Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention provide a simple and convenient way to ascend and descend a rope without using a belayer. Embodiments of the invention can smoothly transition from a rope clamping position to a rope unclamping position, conveniently providing an effective rope management tool. Other embodiments of the invention are described in the appended claims.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to rope management devices, and more particularly, to an apparatus for ascending and descending a rope without the assistance of a belayer. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Cam cleat devices which permit a rope to move freely in one direction, while automatically engaging and stopping a rope from passing in the opposite direction, are well known. 
   Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,630 to Helmut Skyba and U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,847 to Robert McCloud. These devices employ camming apparatus to ascend a rope. However, once a fall has occurred, the rope is jammed so tightly by the cams that all weight must be removed from the device in order to release the rope. For obvious reasons, such devices are not suitable for use as a descender, therefore other systems are required, adding weight and inconvenience to the user&#39;s load. 
   An example of a device specifically designed for descending a rope is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,400 to Paul and Pierre Petzl. Not only is this device not capable of acting as an ascender, the device contains several pulleys and a pre-tensioned spring that requires a threshold adjustment based on the weight of the user to optimize performance of the device. This adds a certain amount of inconvenience to the user, especially if several people are sharing the same climbing equipment. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,723 to Donald Gettemy, a self-belay device suitable for both ascending and descending a rope is described. This device has many components, and in order to use it an end of the rope must be threaded through four different holes. Thus, the device cannot be easily detached and removed unless one is near the end of the rope. Additionally, the device is fairly inconvenient since the rope must be placed in a different configuration depending on whether one is ascending or descending the rope. In some situations this may not be such a detractor, but in typical situations constant up and down adjustments are necessary. Furthermore, when the device is configured as a descender, the rope essentially slides freely through the apparatus. In other words, the user cannot employ the device to provide friction to slow down or speed up the descent, this must be provided by some other means or device. 
   Embodiments of the invention address these and other disadvantages of the conventional art. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1A–1E  are plan view diagrams that illustrate components of a rope management device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIGS. 2A–2E  are profile view diagrams corresponding to  FIGS. 1A–1E . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective diagram illustrating how the components of the rope management device of  FIGS. 1 and 2  are assembled in relationship to each other. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are plan view diagrams illustrating the range of motion achieved by the assembled rope management device of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating the operation of the rope management device of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  are diagrams illustrating the rope management device of  FIG. 4  in clamped and open positions, respectively. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams corresponding to  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B , respectively, but with one of the components of the rope management device removed to more clearly show the position of the rope within the rope management device. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1A–1E  are plan view diagrams that illustrate some components of a rope management device according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIGS. 2A–2E  are profile view diagrams corresponding to  FIGS. 1A–1E .  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective diagram illustrating how the components of the rope management device of  FIGS. 1 and 2  are assembled in relationship to each other. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1A–1E ,  2 A– 2 E, and  3 , some individual components of a rope management device according to an embodiment of the invention will be described below, along with their relationship to one another in the completely assembled rope management device. 
   A rope management device according to an embodiment of the invention includes an upper brake  10  ( FIG. 1A ), a lower brake  20  ( FIG. 1B ), an upper bushing  30  ( FIG. 1C ), a lower bushing  40  ( FIG. 1C ), two fixed sideplates  50  (one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 1D ), and two access sideplates  60  (one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 1E ). 
   The upper brake  10  includes a large pivot hole  10   a  and a small pivot hole  10   b . In addition to pivot holes  10   a ,  10   b , the upper brake also includes a brake release lever  10   e . As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the brake release lever  10   c  is preferably an integral part of the upper brake  10 . 
   The lower brake  20  is similar to the upper brake  10  in that it also includes a large pivot hole  20   a  and a small pivot hole  20   b . Preferably, the diameters of the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a  are substantially equal to each other and the diameters of the small pivot holes  10   b ,  20   b  are also substantially equal to each other. 
   The upper bushing  30  is a cylindrical metal lining that is inserted into the large pivot hole  10   a  of the upper brake  10 . The lower bushing  40  is a cylindrical metal lining that is inserted into the large pivot hole  20   a  of the lower brake  20 . Preferably, the outside diameter of the upper bushing  30  and the lower bushing  40  are substantially equal to each other. In order to fit within the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a , the outside diameters of the upper and lower bushings  30 ,  40  are also slightly smaller than the diameters of the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a . Thus, the upper and lower bushings  30 ,  40  may rotate within the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a , respectively. 
