases of actuation of the operating handle respectively at the beginning of releasing of the cam, at the end of the releasing travel, and when anti-panic triggering takes place interrupting the disengageable mechanical connection to allow the cam to return to the securing position;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the belaying device;

FIG. 15 shows an elevational view of the assembled device after the front flange-plate has been removed.

Claims

1. Belaying device for a rope, comprising: a support plate equipped with a fixed stud,a cam mounted with limited rotation on the support plate around a first spindle-pin and having a peripheral sector around which the rope is wound, said cam being movable between a securing position corresponding to the rope being blocked by jamming effect against the stud and a separated position enabling the rope to run freely in the gap between the cam and the stud,a triggering ratchet movable between a locked position for blocking the cam in the separated position, and an unlocked position following a deliberate control action releasing said cam.

2. Belaying device according to claim 1, wherein releasing of the cam takes place when the downline first strand of the rope presses on the triggering ratchet.

3. Belaying device according to claim 1, wherein the triggering ratchet is mounted with limited pivoting on a third spindle-pin and comprises a detent member designed to hook into a locking notch of the cam.

4. Belaying device according to claim 3, wherein the triggering ratchet is equipped with a control vane operating in conjunction with a spring biasing said ratchet to the locked position, the action of the first strand of the rope on the vane making said ratchet move to the unlocked position.

5. Belaying device and descender according to claim 3, wherein the locking notch is situated near to an oblong opening arranged in the cam, said opening in the shape of a circular sector being centered on the first spindle-pin and having a length that is at least equal to the angular movement of the cam between the separated and securing positions.

6. Belaying device and descender according to claim 4, wherein the ratchet control vane is situated near to the fixed stud, the spring being a compression spring housed in a blind hole of the fixed stud.

7. Belaying device and descender according to claim 5, wherein the detent member of the triggering ratchet operates in conjunction with a roller arranged either in the oblong opening of the cam or in the locking notch.

8. Belaying device and descender according to claim 1, wherein the triggering ratchet is associated with a selector which is able to be set either to a first setting position corresponding to operation as leading climber belayer or to a second setting position corresponding to operation as second climber belayer.

9. Belaying device and descender according to claim 8, wherein the triggering ratchet is inserted between the cam and the inside wall of the support plate, whereas the selector is fitted on the external face of the support plate.

10. Belaying device and descender according to claim 8, wherein in the second setting position of the selector, the triggering ratchet is immobilized in the unlocked position to release the cam.

11. Belaying device and descender according to claim 1, wherein the cam is coupled to an operating handle by means of a disengageable mechanical connection which is either active up to an intermediate position of the handle driving the cam to the separated position or inactive after it has passed said intermediate position causing the cam to be released and to return to the securing position.

12. Belaying device and descender according to claim 11, wherein the operating handle is articulated on the transmission rod to form a toggle device connected to a drive spindle-pin of the cam by the mechanical connection.

13. Belaying device and descender according to claim 1, wherein the first spindle-pin of the rotary cam is hollow for passage of an attachment carabiner.

14. Belaying device and descender according to any claim 1, wherein a retractable flange-plate is mounted swiveling around a second spindle-pin of the support plate to occupy either an open position during the prior winding phase of the rope around the cam or a closed position to hold the rope captive in the transverse gap arranged between the support plate and the flange-plate.