Patent Document

RELATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATIONS AND DISCLOSURE DOCUMENTS  
       [0001]    The instant invention is related to Provisional Application No. 60/339,524 filed Dec. 8, 2001; and now abandoned Provisional Applications No. 60/295,681 filed Jun. 2, 2001 and No. 60/197,745 filed Apr. 17, 2000. The instant application is also related to Disclosure Document No. 500828 deposited Oct. 5, 2001; and Disclosure Document No. 456950 deposited May 25, 1999. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The instant invention is generally related to climbing aids for rock climbers. More particularly, this invention is related to mechanical devices that link climbing aids together.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    Climbers utilize rope, slings and a variety of mechanical devices as climbing aids to assist and protect their movement over rock. The climbing aids serve as a means to anchor the climber to the rock for the purpose of either preventing or arresting a fall.  
           [0006]    A carabiner is a mechanical device used to link rope, slings and other climbing aids together. A carabiner is essentially a snap-hook used, for example, to attach a climber&#39;s body harness to the climbing rope. It is also used to link the climbing rope to anchors placed in or over the rock.  
           [0007]    A typical carabiner is a palm sized, oblong or oval or “D” shaped ring of a lightweight, high strength material, usually a heat-treated aluminum alloy. One side of the carabiner has a hinged arm that serves as an inward opening gate. The gate is spring loaded to remain normally closed.  
           [0008]    The normally closed, inward opening gate facilitates insertion of climbing aids, but impedes inadvertent removal. Objects are released from the carabiner after manually pushing open the gate.  
           [0009]    The closing force is provided by a stout compression spring that is housed within the carabiner gate. The spring axis is offset from the pivot pin so that the spring force is directed to close the gate. A link is employed to transfer the spring force to the carabiner body at an appropriate distance from the pivot pin.  
           [0010]    The opening end of the gate incorporates a transverse pin that engages a hooked notch in the carabiner body when the gate is completely closed. This arrangement allows the gate to carry part of the load imposed on the carabiner. Consequently, the carabiner is significantly stronger when the gate is closed. The ultimate strength of a carabiner with the gate open is typically 65% lower than with the gate closed.  
           [0011]    During a climb and especially in the event of a fall, the climber&#39;s safety is dependent on the security of numerous carabiner links. Consequently, it is imperative that every carabiner in the chain be able to withstand not only the weight of the climber but also the inertial forces generated when the rope arrests a fall.  
           [0012]    As the climber progresses, the carabiners in a protective chain of climbing aids often rub against the rock. Occasionally, a carabiner gate will catch on a rock or other object and may be pushed open without the climber&#39;s knowledge. Also, during a fall a carabiner will often slap against the rock causing inertial loads that overcome the closing force of the spring and momentarily open the gate.  
           [0013]    Whenever the gate opens, even momentarily, there is significant risk that a rope or other climbing aid will be inadvertently released. Furthermore, if a sudden load is applied to the carabiner at the instant that the gate is open, the ultimate strength of the carabiner is significantly compromised and very possibly may fail. Such occurrences are well known by the climbing community and are considered a major problem.  
           [0014]    Greater security can be obtained by using two carabiners in parallel with the gates opening in opposite directions. However, extra carabiner for the purpose of parallel placement are undesirable because they add considerably to the weight and bulk that the climber must carry. Accordingly, various means have been developed to lock the carabiner gate closed.  
           [0015]    A popular solution to the problem incorporates a locking sleeve that is threaded, nut like, to the gate. The sleeve can be screwed along the length of the gate, either toward the hinge, or toward the opening end. The sleeve is screwed into the locking position after the rope or other climbing aids have been clipped into the carabiner. In one configuration the gate is locked closed by screwing the sleeve until it crosses the opening end of the gate and jams against the adjacent body of the carabiner. In an alternate configuration the gate is immobilized when the sleeve is screwed over the hinge.  
           [0016]    Unfortunately, threaded locking sleeves undesirably add bulk and weight to the carabiner. Threaded locking sleeves ire also inherently troublesome. The threads can become clogged with dirt or ice. The sleeve can inadvertently screw out of the locked position when the carabiner rubs across the rock. Furthermore, the gate and threaded sleeve mechanism require precise machining and assembly alignment, both of which add significantly to manufacturing cost.  
