Patent ID: 6902037

Claim:
A device for securing ropes to steps of a rope ladder, comprising: a upper wedge-collar comprising: a top surface having a length and a width; a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, having a length and a width substantially the same as the top surface, the top surface being coupled to the bottom surface by an edge surface; an elongate slot extending through the upper wedge-collar from the top surface to the bottom surface, the slot being defined by two side-walls and two end walls, wherein: the side walls and end walls are perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces; the side walls are substantially straight; the end walls are curved, wherein the curve is simple or complex; at least two fastener bores extending through the wedge-collar from the top surface to the bottom surface; at least two fastener bore extensions, one for each fastener bore, coupled to the bottom surface such that a lumen through each extension aligns with each fastener bore; a lower wedge-collar comprising: a top surface having a length and a width; a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface having a length and width substantially the same as the top surface, the top surface being coupled to the bottom surface by an edge surface; an elongate slot extending through the lower wedge-collar from the top surface to the bottom surface, the slot being defined by two sidewalls and two end-walls, wherein: the side walls are perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces; the end-walls are rounded and inwardly tapered from the top surface to the bottom surface such that the slot is larger at the top surface than it is at the bottom surface; and, a wedge-heart comprising: a diamond-shaped first surface having an upper vertex, a lower vertex and two transverse vertices; and, a diamond-shaped second surface parallel to the first surface, the second surface being of substantially the same size and shape as the first surface and having an upper vertex, a lower vertex and two transverse vertices, wherein: the second surface is coupled to the first surface by a concave edge surface comprising a first edge-rim and a second edge-rim, each of which extends the entire perimeter of the edge surface, wherein: each edge-rim comprises two locking lugs, one located substantially at each transverse vertex, wherein: the upper wedge-collar, the wedge-heart and the lower wedge collar are operationally coupled to one another.