Via ferrata carabiner

Abstract

Via ferrata carabiner with a hook-shaped base body GK, on ​​which a locking lever SN is pivotably mounted as a catch about an axis A1, which serves to close a hook opening EH for a safety rope, and a locking lever SH mounted opposite the locking lever SN and pivotable about an axis A2, which interacts with an elongated hole LL provided on the locking lever SN in such a way that it serves as a palm safety device to prevent unintentional opening of the locking lever SN, with an opening Ö1 provided in the base body GK for a webbing loop B, characterized in that a clearance FR for two openings Ö1, Ö2 is provided between the locking lever SN and the locking lever SH in the lower section of the base body GK, wherein the opening Ö1 is arranged below the connecting line VL of the two axes A1, A2 and is designed as a narrow opening for a webbing loop B, and that an additional wider opening Ö2 is arranged above the connecting line VL,which serves to attach another via ferrata carabiner, with the connecting line VL being approximately perpendicular to the main pulling direction HR of the carabiner, where both openings Ö1 and Ö2 remain free even when the via ferrata carabiner is activated.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a via ferrata carabiner according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Via ferrata carabiners have long been used to secure climbers on via ferratas, in conjunction with via ferrata sets. Via ferrata sets typically consist of a lanyard assembly with an energy absorber and two arms in a V-shaped configuration. The free ends of the two arms of the via ferrata set are fitted with the via ferrata carabiners, which are clipped onto a wire rope that serves as the safety cable on the via ferrata. The energy absorber is usually connected to the climber via a belay loop, for example, via a harness.

[0003] Classic via ferrata carabiners are very similar in design to "normal" carabiners. Like them, they have a gate that closes a hooking hole on the body. However, they usually have a locking mechanism in the form of a sliding sleeve, which is easy to operate. For easy clipping onto the wire rope, via ferrata carabiners have a wider gate opening than normal carabiners, which is opened or covered by the gate.

[0004] Special requirements apply to via ferrata carabiners. Certification is therefore carried out according to a specific standard (EN 12275), the standard for mountaineering carabiners, in particular according to clause "K" of this standard.

[0005] On via ferratas, intermediate anchors are common, but these do not always ensure ideal force transfer to the carabiner under load. Therefore, a specific standard, the UIAA standard for via ferrata carabiners, requires an additional bending test to demonstrate increased strength under adverse loads.

[0006] Newer versions of via ferrata carabiners feature a so-called palm safety device, which is designed to prevent the gate from opening unintentionally. The palm safety device consists of a locking lever that the user must activate with the palm of their hand before opening the gate.

[0007] Some via ferrata carabiners, in addition to the large attachment point for the wire rope, have a separate, narrow opening for a webbing loop. This webbing loop can be attached, for example, to the end of a lanyard on the via ferrata set. Within this narrow opening, the webbing loop is well protected from external influences and is virtually impossible to shift unintentionally. Such a carabiner is known, for example, from FR 2 805 577 A1.

[0008] From WO 2018 / 107 194 A1, a safety carabiner with two eyelets, for a safety rope and a sling carabiner, is known. The two eyelets are located next to each other.

[0009] From EP 2 532 394 A1 a carabiner with a strap opening is known which is partially covered when the carabiner is actuated.

[0010] EP 2 083 926 B1 describes a self-belaying set with two connected via ferrata carabiners. AT 013 124 U2 represents a further state of the art.

[0011] Typically, when climbing a via ferrata, both carabiners are clipped into the cable. However, there are situations where only one of the two carabiners can be attached to the wire rope. In this case, the second carabiner either dangles loosely from the climber or is attached to their harness, which is often covered by clothing. A loose, dangling carabiner is very cumbersome and requires a longer movement sequence before the carabiner is readily accessible and can be used. The same applies to a carabiner attached to the harness that is covered by clothing. In both cases, the carabiner not clipped to the wire rope is no longer visible to the climber, making it difficult to reach.

[0012] The current development trend for via ferrata carabiners is towards a compact design and low weight, while considering good handling, functionality, material consumption, and a small number of parts. In particular, the overall length of the via ferrata carabiner along its main direction of pull should not exceed certain limits.

[0013] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a via ferrata carabiner that meets the above-mentioned requirements of current development trends and at the same time does not have the aforementioned disadvantages, which in particular enables the quick attachment of a second via ferrata carabiner that is not needed due to the situation and which offers a certain degree of protection for the webbing loop.

[0014] This problem is solved by the features specified in claim 1.

[0015] The main idea of ​​the invention is to provide a separate second opening on the base of the via ferrata carabiner for a second via ferrata carabiner, without increasing the length of the via ferrata carabiner.

[0016] This requires sufficient free space on the base body.

[0017] The first opening, which is intended for the webbing loop, remains free when the via ferrata carabiner is operated.

[0018] The via ferrata carabiners can preferably be used with via ferrata sets.

