THREADED ANCHOR FOR ICE CLIMBING

Abstract

A threaded anchor for ice climbing, comprising: —a screw with a cylindrical tubular body, a number of cutting teeth, a rearward perimetric protruding threaded section; —a clamp disposed exteriorly with regard to the screw and comprising an operating component, displaceable between: a locked position, where the tightening of the clamp and the fixing thereof at any point along the length of the screw is established, and an unlocked position, enabling the turning of the clamp with regard to the screw and the positioning of the clamp at any point along the length of said screw; —a folded strap attached by its first end to the clamp and presenting at its second end a closed loop for the mounting of a carabiner suited for the hitching of the climbing rope in its position of use or of a harness of the climber in an inoperative position.

Claims

1. An anchor for ice climbing, comprising: —a screw with a cylindrical tubular body and having, at its leading end, ice cutting and penetrating teeth, and at its external surface at least one threaded leading section, and at its rear end a stop perimeter projection, characterised in that it comprises: a clamp arranged externally with respect to the screw and comprising an actuating part movable between: a locking position in which the clamp is tightened and fixed, without possibility of rotation or movement, at any point along the screw; and an unlocking position allowing for the clamp rotation with respect to the screw and the clamp positioning at any point along said screw; a folded strap, attached by a first end to the clamp and having at its second end a closed loop for fitting a carabiner suited for the hitching of the climbing rope in a position of use of the anchor, or for the hitching of the anchor to a climber's harness in an inoperative position.

2. The anchor according to claim 1, characterised in that the strap has, on a section of its length, close to the clamp, a coating forming a grip and/or transmission area of a torque to the clamp and to the screw, when said clamp is locked, without possibility of rotation or longitudinal movement with respect to the screw.

3. The anchor according to claim 1, characterised in that the clamp has an internal thread complementary to the thread of the threaded leading section of the screw; said threads having an adequate height to allow their contact both in the locking position, and in the unlocking position, of the clamp.

4. The anchor according to claim 1, characterised in that the first end of the strap is attached to the clamp with the possibility of rotation with respect to an axis perpendicular to a plane coinciding with a longitudinal axis of the screw body.

5. The anchor according to claim 1, characterised in that the screw has, on its external surface, a cylindrical, smooth, rear section, which outer diameter coincides with the inner diameter of the thread of the threaded leading section.

6. The anchor according to claim 1, characterised in that the external surface of the screw body is threaded along its entire length.

7. The anchor, according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plug fixed to the strap and suitable for covering the leading end of the screw, having the teeth, in an inoperative or transport position of the anchor.

8. The anchor, according to claim 1, characterised in that the actuating part is linked to a stem which is responsible for approaching the opposite ends of the clamp, causing the clamp to lock on the screw when the actuating part is placed in the locking position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to complement the description that is being carried out and with the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present description is accompanied by a set of drawings wherein, by way of a non-limiting example, the following has been represented:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the anchor for ice climbing according to the invention, the screw having a leading threaded section and a smooth rear section with the clamp locked in an intermediate area of the screw.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a view analogous to the previous one, with the clamp unlocked.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the anchor according to the invention, with the clamp unlocked at the rear end of the screw.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the anchor of the previous figures, with the clamp locked at the rear end of the screw and with the piece of the strap provided with a coating of non-flexible material arranged perpendicularly to the screw and the rest of the strap being folded towards the rear area of the screw.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the anchor of the previous figures, in which an intermediate portion of the screw and the clamp has been diametrically sectioned, allowing to see the inner thread of said clamp.

[0039] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the anchor of the invention, with the screw inserted into an ice wall, and with the clamp in contact with said ice wall.

[0040] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the anchor, in which the screw is provided with an external surface threaded in its entirety and represented in a transport position, in which the teeth are covered by a plug fixed to the strap.

[0041] FIG. 8 corresponds to another perspective view of the anchor in FIG. 7.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0042] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the anchor for ice climbing comprises a screw (1) itself, provided with a cylindrical tubular body having at its leading end teeth (11); at its outer surface a threaded leading section (12) and a cylindrical rear section (13); and at its rear end a perimeter projection (14); on the screw (1) a clamp (2) is fitted to which a folded strap (3) is attached, carrying a carabiner (4).

[0043] The clamp (2) is provided with an actuating part (21) acting on a stem (22), and which is able to move between a locking position, shown in FIG. 1, in which the clamp is unable to rotate and to move longitudinally with respect to the screw (1), and an unlocking position, represented in FIG. 2, in which the clamp can rotate freely and move along the screw (1).

[0044] The strap (3) is attached by a first end (31) to the clamp (2), specifically to the stem (22), and has a second end (32), in the form of a closed loop, for fitting the carabiner (4). This carabiner (4) allows the hitching of the climbing rope (not shown) when the anchor (1) is in use, and the hanging, by means of the carabiner, of the assembly of the anchor on the climber's equipment carrier when said anchor is not in use.

[0045] The clamp (2) can be arranged at any point along the screw (1), both on the threaded area and on the smooth area, so that once the screw (1) is introduced into the ice, said clamp can be locked in a position very close to or in contact with the surface of the ice wall, thus minimising the lever effect and, consequently, the stresses transmitted to the anchoring area of the screw by any force supported by the clamp.

[0046] As can be seen in FIG. 5, the clamp (2) has an internal thread (23) complementary and engageable to the thread of the leading section (12), said threads having a height suitable to allow their contact both in the locking position and in the unlocking position of the clamp; so that in the unlocking position the clamp (2) can rotate on the thread of said threaded leading section (12), forward or backward along the screw (1). This feature allows, on the one hand, that the clamp can approach the surface of an ice wall (P) when a portion of the threaded leading section (12) protrudes from said wall, as shown in FIG. 6, and, on the other hand, that the clamp (2) can be oriented in any radial direction, depending on the stresses transmitted by the climber to the strap (3).

[0047] In the locking position of the clamp (2) relative to the screw (1), the strap (3) itself can be used as a crank to screw or unscrew the screw (1) in or from the ice.

[0048] Although it is not essential, in the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, in a section close to the clamp (2) the strap (3) has a coating (5), for example made of a thermoplastic material, forming a gripping area and/or transmission area of a torque to the clamp (2) and to the screw (1), when said clamp (2) is locked without possibility of rotation or longitudinal movement with respect to the screw.

[0049] It should be noted that the first end (31) of the strap (1) is fitted on the stem (22) of the clamp (2) with the possibility of free rotation, allowing it to be arranged parallel to the screw (1), as shown in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, or substantially perpendicular to the axis of the screw (1), for example, during its use as a crank, as shown in the rest of the figures.

[0050] In the embodiment variant shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the threaded leading section (12) covers the entire length of the screw (1), said screw (1) lacking the cylindrical smooth rear section (13) of the previous figures.

[0051] In the examples shown, the anchor further comprises a plug (6) fixed to the strap (3) and suitable for covering the teeth (11) defined at the leading end of the screw (1), in an inoperative or transport position of the anchor.

[0052] Once the nature of the invention as well as an example of preferred embodiment have been sufficiently described, it is stated for all pertinent purposes that the equipment, form, size and arrangement of the elements described are susceptible to changes, provided these do not involve an alteration of the essential features of the invention which are claimed below.