Descent controller

• US 5,131,491 A
• Filed: 02/07/1991
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tech Safety Lines, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Frost Engineering Development Corporation
• Inventors: Frost, Richard H., Stech, Ernest L., Varner, Horace M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MACHADO, REINALDO
• Application Number:
  US07/652,130
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 182/5-9, 188/65.2-65.5
• US Class Current: 182/7
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 1/06 by making use of rope-lowering devices capstans, winches B66D

Abstract

A descent controller (30) for lowering a load along a rope (32). Controller is a friction cylinder or capstan (31) of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of rope (32) between top and bottom end plates (34, 35) adjacent the upper and lower ends of said cylinder which overhang the cylinder (31) and define radial slots (40, 41) sized to loosely receive the rope. An upwardly narrowing tapered slot (44) defined diametrically through the capstan (31) receives and releasably grips the rope. An annular clamp ring (48) is slidably mounted on the cylinder (31) and defines a radial aperture (49) which loosely receives the rope as it exits from the tapered slot (44). A spring (41) biases the ring (48) upwardly along the said friction cylinder (31) for releasably wedging the rope (32) in the tapered slot. A gripping cylinder (55) is secured to the ring for sliding the ring (48) along the friction cylinder (31) to release the rope (32) from the narrow end (46) of the tapered slot (44), and defines a housing enclosing the capstan and rope turns.

Claims

1. A descent controller for lowering a rope supported load from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction cylinder of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of rope wrapped therearound, said cylinder having a first upper end and a second lower end, a portion of said friction cylinder defining an upwardly narrowing tapered slot diametrically therethrough adapted to receive the rope, said tapered slot defining an enlarged entryway adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said entryway to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, a control ring slidably mounted on said cylinder adjacent said tapered slot and defining a radial aperture therethrough adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring in a direction along said friction cylinder for wedging said rope in said tapered slot, said control ring being slidable along said friction cylinder for releasing said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, and means on said friction cylinder for engagement with a load support whereby sliding movement of said control ring controls the descent of said supported load along said rope.

2. A descent controller as defined in claim 1 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said friction cylinder.

3. A descent controller as defined in claim 2 wherein said gripping sleeve includes a roughened exterior surface.

4. A descent controller as defined in claim 2 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction cylinder and the rope wrapped therearound.

5. A descent controller as defined in claim 2 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

6. A descent controller as defined in claim 1 wherein said friction cylinder defines a radial slot opening into said tapered slot and sized to loosely receive said rope.

7. A descent controller as defined in claim 6 wherein said control ring defines an axially extending slot opening into said radial aperture and sized to loosely receive said rope whereby said rope can be released from or inserted into said aperture.

8. A descent controller as defined in claim 7 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said friction cylinder.

9. A descent controller as defined in claim 8 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction cylinder and the rope wrapped therearound.

10. A descent controller as defined in claim 9 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

53. A descent controller as defined in claim 1 wherein said gripping sleeve includes a belt hook.

54. A descent controller as defined in claim 1 wherein said gripping sleeve includes an integral rope tie-off cleat.

11. A descent controller for lowering a rope supported load from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction cylinder of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of rope wrapped therearound, said cylinder having spaced apart first and second ends, first and second end plates attached respectively adjacent the first end and spaced from the second end of said cylinder, said end plates both having a portion thereof overhanging the cylinder and defining radial slots sized to loosely receive the rope, a portion of said friction cylinder defining means for releasably gripping said rope, means slidably mounted on said cylinder adjacent second end plate for positioning said rope with respect to said gripping means, means secured to said rope positioning means for sliding said rope positioning means along said friction cylinder to release or engage said rope with said gripping means, and means on one end of said friction cylinder for engagement with a support whereby sliding movement of said slidably mounted rope positioning means provides for a controlled descent of said rope supported load.

12. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction brake adapted to receive said rope entrained thereon, a control shaft secured to said friction brake and defining means for releasably gripping control said rope, means slidably mounted on said control shaft for controllably positioning said rope with respect to said gripping means, and means on said control shaft for engagement with a load support whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said sliding means provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

13. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction brake adapted to receive said rope entrained thereon, a control shaft secured to said friction brake and defining a tapered slot diametrically therethrough adapted to receive the rope, said tapered slot defining an enlarged entryway adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said entryway to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, a control ring slidably mounted on said control shaft and defining a radial aperture therethrough adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring along said shaft in a direction for wedging said rope in said tapered slot, said control ring being slidable along said shaft against the force of said spring for releasing said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, and means on said shaft adjacent said tapered slot for engagement with a load support whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said control ring provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

14. A descent controller as defined in claim 13 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said friction cylinder.

15. A descent controller as defined in claim 14 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction brake and the rope entrained thereon.

16. A descent controller as defined in claim 14 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

17. A descent controller as defined in claim 13 wherein said control shaft defines a radial slot opening into said tapered slot and sized to loosely receive said rope.

