An apparatus assists in retaining a rope in connection with a sheave on a boom. The apparatus includes a retainer supported by the boom for swinging outwardly relative to the sheave from a first position adjacent to the sheave for assisting in retaining the rope therein and a second position for facilitating removing the rope from the sheave. A holder may be provided for holding the retainer in the second position, so that the operator's hands are freed for other tasks. A receiver may also be provided for temporarily receiving a locking pin once removed from the retainer, thus helping to guard against loss.

An apparatus for use in rigging stages includes a portable bar sized to extend across standard widths of a tower or a cross beam with a portion extending beyond the side of the tower or beam. A lifting mechanism, such as a block-and-tackle, is attached to the portion to allow a rigger to raise or lower heavy objects. In a method of use, a rigger carries the lifting bar to a desired location on a tower or beam and secures at least one end of the portable bar to one or more cross bars. Then the rigger can raise or lower heavy objects by attaching a flexible line from the lifting mechanism to the object and manipulating the lifting mechanism to assist in moving the heavy object to a desired location.

A device, system and method are used for hoisting and lowering a load. The device has a front plate that may be displaced to reveal a sheave. The device also has a friction accessory. The friction accessory is arranged to create friction between a rope and the device when a load is suspended from the device using the rope and where the device is secured to a support structure. The system may be prepared by an operator, having ascended to an elevated location, and further allows the operator to lower the load from the elevated location prior to descending.

A fairlead for guiding a cable while maintaining a minimum radius of curvature of said cable, said fairlead comprising: a block with a first and a second side element and at least two pulleys supported between said first and second side element, allowing said pulleys to rotate around parallel axes of rotation; an endless elastic double curved belt in a loop around said at least two pulleys; at least one block carrier bow extending between said first and second side element, wherein said at least one block carrier bow defines an opening with an inner circle segment forming an arch shaped traveling path; a suspension arrangement including at least one traveling bow contact element, said suspension arrangement forming a travelling carriage running along the arch shaped traveling path in a plane parallel to said parallel axes of rotation of said pulleys.

A line-handling block permits a soft attachment to perform the functions of securing the block to the boat, hinging the block's cheeks at one end, and locking the cheeks together positively but releaseably at its other end. The soft attachment so arranged, reinforces the block against destructive strain and aligns the block for a fair lead. Increased force on the soft attachment has the desirable effect of engaging it positively about the block to restrain unwanted opening. The block may be 3D-printed in sparse mode with a hard-plastic shell having a lightweight honeycomb interior, hence being so light that it floats if dropped overboard.

A wilderness lifting system includes a first wall that defines a first ball socket and a second wall that is spaced from the first wall. The second wall defines a second ball socket. The wilderness lifting system also includes a neck portion that connects the first wall and the second wall together, and a ball rotatably received in the first ball socket and the second ball socket.

A device, system and method are used for hoisting and lowering a load. The device has a front plate that may be displaced to reveal a sheave. The device also has a friction accessory. The friction accessory is arranged to create friction between a rope and the device when a load is suspended from the device using the rope and where the device is secured to a support structure. The system may be prepared by an operator, having ascended to an elevated location, and further allows the operator to lower the load from the elevated location prior to descending.

Disclosed is a housing (10) for a winch ring (12) carrying a cable (14). The winch ring (12) defines a central aperture (16) having an axis (18), and a peripheral region defining an annular groove (20) for receiving the cable (14). The housing (10) includes opposed gripping members (24) joined by at least one bridging portion (26). Each gripping member (24) is releasably mountable to a side of the winch ring (12) to position the at least one bridging portion (26) across the annular groove (20). The at least one bridging portion (26) is shaped to extend about the axis (18) to enclose a portion of the annular groove (20) to inhibit removal of the cable (14) from the winch ring (12). The gripping members (24) are mountable to the winch ring (12) to permit relative rotation of the peripheral region of the winch ring (12) and the housing (10) about the axis (18). At least one of the gripping members (24) is shaped to at least partially surround the central aperture (16) to allow access through the central aperture (16). Also disclosed is an assembly (50) for carrying the winch cable (14), and a winch assembly (30).

A pulley block is disclosed. The pulley block comprises: first and second plates and a pulley sheave disposed between the plates for rotation on bearings upon a sheave axle that extends between the plates along a sheave axis. The plates are connected to the sheave axle so as to permit rotation of one plate with respect to the other about the sheave axis between a closed position of the pulley block and an open position of the pulley block. Each plate has, at a position remote from the sheave axis, a respective bollard formation, which bollard formations are disposed such that, when the plates are in the closed position, the respective bollard formations are in contact with or in close proximity to one another to form a bollard that extends between the plates. When the plates are in the open position, the respective bollard formations are spaced apart. The pulley sheave rotates on bearings upon a sheave axle assembly that extends between the plates along a sheave axis. Which assembly has a main axle that is fixed for rotation with respect to the first plate and free for rotation with respect to the second plate and an axle cap that clamps the main axle to the first plate, the axle cap being removably secured to the main axle.

A multifunction device adapted to house at least one safety rope comprises a first fixed portion which defines a first passage for the rope; a first rotation axis; a second portion movable with respect to the first portion and connected to the first rotation axis to rotate between open and closed positions; a second rotation axis; a movable cam mounted on the second rotation axis to rotate between an interference position of the first passage and a free sliding position; a pulley mounted on the first axis; at least one first seat on the first portion and at least one second seat on the second portion at least partially coinciding to couple a first connector to the multifunction device and arranged in an area defined by two straight lines passing through the ends of a segment connecting the first and second rotation axes and perpendicular to the segment.