Abstract:
A device that is movable along a track defined by a cable has a main frame including a pair of side walls and a transverse connector by which the side walls are joined together. A pair of pulleys is disposed between the side walls, with the pulleys being engagable with a cable and rotatable for movement of the device along the cable. A fitting by which handles are removably attachable to the main frame is secured between the side walls, and aligned receptacles in the side walls provide for reception of hardware to preclude disengagement of the cable from the pulleys during use.

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 61/760,836, filed Feb. 5, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as non-essential subject matter. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns an improved and simplified construction for a cable or zipline device. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Zipline cable arrangements are commonly used for recreation and other purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,137 to Steele et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publications 2009/0049946 and 2009/0255436, both to Buckman, and 2011/0162917 to Steele et al. concern overall zipline cable arrangements. 
     Certain elements of such zipline cable arrangements also form the subject matter of numerous patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,293 to Davis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,824 to Johnson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,507 to Westerweel, U.S. Pat. No. 7,966,941 to Brannan, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,819,066 and 8,336,463, both to Smith, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,234,980 and 8,327,770, both to Boren et al. are examples of such patents. 
     Other documents that could be of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,768 to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,829 to Brown et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,578 to Pabst, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,299,752, 7,404,360, 7,637,213, 7,966,940, and 8,333,155, all to Cylvick, U.S. Pat. No. 8,042,474 to Perakis, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,316,990 to Uhlig et al. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one preferred configuration, a device that is movable along a track defined by a cable has a main frame including a pair of side walls and a transverse connector by which the side walls are joined together. A pair of pulleys is disposed between the side walls, with the pulleys being engagable with a cable and rotatable for movement of the device along the cable. A fitting by which handles are removably attachable to the main frame is secured between the side walls, and aligned receptacles in the side walls provide for reception of hardware to preclude disengagement of the cable from the pulleys during use. Each of the pulleys is unidirectionally rotatable, and each of the receptacles mentioned above is formed by an eye in one of the side walls. Additional receptacles are included in the main frame for securing additional hardware, and the main frame may include flanges on the side walls permitting additional hardware to be hung or mounted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view from behind and above one embodiment of a device according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view from in front and above the device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a lateral view of one side of a main frame forming part of the device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a lateral view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating the other side of the main frame shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the main frame shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a view from above the main frame shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a view from below the device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  after placing pulleys of the device on a cable or zipline, securing the device to the cable with a carabiner, and placing another carabiner on side wall flanges or ears of the main frame. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a protective piece secured in place over a top edge of the main frame of the device, as well as a clip facilitating ready transport of the device. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view showing the protective piece of  FIG. 10  displaced away from the top edge of the main frame, as well as one of a pair of auxiliary handles detachably securable by way of a threaded fitting to the main frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It is to be understood that, throughout this description, terms such as “front,” “rear,” “top,” and “bottom” are used for convenience only. These terms are not to be considered to limit the invention in any way. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective rear view from above one embodiment of the invention. The device shown in  FIG. 1  includes a main frame  20  having a pair of side walls  22  and  24  joined together by a transverse connector, here shown as a wall  26 , located at the front end of the device as best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 5-10 . Transverse connectors of other types, such as a screw or screws, a weld or welds, and so on, could alternatively or additionally be used. The main frame is formed of an appropriately rigid material, such as steel, stamped or otherwise formed into the appropriate configuration. The side wall  24  is provided with a stamped, etched, or otherwise formed arrow  30 , identifying the riding or travel direction of the device, and an eye  32  for direct, non-releasable connection to an appropriate safety harness or hardware (not shown) worn by a participant. 
