Belt device

A tree tension device with overload indication, including

• a chain, rope or belt tension organ (10), at the ends of which a tensile force acts, and
• at least one indicating element (16) having a signalling colour different from the tension organ (10) color which indicating element (16) when released visually signals a tensile force which exceeds a pre-determined tensile force,
• wherein the tension organ (10) is enclosed by an opaque protective tube (17) which covers at least the indicating element (16), and
• wherein the indicating element (16) is fastened with two end portions on the tension organ (10) and overlaps the tension organ in the length direction, forming a loop part (20) which shortens the tension organ, the indicating element (16) having a signalling colour, which indicating element is fastened with fastenings (18, 18′) at first and second end portions of the signalling element onto the tension organ (10) such that said indicating element (16) shortens the tension organ (10), wherein the load carrying capacity of the fastenings (18, 18′) is different, wherein the first indicating element end fastening (18) is a rated breaking point which yields to a pre-determined load, while the second indicating element end fastening (18′) withstands higher loads such that the first indicating element end fastening (18) gives way when a pre-determined tensile force acts on the tension organ (10), the tensile force being smaller than said minimum tensile force which the loop fastenings (14, 14′) and the belt are adapted to withstand, whereby the indicating element (16), released at one end and attached at the other end, forms a signal pendant wherein one end of said tension device is secured to a tree part to be monitored, and the other end of said tension device is secured to a tree part stronger than the tree part to be monitored.

A tree tensile load indicating method for quickly and reliably determining from a distance whether an overload has occurred on a belt device, the method comprising:

• forming a belt (10) with a loop at each end (12, 12′) which loop is formed by turning over the end parts of the belt (10) and fastening the ends to the belt via fastenings (14, 14′), wherein the fastenings (14, 14′) and the belt (10) are adapted to withstand a predetermined minimum tensile force, said belt being a first color,
• providing said belt with an indicating element (16) having a signalling colour different from said first color in the vicinity of at least one of the loops (12), which indicating element is fastened with fastenings (18, 18′) at first and second end portions of the signalling element onto the belt (10) such that said indicating element (16) shortens the belt (10), wherein the load carrying capacity of the fastenings (18, 18′) is different, wherein the first indicating element end fastening (18) is a rated breaking point which yields to a pre-determined load, while the second indicating element end fastening (18′) withstands higher loads such that the first indicating element end fastening (18) gives way when a pre-determined tensile force acts on the belt (10), the tensile force being smaller than said minimum tensile force which the 1oop fastenings (14, 14′) and the belt are adapted to withstand,
• attaching said first loop to a tree part to be monitored, attaching said second loop to a tree part stronger than the tree part to be monitored,
• observing whether a signal pendant different in color from said first color has been released by the indicating element (16) becoming released at one end while remaining attached at the other end, the signal pendant indicating that overload has occurred on a belt device.