1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention is generally related to climbing aids for rock climbers. More particularly, this invention is related to devices for belaying and rappelling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Climbers utilize rope, slings and a variety of mechanical devices as climbing aids to assist and protect their movement over rock. The climbing aids serve as a means to anchor the climber to the rock for the purpose of either preventing or arresting a fall.
One end of a rope is attached to the climber's body harness. As the climber ascends, the rope is attached by carabiners to various climbing aids that have been inserted in or on the rock for the purpose of serving as anchors. The carabiners facilitate movement of the rope past the anchor as the climber ascends. The rope typically threads through a series of anchors along the climber's route.
Climbing ropes are designed to stretch under load and absorb the impact of a fall. The ropes come in different diameters and lengths. Ropes having a diameter from 8 to 9 millimeters are usually used in pairs. Ropes having a diameter of 10 to 11 millimeters are usually used singly. The choice of rope diameter and the use of single or paired ropes are dependent on personal preference or the custom at the area climbed.
A belayer is a member of a climbing team whose function is to remain stationary at a secure location and regulate the flow of rope to the lead climber. As the lead climber progresses, the belayer must carefully observe the movement of the climber and feed rope out or take it in as appropriate. If the climber falls, the belayer must immediately control the rope so that the fall is arrested.
When the lead climber is at a secure location, the lead climber can assume the roll of belayer by pulling up the rope as the second climber or climbers (the climber or climbers following the leader) ascend the route (called “belaying a second” or “belaying the second”). In the event that a second climber falls, the lead climber must immediately control the rope so that the fall is arrested.
Belay devices serve as mechanical aids that provide the belayer a means to control the rope's movement, especially in the event of a fall. There are several types of belay devices; each type handles the rope differently. The various belay devices have fundamentally different functional characteristics that must be completely understood in order to use them safely. As with any climbing aid, training is required to achieve the skill necessary to use a belay device properly.
Some belay devices also serve as an aid for rappelling. When rappelling, a climber descends a rope by letting the rope slide slowly through the device. The device is clipped to the climber's harness. When used for this purpose, the device helps the climber control the speed of descent, and provides the ability to stop completely.
although belaying and rappelling are seemingly simple procedures, both require complete attention and commitment. The belayer is responsible for caching a climber's fall. When rappelling, an unaware climber can loose control of the rope and consequently descend too fast and/or drop off the end of the rope.
There are occasions during the course of a climb when the lead climber will take a long time to move even a short distance. During such periods of little apparent progress, the belayer may desire to work at other tasks or otherwise be distracted. Any distraction is especially dangerous because if a climber falls when the belayer is distracted an the rope starts moving quickly, the rope will be significantly more difficult to bring under control.
The instant invention is a climbing aid that can be used for both belaying and rappelling. All references in this application referring to the instant invention as a belay device are intended to also include use for rappelling.
State-of-the-art belay devices include cams, plates, rings and tubes of various configurations, all designed to generate friction and/or grab the rope when activated. The amount of friction is typically controlled the angle the rope enters and leaves the device.
Some devices, especially those that utilize cams, provide a static belay by grabbing the rope quickly and automatically (called “auto-locking devices”.) Auto-locking devices usually include a lever to release the rope after the device has arrested the fall and “locked”. Other devices provide a dynamic belay or “soft” stop by allowing the rope to slip a short distance before arresting a fall. However, the amount of slippage must be limited because a falling climber can be injured if allowed to hit something before stopping.
In addition to controlling the rope in the event of a fall, the rope should also slide quickly and smoothly through the device and not tangle or twist when the belayer feeds rope or takes rope back according to the needs of the progressing climber. Typically, those devices that stop the rope softly also feed rope smoothly.
The tube belay device is one of the more commonly utilized state-of-the-art belay devices. A tube belay device relies on friction to softly arrest movement of the rope. Typically, a bight or loop of rope is inserted into and through the tube and clipped by means of a carabiner to the belayer's harness, or independent secure anchor. One of the belayer's hands is used to pull rope through the device according to the needs of the climber. The other hand, referred to as the “brake-hand”, guides the rope into the device, pulls rope back when there is slack, the controls when the belay device is needed to arrest the rope.
State-of-the-art tube belay devices are configured to handle two ropes in parallel. The width of the tube belay device is sized to accommodate two ropes side-by-side, and includes a short rib across the opening to maintain separation of the two ropes. This two-rope capability gives the option to use the device when pairs of small diameter ropes are used; and for simultaneously belaying one or two second climbers.
When slack rope is loosely fed directly into a tube belay device, the rope loop slides easily around the carabiner and moves relatively smoothly through the device with little friction. However, if the belayer restrains or “brakes” the rope as it feeds into the tube belay device, the friction generated as the rope moves past the tube entrance, combined with the rope's tension, will pull the loop, and the carabiner with it, tightly against the tube opening. Surface contract between the rope, the belay device, and the carabiner, along with the angle that the rope enters and exits the tube; create the friction that enables the belayer to arrest a fall.
A state-of-the-art tube belay device requires that the belayer's brake-hand maintain a strong grip on the rope to arrest and hold the weight of a fallen climber. Generally, tube belay devices stop and hold larger diameter ropes more effectively than small diameter ropes. Consequently, smaller diameter ropes must be gripped by the brake-hand relatively more tightly to hold the weight of a climber.
Some state-of-the-art tube belay dives include a means for directly attaching a second carabiner to rig the device for belaying a climber ascending from below (belaying the second) with the added capability of “auto braking”. When rigged to belay the second with auto-braking, the device allows rope movement in one direction only; rope movement in the reverse direction is auto-braked thereby catching the fall of a second without intervention by the belayer (although it is prudent to maintain brake-hand backup). When state-of-the-art tube belay devices are rigged for auto-braking, it is difficult to play out slack when the second needs it, and when auto-braking is engaged it is very difficult to release a loaded rope (for example to lower a climber).