Lock-off descent control systems and devices

An automatic descent control device comprising;

• a housing;
• a shaft rotatably supported within the housing, the shaft defining a rotation axis;
• a line housed at least partially within the housing and configured to be attached to a load;
• a line extension/retraction system supported on the shaft and coupled to the line, the line extension/retraction system having a braking system and configured to retract the line within the housing and wind about the shaft when the line in not loaded and extend the line from the housing and unwind about the shaft when the line is loaded;
• and
• an electronic monitoring system comprising:
• a reluctor wheel coupled to the shaft and configured to rotate with the shaft during winding and unwinding of the line;
• and
• a controller having a printed circuit board with memory, a processor, and at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure rotation and direction of the reluctor wheel, and the controller is configured to record the measured rotation and direction data of the reluctor wheel.

An electronic monitoring system for an auto-belay device having a shaft defining a rotation axis and a line configured to selectively retract and wind about the shaft when not loaded and extend and unwind about the shaft when loaded, the electronic monitoring system comprising:

• a plug shaft configured to couple directly to the shaft and rotate around the rotation axis;
• a reluctor wheel mounted on the plug shaft and configured to rotate with the shaft during winding and unwinding of the line;
• and
• a controller having a printed circuit board with memory, a processor, and at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure rotation and direction of the reluctor wheel, and the controller is configured to record the measured rotation and direction data of the reluctor wheel.

A method of operating an auto-belay device comprising:

• retracting a line, via a line extension/retraction system, so as to wind about a shaft rotatably supported within a housing when the line is not loaded;
• extending the line, via a braking system of the line extension/retractions system, so as to unwind about the shaft when the line is loaded;
• measuring rotational speed and direction of a reluctor wheel, wherein the reluctor wheel is coupled to the shaft and configured to rotate with the shaft during winding and unwinding of the line, and wherein a controller having a printed circuit board with memory, a processor, and at least one sensor measures rotation and direction of the reluctor wheel;
• and
• recording the measured rotation and direction data of the reluctor wheel via the controller during the retraction and extension of the line.