Brake bar

Abstract

A brake bar assembly having a U-shaped frame, a sliding friction bar positioned on the U-shaped frame near a closed end of the frame, a fixed friction bar attached to an open end of the U-shaped frame, and a lockable center bar assembly positioned on the U-shaped frame between the sliding friction bar and the fixed friction bar having a spring operated locking mechanism which allows the center bar to be releasably pivoted on the frame.

Claims

1. A brake bar comprising: a U-shaped frame; a sliding friction bar positioned on the U-shaped frame adjacent a closed end of the U-shaped frame; a fixed friction bar attached on an open end of the U-shaped frame; and a lockable center bar assembly positioned on the U-shaped frame between the sliding friction bar and the fixed friction bar having a center bar with a locking mechanism in an interior of the center bar that selectively engages the center bar.

2. The brake bar of claim 1, wherein the center bar includes a slotted opening for receipt of a side leg portion of the U-shaped frame, and where the U-shaped frame comprises at least two side leg portions, and where the center bar is secured to at least one of the two side leg portions as it rotates.

3. The brake bar of claim 2, wherein the slotted opening provides for the center bar assembly to rotate about the at least one of the two side leg portions of the U-shaped frame when the center bar assembly is in an unlocked position.

4. The brake bar of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism selectively engages the center bar via spring activated balls within the locking mechanism which engage openings in the center bar.

5. The brake bar of claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism includes a button cap to activate the spring activated balls.

6. The brake bar of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is biased within the center bar by a spring.

7. The brake bar of claim 1, wherein the sliding friction bar and the fixed friction bar have curved end portions extending outwardly on opposite ends.

8. A rope control device comprising: a frame; a sliding friction bar attached at one end of the frame; a fixed friction bar attached at an opposite end of the frame; and a center bar having a spring operated locking mechanism arranged interior to the center bar which allows the center bar to be releasablely pivoted on the frame.

9. The rope control device of claim 8, wherein the center bar includes a slotted opening for receipt of a side leg portion of the frame.

10. The rope control device of claim 9, wherein the slotted opening provides for the center bar to rotate about the side leg portion of the frame when the spring operated locking mechanism is in an unlocked position.

11. The rope control device of claim 8, wherein the spring operated locking mechanism includes spring activated balls which engage openings in the center bar.

12. The rope control device of claim 11, wherein the spring operated locking mechanism includes a button cap to disengage the spring activated balls from the openings in the center bar.

13. The rope control device of claim 8, wherein the sliding friction bar and the fixed friction bar have curved end portions extending outwardly on opposite ends.

14. A method of operating a rope control device having at least three bars wherein the three bars are positioned on a frame and one of the three bars is selectively lockable and arranged between and parallel to two of the three bars, the method comprising the steps of: depressing a lock release mechanism on the selectively lockable bar; moving the selectively lockable bar away from a portion of the frame; and swinging the selectively lockable bar to an open, unlocked position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of depressing the lock release mechanism is by activating a release button to disengage the lockable release mechanism.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of moving the selectively lockable bar is by sliding the selectively lockable bar in a slotted opening in the selectively lockable bar.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of swinging the selectively lockable bar to the unlocked position is by rotating the selectively lockable bar in the slotted opening about a portion of the frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front view of the brake bar of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the brake bar of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is an exploded, detailed view of the center bar assembly; and

(4) FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic illustrations of the brake bar of FIG. 1 as threaded with a rope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(5) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rope control device or brake bar 10 of the present invention is illustrated. The brake bar includes a U-shaped frame 12, a sliding friction bar 14, a lockable center bar assembly 16 and a fixed friction bar 18. The U-shaped frame 12 includes a closed end portion 20, two-side leg portions 22 and 24 extending from the closed end portion and an open end portion 26. Side leg portion 24 has a flattened surface 27 to be discussed in more detail subsequently herein. Side leg portions 22 and 24 have holes 28 extending therethrough adjacent the open end portion 26 for receipt of pins 30 for attaching the fixed friction bar 18 on the open end portion 26 of the U-shaped frame. Sliding friction bar 14 includes holes 32 for receipt of the side leg portions 22 and 24 to retain the sliding friction bar on the U-shaped frame adjacent the closed end 20, although in use, sliding friction bar 14 can slide along the length of the side leg portions 22 and 24.

