Ice screw with foldable crank handle
AssigneeBlack Diamond Equipment, Ltd.
InventorsHong Kyu Kwak, John Bercaw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice screw includes a hollow tubular shaft with external screw threads formed on the shaft and a hanger attached to the shaft. The hanger has an eye for clipping on a carabiner. A foldable handle is pivotally attached to the hanger to pivot between a crank position and a folded position. In the crank position, the handle extends from the hanger for grasping to rotate and thus rotate the shaft. In the folded position, the handle folds into a recess formed in the hanger. In the crank position, the hanger serves as a lever arm or crank arm for the handle.
Claims11
An ice screw device for use by climbers on a body of ice, said device comprising:
- a shaft having screw threads;
- a hanger attached to the shaft to cause the shaft to rotate when the hanger is moved, the hanger having an eye for receiving a clipped-on carabiner;
- and
- a crank handle attached to the hanger and pivotable between a folded position generally against the hanger, and a crank position where it may be grasped and moved to rotate the shaft.
A method for securing a carabiner to a body of ice comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an ice screw having a shaft with screw threads and a hanger attached to the shaft, and a foldable crank handle attached to the hanger, the hanger having an eye for clipping a carabiner, the handle being pivotable between a folded position and a crank position where it may be grasped and moved to rotate the shaft;
- (b) pivoting the handle of the ice screw to the crank position;
- (c) inserting the end of the shaft of the ice screw into the body of ice;
- (d) turning the handle of the ice screw to rotate the shaft until the shaft is at least partially screwed into the body of ice;
- (e) pivoting the handle of the ice screw to the folded position;
- and
- (f) securing a carabiner to the hanger.
An apparatus for assisting climbers by securing a carabiner to a body of ice, said apparatus comprising:
- a hollow shaft having external screw threads on a portion of the shaft, the shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end formed with teeth, the second end having a head having a rim with a diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft and at least one flat formed in the curve of the shaft;
- a hanger attached to the shaft, the hanger having a recess on one side and an aperture through which the shaft passes for attaching the hanger to the shaft, the aperture having at least one flat formed in the curve of the aperture for mating with the flat formed in the shaft, the hanger including an eye for clipping a carabiner;
- and
- a foldable crank handle attached to the hanger for pivoting between a crank position and a folded position, the handle extending from the hanger in the crank position and nesting in the recess in the folded position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.