   Preferably, the length of the upper bushing  30  and the lower bushing  40  is greater than the thickness of the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 , respectively. 
   Preferably, the ends of the upper bushing  30  have steps  30   c  and  30   d  where the outer diameter of the bushing  30  abruptly decreases. The steps  30   c  and  30   d  mark the beginning of the collar portion, or collars  30   a ,  30   b  of the bushing  30 , respectively. Similarly, the ends of the lower bushing  40  have steps  40   c ,  40   d  where the outer diameter of the bushing  40  abruptly decreases, marking the beginning of the collars  40   a ,  40   b  of the bushing  40 . The purpose of the steps  30   c ,  30   d ,  40   c ,  40   d  and collars  30   a ,  30   b ,  40   a ,  40   b  will be clarified further below in the specification. The distance between the steps  30   c  and  30   d  of the upper bushing  30  and the distance between the steps  40   c  and  40   d  of the lower bushing  40  are also preferably greater than the thickness of the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 , respectively. 
   The rope management device also includes two fixed sideplates  50  and two access sideplates  60 . Each of the fixed sideplates  50  has a large hole  50   a  and a small hole  50   b . Each of the access sideplates  60  has a large hole  60   a  and a small hole  60   b . Preferably, as will become clear further below in the specification, the diameters of the large holes  50   a ,  60   a  are slightly smaller than the diameters of the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a . Preferably, the diameters of the small holes  50   b ,  60   b  are substantially equal to the diameters of the small pivot holes  10   b ,  20   b.    
   As shown in  FIG. 1D , the fixed sideplates also include small protrusions, or stops  50   c , on the outside edge of the fixed sideplates  50  near the large holes  50   a . The purpose of the stops  50   c  will become clear further below in the specification. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the upper and lower bushings  30 ,  40  are inserted in the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a , respectively. The large holes  50   a  of the two fixed sideplates  50  are placed over the ends of the bushings  30 ,  40 . The steps  30   c  and  40   c  limit the distance that the two fixed sideplates  50  travel down the bushings  30 ,  40 . In other words, the steps  30   c  and  40   c  maintain the fixed sideplates&#39;  50  position on the collars  30   a  and  40   a , respectively. When the fixed plates  50  are touching the steps  30   c ,  40   c , a small portion of the collars  30   a ,  40   a  extend above the surface of the fixed sideplates. The bushings  30 ,  40  are preferably permanently affixed to the fixed sideplates  50  by riveting. This riveting process causes the small portion of the collars  30   a ,  40   a  that extend slightly above the surface of the fixed sideplate  50  to bow outwards over the circumference of the large holes  50   a , thus preventing the fixed sideplates  50  from detaching from the bushings  30 ,  40 . It is for this reason that the fixed sideplates  50  are referred to as “fixed.” 
   The access sideplates  60  fit over the ends of the bushings  30 ,  40 , but are not permanently affixed to them. Rather, the large holes  60   a  of the access sideplates  60  are kept in alignment with the bushings  30 ,  40  by being slipped over the collars  30   b ,  40   b . The diameter of the large holes  60   a  of the access sideplates  60  is large enough to fit over the collars  30   b ,  40   b  but too small to allow the access sideplates  60  to go past the steps  30   d ,  40   d.    
   As was explained above, the distance between the steps  30   c  and  30   d  on the upper bushing  30  is greater than the thickness of the upper brake  10 . Similarly, the distance between the steps  40   c  and  40   d  on the lower bushing  40  is greater than the thickness of the lower brake  20 . Thus, regardless of the forces applied against the fixed sideplates  50  and the access sideplates  60 , the sideplates will not bind against the upper brake  10  or the lower brake  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the small hole  50   b  of the fixed sideplate  50  that is attached to the upper bushing  30  is aligned with the small pivot hole  20   b  of the lower brake  20 . Likewise, the small hole  50   b  of the fixed sideplate  50  that is attached to the lower bushing  40  is aligned with the small pivot hole  10   b  of the upper brake  10 . 
