Abstract: An escape system for descending a person from a window is disclosed. The escape system may be mounted above a window through which a person may egress and descend to the ground. The escape system includes a fenestration unit having a frame and a human support embedded into the frame in a stowed position. The human support carries a person during descent. A cable is wound about a shaft supported by the frame. The cable is connected to the human support. The escape system further includes a speed limiting device connected to the shaft that controls the speed of descent.

Abstract: A steerable catheter has a body with an outer surface and an inner surface defining a central lumen. The outer surface and inner surface define a wall of the body, which has a plurality of steering lumen and control lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. The body includes a body material. The steering lumen and control lumen have a control lumen lining and steering lumen lining, respectively, with a higher durometer than the body material. A steering wire is positioned within the steering lumen and a control wire is positioned within the control lumen.

Abstract: A knockdown, portable lift is relatively compact and lightweight for transport and use where there is no existing means for lifting a load between a lower surface and an upper surface or where the existing means cannot be used. Components of the lift are stored in a base portion of the lift and are assembled on site for forming a lift frame extending between the upper and lower surfaces. A platform and drive assembly are supported on the lift frame and are driven together up and down tracks on each side of the lift frame using a rotary drive, such as a hand crank or electric motor, to power the drive assembly. The drive assembly is operable by a person on or off the platform from either the upper or lower surface or traversing stairs over which the platform is moving. The drive assembly incorporates a unique overspeed braking system and a unique clutch arrangement.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for evacuating individuals from a structure during an emergency, comprising: a rotatable drum with a cable suitable length, wound thereon; and a rotation regulator, which is associated with the drum and is arranged to control the drum to limit a rotation speed thereof during unwinding of the cable from the drum. The rotation regulator allows for individuals to escape from a tall structure, regardless of their skill, agility or strength, and even irrespective of whether such individuals are conscious, or not. In an embodiment the device may further comprise at least one additional drum. The combination of the drum and the additional drum allows a plurality of people to escape.

Abstract: A load-hauling device includes a pair of karabiners, each having an array of pulleys, a pulley rope fixed at one end to one of the karabiners below its respective pulley array, to anchor that end of the rope, the pulley rope passing sequentially between the pulleys of each pulley array to provide a mechanical advantage at the free end of the pulley rope when pulled, a rotatable locking cam mounted between a cam yoke fixed around an end pulley of one of the pulley arrays, wherein the cam includes a cam spring to bias the cam to engage with the rope and permit movement of the rope in one direction while preventing movement of the rope in the other direction, the cam including an integral trigger and locking mechanism to selectively disengage the cam from the rope and allow the device to release a load carried thereby.

Abstract: A safety device with fall arrest and descending modes includes a housing, a drum, a lifeline, first and second brake assemblies, and a control. The drum is rotatably operatively connected to the housing. The lifeline has an intermediate portion interconnecting a first end and a second end. The first end is operatively connected to the drum. The first and second assemblies are operatively connected to the drum. The control is operatively connected to the first and second brake assemblies and has a first position and a second position. The first position selectively engages the first brake assembly in a descending mode and the second position selectively engages the second brake assembly in a fall arrest mode.

Abstract: A safety device for use in a fall arrest system, has a safety line drum mounted for rotation and a speed responsive engagement mechanism responsive to the speed of rotation of the drum, which is activated above a predetermined rotational speed of the drum to deploy an energy absorber. A rotational transmission member (which may be in the form of a shaft) is coupled, via the speed responsive engagement mechanism, when activated, to rotate with the drum. The energy absorber is deployed in response to operation of the rotational transmission member. The speed responsive engagement mechanism may be mounted intermediate the drum and the energy absorber for ease of replacement.

Abstract: A descending escape equipment comprises a descending device and a decelerating device. The descending device includes a shaft member which is wound around by two rope members in directions opposite to each other, so that while the shaft member is rotated to release one of the rope members, the other one of the rope members is retracted by the shaft member. The decelerating device includes a transmission member connected between the shaft member and the generator, and the shaft is being rotated to drive, via the transmission member, the generator that is loaded with the generator load for reducing a releasing speed and a retracting speed by a resistant moment of the generator generated by the generator load.

Abstract: There is provided a height rescue apparatus comprising a safety line (1) which is attached at (3) to a flexible elongate element (2) which has a lower tensile strength than the safety line 1 which is wound on a drum (9) which is part of a speed control means. A friction device (5) acts on a portion of the safety line (1) to reduce tension in said portion of the safety line by at least 50% in a full arrest situation. The drum (9) or the speed control means is held in a first position which prevents rotation of the drum and release means can be actuated after the fall arrest to allow the drum to provide a controlled lowering action.

