Opinions about the USBasic Continuous Belay System

							Opinions about the USBasic Continuous Belay System


To have some feedback of colleagues or costumers is always very useful.
On the Austrian Ropes Course Forum at http://www.rcforum.cc we found a comment on a
question of Stefan Reich.
In the section "material" Philipp Strasser gave an opinion about the USBasic Continuous
Belay System:

"Quote"
Servus Stefan,
das Ultra Safe Belay ist ein kontinuierliches Shuttle System, wie auch etwa der Expoglider.
Die Neuentwicklung daran ist, dass nicht das Sicherungsseil am Baum (oder sonstiger Anschlagpunkt)
vorbeigefuehrt wird,
sondern in Flucht zum Baum abgeleitet wird und das Shuttle vorher umgeleitet wird.
Dadurch ist vermutlich das Problem von Litzenbruechen, welche bei anderen Shuttlesystemen immer
wieder auftreten, besser geloest.
 Weiters werden die auftretenden Kraefte (zB durch ins-Seil-fallen) gut und in Flucht abgeleitet.
Das ist neu und in meinen Augen eine sinnvolle Entwicklung.
Die Handhabung schein mir noch nicht optimal geloest, das wirkt noch sehr holprig.
"Unquote"


A free translation sounds like this:

Hello Stefan,
the Ultra-Safe-Belay is a continuous belay system, as well as the Expo Glider.
The new development is the fact that the lifeline isn't brought around the tree (or any other anchor
point),
but is diverted to run to the tree and the shuttle is rerouted before.
Doing this, probably the problem of breaking strands, which frequently occur with other Shuttle
Systems, is better solved.
Furthermore, the occurring forces (e.g. due to a fall into the rope)derive good and in line with the
anchor point.
This is new and in my view a meaningful development.
The handling is apparently not fully solved, which still looks very bumpy.

Thank you very much Philipp Strasser.




      1 ultra-safe-belay.com
#1. Breaking Strands of the Lifeline Cable
Indeed Strand breaking of the lifeline occurs frequently on ropes courses.
Obvious reasons for strand breaking are:

#1.1. In competing ropes course systems the elements used are being bolted through or
strapped around the fixed anchor point (tree or pole).
The spot where the lifeline comes in or goes out is a fixed point.
Even the wiggling in the wind of the safety cable is capable of causing metal fatigue in the
cable on this very spot.
Especially on long ziplines with a large static load on the rope are at risk.

#1.2. In competing ropes course systems the entry or exit point of the lifeline on the element
is offset of the center of the anchor point (tree or pole) causing torsion on the anchor point.

To avert this problem we gave the USBasic Continuous Belay System two major lifeline
fixations:
-the Single Cable Holder( as entry and exit of the course)
-the Cable Holder Set (intermediary elements)




Both fixations direct all static and dynamic forces towards the centre of the anchor point.
The spot where the incoming and outgoing rope leave the element is floating to avoid metal
fatigue.

#2. Clamp Force of the Cable Holder
The testing by TÜV Süd proved that the 7 x clamp fixation is stronger than the break strength
of the lifeline (10 mm 7 x 19 stainless steel rope).
No competing Continuous Belay System has this feature.




      2 ultra-safe-belay.com
#3. The handling is apparently not fully solved.

We have observed various competing Continuous Belay Systems.
All have the lifeline higher than the participant.
All competing Continuous Belay Systems have problems with the difference of height
between children and adults, especially when going around the anchor point.
It goes even that far that some Ropes Course Builders argue; or you build a course for adults
or for children.

The USBasic Continuous Belay System solves this problem:

USBasic has it's lifeline at eye level and the transfer of the USBasic Connector from one
lifeline to another is manually.
In other words, it is pro-active; a feature being praised by many; you like it or you don't.

#3.1. For Challenge Courses with two Anchor Lines USBasic offers the Double Cross Beam
The Lifelines are above each other; one at adult eye level and one a children eye level.




#3.2. For Challenge Courses with two Anchor Lines USBasic offers two Cable Holder Sets;
one at adult eye level and one a children eye level.




      3 ultra-safe-belay.com
#3.3. For Challenge Courses with a single Anchor Line USBasic offers the Cable Holder Set;
the difference of height between adults and children is compensated through a step up for
children.




     4 ultra-safe-belay.com