New Mechanical Ascender

[crazyduck]

New Mechanical Ascender-

Link- http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/18204/

Description- A group of MIT students have designed a rope-climbing device that can carry 250 pounds at a top speed of 10 feet per second.

Interesting idea for getting gear over waterfalls and through potential sumps.
It would make high flow underwater caves interesting too…

Andrew

[FW]

What is most interesting is that MIT didn't do much research. There were at least two predecessors to it. The first was used in a big pit in Mexico in the late 70's. There is also a commercial one in current production.

[Webmaster]

I suspect the 'reasearch' was in the method of capturing the rope, and in the efficiency of the device. It sounds pretty powerful to be electrically driven.

I believe the other designs were gas powered, and used pinch rollers if I remember correctly.

[Arnold Mesiser]

I suspect the 'reasearch' was in the method of capturing the rope, and in the efficiency of the device. It sounds pretty powerful to be electrically driven.

I believe the other designs were gas powered, and used pinch rollers if I remember correctly.

this previous one is air/battery or external source driven

http://www.quointech.com/PowerQuick1.htm


sherpa in a box?

:twisted:

[DeWayne]

I saw this a few days ago and loved it. He talks about developing the capture system so as not to twist or tangle the rope, so perhaps it is an improvement over the previous designs. Regardless of its originality, my knees and hips would sure feel a lot better riding that thing out of a pit as opposed to frogging up (not to mention those waiting at the bottom for me to get clear would be happy to see a vast improvement in my ascension speed :lol: )

[cliffhanger]

Looking at that raises some serious questions for me. Having had quite a bit of experience and training in rope and rope rescue leads me to wonder how it does not twist the rope while ascending and if there is a limit to the length it can ascend d/t rope twist. I don't really see a way around the fact that it will twist the rope. It is no different then using a figure eight to descend. You must use a brake rack after 150-200 ft because of friction and rope twist. Price vs benefits will probalby lead me to continue to use my jumars, but that's just my opinion. Looking at it also from an aspect of rescue, i wonder what would happen if the system became shockloaded? If it would shear or tear the rope?

[FW]

I think the picture is a little misleading. They show the capstan in a vertical position, but I suspect it is used in a horizontal position, reducing the tendency to twist the rope. Clifhanger's other questions are good, though.

[Gibby]

I can only imagine what would happen to my clumsy ass if I got some hair caught in that thing. How about that beard FW? Maybe they should add a audio activated kill switch to it.


:hang
~G

[FW]

I can only imagine what would happen to my clumsy ass if I got some hair caught in that thing. How about that beard FW? Maybe they should add a audio activated kill switch to it.

Funny you should mention that :-)

I did get my beard caught in a rappelling rack once...

[DeWayne]

Price vs benefits will probalby lead me to continue to use my jumars, but that's just my opinion.

I definitely agree with you here (not to mention the weight differences between this device and my frog setup). Still, a guy with bad knees and hips can always dream :wink:


Looking at it also from an aspect of rescue, i wonder what would happen if the system became shockloaded? If it would shear or tear the rope?

This is something I would hope gets tested thoroughly before it ever sees service in this sector.

[ARY]

...
It would make high flow underwater caves interesting too…
Poor man scooter line in Cow will have a second breeze.

Actually nothing bothers to use ascenders in high flow restrictions like Manatee or few other sites. For example drop a bag of weights w/rope in a shaft of "Volusia Spring" and go down on ascenders :-) Same rope can be used for a controlled ascend on a rope back up. We planned a dive w/that idea in a head few years ago w/one pal from Palm Coast. The problem that none of us became crazzy enough to try it :-)

[sskasser]

Funny you should mention that :-)

I did get my beard caught in a rappelling rack once...


Ouch!

[Webmaster]

Regardless, this is not something you will just stuff in your pack and carry 2 miles back into a cave to do a pit.

Also, I don't believe the capstan would cause the core to twist in sheath. That happens with an 8 because of the very acute twists it makes around the device.

Whether the capstan is oriented vertically (unlikely) like that PMI rescue toob and some window washer descenders, or horizontally the radius should still be much larger than an 8.

Now when I get those anti-gravity boots working, look out!

[cliffhanger]

Also, I don't believe the capstan would cause the core to twist in sheath. That happens with an 8 because of the very acute twists it makes around the device.


I wasn't talking as much about core twisting as much as the entire rope twisting up and gumming up the system. Actually I wasn't thinking at all about the core twisting up, probably should have. Very good point, but mainly was just talking about the twists placed in the rope as a whole unit - kinda like you can get if you have a bunch of rope lying on the ground and do a full day of rappelling. By the end you are fighting the rope because it is all twisted at the bottom.

In the end though, this is mainly just a pain, not a safety issue like the core twisting for long periods. End of the day though, the more simple the system, the better I like it.