Abstract: A fall arrester (100) for reducing injuries of a user (108) thereon when falling comprising a rotatable spool (314) with webbing (200) wound thereon, the webbing (200) being protracted from and retracted back upon the spool (314), a torsion bar (310) operationally connected to the webbing (200) through the spool (314) to generate a generally constant reaction force on the spool (314) as the torsion and bar and spool (314) rotate to absorb kinetic energy of the fall; the fall arrester (100) according to claim 1 further including a counting mechanism (500) to maintain a reserve amount of webbing (200) on the spool (314) to enable the torsion bar (310) to twist through its operational range without encountering an end-of-webbing condition.

Abstract: A self-retractable lifeline (“SRL”) having the combination of an active fall arrest braking system and a passive restraint distance limiting mechanism that allows a user to pretension and preset the distance that its cable is capable of paying out. The SRL's cable limiting mechanism includes a pretension assembly, which may include a pair of aligned plates and an actuator that temporarily mobilizes an arbor when the lever is opened. The arbor is affixed to the SRL housing and to an interior of a power spring that rewinds the cable back into the housing when the cable is paid out. The other end of the arbor is in a mechanical relationship to one of the aligned plates that prohibits rotational movement of the arbor when the aligned plates are engaged but allows rotational movement of the arbor when the aligned plates are temporarily disengaged.

Abstract: A lifeline system includes a lifeline and a hub around which the lifeline is coiled. The hub deforms to absorb energy at a predetermined level of force exerted thereon by the lifeline. For example, the hub can be deformable to absorb energy so that a peak fall arrest force in a drop test of the lifeline system with a 220 pound mass attached to the lifeline over a distance of up to 6.56 feet is not more than 1900 pounds. In several embodiments, the peak fall arrest force is no more than 1500 pounds or no more than 1349 pounds.

Abstract: A belay device for protecting a climber on a rope from a fall has a powered winding reel to which the rope is attached. A control mechanism acts to prevent slack in the rope between the climber and the winding reel and includes load sensor that which, on detecting the weight of the climber on the rope, switches the operation of the device to a fall or descent mode where the winding reel is stopped and the climber is suspended by the rope. An electronic control and diagnostic system monitors the operation of the winding reel and switches its operation to a safe, fault mode when a fault is detected.

Abstract: A self-rescue device includes a rope operatively connected to a lifeline connector. The lifeline connector is releasably operatively connected to a frame member of the self-rescue device, and should a fall occur, the user releases the lifeline connector from the frame member. A centrifugal braking mechanism controls the rate at which the rope is paid out, which controls the rate of the user's descent.

Abstract: A belay device for protecting a climber on a rope from a fall has a powered winding reel to which the rope is attached. A control mechanism acts to prevent slack in the rope between the climber and the winding reel and includes load sensor that which, on detecting the weight of the climber on the rope, switches the operation of the device to a fall or descent mode where the winding reel is stopped and the climber is suspended by the rope. An electronic control and diagnostic system monitors the operation of the winding reel and switches its operation to a safe, fault mode when a fault is detected.

Abstract: A life saving implement includes a prime motor assembly, a winding drum installing in the prime motor assembly to wind a wire rope, a braking drum installed on a side of the winding drum to control an RPM of the winding drum, a braking unit installed on a lower portion of the braking drum to control an RPM of the braking drum, a speed reduction unit installed on an upper portion of the braking drum to gradually reduce the RPM of the winding drum until the winding drum stops, and a passenger vehicle moving by the rotations of the winding drum and the braking drum.

Abstract: A lifeline system includes a lifeline and a drum assembly around which the lifeline is coiled. The drum assembly is rotatable about a first axis in a first direction during extension of the lifeline and in a second direction, opposite of the first direction, during retraction of the lifeline. The lifeline system further includes a tensioning mechanism in operative connection with the drum assembly to impart a biasing force on the drum assembly to bias the drum assembly to rotate about the first axis in the second direction. The lifeline system further comprises a braking mechanism in operative connection with the drum assembly. The braking mechanism includes a catch that is rotatable relative to the drum assembly about a second axis that is not concentric with the first axis. The second axis is operatively connected to the first axis so that the second axis rotates about the first axis in the same direction as the drum assembly when the drum assembly is rotating about the first axis.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for safely lowering a user from a structure. The apparatus includes a frame; a spool including a cable rotatably mounted on the frame; a securing device attached to the cable and adapted to securely attached to the structure; a user support adapted to support the user and securely attached to the frame; and a pair of centrifugal hydraulic brake systems adapted to slow a rotation of the spool to cause the user support, spool and frame to descend at a safe rate for the user. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a frame; a spool including a cable rotatably mounted on the frame; a securing device attached to the frame and adapted to securely attached to the structure; a user support adapted to support the user and attached to the cable; and a pair of centrifugal hydraulic brake systems adapted to slow a rotation of the spool to cause the user support to descend at a safe rate for the user.