           [0017]    Other solutions of the prior art include gates equipped with spring loaded sliding and/or rotary sleeves. Sliding and/or rotary sleeves function similarly to threaded sleeves. Sliding and rotary sleeves share the same problems as threaded sleeves, and are especially costly to manufacture.  
           [0018]    The increased bulk, weight and cost of the prior art limits the number of locking carabiner that a climber is able to carry during a climb or is willing to buy in the first place. Consequently, there may be situations during a climb when the climber is compelled to use a non-locking carabiner although a locking type would be preferable or safer.  
           [0019]    The instant invention is a carabiner incorporating a locking mechanism that securely and reliably locks the gate closed. The inventive locking mechanism is contained inside the gate; therefore it does not add bulk or weight to the carabiner and is less susceptible to jamming by dirt or ice. The gate can be unlocked, opened and relocked with one hand. In addition, compared to the prior art, the preferred configuration of the instant invention is significantly less costly to manufacture.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0020]    The instant invention is a compact carabiner locking mechanism contained within the carabiner gate. The locking mechanism incorporates a means to block movement of the gate return spring mechanism and subsequent movement of the gate. A low profile external button is pushed to unblock the gate return spring mechanism, which enables the gate to be opened. The button is located so that the carabiner gate can be conveniently unlocked, opened and relocked with one hand. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    A detailed description of the invention is made with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate corresponding parts in the several FIGS.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the inventive carabiner linking rope and webbing.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a carabiner incorporating the preferred configuration of the inventive locking mechanism.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a top view of the carabiner as seen in the, direction  3 - 3  of FIG. 2.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the inventive carabiner, taken along a cut corresponding to line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a partial close-up sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 4.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the carabiner, taken along a cut corresponding to line  6 - 6  of FIG. 5.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the carabiner, taken along a cut corresponding to line  7 - 7  of FIG. 5.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 4, showing the locking mechanism unlocked.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 9 is a free-body diagram of the spring and link assembly in the locked position.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 10 is a free-body diagram of the spring and link assembly in the unlocked position.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 11 is a partial close-up sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 8, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 12 is a partial close-up sectional view of an alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 13 is a partial close-up sectional view of another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 13, taken along a cut corresponding to line  14 - 14 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 13, taken along a cut corresponding to line  15 - 15 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 13, showing the locking mechanism unlocked just prior to opening the gate.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 17 is a partial close-up sectional view of the inventive carabiner of FIG. 16, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 18 is a free-body diiagram of the spring and link assembly of the carabiner of FIG. 17.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 19 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the carabiner, taken along a cut corresponding to line  20 - 20  of FIG. 19.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 21 is a partial sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 19, showing the locking mechanism unlocked just prior to opening the gate.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 22 is a partial close-up sectional view of the inventive carabiner of FIG. 19, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 23 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 24 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 25 is a sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 24, taken along a cut corresponding to line  25 - 25  of FIG. 24.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 26 is a partial sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 24, showing the locking mechanism unlocked just prior to opening the gate.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 27 is a partial close-up sectional view of another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 28 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner, showing the locking mechanism unlocked just prior to opening the gate.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 29 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 30 is a sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 29, taken along a cut corresponding to line  30 - 30 .  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 31 is a partial sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 29, showing the locking mechanism unlocked just prior to opening the gate.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 32 is a partial close-up sectional view of the carabiner of FIG. 29, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 33 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 34 is a sectionaI view of the inventive carabiner of FIG. 33, taken along a cut corresponding to line  34 - 34 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 35 is a partial close-up sectional view of the inventive carabiner of FIG. 33, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 36 is a partial close-up sectional view of yet another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 37 is a top view of the carabiner of FIG. 3 a  seen in the direction  37 - 37 .  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 38 is a sectional view of the inventive carabiner of FIG. 36, taken along a cut corresponding to line  38 - 38 .  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 39 is a partial close-up sectional view of the inventive carabiner of FIG. 36, showing the gate partially open.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 40 is a pictorial view showing one hand unlocking the inventive locking mechanism and opening the gate.  
         [0062]    [0062]FIG. 41 is a partial sectional view of a typical carabiner of the Prior Art. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0063]    The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for purposes of illustrating the general principles of the invention.  
         [0064]    Referring to FIG. 1, inventive carabiner  10  is shown linking climbing rope  12  to webbing  14  looped around rock  16 . FIG. 1 exemplifies one of the many ways that a carabiner can be used to link climbing aids together.  
