US 6,083,142 A · Mobile, modular climbing tower

Abstract

The invention provides improved climbing devices and structures for use in mobile and fixed climbing installations. The mobile climbing installation has a modular climbing tower pivotally mounted to a trailer to pivot between a road orientation and a climbing orientation. Modular climbing towers are generally assembled from panels having lateral curves by fastening upper and lower flanges of the panels together. The panels and flanges are integrally molded from fiberglass, and act as a monocoque structure. The climbing surface is on the radially outward portion of the partially or fully enclosed tower, thereby increasing the number of climbers that can safely be accommodated on a climbing surface of a given width. The invention also provides belaying devices for safely supporting a climber at the end of a flexible member such as a cable, rope, or the like. These belaying devices generally draw in the flexible member as the climber climbs. When the climber falls or completes the climbing route, the belay device supports the climber's weight, slowly and safely lowering the climber down to the ground. The exemplary auto-belay device makes use of a hydraulic piston mechanism to separate a pair of pulley assemblies. The flexible members runs back and forth between the pulley assemblies with a plurality of windings, so that the stroke of the hydraulic piston is significantly less than the height of the climbing structure.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A modular artificial climbing structure comprising:

a trailer;
a plurality of rigid panels, each panel having upper and lower edges, the panel defining a lateral curve about an axis with a radially outwardly oriented climbing surface extending between the upper and lower edges, at least one of the lower edges affixed to the upper edge of an adjacent panel so that the climbing surfaces of the panels define a contiguous combined climbing area, the affixed panels axially aligned and defining a rigid tower having a top panel and a bottom panel, the tower pivotably mounted on the trailer so that the tower pivots from a road orientation to a climbing orientation, the tower in the road orientation having a first height and a total width which is less than a maximum trailer width, the tower in the climbing orientation extending upwardly from adjacent ground to the top panel at a climbing height greater than the first height;
a plurality of climbing holds distributed across the combined climbing area, the climbing holds defining at least three climbing routes, the routes sufficiently separated circumferentially along the lateral curves of the panels so that three climbers can climb the tower simultaneously;
and
a plurality of climber support devices affixed adjacent the top panel.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile, modular climbing tower

Life of this patent

Mobile, modular climbing tower

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12