Abstract: A personal, lightweight, high altitude rappel escape safety device is worn by an individual as a backpack and provides a safe means of lowering the individual from an elevated structure. The device comprises a structural body containing a mechanical device for slowly releasing a high strength cable. One end of the cable is secured to the structure prior to the user descending from the structure. The cable is released from a spool located inside the body and makes a circuitous path though a frictional structure. The structure contains baffles through which the cable extends. The friction caused by the pattern of release of the cable generates sufficient drag to safely lower a person from any altitude in a structure to the ground. The rate of descent may be adjusted via a braking mechanism.

Abstract: A system includes a support including an extending rigid member and a first attachment at a first position on the rigid member to which a first self-retracting lifeline is attached. The first self-retracing lifeline includes a first housing from which a first lifeline exits. The first housing is movable relative to the rigid member. The system also includes at least a second attachment at a second position on the rigid member to which a second self-retracing lifeline. The second self-retracting lifeline includes a second housing from which a second lifeline exits. The second housing is movable relative to the rigid member independent of the movement of the first housing. The first position is spaced from the second position. The system further includes a connector attached to the frame to connect the frame to an article (for example, a safety harness such as a full body safety harness) worn by a user.

Abstract: A foldable hoist, fall-arrest and recovery system to be used in connection with a rectangular manhole guard having vertical posts at four corners of the guard including an upper structure having four elongated support members forming a pyramid shaped structure with the base of each of the support members being securely mounted to the top of a post on the manhole guard and the other ends of the support members being pivotally connected to an apex so that the upper structure can be folded for storage and shipment when disconnected from the base and means connected at the apex for raising and lowering workers and/or cargo into and out of the manhole or for arresting the fall or recovering a worker.

Abstract: Provided is speed-adjustable life-saving apparatus which comprises a housing, a drum disposed in the housing, a life rope and a resistance wheel hub motor. One end of the life rope is fastened and wound on the drum. The resistance wheel hub motor disposed in the drum comprises a wheel hub, a speed-variable damper assembly, a shift and a rotor, and is supported in the housing by a main shaft. The wheel hub is fixedly connected to the drum and drives the rotor through the speed-variable damper assembly. A unilateral diode is connected to the circuit of the rotor through external leads. The speed-adjustable life-saving apparatus provided herein is safe, reliable and convenient to use.

Abstract: The Escape-Right is an emergency escape system comprising: a passenger harness, a cable, a reel, a shaft fixed to the reel permitting rotation of the reel as the cable is unrolled, a reduction gear assembly, a centrifugal brake assembly, a housing enclosing the brake assembly, and a mounting mechanism. The escape right is a mechanism to escape or descend from the upper floors of a building when the usual exits are unavailable. The Escape-Right may be anchored to prepared points, heavy objects within the building, or a ladder placed near the exit portal. The braking mechanism may be attached to the anchor point or the user. In some configurations of the Escape-Right multiple descents may be accomplished without rewinding the cable.

Abstract: An apparatus for safely evacuating a person within a prescribed weight range from a multistory building by enabling the person to exit from the interior of the building to the outside very quickly and to descend to the ground or lower surface alongside the exterior of the building to attain a descent speed of less than four feet per second to land injury-free, the apparatus comprising a housing, a harness affixed to the housing for affixing the housing to the person, a cable of predetermined length within the housing, having a free-end with a securing member for affixing it to an anchorage proximate the descent point, and a descent slowing energy dissipating mechanism within the housing driven by the playout of the cable as the person descends, which enables the person to attain automatically within his descent a descent speed of less than four feet per second determined by the intersection of the graph of the curve that describes the rate of energy dissipated as a function of the descent speed and the graph