         [0065]    Referring to FIG. 2, carabiner  10  includes body  20  and gate  50 . The inventive locking mechanism is contained within gate  50 , only button  70  protrudes externally. Body  20  and gate  50  are fabricated from a lightweight, high strength material, for example aluminum alloy type 7075 heat treated to condition T 6 .  
         [0066]    The simplest, and preferred, configuration of the inventive locking mechanism is illustrated by FIGS.  2 - 12 .  
         [0067]    Referring to FIG. 5, gate  50  is slotted at both ends by parallel slots  52  and  34 . Leg ends  22  and  24  of body  20  nest loosely within the confines of slots  32  and  34  respectively. Gate  30  is hinged to body  20  by pin  36  which transverses slot  32  through a slip-fitting hole in leg end  22 .  
         [0068]    Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and  5 , the opening end of gate  30  includes pin  38  which transverses slot  34 . When gate  30  is closed, pin  38  rests against the top of notch  28  in body  20 , thereby limiting the closing movement of gate  30 . Notch  28  also serves to capture pin  38  when high tensile loads deform bodily  20 , thereby enabling gate  30  to carry part of the load transmitted through body  20 .  
         [0069]    Alternate means of limiting the travel of gate  30  are possible. For example, forming the end of gate  30  to abut directly against a mating recess of body  20  can eliminate pin  38 . As another alternative, the end of gate  30  and the associated leg of body  20  can be formed or machined to provide an interlocking relationship that transmits tensile loads.  
         [0070]    Referring to FIG. 5, gate  30  is held in the closed position by the combined action of compression spring  40 , spring pin  50  and link  60 . Compression spring  40  and spring pin  50  are loosely contained within hole  42 . Hole  42  opens into slot  32  and the axis of hole  42  is approximately parallel to the axis of gate  30 . As best seen in FIG. 6, hole  42  has an oblong cross section.  
         [0071]    Compression spring  40  is typically fabricated by coiling a corrosion resistant material, for example 17-7 PH stainless steel spring wire. Machining or forcing a corrosion resistant material, for example brass, is a typical way to fabricate spring pin  50 . Machining and swaying a corrosion resistant material, for example type 316 stainless steel wire, is a typical way to fabricate link  60 .  
         [0072]    Compression spring  40 , in conjunction with spring pin  50 , applies a force in one direction against abutment  44  in hole  42  and in the other direction against joint  62  between spring pin  50  and link  60 . Link  60  transmits the force to notch  26  on body  20 . Notch  26  is adjacent but offset inward from the center of hinge pin  36 . The offset distance provides the leverage which forces gate  30  closed. When gate  30  opens, link  60  pushes spring pin  50  into hole  42 , compressing spring  40 . When gate  30  is open, the force of spring  40  against link  60  urges gate  30  to return to the closed position.  
         [0073]    Referring again to FIGS. 3, 4 and  5 , lock button  70  is located within slot  32  adjacent leg  22  of body  20 . Lock button  70  transverses the width of gate  30 . Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, link  60  passes loosely through hole  72 , which transverses lock button  70 , thereby retaining lock button  70  within slot  32 . The longitudinal axis of lock button  70  is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of gate  30 , and intersects the longitudinal axis of hole  42 . Sufficient clearance is provided between slot  32  and lock button  70  so that lock button  70  can move without binding.  
         [0074]    Referring to FIG. 8, lock button  70  can be pushed either in or out as depicted by the outline arrows “A” and “B” respectively. Moving lock button  70  in one direction or the other pushes against link  60  at the location where link  60  passes through hole  72 . One end of link  60  is restrained axially by notch  26 , however link  60  is free to pivot around notch  26  thereby moving joint  62  between link  60  and spring pin  50 .  
         [0075]    Moving button  70  in the direction of arrow “A” causes link  60 , spring  40  and spring pin  50  to move to the unlocked position shown in FIG. 8. Moving lock button  70  in the direction of arrow “B” causes link  60 , spring  40  and spring pin  50  to move to the locked position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.  
         [0076]    Referring to the locked position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, shoulder  52  of spring pin  50  abuts shelf  46  in hole  42 . The engagement of shoulder  52  with shelf  46  blocks the opening movement of spring pin  50  and thereby immobilizes gate  30 .  
