Abstract: A safety system (10) for protecting workers at high altitudes from falling to the ground is disclosed. The system features a rope grip (12) having a rotably mounted wedge (18) in spaced facing relationship with a retaining member (20). The safety line (14) is jammed between the retaining member and the wedge. The rope grip is able to pass by an anchor (16) by virtue of the fact that the retaining member is held in place by rotating slotted wheels (44 and 46).

Abstract: A rope grip which comprises a guide means and operator means defining a channel for receiving a rope. The guide means defining a first gripping surface and the operator means defines a second gripping surface. The two surfaces are in a facing spaced relationship. Between these two surfaces a restricting means is disposed. The restricting means is springingly connected to an operating arm which influences its position. The extremities of the gripping surfaces are at different distances from one another, which causes a rope of appropriate size to become jammed between a gripping surface and the restricting means, depending upon the position of the restricting means.

Abstract: A tackle block for a cord having a rotatable pulley mounted on a shaft between a pair of legs, there being first and second pulleys mounted on a part of the shaft which is exterior of said legs. A guide sheath formed of a pair of arms is associated with the first pulley and the space between each of the arms and the groove of the first pulley is a minimum necessary for a cord of a certain diameter. The second fixed pulley has its inner plate slidably mounted on the shaft and resiliently biased toward said inner plate, with the inner plate being formed of a material which presents a large amount of friction to the cord. A guide means in the form of a pair of arms, each having a notch is provided on the outer face of the movable plate of the second fixed pulley to lock the cord. A braking shoe is mounted in a movable manner below the rotatable pulley to engage the rotatable pulley.

Abstract: An elevator drive sheave includes a groove in its peripheral surface. A plurality of circumferentially spaced projected teeth are provided in the groove and a lining extends over these teeth. A stranded elevator rope is received in the groove in contact with the lining. The spacing of the teeth is a multiple of the pitch of the strands of the rope. In case of abnormal lining wear, the rope comes in contact with the teeth to insure continued safe tractive force.

Abstract: A safety device for lowering persons and loads comprises a two-piece casing, the two halves of which are symmetrical forming a cylinder therebetween, in which a piston provided with flow channels for a medium is fitted to move axially, the circumference of the piston having a sinusoidal groove in which are engaged one or several pins which are moved by a cable drum which is rotated by the cable around the outer circumference of the cylinder and in which there is a guide roll arrangement for the cable or rope, both ends of the cable hanging freely and one of them being loaded. The arrangement may further comprise three guide rolls with both ends of the cable passing over the central roll on opposite sides of it and then between it and one of the other guide rolls on either side of it, so arranged that the loaded cable presses the central guide roll against the unloaded part of the cable which is thereby pressed against one of the guide rolls producing an additional braking effect by friction.

Abstract: A cable testing system which eliminates the swivel on the crane hook. Means are provided for attaching a crane weight indicator system (dial scale) to a crane lifting block directly. Steel bars are inserted through the block on the lifting pin and four short slings are attached to these bars. The weight indicator is then hung by these slings, with the cable to be tested connected from the weight indicator to a dead man in the ground.

Abstract: A torque limiter means for controlling rotary motion is disclosed, comprising a casing, a shaft rotatively mounted in the casing, a pulley fixedly secured to the shaft and a coaxial rotor also secured to the shaft. The rotor has an odd number of radial cam projections which engage a pair of pins, these latter oscillating in transverse back and forth movement. A transversely oriented follower plate is rigidly secured to the pins and consequently also oscillates in back and forth movement thereby producing a braking action on the shaft.

Abstract: An emergency stop mechanism for a lifting device capable of moving a load along a predetermined path against and with the force of gravity using a primary cable. The emergency stop mechanism includes a secondary cable or line functionally in parallel with the primary cable. The secondary cable is attached to the load and is wound around an idling drum, with means provided to keep the secondary cable taut around the idling drum. In the event of a failure of the primary lifting system, a braking assembly, sensing and actuated by a decrease in tension in the primary cable, arrests the rotation of the idling drum and thus stops or slows the descent of the payload.

Abstract: A restraining device for controlling the movement of a loaded strop 3 comprises a power-driven reel for the strop and an associated pair of toggle-controlled clamping jaws 14, 15 pivoted at 16 and 17 respectively. The jaws are cross-connected by a link 18 and are loaded into the operative position to grip the strop 3 by a spring 25. The controlling toggle comprises links 28 and 30 pivoted together at 31, the link 28 being pivoted to the jaw 15 at 29 and the link 30 being pivoted to a fixed point 32. The link 30 carries a pivoted hand-lever 35 for releasing the toggle and formed with a hook portion 42 which engages with a corresponding hook portion 44 on the link 28 to lock the toggle in the released position to free the strop. The lever 35 can be released either manually or automatically by the piston 37 of a pneumatic cylinder 38. When the lever is released, the toggle moves to the braced position where it assists the action of the spring 25 in holding the jaws together to grip the strop.

Abstract: A speed retarder used in combination with a flexible member such as rope, cable, or chain to control the speed of the flexible member relative to the speed retarder. The speed retarder is particularly suited for use in applications where it is desirable to lower a load at a controlled rate of speed from a higher elevation to a lower elevation. Such applications include fire escape devices and safety backup devices for elevators.One specific embodiment of the speed retarder comprises a frame having an axle on which is mounted a pair of rollers each having a tapered surface around which a flexible member is trained and retained between the surfaces by means of guides. The wheels are mounted on the axle for combined rotary and outward sliding motion into brake pads carried by the frame outboard of the wheels.