Abstract: A compact descender apparatus which is easy to use and easy to store for lowering a person from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, having a generally cylindrical housing; a spool mounted for rotation in the housing having an axis of rotation which is in orthogonal relationship to a front face of the housing; a rope stored on the spool having a free end portion which extends upwardly to a helical groove on an outer portion of a friction core which is mounted on an upper portion of said housing for controlling a rate of descent with the descender; and a camshaft rotatably mounted in the housing for adjusting the rate of descent. A tang extending downwardly from a lower portion of the housing and a pair of spaced apart bosses having apertures on an upper portion of said housing are provided for attaching the descender apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for safely evacuating a person from a multistory building by enabling the person to exit from the interior of the building to the outside very quickly and to descend to the ground or lower surface alongside the exterior of the building sufficiently slowly to land injury-free, the apparatus comprising a housing, a harness for affixing the housing to the person, a cable of predetermined length within the housing, having a free-end with a securing member for affixing it to an anchorage proximate the descent point, and having an energy dissipating mechanism within the housing driven by the playout of the cable as the person descends, having the characteristic that the slope of the rate of energy dissipated exceeds the slope of the rate of potential energy released as a function of descent speed at their point of intersection, and the characteristic that the intersection occurs at the sufficiently slow descent speed without the person's control.

Abstract: A compact descender apparatus which is easy to use and easy to store for lowering a person from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, having a generally cylindrical housing; a spool mounted for rotation in the housing having an axis of rotation which is in orthogonal relationship to a front face of the housing; a rope stored on the spool having a free end portion which extends upwardly to a helical groove on an outer portion of a friction core which is mounted on an upper portion of said housing for controlling a rate of descent with the descender; and a camshaft rotatably mounted in the housing for adjusting the rate of descent. A tang extending downwardly from a lower portion of the housing and a pair of spaced apart bosses having apertures on an upper portion of said housing are provided for attaching the descender apparatus.

Abstract: An emergency escape pulley structure includes a main shaft on which a plurality of rope wheels are mounted. The main shaft actuates a deceleration gear set, so as to link a braking wheel. The rope wheels are controlled by a control member to turn independently on the shaft, thereby enabling two or more persons to use the emergency escape pulley structure at the same time.

Abstract: A fire escape device includes first and second cable drums rotatably mounted on a mounting shaft and spaced apart from each other axially, first and second support cables respectively wound around hub portions of the cable drums, and a coupling mechanism disposed between the cable drums to interconnect releasably the same. The first support cable is unreeled to generate a jerking force to permit rotation of the second cable drum with the first cable drum. Unreeling of the second support cable can rotate the first and second cable drums to reel the first support cable. Thus, alternately lowering people one after another from an elevated floor to a safe location can be achieved.

Abstract: A new multi-purpose portable davit anchoring system is provided, having a sectional vertical support mast which comes apart for compact stowage and is easily reassembled. The support mast incorporates a screw jack assembly which adjusts the height of the mast and biases the support mast between two opposing surfaces, such as a floor and ceiling. The biasing action enables it to be firmly yet removably attached to a building wherein the exterior walls are not load-bearing but merely sheathing, and to provide support for a damaged ceiling that might otherwise collapse. A boom member is removably fastened to the support mast, for deploying a lifting and lowering cable away from the side of the building. A mounting plate is provided for a winch assembly that can wind up the cable or release it at a controlled rate of speed.

Abstract: A worm gear mechanism driven by an electric motor and operatively coupled to a reel having a length of high tensile line for an emergency escape from a high structure. The reel is arranged within a casing, and a belt is connected to the casing for supporting a person's body. The worm gear mechanism rotates the reel, feeding out the line, and thereby lowering the user to a safe location below.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for securing against the impermissible unreeling speed of a belt element (80) from a shaft (82) of a lifter (70) used for transporting a handicapped person; the shaft is connected to a first gear wheel (84), in order to assure by a structurally simple arrangement that if the belt element (80) has an impermissible unreeling speed, locking of the shaft (82) occurs as a function of the speed of revolution of the shaft (82) receiving the belt element (80), a locking element (102) is moved in between the first gear wheel (84) and a gear wheel (92), as a result of which the first gear wheel (84) is blocked.

Abstract: A telescopic emergency egress device includes an outer tube having a front end and a back end, an inner tube having a front end and being telescopically movable along the outer tube, a spring compressed to push the inner tube to move from a retracted position to an extended position, a retainer operable to maintain the inner tube in the retracted position, and a device for lowering a person at the front end of the inner tube from a higher level to a lower level at a speed of sufficient safety to the person.

