The present invention relates to raise and lower apparatus particularly envisaged for use in scaling cliffs and/or buildings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

When scaling a cliff or building or the like, with the aid of prior art raise and lower apparatus, a climber is faced with a difficult maneouver to scale an uppermost edge of the cliff or building. in a case where a patient on a stretcher and an escort must be raised or lowered over an edge of a cliff or building the maneouver is even more difficult. Furthermore, an occasion may arise whereby a patient having a severe injury, such as a spinal injury, must be raised over an edge of a cliff or a building. In such a case the patient, held on a stretcher, may incur pain and even further injury in the maneouver since the patient must be manhandled over the edge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a raise and lower apparatus which may be arranged to raise and lower an object, such as a stretcher, clear of an edge of a cliff and/or a buil¬ ding. in accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a raise and lower apparatus comprising a forward support assembly and an aftward support assembly to be arranged in aligned manner and inter¬ connected adjacent their upper ends by a beam, a rearward

leg member arranged to extend, in use, aftwardly from the aftward support assembly, the beam being arranged to slidably support a carriage arranged to be slidably moved from a first operative position adjacent the forward support assembly to a second operative position adjacent the aftward support assembly, the carriage also being arranged to receive a rope to raise and lower an object. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a lock assembly comprising a bolt having a head with a first aperture and a shaft with an end remote from the head, a second aperture in the remote end or in a separate shaft arranged to be secured to an object, a flexible cord threaded through the first aperture and having a first end, in use, secured to the object and a second free end attached to a clip to be, in use, clipped into the second aperture to secure the bolt to the object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a side, view of a raise and lower apparatus in accordance with the present invention shown in situ on a cliff edge;

Figure 2 is an exploded upper perspective view of a mount¬ ing means and a hinge assembly of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a securing means in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention shown, in use, in a leg of. a bipod assembly of

the apparatus of Figure 1;.

Figure 4 is a side view of a hinge joint of a beam of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side view of a carriage of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an end view of the carriage of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an upper perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 in the process of erection;

Figure 8 and 9 are schematic side views of the apparatus of the present invention shown in use;

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figures 1, 7, 8 and 9 there is shown a raise and lower mechanism comprising a forward support assembly being a forward bipod assembly 10 and .an aftward support assembly being an aftward bipod assembly 12, each having a pair of legs 14 and 16 respectively. The legs 14 and 16 of each bipod assembly 10 and 12 are to be arranged in splayed apart manner such that an apex 18 and 20 respectively, of each bipod assembly 10 and 12 is at a distance from the surface upon which the legs 14 and 16 rest.

Each leg 14 or 16 is preferably formed, of two inter¬ connecting parts arranged to be pinned together by a lock assembly 24, as shown in Figure 3. The amount of interconnection is also-shown in Figure 3 for inter¬ connecting parts of tubular section.. It. has been determined that the interconnecting parts should preferably interconnect by at least a length that is 5 times the diameter of a tube used to form the legs 14 and 16.

The lock assembly 24 comprises a bolt 26 having a head 28 and a shaft 30 arranged to be inserted in mating

4. apertures in the interconnecting parts of the legs 14 and 16. The head comprises a first aperture 32 arranged to receive a flexible cord 34. A first end 36 of the cord 34 is arranged to be secured to an object being an abutment flange 37 of the legs 14 and 16, for example, and a second free end 38 is arranged to be attached to a clip such as a spring clip 40.

It is intended that, in use, the clip 40 with the cord 34 attached to it will be clipped through a second aperture 42 located at an end 44 of the shaft 30 remote from the head 28. As shown in Figure 3, when the shaft 30 is fully inserted in a leg 14 or 16, the end 44 projects outwardly of the leg and the clip 40 can be engaged with the aperture 42 to retain the shaft 30 in place. During times when the clip 40 is not engaged with the aperture 42 both the clip 40 and the bolt 26 remain attached-to the cord 34. In this manner the clip 40 and the bolt 26 are conveniently stored, when not in use. The lock assembly 24 is also used in similar manner for the legs 16 of the aftward bipod assembly 12. Similar lock assemblies are used to lock other objects in place as described hereinafter.

Arranged between the apices 18 and 20 is a beam 22, such as an I beam. The beam 22 is connected at the apices 18 and 20 by a mounting means 45 shown in Figure 2.

The mounting means 45 comprises two clevis 46 pivotally secured to the beam 22. Each clevis 46 has a pivot bolt 47, arranged to receive an apertured web 48 of the legs 16 of the aftward bipod assembly 12. The beam 22 is connected to the apice 18 in a similar manner.