   Furthermore, the access sideplate  60  whose large hole  60   a  is aligned with the large pivot hole  10   a  of the upper brake  10  is arranged so that the small hole  60   b  is aligned with the small pivot hole  20   b  of the lower brake  20 . Likewise, the access sideplate  60  whose large hole  60   a  is aligned with the large pivot hole  20   a  of the lower brake  20  is arranged so that the small hole  60   b  is aligned with the small pivot hole  10   b  of the upper brake  10 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the access sideplates  60  and the fixed sideplates  50  are held against the steps  30   c ,  30   d  of the upper bushing  30  and against the steps  40   c ,  40   d  of the lower bushing  40  with two nuts  1 , two bolts  2 , and two springs  3 . One bolt  2  is inserted through a spring  3 , the small hole  60   b  of an access sideplate  60 , the small pivot hole  10   b  of the upper brake  10 , and the small hole  50   b  of a fixed sideplate  50 . The other bolt  2  is inserted through another spring  3 , the small hole  60   b  of the other access sideplate  60 , the small pivot hole  20   b  of the lower brake  20 , and the small hole  50   b  of the other fixed sideplate  50 . 
   Preferably, the two nuts  1  are permanently affixed to the two bolts  2  such that the two springs  3  provides sufficient tension to hold the access plates  60  against the steps  30   d ,  40   d  of the upper and lower bushings  30 ,  40 . Consequently, by applying pressure against the access plates  60 , the user may depress the springs  3  enough to move the access plates off of the ends of the bushings  30 ,  40 . While the access plates  60  may be removed from the ends of the bushings  30 ,  40 , they still remain permanently affixed to the rope management device by the bolts  2  and corresponding nuts  1 . This allows the user to rotate the access plates  60  away from the channel defined between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . This movement of the access plates  60  allows a rope to be quickly and easily inserted or removed from the channel between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . It is for this reason that the access plates  60  are described as “access.” 
   Although the nut  1  may be permanently affixed to the bolt  2 , it should be recognized that the position of the nut  1  on the bolt  2  should not be such that it binds fixed sideplates  50  and access sideplates  60  or otherwise impedes their rotation with respect to the upper brake  10  and lower brake  20 . 
   Those of skill in the art will recognize that there are other conventional components that may be used in place of the nuts  1 , bolts  2 , and springs  3  to accomplish the same function described above. For example, instead of a spring  3 , a flexible washer may be used to hold the access plates  60  on the collars  30   b ,  40   b  of the bushings  30 ,  40 . Similarly, rivets or pins may be used instead of nuts and bolts. All such alternative embodiments are intended to be covered by the scope of the appended claims. 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B  are plan view diagrams illustrating the range of motion achieved by the assembled rope management device.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the assembled rope management device at the extremes of its range of motion. The nuts  1 , bolts  2 , and springs  3  that were shown in  FIG. 3  are not illustrated in  FIG. 4  in order to more easily explain this aspect of embodiments of the invention. In  FIG. 4 , only the fixed plates  50  are visible so that the function of the stops  50   c  may be more readily explained. In alternative embodiments of the invention, stops may be included on the access plates  60 , or stops may be included both on the fixed plates  50  and the access plates  60 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 4 , the centers of the large and small pivot holes  10   a ,  10   b  of the upper brake  10  and the centers of the large and small pivot holes  20   a ,  20   b  of the lower brake  20  together define four pivots A, B, C, D, where each pivot axis runs longitudinally through the center of each of the pivot holes  10   a ,  10   b ,  20   a , and  20   b . In  FIG. 4 , the edges of the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  that are behind the fixed plates  50  are indicated by dashed lines. 
   According to embodiments of the invention, the pivot points A, B, C, and D generally define a quadrilateral, or a polygon having four sides. Preferably, and in the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the pivot points A, B, C, D define a special case of quadrilateral known as a parallelogram where opposite sides of the parallelogram are equal, opposite angles of the parallelogram are equal, and opposite sides of the parallelogram remain parallel to each other. This relationship between the opposite sides and the opposite angles of parallelogram ABCD holds true throughout the range of motion of the rope management device. A parallelogram arrangement is preferred because it is cost effective, but other embodiments of the invention may have pivot points A, B, C, D that define a quadrilateral of any size or shape. 
   As was explained above, the fixed plates  50  and the access plates  60  are rotatably affixed to the upper and lower brakes  10 ,  20  at the pivot points A, B, C, D with the bushings  30 ,  40  and the nuts  1  and bolts  2 .  FIG. 4A  represents one extreme position of the rope management device and  FIG. 4B  represents another extreme position of the rope management device. Because the bushings  30 ,  40  allow the fixed and access sideplates  50 ,  60  to rotate easily with respect to the upper brake  10  and lower brake  20 , the rope management device may easily assume any position between the extremes represented by  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  when there is not a rope inserted in the device. The case when a rope is inserted in the rope management device during a typical operational situation will be explained further below in the specification. 
