Devices, systems and methods for emergency descent from a height

Abstract

An integral rescue device preferably worn by a firefighter that includes a shock absorbing descender attached to the rescue device, a support line passing through the shock absorbing descender, an anchor connection attached to a first end of the support line in the vicinity of the shock absorbing descender, and an assembly for holding the support line. The assembly preferably includes a plurality of holders in which intermediate loops of the support line are retained near the terminus of each of the intermediate loops. In a preferred embodiment, the shock absorbing descender is attached to a waist belt of a self-contained breathing apparatus carrier with a support line passing through the shock absorbing descender, an anchor connection attached to a first end of the support line in the vicinity of the shock absorbing descender, and an assembly for holding the support line.

1 . An article to be worn by a user, comprising: a shock absorbing descender attached to the article, a support line passing through the shock absorbing descender, an anchor connection attached to a first end of the support line in the vicinity of the shock absorbing descender, and an assembly for holding the support line.  
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of holders in which intermediate loops of the support line are retained near the terminus of each of the intermediate loops.  
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 2  wherein the assembly includes a first group of holders and a second group of holders, each group of holders including at least two holders, a first intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a first holder of the first group of holders and the support line then being looped in an extended, generally u-shaped loop, a second intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a first holder of the second group of holders, the support line then being looped back in an extended, generally u-shaped loop and a third intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a second holder of the first group of holders, the support line then being looped in an extended u-shaped loop and a fourth intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a second holder of the second group of holders.  
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 3  wherein the assembly further comprises a first retainer and a second retainer, the first retainer comprising a first length of material attached to the assembly that is adapted to be threaded through the intermediate loops passing through the holders of the first group of holders, the second retainer comprising a second length of material attached to the assembly that is adapted to be threaded through the intermediate loops passing through the holders of the second group of holders.  
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 4  wherein the support line is in operative connection with each of the first retainer and the second retainer so that application of force to the first end of the support line causes the first retainer to be withdrawn from the intermediate loops passing through the first group of holders and the second retainer to be withdrawn from the intermediate loops passing through the second group of holders.  
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 5  wherein further application of force to the first end of the support line, after the first retainer and the second retainer are withdrawn from the intermediate loops, causes the intermediate loops to be withdrawn from the holders of the first group of holders and the second group of holders.  
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the shock absorbing descender comprises a descender device and a shock absorbing element, the descender device comprising a plate with a plurality of holes therein, the shock absorbing element comprising an extending section of material being threaded through a pair of rings and being doubled over itself and stitched together with rip stitching, the rip stitching being adapted to rip under a certain force to absorb energy and the rings being adapted to deform and thereby absorb energy.  
   
   
       8 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the a second end of the support line is unattached and the support line has formed in the vicinity of the second end a termination knot that prevents passage of the second end of the support line through the descender device.  
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 8  wherein the termination knot can be released so that the support line can pass through the descender and thereby be operatively disengaged from descender device.  
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 9  wherein a cover is formed over at least a portion of the knotted section of the termination knot of the support line so that the cover must be removed before the termination knot is released.  
   
   
       11 . A self-contained breathing apparatus carrier, comprising: a waist belt, a shock absorbing descender in operative connection with the waist belt, a support line passing through the shock absorbing descender, an anchor connection attached to a first end of the support line in the vicinity of the shock absorbing descender, and an assembly for holding the support line.  
   
   
       12 . The self-contained breathing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of holders in which intermediate loops of the support line are retained near the terminus of each of the looped ends.  
   
   
       13 . The carrier of  claim 12  wherein the assembly includes a first group of holders and a second group of holders, each group of holders including at least two holders, a first intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a first holder of the first group of holders and the support line then being looped in an extended, generally u-shaped loop, a second intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a first holder of the second group of holders, the support line then being looped back in an extended, generally u-shaped loop and a third intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a second holder of the first group of holders, the support line then being looped in an extended u-shaped loop and a fourth intermediate loop of the support line being passed through a second holder of the second group of holders.  
   
   
       14 . The carrier of  claim 13  wherein the assembly further comprises a first retainer and a second retainer, the first retainer comprising a first length of material attached to the assembly that is adapted to be threaded through the intermediate loops passing through the holders of the first group of holders, the second retainer comprising a second length of material attached to the assembly that is adapted to be threaded through the intermediate loops passing through the holders of the second group of holders.  
   
   
       15 . The carrier of  claim 14  wherein the support line is in operative connection with each of the first retainer and the second retainer so that application of force to the first end of the support line causes the first retainer to be withdrawn from the intermediate loops passing through the first group of holders and the second retainer to be withdrawn from the intermediate loops passing through the second group of holders.  
   
   
       16 . The carrier of  claim 15  wherein further application of force to the first end of the support line, after the first retainer and the second retainer are withdrawn from the intermediate loops, causes the intermediate loops to be withdrawn from the holders of the first group of holders and the second group of holders.  
   
   
       17 . The carrier of  claim 16  wherein the shock absorbing descender is attached to the waist belt and comprises a descender device and a shock absorbing element, the descender device comprising a plate with a plurality of holes therein and the shock absorbing element comprising an extending section of material threaded through a plurality of rings and being doubled over itself and stitched together with rip stitching, the rip stitching being adapted to rip under a certain force to absorb energy and the rings being adapted to deform and thereby absorb energy.  
   
   
       18 . The carrier of  claim 17  wherein the a second end of the support line is unattached and the support line has formed in the vicinity of the second end a termination knot that prevents passage of the second end of the support line through the descender device.  
   
   
       19 . The carrier of  claim 18  wherein the termination knot can be released so that the support line can pass through the descender device and the support line can be operatively disengaged from descender device.  
   
   
       20 . The carrier of  claim 19  wherein a cover is formed over at least a portion of the knotted section of the termination knot of the support line so that the cover must be removed before the termination knot is released.