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0020] They show: Fig. 1 conventional via ferrata carabiner with a separate opening for a webbing loop, in accordance with the state of the art Fig. 2 carabiners according to the invention Fig. 3 via ferrata sets with standard via ferrata carabiners Fig. 4 exceptional cases for climbing on via ferratas Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 seemingly obvious alternatives for a via ferrata carabiner according to the state of the art

[0021] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a conventional via ferrata carabiner in top view. It has a hook-shaped body GK with a relatively large hooking hole EH for attaching to the wire rope anchors commonly used on via ferratas. This hooking hole EH is automatically closed by a spring-loaded gate SN. To prevent unintentional opening of the gate SN, a palm safety device is provided opposite it. This consists of a locking lever SH, which interacts with the gate SN in such a way that the gate SN can only be pivoted from the closed to the open position when the locking lever SH is pressed. For this purpose, a slotted guide LL with a small shoulder (not visible) is provided on the locking lever SH.

[0022] Below the lower end of the safety lever SH, a narrow opening Ö for a webbing loop is provided in the base body GK. The webbing loop is securely guided in this narrow opening Ö.

[0023] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a via ferrata carabiner according to the invention in plan view. It also has a hook-shaped body GK with a relatively large hooking opening EH. This hooking opening EH is automatically closed by a spring-loaded gate SN, also referred to as a locking lever, which is pivotally mounted about an axis A1. On the opposite side of the via ferrata carabiner, a locking lever SH is provided, which is rotatably mounted about an axis A2. The two axes A1 and A2 are located at approximately the same height relative to the main direction of pull HR of the via ferrata carabiner. The main direction of pull indicates the direction of force acting under a typical load. It points from the upper end of the body GK, where two transverse arms Q1 and Q2 of the body GK meet and where the wire rope is gripped, to the center of the lower edge, which is formed by the lower transverse arm Q3.This is where the force is transferred into the via ferrata set.

[0024] To achieve a simple and reliable palm restraint, a slotted hole LL is provided on the locking lever SN, in which a pin fixed to the safety lever SH is guided.

[0025] In the lower section of the base body GK, there is a free space that remains open even when the gate SN is actuated. This free space is therefore designated as the free space FR. Within this free space FR, a first narrow lower opening Ö1 is provided, located below the connecting line VL of the two axes A1 and A2. Above the connecting line VL, a wider upper opening O2 is provided, which is reserved for attaching an additional carabiner.

[0026] Both openings Ö1 and Ö2 remain unobstructed, even when the via ferrata carabiner is activated, because they lie within the free space FR. When activated, the lower inner edge K1 of the gate SN or the locking lever SH runs approximately parallel to the lateral edges of the upper opening Ö2. Function of the invention

[0027] The main idea of ​​the invention is to provide a sufficiently large free space FR on the base body GK of a via ferrata carabiner, which is not crossed or covered even when the gate SN is actuated and thus always remains free, and to provide two separate openings in this free space FR.

[0028] The first opening Ö1 is designed for a webbing loop B, which forms the end of a via ferrata set's lanyard. The webbing loop B is securely guided through this narrow opening Ö1.

[0029] The separate upper opening Ö2 can be used to clip another carabiner, usually the second one from the via ferrata set, for parking. This second carabiner does not come into contact with the webbing loop B attached to the lower opening Ö1. Therefore, the webbing loop B, made of textile material, cannot be caught between two metal parts, such as the crossbar Q3 and another piece of equipment.

[0030] The following explains the advantages this invention offers when climbing a via ferrata compared to conventional via ferrata carabiners.

[0031] During normal climbing on a via ferrata Fig. 3 Both branches Ä1, Ä2 of the via ferrata set are fixed via the via ferrata carabiners KK1, KK2 sliding on the continuous wire rope DS.

[0032] The diagram shows a via ferrata set with standard via ferrata carabiners KK1 and KK2. The webbing loops B of the two arms Ä1 and Ä2 are each threaded through the openings Ö in the respective carabiners KK1 and KK2. The connection only needs to be released to cross intermediate anchor points ZS, where the wire rope DS is fixed to, for example, a rock face. To do this, first one carabiner KK1 and then the other carabiner KK2 is moved over the intermediate anchor point ZS. This is the only way to ensure continuous belaying of the climber.

[0033] However, there are two exceptions to this standard application: For climbers whose weight exceeds or falls below the specified weight limit of the via ferrata set, the set does not provide sufficient protection. These individuals must be secured by a lead climber, the belayer P, using an additional safety rope SS ( Fig. 4) According to the prevailing opinion of alpine associations, the same applies to children, inexperienced or insecure climbers.

[0034] The via ferrata carabiner according to the invention with the wider upper opening O2 enables the person P climbing ahead, i.e. the belayer, to also secure his via ferrata set to the wire rope with a via ferrata carabiner and to park the second via ferrata carabiner of his via ferrata set in the opening O2.

[0035] Without this upper opening Ö2, a standard-compliant safety chain cannot be manufactured. Standard carabiners are unsuitable for this purpose because they are not tested according to the requirements for via ferrata carabiners.