   As the rope management device transitions from the position illustrated in  FIG. 4A  to the position illustrated in  FIG. 4B , the segment AB remains parallel to the segment CD, the segment BC remains parallel to the segment DA, and the distance between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  increases. 
   In this embodiment of the invention, the range of motion of the rope management device is limited by the shape of the fixed plates  50  and the access plates  60 , as will be explained below. 
   In  FIG. 4A , the distance (d) between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  is at its smallest possible value. The distance (d) is prevented from becoming any smaller because each of the fixed plates  50  is in contact with the other fixed plate  50 . Likewise, although not shown in  FIG. 4A , each of the access plates  60  is in contact with the other. Thus, the angles DAB and BCD may not decrease past the point shown. As will be explained further below, this position corresponds to a clamped position of the rope management device. 
   In  FIG. 4B , the distance (d) between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  is at its largest possible value. Each of the stops  50   c  on each of the fixed plates  50  is now in contact with the other fixed plate  50 . Thus, the angles DAB and BCD may not increase past the point shown. As will be explained below, this position corresponds to an open position of the rope management device. 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating an operational configuration for the rope management device of  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 5B , the diameter of the large holes  50   a  of the fixed sideplates  50 , the diameter of the large holes  60   a  of the access sideplates  60 , the inner diameter of the upper bushing  30 , and the inner diameter of the lower bushing  40  are large enough to allow a connector such as a carabiner  4  to be connected to the rope management device through the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a . The carabiner  4  is a conventional device well known in the art and so will not be explained in further detail here. 
   The end of a rope  5  is tied to the carabiner  4  that is connected to the upper brake  10 . The rope  5  runs upward, passes around an anchor (not shown), and back down through a channel defined between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . The anchor may be a pulley, another carabiner  4 , a pipe, or some other conventional device. 
   As explained above and illustrated in  FIG. 5A , the rope  5  may be easily placed into or removed from the rope management device by depressing the springs  3  that hold the large holes  60   a  of the access plates  60  on the collar  30   b  of upper bushing  30  and the collar  40   b  of the lower bushing  40 . When the springs  3  are depressed, the access plates  60  may be lifted off the collars  30   b ,  40   b  and rotated away from the bushings  30 ,  40 , as shown in  FIG. 5A . This allows the rope  5  to be easily inserted or removed from the channel region defined between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 5B , once the rope is placed within the channel between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 , the access plates  60  may be rotated and replaced over the bushings  30 ,  40 , where they are again held securely on the bushings by the tension supplied by the springs  3 . 
   Like the carabiner  4  attached to the upper brake  10 , a carabiner  4  may also be connected to the lower brake  20  through the large pivot hole  20   a . This carabiner  4  is, in turn, connected to a relatively short length of lanyard, cable, or another rope (not shown). The end of this relatively short piece of lanyard, cable, or rope is typically connected in some fashion to the person that is using the rope  5 . Thus, the rope  5  forms, when placed in the rope management device, a parallel or double line configuration above the rope management device. 
   Alternatively, devices other than carabiners  4  may be used to connect the end of the rope  5  to the upper brake  10  or to connect the user of the device to the lower brake  20 . For example, the rope  5  may be tied directly through the large pivot hole  10   a  of the upper brake  10 , or the user of the device may prefer to tie the lanyard (not shown) directly through the large pivot hole  20   a  of the lower brake  20 . The wide variety of ways that connectors such as ropes, webbing, cables, carabiners, and other conventional devices may be attached to the rope management device through the large pivot holes  10   a ,  20   a  are too numerous to mention but are well-known to those of skill in the art. They are also not required for a clear explanation of embodiments of the invention so they will not be explained in further detail here. 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B  are diagrams illustrating the rope management device of  FIG. 4  in a clamped position and an opened position, respectively.  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams corresponding to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , respectively, but with the access sideplates  60  removed to more clearly show the position of the rope within the rope management device. Although not shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , it is assumed that the end of the rope is connected to the rope management device and that a user is connected to the rope management device in the manner as explained with reference to  FIG. 5 . These connections are not shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  in order to not obscure the operation of the rope management device. Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the operation of the rope management device when a rope  5  is inserted in the device will now be explained. 