Abstract: A fire escape device for lowering people from a high-rise, including a casing having a hanger for hanging on a support in a high-rise from which the user is going to escape, a driving pulley mounted inside the casing, a cable wound round the driving pulley and having an outer end extended out of the casing, a harness adapted for securing the user to the outer end of the cable, a friction disk having a corrugated track, a chain transmission turned by the driving pulley to rotate the friction disk, and spring-supported damping means installed in the casing and pressed on the corrugated track of the friction disk to impart a damping resistance to the driving pulley through the friction disk when the user goes down from the high-rise.

Abstract: A single rope descending device, especially a portable descending device for use of a single person, comprises a receiving housing, a cap, an adjusting nut, and a rope windlass. The receiving housing is made up of a left and a right semi-circular hollow halves within which the rope windlass having a rope wound and raveled thereon is housed. Each half of the receiving housing is provided with a tapered protruding end wherein corresponding serrated clamping edges define the assembling part thereof to boost up the resistant force of the rope passed through the twist and turn formed thereby. The cap is screwed up to conic outer threads of the tapered protruding ends to clamp tight the tapered protruding ends against the rope.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the safety equipment of a circulatable ladder. The device requires no automatic power and can be operated for heavy loading capacity. The device includes a track set, a circulatable chain mounted along the track set, a securing device secured to a building for securing thereon the track set and a decelerator mounted on the securing device for slowing down the circulating speed of the circulatable chain.

Abstract: A power-free descending device for emergent escape from a building which comprises a frame having a hook engaged on the top thereof for hanging on fixed objects and having an opening on central bottom thereof, two partition boards vertically positioned in the frame to divide the frame into three sections, a principal shaft with a central spiral part for the winding of ropes, several friction plates separately positioned underneath the principal shaft and respectively supported by a spring, two plates with one hole in each plate for coupling with one end of the principal shaft to position the shaft, and a rope winding on the central spiral part of the shaft with both ends stretching from the opening of the frame. When escaping from a high building, people grasp one end of the rope and the shaft rolls intermittently and slowly under the influence of the spring and the resistance of friction plates. The descending speed is therefore slow and the people can safely escape from the building.

Abstract: A lifesaving apparatus comprising a scale usable as a life line, the scale comprising a high tensile strength wire with graduations in a longitudinal direction thereof, a drum for winding the metal wire thereonto, a casing accommodating the drum while permitting the same to rotate, a magnifying glass on the casing for allowing the graduations to be read, and a person carrying system. The high tensile strength wire of high tensile strength is formed of a stranded cable formed of a plurality of strands each having a tensile strength of at least 400 kgf/mm.sup.2 such that the high tensile strength wire is capable of suspending a person. The strands have a coat of a synthetic resin covering the strand. The person carrying system is connected to an end of the scale.

Abstract: A scale usable as a life line includes a metal wire 5 of high tensile strength with graduation 6 in a longitudinal direction thereof, a drum 2 for winding the metal wire 5 thereonto, a casing 1 accommodating the drum 2 while permitting the same to rotate, and a magnifying glass 7 for allowing the graduation 6 to be read, wherein the metal wire 5 of high tensile strength is formed of a strand comprised of a plurality of steel wires of a fine grained composition each having a diameter of 10 to 100 .mu.m and a coat of a synthetic resin covering the strand.

Abstract: A rescue system includes a hoist including a backplate; a rope drum mounted on the backplate for rotation about an axis extending substantially perpendicular to the backplate, the rope drum having a rope engaging surface located between a pair of circular end flanges; a rope guide fixed to the backplate, the rope guide formed by a pair of elongated laterally spaced legs connected at opposite ends of the rope guide to define therebetween at least one rope slot, the rope guide having an arcuate shape conforming substantially to the circular end flanges of the rope drum; a generally T-shaped rope lock bar mounted on a forward end of the rope guide, the lock bar including a stem and a cross bar, the cross bar extending substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the rope drum; and a lock mounted on the backplate for movement between engaged and disengaged positions, the lock including a cam which, when in the engaged position, permits movement of a rope in one direction but not in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An emergency cable descent system for lowering a person from a building in an emergency situation. The system includes a boom which may be pivoted outside a window of a building to support a cable away from an exterior of the building. The cable is contained upon a spool which rotates against a force of a friction brake to provide a constant rate of descent. The friction brake is actuated by a solenoid system to control the rate of descent according to the body weight of the person. Alternate embodiments of the present invention include both a mechanical siren for alerting other occupants of the building to a use of the system and a mechanical brake assembly which may be utilized to control the rate of descent in an absence of electrical power.