Abstract: A cleat comprising a base plate and two dome-shaped high-friction surfaces, which secure a line or rope therebetween, the domes are connected to a ratchet which permits each dome to rotate in only one direction and the ratchets are arranged so that the domes rotate in opposing directions, drawing the line in and preventing the line from being withdrawn without manual release action. An adjustable tension head caps each dome and the domes float on low-friction washers, permitting limited and controlled line slippage whenever a pre-set line tension is exceeded. In another embodiment, eliptical collars and spring-loaded collar pieces surround the dome shafts to permit easy insertion of lines and provide an adjustment for different diameter lines.

Abstract: Apparatus for guiding and clamping an elongated flexible rope comprises a body supporting a plurality of rotatively mounted guide rollers aligned for guiding said rope in a plane. One of said guide rollers is mounted on said body adjacent a tension end of the rope and is selectively lockable against rotation. The other guide roller is mounted on said body adjacent a portion of the rope that is looped around for tension and is mounted for movement toward and away from said first guide roller so that rope passing around both guide rollers and extended between adjacent portions thereof may be pressed into a clamped position when the second guide roller is moved toward said first guide roller. The rope is released upon movement of the second roller in an opposite direction. Anchor means is provided for securing said body to pivot about a fixed point between a rope clamping position and a rope releasing position, and a hook element is provided for securing the body in the rope clamping position.

Abstract: A hoisting device, in particular a block, comprises a case having a shorter side and a longer side. A rotatable sheave is rotatably mounted in the case on a shaft that extends between the two sides and projects beyond the shorter side. Two fixed sheaves are mounted on the projecting portion of the shaft. A brake shoe slidably mounted on the longer side of the case below the rotatable sheave is slidable between an upper portion in engagement with the sheave and a lower position disengaged from the sheave. In hoisting condition, a rope passes over the rotatable sheave. In lowering condition, the rope passes from the rotatable sheave, down under the brake shoe and then over the inner non-rotating sheave, thereby pulling the brake block up against the rotatable sheave. In locked position, the rope further passes from the inner non-rotatable sheave around the outer non-rotatable sheave.

Abstract: A boat anchor rope locking device includes a compact housing through which an anchor rope is threaded. A lever pivoted to this housing has a snubbing end portion which wedges the anchor rope between it and the housing and prevents the rope from playing out when the lever is pivoted in one direction. An actuating end portion of the lever projects above the housing where it is engaged by a foot pedal. When the foot pedal is depressed, the lever pivots in the other direction and releases the snubbing end portion from the rope. The lever is spring biased to return the snubbing end portion into locking engagement with the rope when pressure on the foot pedal is relieved. Also, the snubbing end portion automatically pivots in the other direction when the anchor rope is pulled in to release the rope and permit raising of the anchor as desired.

Abstract: A carriage is provided for guided movement along a skyline and includes guide structure for supporting a dragline for longitudinal shifting relative to the carriage. A skyline stop is provided for coaction with the carriage, a dragline abutment is provided for coaction with the carriage and the carriage includes a stop with which the abutment is engageable to limit movement of the dragline in one direction relative to the carriage. The carriage is engageable with the skyline stop to limit movement of the carriage downwardly along the skyline and the abutment is provided for engagement with the carriage stop to limit upward movement of the dragline relative to the carriage. Latch structure is shiftably supported from the carriage for movement between first and second positions and is latchingly engageable with the skyline stop and engageable with the dragline abutment when in one position and inoperative to latchingly engage the skyline stop and engage the dragline abutment when in the second position.

Abstract: A pulley having a fixed lateral pulley externally of the blocks thereof for variably braking a line on a rotatable sheave of the pulley.

Abstract: A tensioning device for the cable of a winch or hoist transmits rotational power from the drum, on which the cable is wound through a gear train to a traction roller which rubs against the cable as it passes into and out of the hoist. The gears rotate the traction roller in the same direction in which the cable is moving but at a speed which will always keep the cable under tension on the drum. Two overrunning clutches in the gear train transmit the rotary motion of the drum to the traction reel in either the cable payout or reel in operation.

Abstract: An elongate frame having a pulley at one end adapted to ride on the upper run of a clothes line, and a clamp mounted on the frame at the opposite end thereof operable to grip the lower run of the clothes line. The clamp is in the form of a bar swingably mounted on the frame and having a lower clamping end and an upper gate end which normally prevents the separator from coming off the line upper run.

Abstract: An improved brake mechanism is disclosed for use on an agricultural bag loading apparatus (10) having a pair of cable drums (20, 21) secured to the loading apparatus for deploying cables (18, 19) attached to the filled end of an agricultural bag (12). The brake mechanism comprises a disc brake rotor (23) rigidly secured to one end of a brake drum (20), a plurality of disc brake calipers (25) secured to the loading apparatus (10) and a hydraulic fluid pressurizer (29). Braking action between the rotor (23) and the calipers (25) permits control of the compression of the material packed within the agricultural bag (12).