Rope descenders

Abstract

A descender () for controlling descent of a person down a rope fixed to an anchor point, the descender comprising a rope entry guide () and a rope exit, an eccentrically mounted swivellable camlock () having a rope braking surface operable to releasably lock the rope in position against the entry guide () in response to movement of the rope towards the exit, and means to adjustably unlock the camlock, said unlock means including a swivellable handle () drivingly connected to an inner drive cam (), the inner drive cam having bearing surfaces co-operable with the cam surfaces of an outer drive cam () within or on the body of the camlock (), the arrangement being such that the reaction forces applied to the inner cam () via the handle () are transmitted to the cam surfaces of the outer cam () to thereby provide a mechanical advantage for causing the camlock () to open to thereby release the rope and thereafter allow further descent from the anchor point.