18. A descent controller as defined in claim 17 wherein said control ring defines an axially extending slot opening into said radial aperture and sized to loosely receive said rope whereby said rope can be released from or inserted into said aperture.

19. A descent controller as defined in claim 18 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said control shaft.

20. A descent controller as defined in claim 19 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction brake and the rope entrained thereon.

21. A descent controller as defined in claim 20 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

22. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction brake adapted to receive said rope entrained thereon, a control shaft secured to said friction brake and defining diametrically therethrough an upwardly narrowing tapered slot adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said enlarged end to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, an annular control ring slidably mounted on said cylinder adjacent said tapered slot and defining radially therethrough an aperture adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring upwardly along said control shaft for wedging said rope in the narrow end of said tapered slot, a sleeve secured to said ring for use in sliding said ring along said friction cylinder against the force of said biasing spring to release said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, said sleeve defining a housing enclosing said friction brake and the rope entrained thereon, and means on the lower end of said shaft below said tapered slot for engagement with a load support, whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said sleeve provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

23. A descent controller for lowering a rope supported load from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller being adapted to be secured at said elevated position and including a friction cylinder of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of said rope wrapped therearound, said cylinder having a first end and a second end, first and second end plates attached respectively adjacent the first end and spaced from the second end of said cylinder, said end plates both having a portion thereof overhanging the cylinder and defining radial slots sized to loosely receive the rope, a portion of said friction cylinder extending below said second end plate and defining diametrically therethrough a tapered slot adapted to receive the rope, said tapered slot defining an enlarged end spaced from said second end plate and adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said enlarged end to a relatively constricted end adjacent said second end plate and of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, an annular control ring slidably mounted on said cylinder on the opposite side of said second end plate from said first end plate and defining radially therethrough an aperture adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring towards said second end plate along said friction cylinder for wedging said rope in the narrow end of said tapered slot, a sleeve secured to said ring for use in sliding said ring along said friction cylinder against the force of said biasing spring to release said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, said sleeve defining a housing enclosing said friction cylinder and the rope wrapped therearound, and means on the second end plate end of said friction cylinder for engagement with a fixed load support at said elevated position, whereby said descent controller supports said rope and upon sliding movement of said sleeve provides for a controlled descent of said rope supported load.

24. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction cylinder of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of rope wrapped therearound, said cylinder having an upper end and a lower end, top and bottom end plates attached respectively adjacent the upper end and spaced from the lower end of said cylinder, said end plates both having a portion thereof overhanging the cylinder and defining radial slots sized to loosely receive the rope, a portion of said friction cylinder extending below said lower end plate and defining diametrically therethrough an upwardly narrowing tapered slot adapted to receive the rope, said tapered slot defining an enlarged end adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said enlarged end to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, an annual control ring slidably mounted on said cylinder below said bottom end plate and defining a radially therethrough an aperture adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring upwardly along said friction cylinder for wedging said rope in the narrow end of said tapered slot, a sleeve secured to said ring for use in sliding said ring along said friction cylinder against the force of said biasing spring to release said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, said sleeve defining a housing enclosing said friction cylinder and the rope wrapped therearound, and means on the lower end of said friction cylinder below said tapered slot for engagement with a load support, whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said sleeve provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

25. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction cylinder of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of rope wrapped therearound, said cylinder having an upper end and a lower end, top and bottom end plates attached respectively adjacent the upper end and spaced from the lower end of said cylinder, said end plates both having a portion thereof overhanging the cylinder and defining radial slots sized to loosely receive the rope, a portion of said friction cylinder extending below said lower end plate and defining an upwardly narrowing tapered slot diametrically therethrough adapted to receive the rope, said tapered slot defining an enlarged entryway adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said entryway to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, a control ring slidably mounted on said cylinder below said bottom end plate and defining a radial aperture therethrough adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring upwardly along said friction cylinder for wedging said rope in said tapered slot, said control ring being slidable along said friction cylinder away from said bottom end plate for releasing said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, and means on the lower end of said friction cylinder below said tapered slot for engagement with a load support whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said control ring provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

26. A descent controller as defined in claim 25 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said friction cylinder.

27. A descent controller as defined in claim 26 wherein said gripping sleeve includes a roughened exterior surface.

28. A descent controller as defined in claim 26 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction cylinder and the rope wrapped therearound.

29. A descent controller as defined in claim 26 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

30. A descent controller as defined in claim 25 wherein said friction cylinder defines a radial slot opening into said tapered slot and sized to loosely receive said rope.

31. A descent controller as defined in claim 30 wherein said control ring defines an axially extending slot opening into said radial aperture and sized to loosely receive said rope whereby said rope can be released from or inserted into said aperture.

32. A descent controller as defined in claim 31 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said friction cylinder.

33. A descent controller as defined in claim 32 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction cylinder and the rope wrapped therearound.