         [0077]    Referring to the unlocked position shown in FIG. 8, the movement of button  70  in direction “A” has moved shoulder  52  away from shelf  46 . Without the engagement of shoulder  52  with shelf  46 , spring pin  50  is free to move axially within hole  42 ; therefore gate  30  can be opened as shown in FIG. 11. In FIG. 11, the outline arrow depicts the force opening gate  30 .  
         [0078]    Referring to FIG. 5, end  54  of spring pin  50  passes through hole  48  at the bottom of hole  42 . Sufficient clearance is provided between spring pin  50  and hole  48  so that spring pin  50  can move axially without binding. The difference between the diameters of hole  42  and hole  48  provide abutment  44  for one end of spring  40 . Hole  48  provides guidance for the axial movement of spring pin  40 . Alternately, hole  48  can be eliminated, spring pin  50  shortened, and guidance of spring pin  50  provided by spring  40  itself.  
         [0079]    The location of abutment  44  with respect to notch  26 , and the dimensions of hole  42  are chosen to enable spring pin  50  and link  60  to have two stable positions, either locked or unlocked. As such, spring pin  50  and link  60  operate as an over-center switch that can be changed from one stable position to the other by moving button  70 . Movement from the locked to the unlocked position, and the opposite, produces an audible “snap” that can be heard by the climber. In addition, the position of button  70 , either up or down, provides a visual and tactile indication of the state of the inventive locking mechanism.  
         [0080]    [0080]FIG. 9 is a free-body diagram of spring  40 , spring pin  50  and link  60  showing the forces acting on the assembly when in the locked position. F 44  is the force against spring  40  from abutment  44 . F 26  is the force against link  60  from notch  26 . Because the forces F 44  and F 26  are offset upward when in the locked position, joint  62  between spring pin  50  and link  60  will buckle upward, which is resisted by F 46  from shelf  46 .  
         [0081]    Similarly, FIG. 10 is a free-body diagram of spring  40 , spring pin  50  and link  60  showing the forces acting on the assembly when in the unlocked position. F 44  is the force against spring  40  from abutment  44 . F 26  is the force against link  60  from notch  26 . Because the forces F 44  and F 26  are offset downward when in the unlocked position, joint  62  between spring pin  50  and link  60  will buckle downward, which is resisted by F 42  from the sidewalI of hole  42 .  
         [0082]    Climbers are often in precarious positions in which only one hand is available to insert a climbing aid or rope into a carabiner (typically the other hand is occupied holding on to another climbing aid or the rock surface). Under such circumstances it may be imperative that the carabiner be easily unlocked and opened and subsequently relocked with only one hand. Because the inventive locking carabiner of FIGS.  3 - 12  has two stable positions, either locked or unlocked, and lock button  70  can be easily moved with one finger, a climber can first unlock the carabiner, open and close gate  30  as many times as need, and when appropriate, relock the carabiner, all with the use of one hand.  
         [0083]    As described supra, when shoulder  52  engages shelf  46 , gate  30  cannot move. For the inventive carabiner to be assembled and function properly, manufacturing tolerances must be controlled so that shoulder  52  lines-up with shelf  46  when gate  30  is closed. Referring to FIG. 12, the distance D 61  of link  60  plus the shouldered portion of pin  50  must equal the distance between notch  26  and shelf  46  when gate  30  is closed. If link  60  is fabricated so that D 61  is too short, some opening movement of gate  30  will occur even when shoulder  52  and shelf  46  are engaged. Conversely, if D 61  is fabricated overlong, it will not be possible to engage shoulder  52  with shelf  46 . These problems are avoided by the alternate configuration of FIG. 12.  
         [0084]    [0084]FIG. 12 shows the configuration of FIG. 5, but spring pin  50  has been replaced by threaded rod  51  and nut  55 . Nut  55  provides shoulder  52  that engages shelf  46 . Threaded rod  51  and nut  55  are adjusted to compensate for dimensional variations of the various components. Screwing rod  51  in or out with respect to nut  55  adjusts the location of joint  62   a , thereby lengthening or shortening distance D 61  to precisely match the distance between shelf  46  and notch  26 . Screwdriver slot  55  facilitates adjustment of D 61  after the carabiner has been assembled.  
         [0085]    During assembly of the inventive carabiner, threaded rod  51  is overly threaded into nut  53  to provide ample clearance between the various components. After the inventive carabiner is assembled, threaded rod  51  is screwed outward until shoulder  52  just makes contact with shelf  46 . At the point when shoulder  52  makes contact with shelf  46 , gate  30  will be unable to open unless lock button  70  is moved to the unlocked position.  
