Climbing device for lowering a climbing rail, and method for lowering a climbing rail

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a climbing device (10) for lowering a climbing rail, i.e. for climbing downwards. In the method, the climbing rail, which is placed on a climbing head (18) by means of an upper protrusion, is lowered in that a climbing cylinder (20) is retracted. In particular, the climbing cylinder can be spaced from the climbing rail by completely retracting the climbing cylinder (20) at the upper end by means of a distancing device (34) prior to extending the climbing cylinder (20) again. Thus, the climbing cylinder (20) can be extended again without the climbing rail engaging or hooking below the climbing head (18) at the now central protrusion in that the distancing device (34) moves the climbing head (18) around the central protrusion. The distancing device (34) is activated in the retracted state of the climbing cylinder (20) in order to bypass a protrusion of the climbing rail and is deactivated in the extended state of the climbing cylinder in order to engage below a protrusion of the climbing rail (20) via a hook (22) of the climbing head (18). The climbing cylinder (20) preferably stands on a climbing shoe at the lower end, the catch of said climbing shoe being directly or indirectly releasable and blockable via a mechanical actuation means. The catch of the climbing shoe can be held in a reversibly releasable manner alternatively or in addition thereto by a blocking device in the form of a toggle lever joint and/or a push/push mechanism. Preferably, a lever is provided that can be actuated by a protrusion in order to extend the catch again, which is actuated by a protrusion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.