Ascender device on a double rope

The invention relates to an ascender device for ascending on a double rope composed of a first ascender and a second ascender assembled to one another by securing means, each ascender comprising:

a metal flange in the bottom part of which an aperture is cut out forming a grip on the outside, a trough arranged at the top part of the flange for passage of the rope, and a swivel cleat provided with a surface for jamming the rope in the bottom of said trough.

Ascenders for a double rope generally comprise a first ascender with a grip for the right hand and a second ascender with a grip for the left hand, which are mounted back to back without any offset so as to superpose the two grips. The two troughs are arranged side by side with the corresponding jamming cleats and final assembly of the apparatus is performed by riveting the two grips.

In another known apparatus, the grips are separated from one another without being superposed to enable a better grip with both hands. The two troughs do however remain arranged side by side as in the above-mentioned case.

In all known apparatuses, the two ascenders have flanges of different structures, which require several types of tooling for cutting and folding the right-hand and left-hand flanges of the two ascenders.

The object of the invention consists in providing an ascender device that is easy to use and to hold when ascending along a double rope, and that is manufactured with standard parts requiring the same tooling for manufacture of both the ascenders.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that the flanges of the two ascenders are identical and are reversed by pivoting through 180° with respect to one another along a vertical axis extending parallel to the two troughs, and that the two grips are symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis so as to be able to be held simultaneously by the user's right hand and left hand.

This results in a balanced bearing of the ascender device for double rope. The two flanges of identical structure are both manufactured with the same tooling in the case of a cutting and folding operation, or the same mould in the case of manufacture in a foundry.

The two flanges are superposed at the base and comprise a pair of coaxial holes forming a single securing hole for passage of a carabiner.

According to a first embodiment, the grips of the flanges are joined on the inside to two superposed branches extending vertically in the extension of the troughs and comprising coaxial holes for passage of the securing means.

According to a second embodiment, the ascenders are assembled in a heart shape, without superposed branches on the inside.

The identical flanges of the ascender device can be achieved by cutting and folding, by machining a metal sheet section, or by founding.

Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective side view of the flanges of the two adjoined ascenders of the ascender device according to the invention, the jamming cleats not being represented;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ascender device of FIG. 1 , with the presence of the two jamming cleats;

FIG. 3 shows an elevation of the ascender device according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an identical view to FIG. 3 , after the apparatus has been rotated through 180°;

FIGS. 5 and 6 represent two alternative embodiments of the invention.

In FIGS. 1 to 4 , an ascender device 10 for ascending on a double rope C 1 , C 2 is composed of a first ascender 11 A and a second ascender 11 B assembled to one another by securing means 12 so as to be able to be held at the same time by the user's right hand and left hand.

The two ascenders 11 A, 11 B present identical structures and are both achieved by means of the same cutting and folding tooling.

Each ascender 11 A, 11 B comprises a metal flange 13 A, 13 B made in particular of aluminium alloy, an internal aperture 14 A, 14 B designed to form a grip 15 A, 15 B on the outside being cut out in the bottom part of the flange.

The top part of each ascender 11 A, 11 B is folded into a U-shape to form a vertical trough 16 A, 16 B accommodating rope C 1 , C 2 , and further comprises a cleat 17 A, 17 B articulated on a transverse articulation axis 18 A, 18 B. Each cleat 17 A, 17 B is provided with a jamming surface in the form of a cam, equipped with a plurality of spurs of the type described in the document FR 2311213. A torsion spring 22 A, 22 B is mounted coaxially on axis 18 A, 18 B, and urges cleat 17 A, 17 B to press on rope C 1 , C 2 inside corresponding trough 16 A, 16 B.

Opposite grip 15 A, 15 B, each aperture 14 A, 14 B of flange 13 A, 13 B is bounded by a substantially straight branch 19 A, 19 B extending vertically in the extension under corresponding trough 16 A, 16 B.

The base of each branch 19 A, 19 B of flanges 13 A, 13 B is provided with a circular opening 20 A, 20 B for passage of a carabiner. The intermediate part of branches 19 A, 19 B further comprises holes 21 with smaller diameters than those of openings 20 A, 20 B. Holes 21 will be used for fitting securing means 12 .

Assembly of the two ascenders 11 A, 11 B is performed as follows:

Flanges 13 A, 13 B of the two ascenders 11 A, 11 B are identical and are reversed with respect to one another following a vertical pivoting movement through 180°, being adjoined via their internal branches 19 A, 19 B and troughs 16 A, 16 B. Straight branches 19 A, 19 B are thereby superposed, and openings 20 A, 20 B are coaxial and aligned in the transverse direction.

Holes 21 in branches 19 A, 19 B are also aligned enabling passage of securing means 12 formed by rivets or any other assembly system. Two rivets in superposed branches 19 A, 19 B are sufficient to obtain the required mechanical strength of ascender device 10 .

Assembly of the two ascenders 11 A, 11 B is performed along vertical axis XY ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) extending parallel to the two troughs 16 A, 16 B and to the two straight branches 19 A, 19 B adjoined back to back by securing means 12 . This vertical axis XY also constitutes the axis of symmetry of the two ascenders 11 A, 11 B.

When ascending along a double rope C 1 , C 2 , the user first attaches ascender device 10 to the harness by means of a carabiner (not represented) passing through openings 20 A, 20 B. He then passes double rope C 1 , C 2 in troughs 16 A, 16 B, then climbs up along rope C 1 , C 2 holding the two grips 15 A, 15 B with his right hand and his left hand.

With reference to the alternative embodiment of FIG. 5 , branches 19 A, 19 B of flanges 13 A, 13 B are eliminated so as to form a heart-shaped assembly. The mechanical strength of the device can be increased by using a thicker metal plate.

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 6 , branches 19 A, 19 B of flanges 13 A, 13 B are securedly attached to one another by means of a crimped ring 23 and rivets 30 or an eyelet 31 . A weld 24 can be made along the assembly interfaces of branches 19 A, 19 B to increase the mechanical strength.