Patent ID: 7712804

Claim:
A method of directing a rope around a cantilevered support, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an apparatus for controlling a rope, the apparatus comprising: an elongate pole with a length and having a proximal region and a distal region spaced from each other in a lengthwise direction; and a rope engaging assembly at the distal region of the elongate pole, the rope engaging assembly comprising a rigid, U-shaped body that opens away from the proximal region of the pole, the U-shaped body comprising a base and first and second legs, the rope engaging assembly further comprising first and second discrete surfaces respectively on the first and second legs against which the rope can be drawn by exerting a force upon the rope through manipulation of the rope from adjacent the proximal region, the U-shaped body having sufficient rigidity that the rope acting against the first and second discrete surfaces will not cause the U-shaped body to bend as a force is exerted upon the rope from at the proximal region tending to bear the rope against the first and second discrete surfaces; b) configuring the rope so that the rope bears against the first and second discrete surfaces and a portion of the rope is thereby formed to be generally U-shaped opening towards the proximal region with the rope in an operative position on the apparatus; c) holding at least a second portion of the rope and the elongate pole at the proximal region so that the rope is borne against the first and second discrete surfaces to maintain the U-shaped rope portion in the “U” shape; and d) manipulating the elongate pole with the rope in the operative position to cause the U-shaped portion of the rope to be directed around the cantilevered support.