         [0086]    Furthermore, other means of adjustment can be conceived. For example, the location of notch  26  can be adjusted by utilizing a setscrew, or the like, threaded at an angle into body  20  adjacent the proper location of notch  26  (see FIG. 23). This adjustment configuration will be described in more detail following.  
         [0087]    FIGS.  13 - 23  shows alternate configurations of the instant invention. Referring to FIG. 13, lock release  71  is located within hole  73  in the top of gate  30 . The center axis of hole  73  is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of gate  30 , and intersects the center axio of hole  42 . Sufficient clearance is provided between hole  73  and lock release  71  so that lock release  71  can move axially within hole  75  without binding.  
         [0088]    Lock release  71  is retained within hole  75  by spring  40  at one end; and by indenting or peening outside corner  75  (see FIG. 13) to provide an interference fit that allows only a part of lock release  71  to protrude beyond the top surface of gate  30 . Lock release  71  is preferably a rigid sphere fabricated of a corrosion resistant material, for example a type 316 stainless steel ball bearing. Alternately, lock release  71  can be a short cylindrical shape, or the like, for example a stepped cylindrical lock release  77  as shown in FIG. 23.  
         [0089]    Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, pin  45  is inserted through the top wall of gate  30  and extends approximately to the center of hole  42 . The center axis of pin  45  is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of gate  30 ; and intersects the center axis of hole  42 . Pin  45  is firmly attached to gate  30  by press-fit, welding, bonding, or the like. Pin  45  is preferably a hard, rigid, corrosion resistant material, for example a type 316 stainless steel rivet.  
         [0090]    Referring again to FIGS. 13 and 14, the length of pin  45  is adjusted so that pin end  47  just barely passes through hole  63  in link  61 . Sufficient clearance is provided between hole  63  and pin  45  so that pin  45  can slip in and out of hole  63  without binding. When pin  45  is engaged with hole  63 , movement of gate  30  is impossible because movement of link  61 , and subsequent compression of spring  40 , is blocked. Without the movement of link  61 , gate  30  cannot open.  
         [0091]    [0091]FIG. 16 shows lock release  71  pushed inward (the force pushing lock release  71  inward is depicted by the outline arrow). Inward movement of lock release  71  forces spring  40 , and link  61  with it, to the other side of the oblong cross section of hole  42 . Consequently, end  47  of pin  45  is disengaged from hole  63 , freeing link  61  to move, and therefore gate  30  can be opened as shown in FIG. 17 (the outline arrow depicts the force opening gate  30 .) Note that after gate  30  opens a small amount, hole  63  no longer lines up with pin  45  and consequently the force applied against lock release  71  is no longer needed.  
         [0092]    [0092]FIG. 18 is a free-body diagram of spring  40  and link  61  showing the forces acting on the assembly. F 49  is the force against spring  60  from end  49  of hole  42 . F 26  is the force against link  61  from notch  26  on body  20 . Because the forces F 49  and F 26  are offset, joint  65  between spring  40  and link  61  will buckle upward, which is resisted by force F 47  from end  47  of pin  45 .  
         [0093]    The force of spring  40  against link  61  urges gate  30  to return to the closed position. When gate  30  returns to the closed position, the buckling force will automatically move joint  65  upward as soon as hole  63  lines-up with pin  45 , reengaging pin  45  with hole  63 , which immediately blocks the opening movement of gate  30 .  
         [0094]    As described supra, when link  61  is at the locked position, gate  30  cannot move because. pin  45  engages hole  63 , which blocks movement of link  61 . For this configuration to be assembled and function properly, manufacturing tolerances must be controlled so that hole  63  lines-up with pin  45  when gate  30  is closed. Referring to FIG. 23, the distance D 61  on link  61  between hole  63  and its end adjacent notch  26  must equal the distance between pin end  47  and notch  26  when gate  30  is closed. If link  61  is fabricated so that D 61  is too short, some opening movement of gate  30  will occur even when pin  45  and hole  65  are engaged. Conversely, if D 61  is fabricated overlong, it may not be possible to properly assemble the carabiner. These problems are avoided by the alternate inventive carabiner configuration of FIG. 23.  
