Patent ID: 8602161

Claim:
A system for assisting a substantially vertical ascent or descent of a load, comprising: an apparatus coupled to a rigging movable in a vertical direction, said apparatus adapted to translate rigging movement into ascent or descent assistance of a load coupled to the rigging; a sensor operable to measure an amount of force exerted by the load coupled to the rigging; and a control mechanism coupled to a power source and communicatively coupled to the sensor, the control mechanism operative to control power delivery from said power source to the rigging based on said measured amount of force of the load coupled to the rigging, wherein said power delivery is continuously provided and said sensor is operative to provide continuous feedback to said control mechanism based at least in part on said measured amount of force so that said power delivery is adjusted and support of the load coupled to the rigging is continuously maintained at a constant value, the constant value being selectable and the support provided continuously during the vertical ascent or descent of the load.