Patent ID: 8851232

Claim:
A rope climbing system comprising: a rope climbing apparatus including: two spaced side members; each side member having a climbing rope end and a tethering end; said climbing rope ends each including a pair of spaced apertures; said tethering ends each including a cooperative aperture; two friction elements disposed between said spaced side members; said friction elements being axially disposed between said pair of spaced apertures in said climbing rope end for receiving a rope therebetween said friction elements; and a tether connector being axially disposed between said cooperative apertures in said tethering end for connecting a tether thereto; whereby said climbing apparatus is useable as a brake while descending a rope through angular movement of said tethering end relative to the rope; a hitch tending pulley tethered to said tethering end of said rope climbing apparatus; a climbing rope inserted through said rope climbing apparatus between said two friction elements, and also inserted through said hitch tending pulley; a friction hitch placed on said climbing rope between said rope climbing apparatus and said hitch tending pulley, said friction hitch being attached to said hitch tending pulley; and a carabiner attached to said hitch tending pulley for connecting the hitch tending pulley to a user; whereby, during descent of a user connected to said system by said carabiner, angular movement of said tethering end relative to the climbing rope forces the climbing rope that is between said two friction elements into a S-like shape to provide braking friction for a controlled descent.