         [0095]    Referring to FIG. 23, setscrew  90  provides the means to adjust for dimensional variations of the various components. Setscrew  90  is threaded at an angle into body  20  adjacent the proper location of notch  26 . The angle of the central axis of the thread is chosen so that the intersection of the surface of body  20  with the tip of setscrew  90  forms a notch for link  61 . Setscrew  90  has slot  92 , or the like, to facilitate adjustment. By adjusting setscrew  90  in or out, the location of notch  26  will move so that it is possible to precisely locate notch  26  with respect to dimension D 61 .  
         [0096]    The use of standard off-the-shelf components will lower manufacturing costs. Costs are kept low when fabricating the alternate configuration shown in FIGS.  13 - 17  by using a standard ball bearing for lock release  71 , and a standard rivet for pin  45 , However, lock release  71  requires that hole  73  be machined in the side wall of gate  30 . FIGS.  19 - 22  shows another alternate configuration of the instant invention that eliminates the need for hole  73 .  
         [0097]    Referring to FIGS.  19 - 22 , lock release  80  is an approximately L-shaped bracket having hole  82  in one leg. As best seen in FIGS. 19 and 20, the holed leg of lock release  80  is positioned in hole  42  between link  61  and the wall of gate  30 . Pin  45  loosely passes through hole  82 . The other leg of lock release  80  protrudes outward from slot  32  adjacent lee end  22  of body  20 . The engagement of hole  82  with pin  45  holds lock release  80  at its proper location. Lock release  80  is typically fabricated by stamping and bending a corrosion resistant, rigid flat material, for example  316  stainless steel strip stock.  
         [0098]    [0098]FIGS. 21 and 22 show lock release  80  pushed inward (the force pushing lock release  80  inward is depicted by the outline arrow in FIG. 21.) Inward movement of lock release  80  forces link  61  to the other side of the oblong cross section of hole  42 , which disengages end  47  of pin  45  from hole  63 , With link  61  free to move, gate  30  can be opened as shown in FIG. 22 (the outline arrow depicts the force opening gate  30 .) Note that after gate  30  moves a small amount, hole  63  no longer lines up with pin  45  and consequently the force applied against lock release  80  is no longer needed.  
         [0099]    The function and operation of the configuration of FIGS.  19 - 22  is the same as the function and operation of the configuration of FIGS.  13 - 18 . The only difference is lock release  71  and associated hole  73  have been replaced with lock release  80 , which does not require hole  73  because it is located in the gap between the hinge of gate  30  and body  20 .  
         [0100]    FIGS.  24 - 27  show yet another alternate configuration of the instant invention that eliminates the need for pin  45 . Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, shelf  46  is cut into the opening of hole  42 . Shelf  46  serves the same function as pin  45 . Extension  69  of link  67  extends upward a sufficient distance to engage shelf  46  when gate  30  is closed. Movement of link  67  is blocked when extension  69  engages shelf  46 ,  
         [0101]    [0101]FIG. 26 shows lock release  71  pushed inward (the force pushing lock release  71  inward is depicted by the outline arrow). Inward movement of lock release  71  forces spring  40 , and link  67  with it, to the other side of the oblong cross section of hole  42 . Consequently, extension  69  of link  67  is disengaged from shelf  46 , freeing link  67  to move, and therefore gate  30  can be opened as shown in FIG. 27 (the outline arrow depicts the force opening gate  30 .) Note that after gate  30  opens a small amount, extension  69  no longer lines up with shelf  46  and consequently the force applied against lock release  71  is no longer needed.  
         [0102]    Referring again to FIG. 27, another configuration of the instant invention replaces lock release  71  with lock release  88 . Lock release  88  is a stubby L-shaped member located adjacent leg  22  of body  20 . Lock release  88  is held adjacent leg  22  by shoulder  89 , which will abut against wall  41  should lock release  88  attempt to escape outward. Lock release  88  functions similarly to lock release  80 . Lock release  88  is fabricated from a lightweight, rigid material, for example aluminum alloy type 6061.  
         [0103]    [0103]FIG. 28 shows yet another configuration of the instant invention that eliminates the need for a separate lock release component. Link  61  has L-shaped leg  96  extending downward from notch  26  under hinge pin  36 . When leg  96  is pushed sideways (depicted by the outline arrow) go shown in FIG. 28, link  61  pivots around notch  26  and hole  63  disengages from pin  45 . The arrangement of FIG. 29 can be applied to the configurations of FIG. 24 as well.  