(6) Similarly fixed friction bar 18 includes holes 32 for receipt of end portions of side leg portions 22 and 24 and side holes 34 for receipt of the pins 30 to retain the fixed friction bar 18 on the open end 26 of the U-shaped frame. Holes 34 and 28 are aligned for receipt of pins 30. Both sliding friction bar 14 and fixed friction bar 18 have curved portions or horns 36 projecting outwardly on either end of the friction bar. The lockable center bar assembly 16 is positioned on the U-shaped frame 12 between the sliding friction bar 14 and the fixed friction 18. The fixed friction bar 18 captures the sliding friction bar and the lockable center bar assembly on the U-shaped frame and defines the limit for sliding of the sliding friction bar and the lockable center bar assembly.

(7) As seen best in FIG. 3, the lockable center bar assembly 16 comprises a cylindrical center bar 38 having a slotted hole 40 having a circular end portion 42 sized to receive the dimension of cylindrical side leg portion 24 and a slotted portion 44 sized to receive the dimension of flattened surface 27. The center bar has an internal mechanism or lifer 46 positioned therein which has balls 48 positioned within channels 50 which are activated by a button spring 52 positioned around a rod 54 on an end of the lifer. A button cap 56 is positioned over the button spring 52 on the end of the lifer 46. Depressing the button cap 54 presses on the button spring 52 which in turn releases the lifer 46 from the center bar 38 by allowing the balls 48 to fall into an opening 58 in the center bar.

(8) A compression spring 60 is positioned adjacent an end of lifer opposite from the button cap within the center bar which provides resistance making it more difficult to unintentionally release the center bar and serves to positively lock the center bar assembly when locking the brake bar during use. The center bar assembly further includes a lock ring 62 and washers 64 and 66 to contain the internal mechanisms within the center bar 38. The center bar has a U-shaped channel 68 on its end opposite from button cap for engagement with side leg portion 22 of the U-shaped frame. The brake bar of the present invention is constructed of aluminum and can accommodate ropes 9 mm to 13 mm in diameter. The brake bar is certified to MFTA 1983 general use for 12.5 mm rope that has a MBS of 13.5 kN.

(9) A unique function of the brake bar is that the center bar assembly rotates and secures in place from either side of the frame with the locking mechanism. This construction permits threading of rope into the device from either side which eliminates the concern of possibly misthreading the rope. By way of example, FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate use of the brake bar 10 of the present invention, for example, by rescue personnel. The closed end portion 20 of the U-shaped frame provides an attachment point to a harness 70. The brake bar can be threaded by first pushing a bite of rope 72 from behind the brake bar trapping the lockable center bar assembly 16 in place. Threading the rope continues in a linear manner along the brake bar wrapping a bottom or rear horn 36 of the sliding friction bar which is then followed by capturing the top horn 36 on the fixed friction bar on the same side. This configuration with two side horns captured provides adequate friction to manage a 2 kN rescue load. The compression action of the sliding friction bar 14 and lockable center bar assembly 16 against the fixed friction bar 18 on the rope removes the need to capture all four horns for managing a rescue load. A lock-off can be accomplished by securing a cleat hitch on both sides of the brake bar, which provides adequate, unattended hard tie-off for security.

(10) The brake bar of the present invention prevents the unintentional swinging movement of the center bar assembly. For example, a brake bar that does not have a lockable center bar assembly could unintentionally open in instances where a user would be backing away from the anchor point to an edge and slackens the rope through the brake bar to reduce friction making it easier to walk backwards which allows the center bar to potentially swing open allowing the brake bar to become disconnected to the rope.

(11) The brake bar of the present invention provides a lockable center bar configuration but can only swing open if the user performs three steps in succession. First, the user must depress the button cap; second, move the lockable center bar assembly back away from the frame to disengage the U-shaped channel from the side leg portion of the frame; and third, swing the center bar open. Once the rope is pulled into the opening of the frame, the user rotates the lockable center bar assembly back towards the closed position and the compression spring snaps the center bar assembly into place engaging the U-shaped channel with the side leg portion. The button cap returns to the locked position and the two balls lock the center bar assembly in place.

(12) Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that changes and modifications can be made herein that are in the full intended scope of the invention as hereafter claimed.