Abstract: A fire escape device enabling persons to be lowered from tall structures. The device features a cable spool about which a cable is wound for at least one revolution. A helical channel is defined on the outer surface of the cable spool for the cable to ride in and a spool casing is provided to prevent the cable from riding out of the channel. A housing having first and second ends supports the cable spool and spool casing. Housing openings and channel openings are provided to allow the cable to pass into the channel about the spool. Harness supports are also provided at the first and second ends of the housing to hold the harness straps. A person is secured in the harness straps and may be lowered from the structure at a controlled rate by passing the cable through the housing. It is possible for the person to control their own rate of descent although it could also be controlled by a person in the structure or a person on the ground.

Abstract: The elevating and lowering apparatus comprises a baseplate (1) on which a freely rotatable lowering pulley (2) including a back-run safety is mounted. A toothed crown (7) is mounted on the side of the lowering pulley facing the baseplate, the teeth (7a) of the toothed crown cooperating with a ratchet member (9) in such a manner that in the freewheeling direction, the ratchet member is lifted, and in the reverse direction, the ratchet member blocks said toothed crown, i.e. the lowering pulley. Said ratchet member is accommodated in the baseplate. Such an additional back-run safety results in an increased security, and in some countries, it is mandatory for certain operations involving the apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus for moving personnel or materials through an opening in a sidewall of a vessel and down into the vessel wherein a lower support and an upper support are mounted on the portion of the sidewall defining the opening and have a tripod supported thereon and located within the vessel. A hoist and a fall arresting device are mounted on the upper support and the cables thereof are passed over pulleys mounted on the tripod so that personnel or materials may be attached to the snaphook on the end of the cable and moved through the opening and lowered into the vessel.

Abstract: An emergency descent device includes a casing, a rotation retarding device, a suspension gear pulley, a cable extending around the suspension gear pulley and a cable guiding unit. The cable guiding unit includes a pair of spaced upper rollers and a lower roller provided under a point between the two spaced rollers. A cable has a descending portion and an ascending portion, which is frictionally passed around the suspension gear pulley. Each of the two end portions of a cable pass between one of the pair of spaced rollers and the lower roller. When one end of the cable is pulled, an additional frictional force occurs which arrests the fall of the pulled end of the cable.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus that can be used for hoisting and rescue purposes at significant elevations such as in high rise buildings.

Abstract: An escape system for enabling occupants to escape from the upper levels of buildings includes a vessel suspended from at least two fire-resistant cables spaced apart upon the surface of the vessel, the vessel itself being of fire-resistant material and being substantially air-tight, a bridge affording access for personnel from an adjacent building to the vessel, and lift means for retracting the cables and thus lifting the vessel.

Abstract: An assembly for lowering a person to safety from a building under a descent operation that is controlled by the person without requiring such person to manipulate a hand operated device, such as a lever. The assembly includes a rope which is connected to a storage drum via guide rollers and which passes through a gap defined by a cam element. The cam element is biased to rotate, and when in a first position jams the rope element against further movement off of the storage drum. The cam element automatically moves into the first position and is moved out of that position when the person jumps upwardly.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for automatically securing a climber climbing a wall, wherein it comprises:a shaft guided in rotation,at least one drum comprising a groove for receiving a line wound around the drum at least once,an irreversible control member interposed between each drum and the shaft preventing a relative rotation between the drum and the shaft in a first direction and allowing rotation of the drum in a direction opposite the first direction,a system for continuously taking-up the slack of the line,and a means for controlling rotation of the shaft in a direction opposite that allowed by the irreversible control member, enabling the climber, who has fallen, to descend.

Abstract: A roofing safety device, adapted to be used in connection with substantially all roof configurations comprises an upright support, adapted to be secured to the roof of a building, having at least one self-braking mechanism and cable assembly attached thereto. Disposed at the free end of the cable is a fastening device which may be secured to one of a plurality of heavy rings secured to a belt. The plurality of rings provided on the belt enables the worker to attach the cable of the self-braking mechanism to either side of his body, thereby allowing the worker to perform his task on the roof without being chafed by the cable. A pair of stabilizing struts, each having a rectangular foot at the distal ends thereof which are rotatable about a pair of orthogonal axes enables the device to conform to substantially any rooftop configuration.