   A clamped position of the rope management device, illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 7A , will automatically be achieved if forces are applied to the rope management device that tend to pull the pivot points A and C (see  FIG. 4A ) apart. In this situation, forces act against the rope management device in several directions. There is a force pulling upwards at pivot point A. There is also a force pulling downwards at pivot point C. Thus, referring to  FIG. 4 , the natural tendency of the rope management device is for the angles DAB and BCD to collapse as the pivot points A and C are pulled apart, minimizing the distance (d) between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . As the distance (d) is minimized, the channel between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  becomes smaller. Consequently, the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  provide a clamping force to the rope  5  that helps prevent the rope  5  from moving through the device. 
   The rope management device also applies an increased frictional force to the rope  5  that also prevents it from moving through the rope management device. As can be seen in  FIGS. 6A and 7A , when forces are pulling the pivot points A and C apart, the channel between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  imparts an increasingly severe S-shaped bend to the rope  5 . The degree of bend imparted to the rope  5  by the channel causes more of the rope to contact surfaces of the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . Consequently, more friction is provided against the rope  5  because it is in contact with a larger surface area of the brakes  10 ,  20 . 
   The rope management device tends to assume the opened position, illustrated in  FIGS. 6B and 7B , when the user pulls on the portion of the rope  5  that hangs below the rope management device to pull himself up the rope. In this situation, the forces applied to the rope management device are configured differently. There is still a force pulling upward on the device at pivot point A. However, when the user supports and lifts his weight by pulling on the rope  5 , there is no longer a force applied downward at pivot point C. 
   Consequently, referring to  FIG. 4 , the angles DAB and BCD are not forced to become smaller. Instead, the increased tension on the rope  5  forces the pivot points B and D (as well as the rest of the rope management device) to rotate in the clockwise direction, causing the channel defined between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  where the rope  5  is positioned to become more parallel with respect to the orientation of the rope. In other words, the S-shaped bend placed in the rope by the rope management device becomes less severe as when compared to the clamped position, and there is less friction applied to the rope  5 . The forces on the rope  5  also tend to increase the angles DAB and BCD of the rope management device, thereby increasing the distance (d) between the upper brake  10  and lower brake  20  and reducing the clamping effect on the rope  5 . 
   In other words, when the tension that is on the rope  5  below the rope management device is increased and the force applied against the pivot point C is decreased, the rope management device will tend naturally towards the open position. Thus, the rope management device may slide easily along the rope  5  with minimal resistance as the user pulls rope through the device. In other words, the user of the rope management device need not worry about the device maintaining its position with respect to the user, since the device is easily pulled along the rope. This is sometimes referred to as a “self-advancing” feature. 
   Thus, if force is entirely removed from the pivot point C, both the clamping force and the frictional force are removed from the rope  5  and the rope management device may smoothly slide along the rope  5  as the user ascends. In other words, if the user&#39;s weight is transferred to the rope  5  that is below the rope management device, the device will release the rope. 
   In order to rest during the ascent of the rope  5 , the user may release the rope  5 , causing a downward force to be applied once again to the pivot point C, resulting once again in the clamped position of  FIGS. 6A and 7A . As the rope management device returns to the clamped position from the open position of  FIGS. 6B and 7B , it rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. 
   It should be noted that in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  the rope management device is illustrated in a configuration that is typically most convenient for a right-handed user, with the brake release lever  10   c  of the upper brake  10  pointing towards the right, and with the user facing the access sideplates  60 . The rope management device may easily be set up for a left-handed user. In this case, the brake release lever  10   c  would point toward the left and the user would face the fixed sideplates  50  of the rope management device. The operation of the rope management device would remain unchanged, except that it would appear to the left-handed user that the device rotates in a clockwise direction when transitioning to the clamped position and in a counter-clockwise direction when transitioning to the open position. 
   It should also be noted that the situations described above assume that the person using the rope management device is moving vertically with the aid of the rope  5  only. In more typical situations, the user is actually moving on a rock face, tree branches, a tall ladder, a steeply angled roof, or scaffolding. The user may not even be ascending or descending the rope with the rope management device, but merely using it to maintain a position on the rope  5 . However, the operation of the rope management device remains the same regardless of the situation. 
   In order to rappel using the rope management device, descend the rope  5  using the rope management device, or otherwise move away from the anchor using the rope management device, the user pulls against the brake release lever  10   c  when the rope management device is in the clamped position. By pulling downward on the brake release lever  10   c , the user directly counteracts the clamping force by increasing the distance between upper brake  10  and lower brake  20 . 
