Patent ID: 6896101

Claim:
A climbing device for attachment to a portion of a structure comprising: a frame; opposing jaws slideable relative to one another along the frame to engage a portion of the structure therebetween; a footplate mounted to the frame and configured to support a load; a handle mounted to the frame and coupled to the footplate, the footplate and the handle being displaceable relative to one another in response to an external force applied to the handle between a position in which the climbing device is capable of sliding relative to the structure upon engagement of the portion thereof by the jaws, and a position in which the structure is locked between the jaws upon ceasing the external force; and a locking mechanism located between the footplate and the handle and configured to prevent displacement thereof relative to one another upon ceasing the external forces the locking mechanism includes a toothed rack and a pawl selectively meshing with the toothed rack upon removing the external force from the handle to ensure locking of the portion of the structure between the jaws, and a flexible arm pivotally coupled to the handle and operative to lift the pawl off the toothed rack to release the handle relative to the footplate in response to the external force applied to the handle.