Zipline trolley
OwnerMichael Troy Richardsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
For travel on a cable, the zipline trolley includes a wheel, a brake, a frame, a hanger, and a lower slot. The wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame. The wheel includes a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing. The brake is disposed on a distal end of the frame. The brake is connected to a given lever point and includes a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable. The frame includes an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel. The hanger is connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight. The weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable. The lower slot receives the cable.
Claims18
A device comprising:
- one wheel, wherein the wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame and comprises a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing;
- a brake disposed on a distal end of the frame and is connected to a given lever point and comprising a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable;
- the frame comprising an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel;
- a hanger connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight, wherein the weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake at a lever angle and a lever distance to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable, wherein the brake applies a first frictive force to the cable with a first force to surface area ratio in a direction of travel and a second frictive force opposite the direction of travel, and wherein the hanger is further connected to at least on sliding bar that slides within a slider groove;
- and
- a lower slot configured to receive the cable and to allow the device to be removed from the cable when the hanger is removed from the given lever point.
A system comprising:
- at least one spring segment, wherein each spring segment comprises at least one spring coil;
- a receiver disposed on a first spring;
- one wheel, wherein the wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame and comprises a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing;
- a brake disposed on a distal end of the frame and is connected to a given lever point and comprising a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable;
- a brake stop that that applies a downward force to the brake in response to impacting the receiver;
- the frame comprising an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel;
- a hanger connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight, wherein the weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake at a lever angle and a lever distance to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable, wherein the brake applies a first frictive force to the cable with a first force to surface area ratio in a direction of travel and a second frictive force opposite the direction of travel;
- a lower slot configured to receive the cable and to allow the device to be removed from the cable when the hanger is removed from the given lever point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.