Climbing apparatus and system

Abstract

A climbing apparatus and system for climbing a columnar structure, including a pair of climbing apparatus, each of which includes an elongated vertical member with a pair of anchors to engage with the columnar structure, a fastening loop pivotally connected to the vertical member and which locates around the columnar structure, and a platform which supports the foot of a user. One of the pairs of climbing apparatus can have a platform located at a greater distance from its respective fastening loop connection than the other of the pair of climbing apparatus to facilitate stepwise climbing. the user alternatingly shifts weight between each apparatus and moves the other of the pair of climbing apparatus in a stepwise manner until the desired height is reached.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A climbing apparatus for ascending and descending a columnar structure, the climbing apparatus comprising:
 i. an elongated vertical member;   ii. a pair of anchors fixed to the elongated vertical member in spaced-apart relation along the length of the elongated vertical member, the pair of anchors projecting outwardly from the elongated vertical member;   iii. a platform fixed along the length of the elongated vertical member and configured to support a foot of a user; and   iv. a fastening loop adjustably and pivotally connected to the elongated vertical member between the pair of anchors, wherein when the climbing apparatus is affixed to the columnar structure, the fastening loop surrounds the columnar structure with the pair of anchors supported against the columnar structure.   
     
     
         2 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper one of the pair of anchors is located toward an upper end of the elongated vertical member and a lower one of the pair of anchors is located toward a lower end of the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         3 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each anchor of the pair of anchors has a pair of anchor arms configured to engage the columnar structure. 
     
     
         4 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the pair of anchor arms of each anchor has a V-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The climbing apparatus as in  claim 4 , wherein each of the anchor arms has a series of serrated teeth for gripping the columnar structure. 
     
     
         6 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the platform is fixed along the length of the elongated vertical member between the pair of anchors. 
     
     
         7 . The climbing apparatus as in  claim 6 , wherein the platform is fixed to the elongated vertical member toward the lower end of the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         8 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the platform extends outwardly from the elongated vertical member in a direction opposite from the pair of anchors. 
     
     
         9 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the platform is pivotally connected to the elongated vertical member, enabling the platform to be moved into a first, storage position substantially vertically aligned with the elongated vertical member, to a second, operating position substantially perpendicular to the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         10 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the platform includes a foot strap on an upper surface of the platform. 
     
     
         11 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a bracket fixed to the elongated vertical member between the pair of anchors, the bracket configured to pivotally, adjustably, and releasably secure the fastening loop to the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         12 . The climbing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the bracket is supported for restricted pivotal movement less than 90 degrees relative to the elongated vertical member such that the fastening loop is supported in surrounding relation to the columnar structure between a first angle substantially perpendicular to the elongated vertical member and a second angle non-parallel to the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         13 . The climbing apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein an upper one of the pair of anchors is located toward or at an upper end of the elongated vertical member and a lower one of the pair of anchors is located toward or at a lower end of the elongated vertical member, the platform is located along the length of the elongated vertical member closer to the lower one of the pair of anchors than the upper one of the pair of anchors, and further including a bracket fixed to the elongated vertical member between the platform and the upper one of the pair of anchors, the bracket configured to pivotally, adjustably, and releasably secure the fastening loop to the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         14 . A climbing system comprising a pair of climbing apparatus for ascending and descending a columnar structure, each climbing apparatus comprising:
 i. an elongated vertical member;   ii. a pair of anchors fixed to the elongated vertical member in spaced-apart relation along the length of the elongated vertical member, and projecting outwardly from the elongated vertical member and toward and against the columnar structure when the climbing apparatus is fixed to the columnar structure;   iii. a platform fixed along the length of the elongated vertical member and configured to support a foot of a user; and   iv. a fastening loop adjustably and pivotally connected to the elongated vertical member between the pair of anchors, the fastening loop surrounding the columnar structure when the climbing apparatus is affixed to the columnar structure,   wherein the platform of one of the pair of climbing apparatus is fixed along the length of the elongated vertical member at a distance further away from the fastening loop connection on the one climbing apparatus than the distance of the platform to the fastening loop connection of the other one of the pair of climbing apparatus, to facilitate ascending and descending the columnar structure by moving one of the pair of climbing apparatus along the columnar structure followed by the other one of the pair of climbing apparatus in succession.   
     
     
         15 . The climbing system according to  claim 14 , wherein the elongated vertical member of one of the pairs of climbing apparatus is longer than the elongated vertical member of the other one of the pairs of climbing apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The climbing system according to  claim 15 , wherein each climbing apparatus includes a bracket fixed to the elongated vertical member between the pair of anchors, the bracket configured to pivotally, adjustably, and releasably secure the fastening loop of the respective climbing apparatus to the elongated vertical member. 
     
     
         17 . The climbing system as in  claim 16 , wherein an upper one of the pair of anchors is located toward or at an upper end of the elongated vertical member and a lower one of the pair of anchors is located toward or at a lower end of the elongated vertical member, the platform is located along the length of the elongated vertical member closer to the lower one of the pair of anchors than the upper one of the pair of anchors, and wherein the bracket is fixed to the elongated vertical member between the platform and the upper one of the pair of anchors. 
     
     
         18 . A method for climbing a columnar structure using the climbing system as in  claim 14 , comprising the steps of:
 i. locating the fastening loop of each climbing apparatus loosely around the columnar structure, with the fastening loop of one of the pairs of climbing apparatus vertically above the fastening loop of the other one of the pair of climbing apparatus;   ii. locating each foot of the user on a respective platform of each climbing apparatus such that the user is supported in an upright position facing the columnar structure;   iii. allowing the weight of the user to force the elongated vertical member of each climbing apparatus downwardly along the columnar structure, with the fastening loop engaging a rear side of the columnar structure and the pair of anchors being drawn against and engaging a front side of the columnar structure until the fastening loop is taut around the columnar structure; and   iv. repeatedly raising one of the pair of climbing apparatus followed by the other of the pair of climbing apparatus in succession by alternatingly raising each foot of the user to i) release each respective anchor from the columnar structure, ii) allow the fastening loop of the respective climbing apparatus to be loosened and pulled up the columnar structure a selected amount according to the raised distance of the respective foot of the user, and iii) then reapplying a downward movement to each foot of the user to allow the weight of the user to force the respective elongated vertical member downwardly along the columnar structure with the fastening loop again engaging the rear side of the columnar structure and the pair of anchors again being drawn against and engaging a front side of the columnar structure until the fastening loop is again taut, until the desired height along the columnar structure is achieved.