Patent ID: 8365877

Claim:
An abseiling device for braking a load ( 16 , 34 ) that is suspended on a rope ( 14 ) and is fastenable to the abseiling device ( 10 ), in which the rope ( 14 ) passes through the abseiling device ( 10 ) and is frictionally guided along a section ( 22 ), wherein at least one portion of the section ( 22 ) is guided by a part ( 25 ) that is movable out of an unloaded starting position relative to a housing ( 12 ) of the abseiling device ( 10 ), and—when a load is suspended—generates a frictional force that depends on a weight of the load ( 16 , 34 ) so that the load ( 16 , 34 ) is lowerable with a controlled speed dependent on the weight of the load ( 16 , 34 ), wherein the movable part ( 25 ) exerts a frictional force on the rope ( 14 ) by pressing the rope ( 14 ) against a relatively stable surface, and wherein said movable part ( 25 ) is swivelable from a central position in both directions and thereby exerts a load-dependent force on the rope ( 14 ) which presses the rope ( 14 ) against a brakable shaft ( 24 ) when swiveled in each of said both directions, wherein the relatively stable surface is a surface of the brakable shaft ( 24 ), wherein a centrifugal brake ( 51 ) is provided in the abseiling device and is located on the brakable shaft ( 24 ), and wherein the centrifugal brake ( 51 ) includes a brake drum ( 52 ) secured to the housing ( 12 ), centrifugal weight ( 53 ) connected with the brakable shaft ( 24 ) so as to rotate with the brakable shaft ( 24 ) and to move outward to bear on the brake drum ( 52 ) when a rotational speed threshold is exceeded, and a hand wheel ( 50 ) connectable with the centrifugal weight ( 53 ) to initiate braking independently of the rotational speed threshold.