The beam 22 is further arranged to slidably support a carriage 50, particularly shown in Figures 5 and 6. The carriage 50 comprises a frame 52 slidably arranged about the beam 22 by a plurality of rollers 54. The rollers 54 are rotatably mounted to the frame 52. The carriage 50 has transverse webs 56 arranged to reinforce it.

The carriage 50 also comprises a plurality of apertured tabs 58 and 60 disposed downwardly thereof and arranged to receive pulleys, (not shown) . Closely spaced pairs of the apertured 58 and 60 are intended to receive a pin, such as a quick release pin 62, one of which is shown in Figure 5 secured to one of the webs 56. Each pulley is rotatably secured by a corresponding pin 62 to one of the pairs of tabs 58 and 60. The pulleys are intended, in use, to receive ropes to raise and lower an object tied thereto, as described hereinafter.

The carriage 50 also has fixed to it loops 64 and 66, arranged to enable ropes including rope 68 to be tied to the carriage 50, as shown in Figure 1. The rope

68 is arranged to pass through a pulley 70 fixed to a forward end of the beam 22 at the apice 18 of the forward bipod assembly 10.

The rope 68 and the pulley 70 form part of a traveller means arranged to move the carriage 50 between the first and second operative positons. The rope 68 is arranged so that the carriage 50 may be drawn up or lowered down the beam 22.

The beam 22, as shown in Figure 4, comprises a hinge 78 and a lock means 80 located intermediate of its length. The lock means comprises a quick release pin.62,. which may be similar to the pins 62, arranged to lock the beam in an open condition.

The hinge 78 is located so that, when stored, the beam 22 is typically about half its length in use. Thus, the beam 22 is more readily portable. The raise and lower apparatus of the present invention also comprises a rearwardly extending leg member 82, as particularly shown in Figure 1.

The leg member 82 is arranged to be hingedly connected by a hinge means 84, shown in Figure 2, to an end of the beam 22 adjacent the apice 20 of the aftward bipod assembly 12.

The leg member 82 is arranged to, in use, set the incline of the beam 22 with respect to horizontal and maintain the apparatus substantially rigid in situ. Further, the leg member 82 provides means to secure ropes and the like used in conjunction with the apparatus as described hereinafter.

The leg member 82 comprises a hinge assembly 84, toallow the leg member 82 to be folded approximately in half to assist in Portability. It is envisaged that barrel hinges and associated collars could be used in this regard.

The leg member 82 also comprises rails 88 and flanges 90 to provide a support for a winch 92 and a cleat 94 to, in use, clamp ropes used in raising and lowering an object. It is envisaged that the cleat 94 could be a cam cleat or the like.

The hinge assembly 84 comprises a shaft 96 having a clevis 98 arranged to be pivotally secured to a rearward end of the beam 22, as shown in Figure 2. The shaft 96 is intended to fit into a tubular housing 100 located adjacent an upper end of the leg member 82. The shaft 96 has an apertured web 102 located remote from the clevis 98. The web 102, in use, protrudes from the housing 100 and is arranged to receive a carabina 104 or the like to secure the leg member 82 and provide means to secure an anchor rope 106 to the apparatus.

The hinge assembly 84 enables the leg member 82 to be hinged longitudinally and transversely with respect to the beam 22. It is envisaged that a helical spring ^" (not shown) could be arranged on the shaft 96 to urge the tubular housing 100 such that slots in a rearmost end thereof engage with the carabina 104 when the leg 82 is erected. One or more anchor ropes 106 are secured to the leg

8. member 82 such as at the carabina 104 and to a stationary object such as a tree as shown in Figures 7 to 9. In Figure 2 there is shown a lock assembly 110 similar to the lock assembly 24 and like numerals denote like parts. The head 28 comprising a third aperture 112 arranged to receive a separate shaft 114 fixed to an object such as the beam 22 or the leg member 82. The separate shaft 114 has the second aperture 42 0 situated in its free end remote from the object. The lock assembly 110 is assembled by simultaneously mating the separate shaft 114 with the third aperture 112 and the shaft 30 with a corresponding aperture in the object. 5 It is intended that the shaft 30 extending into the aperture in the object be used to pivotally lock a pulley or the like to the object.

In use, the raise and lower apparatus of the present invention is to be erected and positioned over a cliff 0 edge 120 (Figures 1 and 7 to 9) .

Once positioned the apparatus may be used to raise and lower objects over the edge, as shown in. Figures 8 and

9.

In particular, the apparatus may raise or lower an object 5 over the cliff edge 120 by lifting the object clear of the cliff edge 120 so that the object does not contact the cliff edge 120.

In this manner a patient with a serious injury may be relatively safely and relatively comfortably 0 maneouvered over a cliff edge 120.

It is intended that the apparatus, when not in use, be folded up and stored in a manner that allows one person to readily be able to carry the apparatus to a

site to be erected.