34. A descent controller as defined in claim 33 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

35. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction cylinder of a length adapted to receive a plurality of turns of rope wrapped therearound, said cylinder having an upper end and a lower end, top and bottom end plates attached respectively adjacent the upper end and spaced from the lower end of said cylinder, said end plates both having a portion thereof overhanging the cylinder and defining radial slots sized to loosely receive the rope, a portion of said friction cylinder extending below said lower end plate and defining means for releasably gripping said rope, means slidably mounted on said cylinder below said bottom end plate for positioning said rope with respect to said gripping means, means secured to said rope positioning means for sliding said rope positioning means along said friction cylinder to release or engage said rope with said gripping means, and means on the lower end of said friction cylinder for engagement with a load support whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said slidably mounted rope positioning means provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

36. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction brake adapted to receive said rope entrained therein, a control shaft secured to said friction brake and defining means for releasably gripping control said rope, means slidably mounted on said control shaft for controllably positioning said rope with respect to said gripping means, and means on said control shaft for engagement with a load support whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said sliding means provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

37. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction brake adapted to receive said rope entrained thereon, a control shaft secured to said friction brake and defining an upwardly narrowing tapered slot diametrically therethrough adapted to receive the rope, said tapered slot defining an enlarged entryway adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said entryway to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, a control ring slidably mounted on said control shaft and defining a radial aperture therethrough adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring upwardly along said shaft for wedging said rope in said tapered slot, said control ring being slidable along said shaft against the force of said spring for releasing said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, and means on the lower end of said shaft below said tapered slot for engagement with a load support whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said control ring provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

38. A descent controller as defined in claim 37 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said friction cylinder.

39. A descent controller as defined in claim 38 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction brake and the rope entrained thereon.

40. A descent controller as defined in claim 38 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

41. A descent controller as defined in claim 37 wherein said control shaft defines a radial slot opening into said tapered slot and sized to loosely receive said rope.

42. A descent controller as defined in claim 41 wherein said control ring defines an axially extending slot opening into said radial aperture and sized to loosely receive said rope whereby said rope can be released from or inserted into said aperture.

43. A descent controller as defined in claim 42 further comprising a gripping sleeve secured to said control ring for use in sliding said control ring along said control shaft.

44. A descent controller as defined in claim 43 wherein said gripping sleeve defines a housing enclosing said friction brake and the rope entrained thereon.

45. A descent controller as defined in claim 44 wherein said gripping sleeve is releasably secured to said control ring, and further includes a longitudinally extending slot therein of a width for receiving said rope.

46. A descent controller for lowering a load along a rope from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, said controller including a friction brake adapted to receive said rope entrained thereon, a control shaft secured to said friction brake and defining diametrically therethrough an upwardly narrowing tapered slot adapted to freely admit the rope and tapering from said enlarged end to a relatively constricted end of a width sufficient for gripping the rope, an annular control ring slidably mounted on said cylinder adjacent said tapered slot and defining radially therethrough an aperture adapted to loosely receive said rope as it exits from said tapered slot, a spring biasing said ring upwardly along said control shaft for wedging said rope in the narrow end of said tapered slot, a sleeve secured to said ring for use in sliding said ring along said friction cylinder against the force of said biasing spring to release said rope from the narrow end of said tapered slot, said sleeve defining a housing enclosing said friction brake and the rope entrained thereon, and means on the lower end of said shaft below said tapered slot for engagement with a load support, whereby said descent controller supports a load on said rope and upon sliding movement of said sleeve provides for a controlled descent of said supported load along said rope.

47. In a detent for releasably securing an outer sleeve in a telescoping arrangement with an inner cylinder, said detent including a detent pin resiliently mounted on said cylinder and an aperture defined in said outer sleeve for releasable engagement with said detent pin, and means brasing said detent pin outwardly of said cylinder, wherein the improvement in said brasing means comprises a stiffly resilient spring engaged with said detent pin and basing said detent pin outwardly of said cylinder into releasable locking engagement with said sleeve aperture, said spring having a general arcual shape, an interval leg on one end of said spring, said cylinder including a peripheral groove adapted to receive said arcuator spring, said groove terminating at one end in a recess adapted to slidably receive said spring let with the opposite free end of said spring extending into said recess, said detent pin having a diametric bore therethrough adapted to receive the free end of said leaf spring, and means for securing said spring in said peripheral groove with said leg in said hole and said free end is engaged with said detent pin in said recess whereby aid detent pin is biased by said spring outwardly of said recess into releasable locking engagement with said sleeve aperture.

48. A detent as defined in claim 47 wherein said spring is a wire spring.

49. A detent as defined in claim 47 wherein said spring is a flat spring.

50. A detent as defined in claim 47 wherein said spring is a leaf spring.

51. A detent as defined in claim 47 wherein said peripheral groove tapers radially inwardly of said cylinder to provide clearance for said spring as said detent pin is pushed.

52. An emergency escape kit comprising, in combination, a safety rope, means on said rope adapted to be secured to a fixed support at an elevated position, a rope pack containing and protecting said rope, a descent controller slidably mounted on said rope, a foldable harness seat secured to said descent controller and adapted to support a user therefrom, and a housing pack for containing and protecting said rope pack, descent controller and harness.