[0036] The second exception applies to very confident climbers and / or very easy climbing sections. Clipping two carabiners at each intermediate anchor point is a very safe, but also very time-consuming method. This can potentially lead to problems if the via ferrata is heavily used. Due to the increasing popularity of via ferratas, alpine via ferratas can experience significant bottlenecks, especially on beautiful days with good visibility.

[0037] A swift yet safe climbing style should therefore be incorporated into training standards. A technique that enables this allows climbers to "park" one carabiner of the set on the other via ferrata carabiner during easy sections, only switching it when in a completely secure position and then simultaneously moving both the active and the parked carabiner. This method also offers a degree of redundancy. If, under load, the load-bearing branch of the via ferrata set comes to rest on a sharp rock edge and is severed, the second branch provides a safety reserve. This can only be achieved with the via ferrata carabiner according to the invention.

[0038] If the second via ferrata carabiner is properly parked in opening Ö2, it is virtually always within the climber's field of vision. Therefore, its use cannot be "forgotten" when the section becomes more difficult.

[0039] The inventive parking and retrieval of the second via ferrata carabiner in the upper opening Ö2 is considerably faster than parking it in an inaccessible location, e.g., on a gear loop, because gear loops are usually difficult to access due to additional equipment (jackets, thick clothing, backpack, etc.).

[0040] It should also be noted that the second limb Ä2 of the via ferrata set must not be attached to a load-bearing component of the harness via the second via ferrata carabiner, as the energy absorber would otherwise only be able to open until the parked limb was pulled taut; after that, the energy absorber would be bypassed by the second limb and no further energy conversion would occur in the energy absorber, which could cause the resulting forces to exceed the breaking load of the rest of the equipment (this problem is known and described in the training standards as "180° misapplication" or "short circuit of an energy absorber").

[0041] Via ferrata carabiners of the inventive design enable, firstly, the described method of movement in easy sections and, secondly, also solve a further problem, because the belay device can be attached to the sufficiently large opening Ø 1 of the via ferrata carabiner using a standard climbing carabiner. The carabiner is tested and approved for use on via ferrata anchors, and a standard carabiner, in turn, provides the tested and approved connection between the belay device and the via ferrata carabiner.

[0042] Against the most obvious alternative, the opening O of the via ferrata carabiner according to Fig. 1. To enlarge it easily, the following reasons, as can be seen from the figures, speak in favor of it. Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are evident.

[0043] The opening O initially contains the webbing loop of the corresponding branch of the via ferrata set, which connects the via ferrata carabiner to the harness. If a second carabiner is attached to this opening, it will inevitably rest on the webbing loop of the branch. This causes the webbing loop to be pinched between two layers of metal. When used for belaying, it is also subjected to regular stress and can therefore sustain significant damage.

[0044] Secondly, the band is not fixed in position due to the size of the opening (O) and can move freely. If the band slides onto the rear rib of the opening due to lateral pressure, the pressure of the band loop may force the palm restraint outwards against its pre-tension, disabling it (see [reference]). Fig. 7.

[0045] The via ferrata carabiner according to the invention enables the above-described rapid movement method without causing congestion on busy via ferratas and allows for the attachment of a safety device using an additional carabiner. Despite this, the strap fixed to the via ferrata carabiner is protected from crushing and secured in its position without making the manufacture of the via ferrata carabiner more complex.

[0046] The via ferrata carabiner according to the invention requires no additional components or processing steps in its manufacture that would make the carabiner larger, heavier, or more expensive. The carabiner according to the invention is compact, has a short overall length, and is very lightweight and cost-effective.

Claims

[1] Via ferrata carabiner with a hook-shaped base body GK, on ​​which a locking lever SN is pivotably mounted as a catch about an axis A1, which serves to close a hook opening EH for a safety rope, and a locking lever SH mounted opposite the locking lever SN, pivotable about an axis A2, which interacts with an elongated hole LL provided on the locking lever SN in such a way that it serves as a palm safety device to prevent unintentional opening of the locking lever SN, with an opening Ö1 provided in the base body GK for a webbing loop B, characterized by, that between the locking lever SN and the safety lever SH in the lower section of the base body GK a clearance FR for two openings Ö1, Ö2 is provided, wherein the opening Ö1 is arranged below the connecting line VL of the two axes A1, A2 and is designed as a narrow opening for a webbing loop B, and that an additional wider opening Ö2 is arranged above the connecting line VL, which serves to hook another via ferrata carabiner, wherein the connecting line VL is approximately perpendicular to the main pulling direction HR of the carabiner where both openings Ö1 and Ö2 remain free even when the via ferrata carabiner is activated. [2] Via ferrata carabiner according to claim 1, characterized by , that the webbing loop BS is intended for the end of a branch Ä1, Ä2 of a via ferrata set. [3] Via ferrata set with two via ferrata carabiners according to one of the preceding claims.

Images