Reg
Branched out member
- Location
- Victoria, BC
Just before Christmas I was asked by the company Stein to design a lowering-device with a view to putting it into production. Whether or not it ever makes it to these shores is out of my hands now but I thought I’d share the idea with my friends on Treebuzz anyhow. I’ll get some video soon enough but for now we’ll have to make do with the photos’.
The incentive was produce a tool that’ll fall somewhere in between the top-end and budget devices on the market. This one will most probably retail somewhere right in the middle.
The device is attached to the tree by a 10 ton ratchet strap which can be sufficiently tightened by one person. However, in making allowances for foreseeable misuse or unfavourable trunk-taper, the device will facilitate a choker (see photo’s) to be set below the ratchet strap…. as similar such point-to-point ratchet strap set-ups obviously do not choke!
As you can see the device has two barrels, so is not only very convenient for setting up speed-lines but can also accommodate 2 separate lowering operations at the same time i.e. for load transfer between 2 adjacent rigging points or perhaps to lower/cradle large limbs in their entirety with total control and reassurance. Either barrel will take up to ¾ inc lines.
The left side barrel also has a pre-tensioning option. I haven’t worked out exactly what the lift ratio is yet, and while its power is not comparable to the likes of the Hobbs and GRCS, it does have speed and convenience in its favour i.e. pulling down on the lever gives an instant hit on whatever it is you’re trying to raise.
The tensioner works a little like an anvil in its means to grip the rope. It also has an adjustment screw on it so to accommodate ropes of different diameters.
The device and all of its key features are Patent Pending 0902165.0 Thanks
The incentive was produce a tool that’ll fall somewhere in between the top-end and budget devices on the market. This one will most probably retail somewhere right in the middle.
The device is attached to the tree by a 10 ton ratchet strap which can be sufficiently tightened by one person. However, in making allowances for foreseeable misuse or unfavourable trunk-taper, the device will facilitate a choker (see photo’s) to be set below the ratchet strap…. as similar such point-to-point ratchet strap set-ups obviously do not choke!
As you can see the device has two barrels, so is not only very convenient for setting up speed-lines but can also accommodate 2 separate lowering operations at the same time i.e. for load transfer between 2 adjacent rigging points or perhaps to lower/cradle large limbs in their entirety with total control and reassurance. Either barrel will take up to ¾ inc lines.
The left side barrel also has a pre-tensioning option. I haven’t worked out exactly what the lift ratio is yet, and while its power is not comparable to the likes of the Hobbs and GRCS, it does have speed and convenience in its favour i.e. pulling down on the lever gives an instant hit on whatever it is you’re trying to raise.
The tensioner works a little like an anvil in its means to grip the rope. It also has an adjustment screw on it so to accommodate ropes of different diameters.
The device and all of its key features are Patent Pending 0902165.0 Thanks