         [0104]    In contrast to the configuration of FIG. 4, which has two stable positions: locked or unlocked, the configurations illustrated by FIGS.  13 - 28  are always locked unless the release component is being pushed. Furthermore, the configurations illustrated by FIGS.  13 - 28  automatically lock as soon as gate  30  closes. However, as illustrated by FIG. 40, a climber can simultaneously unlock and open gate  30  with one hand. In FIG. 40, gate  30  is shown being pinched between the thumb and index finger so that the lock release is depressed (in FIG. 40, the force that moves the lock release is depicted by an outline arrow) thereby unlocking and opening gate  30 .  
         [0105]    FIGS.  29 - 32  show yet another alternate configuration of the instant invention. Referring to FIG. 29, compression spring  40  and pin  150  are loosely contained within gate  30 . Compression spring  40  in conjunction with pin  150  and link  160  applies a force against body  20  adjacent but off-set inward from the center of hinge pin  36 , thereby holding gate  30  closed.  
         [0106]    As best seen in FIGS. 29 and 30, gate  30  is transversed by hole  138 . The size of hole  138  is chosen so that the strength of gate  30  is not compromised. Locking member  170  is carried by gate  30  in hole  138 . Sufficient clearance is provided between hole  138  and member  170  so that member  170  can move axially within hole  138  without binding.  
         [0107]    Referring to FIG. 30, at the intersection of pin  150  with locking member  170 , member  170  is transversed by elongated slot  178 . Slot  178  allows end  158  of pin  150  to extend into member  170 . Fin  150  in conjunction with slot  178  limits the axial movement of member  170  within hole  138 .  
         [0108]    End  158  of pin  150  abuts against surface  172  within slot  178  of member  170  when member  170  is in the locked position as shown by FIG. 29. Member  170  is maintained in the upright or locked position by spring  176  pushing the face of piston  174  against end  158  of pin  150 . Piston  174  and compression spring  176  are loosely contained within locking member  170 .  
         [0109]    During the course of opening gate  30 , link  160  pushes against and consequently moves pin  150  toward locking member  170 . The movement of pin  150  compresses spring  40 . The countering force of spring  40  against pin  150 , and subsequently link  160 , urges gate  30  to return to the closed position.  
         [0110]    [0110]FIG. 29 pictures the inventive carabiner when it is locked. When the inventive carabiner is locked, gate  30  is prevented from pivoting around pin  26  because the abutment of pin end  158  against surface  172  of member  170  blocks movement of pin  150 . Without the movement of pin  150 , gate  30  cannot open.  
         [0111]    Referring to FIG. 31, when a force is applied to member  170  in the direction of the outline arrow, member  170  will move relative to gate  30  to the position depicted in FIG. 31. Movement of member  170  compresses spring  176  against piston  174 , which bears against end  158  of pin  150 .  
         [0112]    Preferably, pushing member  170  will first move it to the unlocked position and continued force will subsequently open gate  30 . This sequence is accomplished by sizing spring  176  so that its compressive force is overcome before the closing force of spring  40  is overcome. Conversely, if an opening force is applied to gate  30  before member  170  moves to the unlocked position, end  158  of pin  150  will be jammed against surface  172  of member  170 . When end  158  of pin  150  is jammed against surface  172  of member  170 , member  170  will be unable to move to the unlocked position.  
         [0113]    Movement of member  170  to the unlocked position shown in FIG. 31 moves surface  172  away from end  158  of pin  150 , freeing pin  150  for axial movement. Continued force against member  170  or gate  30  in the direction of the outline arrow of FIG. 31 will cause pin  150  to slide further into slot  178  of member  170 , thereby opening gate  30 . FIG. 32 is a close-up view of the relationship of the various components when the gate is opening.  
         [0114]    As described supra, when member  170  is at the locked position, gate  30  cannot move because member  170  blocks movement of pin  150  and consequently link  160 . For this configuration to be assembled and function properly, manufacturing tolerances must be tightly controlled. For example, if one or more of the components are too short and there is a gap between end  158  and surface  172 , excessive opening movement of gate  30  will occur even when locking member  170  is at the locked position. Conversely, if any one of the components is fabricated oversize, it may not be possible to properly assemble the carabiner. These problems are avoided by the alternate inventive carabiner configuration of FIG. 33.  
