Hoisting and lowering device
AssigneeGrid Manufacturing Corporation
InventorMark Groves
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device, system and method are used for hoisting and lowering a load. The device has a front plate that may be displaced to reveal a sheave. The device also has a friction accessory. The friction accessory is arranged to create friction between a rope and the device when a load is suspended from the device using the rope and where the device is secured to a support structure. The system may be prepared by an operator, having ascended to an elevated location, and further allows the operator to lower the load from the elevated location prior to descending.
Claims21
1-17. (canceled)
A device for controlling the hoisting and/or lowering of loads, the device comprising:
- a main body comprising a rear wall having a thickness configured to transfer a load applied to a first end of the device to a second end of the device;
- and
- a sheave offset forwardly from the rear wall and secured for rotation relative to the rear wall about an axis that is normal to an adjacent portion of the rear wall, the sheave having an outer diameter and an outer circumferential surface, the outer circumferential surface comprising a groove;
- a hook-shaped friction accessory extending from the main body that is offset to the rear from the groove of the outer circumferential surface such that a cord positioned within the groove of the sheave will be offset in a forward direction from the hook-shaped friction accessory at a location where the cord separates from the groove.
A device for controlling the hoisting and/or lowering of loads through the use of friction applied to a cable, the device comprising:
- a main body comprising a rear wall, a cylindrical post extending forwardly from the rear wall, and a boss extending forwardly from the rear wall;
- a sheave rotatably mounted on the cylindrical post, the sheave comprising a front face and a rear face, the rear face of the sheave being adjacent to the rear wall of the main body, and an outer circumferential groove sized and configured to accommodate a portion of an outer surface of a cable;
- a front plate rotatably mounted on the cylindrical post to overlay the front face of the sheave and to selectively overlay the boss, the front plate comprising a slot configured to selectively engage a releasable clasp on the to selectively couple the front plate to the boss and limit the rotation thereof;
- and
- a friction accessory extending the main body, the friction accessory being offset from the sheave such that, when viewed from the side, a plane defined by the rear face of the sheave does not intersect the friction accessory, the friction accessory including a gate that is pivotally secured to the main body, and the friction accessory and the gate defining an enclosed space that is configured to capture an entire diameter of at least a portion of the cable when the cable is wrapped at least one time around at least a portion of the friction accessory.
A method, comprising:
- securing a device to a support structure, the device comprising
- a pulley having a main body, a sheave, and a front plate, wherein the front plate moves to reveal a chamber therein;
- a friction accessory located at a bottom of the pulley;
- and
- a fastener located at a top of the pulley;
- inserting a cord into the device;
- attaching a first end of the cord to an item to be hoisted or lowered;
- and
- using the cord to hoist or lower the item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.