     Referring now to the exploded perspective view provided by  FIG. 2  as well as to  FIG. 1 , the side wall  24  also includes a receptacle, here formed by an eye  34 , aligned with a corresponding receptacle, formed here by an eye  36  in the side wall  22 , to form a double eye connection  34 ,  36  for receiving hardware, such as a pin or carabiner, such as the carabiner  100  shown in  FIG. 9 , when the device is in use. The side wall  24  also includes a hole  38 , in which one of a pair of reduced diameter ends  37  of a threaded fitting  40  ( FIG. 2 ) is mountable, an eye  42 , aligned with a corresponding eye  44  in the side wall  22 , to receive an auxiliary rope, wire, or carabiner, and a flange or ear  46 , aligned with a corresponding flange or ear  48  on the side wall  22 , to support another carabiner, such as the carabiner  102  shown in  FIG. 9 , on the rear end of the device. Pulleys  50 ,  52  are mounted by bearings  66  ( FIG. 2 ) on respective axles  54 ,  56  that are to be affixed in place within axle hole pairs  58 ,  60  and  62 ,  64  in the side walls  22  and  24 , as is apparent from  FIG. 2 . Bearings  66  are conventional bearings, appropriately sized, permitting unidirectional rotation of each pulley  50 ,  52  about the axles  54 ,  56  so that the main frame  20 , in use, freely travels in one direction along the cable or zipline, but with significant resistance in the opposite direction. The unidirectionally rotating bearings constitute a “ratchet” or “hand brake” acing in one direction. Flanges  68  on opposing ends of each axle  54 ,  56  abut outer surfaces of the side walls  22  and  24  to retain the axles  54 ,  56  in position. It will be recognized that to facilitate connection of the axles  54 ,  56  to the main frame  20 , one of the flanges  68  on each axle  54 ,  56 , may be removable, e.g. by way of a threaded connection. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the reduced diameter ends  37  of the threaded fitting  40  define shoulders  70  for abutment with respective inner surfaces of the side walls  22  and  24 . The hole  41  in the wall  22  shown in  FIG. 2  is aligned with the hole  38  in the wall  24  shown in  FIG. 1 , and receives one of the two ends  37  of the fitting  40 . 
     In use, the transverse wall  26  at the front end of the device can serve as a bumper that may run into an external braking device. The threaded interior of each of the pair of reduced diameter ends  37  of the fitting  40  is adapted to receive a screw secured to a detachable handle, as will be described. When the device is to be used, the frame  20  is placed over the cable or zipline along which travel is to occur. Once the cable or zipline is appropriately positioned in grooves  72 ,  74  of the pulleys  50 ,  52 , the carabiner  100  ( FIG. 9 ) is secured within the aligned eyes  34 ,  36  in the side walls  22 ,  24  to preclude disengagement of the cable or zipline from the pulley grooves  72 ,  74 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it will be seen that, viewed laterally, the main frame  20 , overall, is asymmetrical to make identification of the proper running direction of the device easy. The arrow  30  assists as well in this regard. The arrow  30 , preferably, is visible from both sides of the frame  20 , as a comparison of  FIGS. 3 and 4  shows. This can be readily accomplished by simply stamping a hole in the shape of the arrow in the side wall  24  when the main frame  20  is produced. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the side plate  24  as having an offset flange section  76 , within which the eye  32  is provided for connection to a user&#39;s safety harness or hardware. The flange section  76  is preferably laterally displaced in an amount sufficient to assure that the eye  32  is centered with respect to the rest of the main frame  20  to avoid tilting during use. An angled intermediate section  78  interconnects that offset flange section  76  with the remainder of the side wall  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 5-6 . 
     From the description supplied, it will be apparent that the main frame  20  preferably has a unibody (one piece) metal construction. The pulleys  50 ,  52  are steel wheels with dimensions that, typically, will be in a range extending from 1.5″ to 3.0″. The bearings  66 , again, are conventional, unidirectional bearings installed on the steel wheels. The transverse wall  26  is designed to provide protection for the unit in the event of contact with a brake/stopping mechanism. 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 10 , a protective piece  80  is secured in place over a top edge  82  ( FIG. 5 ) of the main frame  20  to overlie the pulleys  50 ,  52 . This protective piece minimizes effects of debris and helps to prevent hands and fingers from contacting the pulleys. The protective piece  80 , at its rear end, is contoured to match the flanges or ears  46 ,  48 . Flanges or ears  46 ,  48  of the main frame  20  are specially designed carabiner rests or holds that serve to avoid accidental hooking of a carabiner as a life support. 
     The threaded fitting  40  mounted between the steel side walls  22 ,  24  mentioned provides separate specialty holes for attaching auxiliary handles; one handle  84  of a pair of such handles is illustrated in the exploded view supplied by  FIG. 11 . The eyes  42 ,  44  in the steel sides can be used as separate specialty holes for attaching an auxiliary carabiner to connect an auxiliary trolley. Referring again to  FIG. 10 , a clip  83  is shown as securable in place by a fastener  84  for ready transport, e.g. on a belt, of the main frame  20  and elements attached thereto. It is contemplated that the fastener  84  will be securable to the threaded fitting  40  between periods of use in place of one of the detachable auxiliary handles. 
     The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, and the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the invention ultimately claimed.