         [0115]    The alternate inventive carabiner configuration of FIG. 33 incorporates setscrew  190  and ball  192 . Setscrew  190  is threaded to gate  30  adjacent slot  178  of member  170 . Referring to FIG. 34, ball  192  is carried by member  170  within the widest part of keyhole shaped slot  178 .  
         [0116]    Ball  192  is a rigid sphere, for example a stainless steel ball bearing. Alternately, ball  192  can be replaced with a short cylindrical pin, or the like. Ball  192  serves as a link between setscrew  190  and end  158  of pin  150 .  
         [0117]    End  158  of pin  150  abuts against ball  192  when member  170  is at the locked position. Member  170  is maintained in the upright or locked position by spring  174  pushing the face of piston  174  against end  158  of pin  150 .  
         [0118]    Ball  192  abuts against the end of setscrew  190 . Ball  192  serves the same function as face  172  of the configuration depicted by FIG. 29. Setscrew  190  can be adjusted to compensate for dimensional variations of the various carabiner components. During assembly of the inventive carabiner, setscrew  190  is backed out to provide clearance between the components. After the inventive carabiner is assembled, setscrew  190  is threaded inward, pushing ball  192  until it just makes contact with end  158  of pin  150 . At the point when ball  192  just makes contact with end  158  of pin  150 , gate  30  will be unable to open unless member  170  is moved to the unlocked position.  
         [0119]    Referring to FIG. 35, locking member  170  is shown at the unlocked position; therefore ball  192  is no longer located between setscrew  190  a end  158  of pin  150 . As a consequence of the opening movement of gate  30 , pin  150  has moved into the space formally occupied by ball  192 .  
         [0120]    [0120]FIG. 36 shows another alternate configuration of the inventive carabiner. Cantilever spring  180 , located on top of and external to gate  30 , replaces internal spring  176  and piston  174 . As best seen in FIGS. 36 and 37, cantilever spring  180  is fabricated from rectangular spring stock, or alternately, can be formed or molded from plastic, for example nylon.  
         [0121]    Cantilever spring  180  is firmly attached at end  184  to gate  30 . The other end of cantilever spring  180  is loosely attached to member  170  by rivet  182 . Loose attachment of cantilever spring  180  to member  170  is preferable to prevent binding when member  170  moves. Alternately, rivet  182  can be a screw, or-the-like, or can be a peened extension of member  170 .  
         [0122]    Referring to FIG. 38, ball  192  is carried by member  170  within the widest part of keyhole shaped slot  178 . Referring to FIG. 36, setscrew  190  provides the means to adjust for dimensional variations of the various components as described supra.  
         [0123]    The incorporation of cantilever spring  180  eliminates the need for a cavity in member  170  to house spring  176  and piston  174 . Consequently, member  170  is less costly to fabricate and, also, can have a smaller cross-section. Furthermore, unlocking and opening the inventive cgrabiner with a single finger or a rope is facilitated because member  170  can be pushed to the unlocked position by applying force, not only to the protruding end of member  170  but also by applying force anywhere along the exposed surface of cantilever spring  180 .  
         [0124]    [0124]FIG. 41 is a partial cross section of a typical prior art, non-locking carabiner. A comparison of the preferred inventive configuration of FIG. 4 with FIG. 41 will reveal that only two (2) additional components are needed to convert the prior art. A conversion to the preferred inventive locking configuration requires the addition of lock release  70  and spring pin  50 , both of which are easy to fabricate. With respect to fabricating gate  30  to accommodate the added components, hole  42  must be elongated. Because the gate return spring provides the force that, in addition to closing the gate, holds the inventive locking mechanism either in the locked or unlocked states, the new components and accompanying modifications can be incorporated with little addition to the manufacturing cost of a basic carabiner. Consequently, a carabiner incorporating the preferred inventive locking mechanism can be sold for a relatively small price increase over the cost of a non-locking version.  
         [0125]    The FIGS. illustrate, a number of inventive locking configurations, all of which have several characteristics in common: all are contained within the carabiner gate, all function by blocking the opening movement of the gate return spring mechanism, and all are controlled by an unobtrusive button, or-the-like, which protrudes from the gate.  
         [0126]    Other variations on the shape and/or relative locations of the carabiner body, gate, spring, linkage and lock release are contemplated. It is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive of modifications and/or changes to the invention described above. Any such modifications or changes that fall within the purview of the description are intended to be included therein as well. This description is intended to be illustrative and is not intended to be limitative. The scope of the invention is limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Technology Category: 4