Interlocking Climbing Chock
An Interlocking Climbing Chock 10 is disclosed having at least one pair of opposing sides with complementary interlocking projections and recesses. Two instances of this Interlocking Climbing Chock 10 may be interlocked to form a larger interlocked climbing chock. The flexibility, provided by the subject invention, to form various sizes of climbing chocks while on a climb in order to meet the needs of that particular climb, offers the climber advantages both in safety and economy.
This invention relates to climbing aids, and specifically to a climbing chock capable of being interlocked with another such climbing chock to form a larger climbing chock.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA great variety of climbing chocks are known. Possibly the most basic form of climbing chock is a simple wedge which is used, in a variety of sizes, to provide a support point for a climber. Earlier wedge shaped climbing chocks had flat sides. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,607 to Vallance, an improved wedge shape chock is illustrated comprising opposing concave and convex surfaces.
Another popular style of climbing chock is the hexagonal chock, an example of which can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,485 to Chouinard et al. This climbing chock features a number of flat sides with provisions for a sling to be passed through the center of the climbing chock.
Other examples illustrating the various forms of climbing chocks include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,241 to Burkey, and 4,083,521 to Greiner, II.
Each of the above mentioned climbing chocks has limitations relating to the size of a rock crack or crevice into which it may fit effectively. Other, more complex climbing chocks have been invented to expand the range of crack or crevice sizes into which a climbing chock may fit and also to increase the gripping force of these climbing chocks. These more complex chocks usually have many parts, including some form of spring and cam, and are much more expensive to manufacture than the simpler chocks with no moving parts. Examples of these complex climbing chocks include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,781,346 to Banner et al., and 4,834,327 to Byrne.
Many climbers prefer the simpler forms of climbing chocks, containing no moving parts. Typically these climbing chocks are relatively inexpensive and highly effective. When using these chocks, a climber will often take a complete set of chocks ranging in size from the smallest chock capable of supporting the climber's weight to one that is as large as the largest anticipated crack on the climbing route. The smart climber often takes an additional chock or two for each of the most common crack sizes expected to be encountered. Unfortunately, despite a climber's best efforts in planning before the start of a climb, many climbers find themselves on a climbing route having already exhausted the supply of a particular size of chock needed for the safest chock placement at their current position and with an excessive number of chocks of unneeded sizes. Not only does this mean that the climber hauls excess weight, it compromises the safety of the climber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe climbing chock of the invention is simple in form and has no moving parts. It is generally wedge shaped and has one or more pairs of opposing surfaces with complementary projections and recesses. As such, the climbing chock of the present invention can be interlocked with another climbing chock, of similar shape but not required to be of the same size, to form a third larger climbing chock composed of two interlocked climbing chocks.
It is an object of the invention to provide a climbing chock which offers the climber greater safety by increasing the likelihood that the set of such chocks that a climber takes on a climb will be sufficient to safely meet the needs of the climb.
Another object of the invention is to provide a climbing chock which allows a climber the opportunity to decrease the weight of gear which the climber must haul on a climb, without compromising the sufficiency of the gear to provide safety. This, in itself, increases the safety of the climb by minimizing the fatigue of the climber.
Another object is to provide a less expensive means for a climber to purchase a complement of climbing chocks sufficient to meet his or her climbing needs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to
In use, the climbing chock of the invention can be used exactly as another chock, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,607 to Vallance, would be used. The climber simply positions the chock into a rock crevice such that the wedge shape of the chock serves to hold it in place, and clips the Loop 24 of the Flexible Line 22 to his/her climbing rope. In order to fit a larger rock crevice, the climber may interlock two instances of the climbing chock to form a larger interlocked climbing chock. For this Interlocking Climbing Chock 10, in order to interlock two instances thereof, the climber positions the Front Face 12 of one instance behind the Back Face 14 of a second instance such that the projections and recesses of the Top Convex Surface 16 of the first instance line up with the complementary recesses and projections of the Bottom Concave Surface 18 of the second instance. The climber then moves the first instance forward inserting the projections of the Top Convex Surface 16 of the first instance into the recesses of the Bottom Concave Surface 18 of the second instance, until the end of the projections of the Top Convex Surface 16 of the first instance meet the Mechanical Stop Surface 20 of the second instance. After positioning the resulting interlocked climbing chock in a crevice, the climber must be careful to clip his/her rope into that instance which is held in place behind the Mechanical Stop Surface, in this case that being the first instance. Several examples of interlocked climbing chocks are shown in subsequent figures.
Although eleven embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that further variations and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
Claims
1.-13. (canceled)
14. An interlocking climbing chock capable of stacking with one or more similar climbing chocks to form a larger climbing chock; said interlocking climbing chock comprising a polygonal front face and a polygonal back face; said front face and said back face having the same number of sides;
- a number of side surfaces equal to the number of sides of either said front face or said back face; each side surface extending from a side edge of said back face to a corresponding side edge of said front face; at least one pair of two opposing side edges of said front face being of smaller length than the corresponding opposing side edges of said back face, yielding two opposing surfaces generally forming a wedge;
- complementary shaped interlocking projections and recesses, on the two opposing wedge surfaces, extending between said back face and said front face wherein said projections of one wedge surface are positioned directly across from said recesses of its opposing wedge surface; said projections being wider at a point near their termination than at a point near the surface from which they project; said recesses being wider at a point near their termination than at a point near the surface from which they recede;
- a mechanical stop means; said mechanical stop means preventing said interlocking climbing chock from slipping free from a similar climbing chock when said interlocking climbing chock and said similar climbing chock have been stacked and interlocked to form a larger climbing chock;
- and a flexible line with a closed loop; said closed loop positioned at one end of said flexible line; the other end of said flexible line being attached to said front face.
15. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein said mechanical stop means comprises a surface terminating said recesses, on one of said two opposing wedge surfaces, toward said front face.
16. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein said mechanical stop means comprises a forward facing surface, extending outward from the wedge surface from which extend said projections, and positioned toward said back face.
17. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein the widths of at least one of said projections and its complementary recess are narrower at the ends nearest said front face than at the ends nearest said back face; the general taper of both recess and projection thus causing said mechanical stop means to be comprised of the walls of said recess and its complementary projection.
18. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein said mechanical stop means comprises a surface terminating said recesses, on one of said two opposing wedge surfaces, toward said back face.
19. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein said mechanical stop means comprises a rear facing surface, extending outward from the wedge surface from which extend said projections, and positioned toward said front face.
20. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein the widths of at least one of said projections and its complementary recess are narrower at the ends nearest said back face than at the ends nearest said front face; the general taper of both recess and projection thus causing said mechanical stop to be comprised of the walls of said recess and its complimentary projection.
21. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein all side surfaces are generally flat.
22. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 wherein said two opposing wedge surfaces are curved, one such wedge surface being concave and the other such wedge surface being convex but of like curvature to the concave wedge surface.
23. The interlocking climbing chock of claim 14 further comprising one or more openings which pass entirely through said interlocking climbing chock; said openings positioned and dimensioned so as to provide weight reduction without compromising the effectiveness and strength of said interlocking climbing chock.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 23, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 23, 2007
Inventor: Gregory Klingler (Denver, CO)
Application Number: 11/307,810
International Classification: A47F 5/08 (20060101);