   Pulling on the brake release lever  10   c  also causes the channel between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  to put a less severe S-shaped bend in the rope  5 , reducing the frictional force applied to the rope. The harder that the brake release handle  10   c  is pulled, the less friction the rope management device provides to the rope  5 . This gives the user control over the speed that the rope is allowed to feed back through the rope management device (and in turn the speed of the descent). 
   During operation of the rope management device, the fixed sideplates  50  and the access sideplates  60  effectively contain the rope  5  within the channel formed between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . The sideplates  50 ,  60  themselves do not provide any clamping force on the rope  5  because the distance between the fixed sideplates  50  and the access sideplates  60  is preferably greater than the diameter of the rope  5 . Additionally, the steps  30   c ,  30   d ,  40   c ,  40   d  on the bushings  30  and  40  prevent the fixed sideplates  50  and the access sideplates  60  from binding the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . Thus, the fixed sideplates  50  and the access sideplates  60  do not pinch the upper brake  10  or the lower brake  20  to otherwise impede rotation about the pivot points A, B, C, D. 
   As was explained above, in this embodiment the shape of the fixed and access sideplates  50 ,  60  preferably determine the distance between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . Preferably, at the open position of the rope management device the distance between the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20  is slightly greater than the diameter of the rope  5 . Thus, a clamping force and an increased frictional force will be applied to the rope  5  as soon as the rope management device begins to transition towards the clamped position from the open position. 
   As was illustrated in  FIG. 4B , the fixed sideplates  50  preferably include the stops  50   c  that dictate the maximum value of the angles DAB and BCD. However, in other embodiments of the invention the stops could just as easily be located on the access plates  60 , on both the access plates  60  and the fixed plates  50 , on the lower brake  20 , on the upper brake  10 , or on both the upper brake  10  and the lower brake  20 . 
   The components of the rope management device may be made of a variety of materials, including, for example, aluminum, titanium, and steel. Some components may be made out of a material that is different from other components. In other words, the materials used for the components may be chosen to optimize strength, durability, weight, and ease of manufacture. Performance characteristics of the device may also be optimized by varying the materials used in certain components. 
   One of the advantages that embodiments of the invention, such as the embodiment described above, have over conventional devices is that the bushings  30 ,  40  simultaneously function as bearings, attachment points for conventional connectors, and as spacers that prevent the fixed and access sideplates  50 ,  60  from binding against surfaces of the upper brake  10  and lower brake  20 . This allows for an extremely compact device. 
   Another advantage that embodiments of the invention, such as the embodiment described above, have over conventional devices is that the access sideplates  60  are held securely on the bushings  30 ,  40  by the conventional connector (carabiner, cable, rope, webbing, etc) that passes through the bushings. 
   One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the concepts taught herein can be tailored to a particular application in many other advantageous ways. In particular, those skilled in the art will recognize that the illustrated embodiment is but one of many alternative implementations that will become apparent upon reading this disclosure. For instance, while the exemplary embodiments described above were directed at situations where a user was ascending or descending a rope, the inventive concepts could be applied equally as well to other situations where a rope management device is needed. 
   The preceding embodiments are exemplary. Although the specification may refer to “an”, “alternative”, or “some” embodiment(s) in several locations, this does not necessarily mean that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. 
   Many of the specific features shown herein are design choices. The particular shape and size of the upper brake, lower brake, bushings, fixed plates, access plates, and brake release handle are all merely presented as examples, as are the number and location of the springs. For instance, it is anticipated that the shape of the fixed and access plates and the location of the stops on the fixed plates could be modified to allow for a different range of motion. Likewise, stops could be placed on the access plates, the fixed plates, the upper brake, the lower brake, or any combination of those components. 
   Similarly, in the embodiment illustrated above, the surfaces of the upper brake and lower brake that provide the clamping and frictional forces on the rope are flat, but such need not be the case. For example, because ropes have a circular cross section, in order to optimize weight other embodiments of the invention might have upper brakes and lower brakes with edges that are arched or rounded. Thus, weight is saved by removing material from the upper brake and lower brake that would not normally come into contact with the rope anyway. Such minor modifications are encompassed within the embodiments of the invention, and are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. 
   Functionality shown embodied in a single component may be implemented using multiple cooperating components, or vice versa. For example, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated above the brake release handle  10   c  is an integral part of the upper brake  10 . Other embodiments of the invention may have brake release handles that are detachably affixed to the upper brake. Likewise, in alternative embodiments of the invention a bushing and a fixed sideplate could be machined, forged, die-cast, or otherwise manufactured as one single component. Such minor modifications are encompassed within the embodiments of the invention, and are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.