Patent ID: 7383922

Claim:
A mechanical load stopping system, comprising: a. at least one glide rod longitudinally aligned with the direction of a moving load, said glide rod including a continuous spiral groove and spiral vane formed thereon; b. a support platform with a central opening formed therein, said support platform being perpendicularly aligned with said glide rod when said glide rod is extended through said central opening; c. a guide collar disposed around said glide rod, said guide collar including an upper bearing plate, a rotating lower bearing plate, and a set of bearings disposed between said upper bearing plate and said lower bearing plate, said upper bearing plate being attached to said support platform and said set of bearings enabling said lower bearing plate to rotate around said upper bearing plate, said lower bearing plate including at least two inward extending, pivoting glide points located on opposite sides of said glide rod, each said glide point extending into said spiral groove and pressing against the adjacent surface of said vane thereby creating frictional forces that reduce the rotation of said guide collar; and d. a biasing means connected to each said glide point that holds said glide point in a contact position with the vane when stopping a load, said biasing means also allows said glide point to pivot and disconnect from said vane when said support platform is moved in the opposite direction along said glide rod.