To erect the apparatus the beam 22 is folded out straight and locked open with the lock means 80.

Then, the interconnecting parts of each of the legs 14 and 16 are respectively pinned, as described hereinabove, with the lock means 24.

The aftward leg member 82 is then unfolded and locked.in place and attached to the beam 22 adjacent the aftward bipod assembly 12 by the hinge assembly 84. Next the forward bipod assembly is raised to lift the forward end of the beam 22 of the ground. One or more ropes 106 are loosely tied to an anchor point such as a tree as shown in Figure 7. The ropes106 are initially tied off to prevent the assembly falling over the cliff edge 120 during positioning.

Preferably, the rope106 to be tied off to a length about ^■ 1 metre short of the cliff edge 120.

Once the legs 14 are raised a rope 122 is tied between the two legs 14, as shown in Figure 7, to prevent the legs 14 from further splaying apart.

Next, ropes 124, or the like, are connected between corresponding forward and aftward legs 14 and 16. The assembly may now be moved toward the cliff edge 120 and the legs 14 allowed to pass over the cliff edge 120 as can be seen in Figures 8 and 9. Then the whole assembly is rotated about the cliff edge 120 by pivoting the leg member 82 and raising the apice 20 until the assembly reaches the position shown in Figures 8 and9 and ropes 125 tied between the legs 16 and the leg member 82. With the assembly erected the slope of the beam 22 and the legs 14 and 16 may be altered by moving the leg member 82 forward or aftward.

10.

In this manner a rope 126 used to raise and lower objects may be moved towards or away from the cliff edge 120. In either case the leg member 82 preferably is not moved forward so far that the apice 20 of the aftward

5 bipod assembly 12 goes forward of the cliff edge 120, since in such an arrangement a patient could not be lowered onto a top of the cliff edge 120 as can be seen from Figures 8 and 9. It has been found that useful operation for the

10 apparatus, in its present configura ion, may be achieved with the beam 22 inclined at an angle to the horizontal of between 15° to 30°. It is understood that the legs- 14 and 16 could be arranged with different lengths so that angles other than

15 the abovementioned could be attained.

It is envisaged that the raise and lowerapparatus in •accordance with the present invention could ^' e arranged on a building edge. To effect this arrangement the ropes 122 and 124 could be replaced by angle pieces

20 arranged to receive feet of each of the legs 14 and 16. When erected and positioned the apparatus of the present invention may be used to raise or lower an object on the rope 126 by operation of the winch 92. The rungs 88 and the cleats, mounted on the flanges 80, may

25 be used to secure a rope once a desired position has been reached.

In a raise operation with the rope 126 lowered an object is tied to the rope 126 and raised, with the aid of the winch 92. At this time the rope 68 is tied or

30 cleated to the leg member 82 to prevent the carriage 50 creeping up the incline of the beam 22. Once the

11. object has been raised to a position adjacent the carriage 50, as shown in Figure 8 or 9, the rope 126 is temporarily secured, the rope 68 released and the carriage 50 and the object drawn onto the top of the 5 cliff edge 120 to a position adjacent the apex 20 by continuing to operate the winch 92.

Once the object is in board and on the land side of the cliff edge 120 the object may be lowered by paying out some of the rope 126.

10 As shown in Figure 8 the apparatus of the present invention can be erected upon a cliff edge 120 having a sloping face.

In such a case it is preferred to raise and lower an object downwardly and outwardly from the cliff face. ■15 Such can be achieved by arranging a tension rope 130 from an anchor point, for example a tree as shown in Figure 8, through a pulley fixed to the leg member 82 by the lock assembly 110 through one of the pulleys on the carriage 50 and outwardly and downwardly of the 0 cliff face.

The tension rope 130 may then be used to direct an object outwardly of the cliff face.

The force of the outward pull required is substantially resisted by the anchor point.

25 It is intended, as particularly shown in Figure 1 that the legs 14 and 16 have replaceable feet 132 formed of plastics material and arranged to be partly slidable on the cliff edge 120. Also, it is intended that the leg member 82 have a skid type foot 134 engaging the

30 cliff top so that irregularities in tension in the rope 106 can be absorbed in relatively small longitudinal displacements of the foot.

The method of erection for the apparatus when arranged on a building top is substantially as described hereinabove except that the legs 14 and 16 are secured to the angle piece and positioned in one operation. Operation of such an arrangement is similar to that described hereinabove.

The apparatus may be disassembled in a manner substan¬ tially opposite to that described hereinabove. Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention. For example, the bipod assemblies 10 and 12 could be any bipod assemblies having character substantially as described hereinabove such as bipod assemblies with cable struts. Also, the aftward bipod assembly 12 and the leg member 82 could be replaced by a tripod assembly. Further, the beam 22 could be replaced by a truss.