Climbing rope

• US 7,703,372 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New England Ropes Corp.
• Original Assignee: New England Ropes Corp.
• Inventors: Shakespeare, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley; Shaun R
• Application Number:
  US11/893,066
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 87/6, 87/9, 87/13
• US Class Current: 87/6
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 1/16 Life-saving ropes or belts safety belts A62B35/00; mountain guy-ropes A63B29/02; life-saving belts for use at sea B63C
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 29/028 Ropes specially adapted for mountaineering
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/12 Cords, lines, or tows
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/04 with a core of fibres or filaments arranged parallel to the centre line
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/185 characterised by the eye construction
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/102 including a core
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/1096 braided
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/2051 characterised by a value or range of the dimension given

Abstract

A rope is disclosed that is firm for climbing purposes and in which the end of the rope can be spliced. The rope includes a core of a plurality of strands; a first braided tubular sheath disposed about the core; and a second braided tubular sheath disposed about the first braided tubular sheath. The plurality of strands fill at least a length of a center void formed in the first braided tubular sheath. The plurality of core strands are formed in an un-braided manner in at least one of twisted and non-twisted strands. At the splice the splice tucks fill the center void while the core strands fill only center void outside of the splice.

Claims

1. An arborist'"'"'s climbing rope comprising:

(a) a core constructed of a plurality of strands of twisted multi-filament polypropylene;

(b) a first braided tubular sheath constructed of a plurality of strands of a twisted polyester disposed about the core; and

(c) a second braided tubular sheath constructed of a plurality of strands of a twisted polyester disposed about the first braided tubular sheath.

2. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 1 wherein the first braided tubular sheath comprises an 8 strand construction with 4 yarns per strand.

3. The climbing rope of claim 2 wherein the first braid pattern in the first braided tubular sheath is 4Z and 4 S strands.

4. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 1 wherein the second braided tubular sheath has a 24 strand construction with one yarn per strand, to provide a smooth free running feel to the user.

5. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 4 wherein the braid pattern in the second braided tubular sheath is 12Z and 12 S strands.

6. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 1 wherein the weight of the core is on the order of 4% of the total weight of the climbing rope, the first braided tubular sheath has a weight on the order of 44% of the total weight of the climbing rope and the second braided tubular sheath has a weight on the order of 52% of the total weight of the climbing rope.

7. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 6 wherein the core volume is in a range of 12-15% of the total rope volume.

8. An arborist'"'"'s climbing rope having an eye splice near one end, said eye splice including a splice tuck, said arborist'"'"'s climbing rope comprising:

(a) a core of a plurality of strands;

(b) a first braided tubular sheath disposed about the core; and

(c) a second braided tubular sheath disposed about the first braided tubular sheath;

(d) a portion of the core being intentionally removed near the eye splice to form a space within the first tubular sheath where the core has been removed;

(e) the splice tuck being buried in and substantially completely filling the space within the first tubular sheath where the core has been intentionally removed to provide an arborist'"'"'s climbing rope that is firm even where the portion of the core has been removed and wherein the external shape of the arborist'"'"'s climbing rope is not substantially affected.

9. An arborist'"'"'s climbing rope having an eye splice near one end, said eye splice including a splice tuck, said arborist'"'"'s climbing rope comprising:

(a) a core of a plurality of strands of twisted multi-filament polypropylene;

(b) a first braided tubular sheath constructed of a plurality of strands of twisted polyester disposed about the core; and

(c) a second braided tubular sheath disposed about the first braided tubular sheath;

(d) a portion of the core being intentionally removed near the eye splice to form a space within the first tubular sheath where the core has been removed;

(e) the splice tuck being buried in and substantially completely filling the space within the first tubular sheath where the core has been intentionally removed to provide an arborist'"'"'s climbing rope that is firm even where the portion of the core has been removed and wherein the external shape of the arborist'"'"'s climbing rope is not substantially affected.

10. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 9 wherein the first braided sheath comprises an 8 strand construction with 4 yarns per strand.

11. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 10 wherein the second braided sheath is constructed of a plurality of strands of a twisted polyester.

12. The arborist'"'"'s climbing rope of claim 11 wherein the core has a weight on the order of 4% of the total weight of the climbing rope, the first braided tubular sheath has a weight on the order of 44% of the total weight of the climbing rope and the second braided tubular sheath has a weight on the order of 52% of the total weight of the climbing rope.

13. An arborist'"'"'s climbing rope comprising a core of a plurality of twisted strands of polypropylene, a first braided tubular sheath constructed of a plurality of strands of material selected from the group consisting of twisted polyester and nylon disposed about the core and a second braided tubular sheath constructed of a plurality of strands of a polyester disposed about the first braided tubular sheath, the arborist'"'"'s climbing rope having a diameter on the order of one-half inch or less and having a tensile strength that exceeds 6000 pounds.