Radium release hitch

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Radium Release Hitch
Radium Release Hitch.jpg
Category Hitch
Efficiency30kn
Releasing Load releasing
Typical usetechnical rope rescue

A radium release hitch is a load-releasing hitch using 3:1 mechanical advantage which is used in a two-rope technical rescue system. [1] The Radium Release Hitch allows a load to be transferred from one rope to another and is commonly rigged into the belay line prior to the operation of a two-rope technical rescue system. [2]

Contents

A radium release hitch is typically tied with 10 meters of 8mm rope and two locking carabiners. A reasonable length for the hitch (distance between the 2 carabiners) is 10 to 15 cm. [3]

History

The Radium Release Hitch was developed by Kirk Mauthner (who lives near Radium Hot Springs, hence the name) as a result of the extensive comparative analysis of release devices undertaken during 1997 through 1999 [4]

Usage

Tying

See also

List of knots

Mountain Rescue

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carabiner</span> Shackle with a spring-loaded gate

A carabiner or karabiner, often shortened to biner or to crab, colloquially known as a (climbing) clip, is a specialized type of shackle, a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate used to quickly and reversibly connect components, most notably in safety-critical systems. The word comes from the German Karabiner, short for Karabinerhaken, meaning "carbine rifle hook" used by a carbine rifleman, or carabinier, to attach his carbine to a belt or bandolier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knot</span> Method of fastening or securing linear material

A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a hitch fastens a rope to another object; a bend fastens two ends of a rope to each another; a loop knot is any knot creating a loop; and splice denotes any multi-strand knot, including bends and loops. A knot may also refer, in the strictest sense, to a stopper or knob at the end of a rope to keep that end from slipping through a grommet or eye. Knots have excited interest since ancient times for their practical uses, as well as their topological intricacy, studied in the area of mathematics known as knot theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butterfly loop</span> Knot used to form a fixed loop in the middle of a rope

The butterfly loop, also known as lineman's loop, butterfly knot, alpine butterfly knot, Swiss loop and lineman's rider, is a knot used to form a fixed loop in the middle of a rope. Tied in the bight, it can be made in a rope without access to either of the ends; this is a distinct advantage when working with long climbing ropes. The butterfly loop is an excellent mid-line rigging knot; it handles multi-directional loading well and has a symmetrical shape that makes it easy to inspect. In a climbing context it is also useful for traverse lines, some anchors, shortening rope slings, and for isolating damaged sections of rope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheepshank</span> Type of knot

A shank is a type of knot that is used to shorten a rope or take up slack, such as the sheepshank. The sheepshank knot is not stable. It will fall apart under too much load or too little load.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clove hitch</span> Type of knot

The clove hitch is an ancient type of knot, made of two successive single hitches tied around an object. It is most effectively used to secure a middle section of rope to an object it crosses over, such as a line on a fencepost. It can also be used as an ordinary hitch, or as a binding knot, but it is not particularly secure in either application. It is considered one of the most important knots, alongside the bowline and the sheet bend.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overhand knot with draw-loop</span> Type of knot

A slipped half hitch is a knot in which the weight of the load the rope carries depresses the loop sufficiently to keep it in place until the load item is placed in its location. When no longer required the free end may be pulled and draw the loop through and so release the load.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of climbing terms</span> For rock climbing and mountaineering

Glossary of climbing terms relates to rock climbing, mountaineering, and to ice climbing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock-climbing equipment</span> List of manmade gear

Rock-climbing equipment varies with the type of climbing undertaken. Bouldering needs the least equipment outside of shoes and chalk and optional crash pads. Sport climbing adds ropes, harnesses, belay devices, and quickdraws to clip into pre-drilled bolts. Traditional climbing adds the need for carrying a "rack" of temporary passive and active protection devices. Multi-pitch climbing adds devices to assist in ascending and descending fixed ropes. And finally aid climbing uses unique equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abseiling</span> Rope-controlled descent

Abseiling, also known as rappelling, is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling, the person descending controls their own movement down the rope, in contrast to lowering off, in which the rope attached to the person descending is paid out by their belayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highwayman's hitch</span> Quick-release draw loop knot

The Highwayman’s hitch is a quick-release draw hitch used for temporarily securing a load that will need to be released easily and cleanly. The hitch can be untied with a tug of the working end, even when under tension. The highwayman's hitch can be tied in the middle of a rope, and so the working end does not need to be passed around the anchor when tying or releasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belaying</span> Rock climbing safety technique using ropes

Belaying is a variety of techniques climbers use to create friction within a climbing system, particularly on a climbing rope, so that a falling climber does not fall very far. A climbing partner typically applies tension at the other end of the rope whenever the climber is not moving, and removes the tension from the rope whenever the climber needs more rope to continue climbing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Munter hitch</span> Adjustable knot used control friction in a belay system

The Munter hitch, also known as the Italian hitch, mezzo barcaiolo or the crossing hitch, is a simple adjustable knot, commonly used by climbers, cavers, and rescuers to control friction in a life-lining or belay system. To climbers, this hitch is also known as HMS, the abbreviation for the German term Halbmastwurfsicherung, meaning half clove hitch belay. This technique can be used with a special "pear-shaped" HMS locking carabiner, or any locking carabiner wide enough to take two turns of the rope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bachmann knot</span> Type of knot

The Bachmann hitch is a friction hitch, named after the Austrian alpinist Franz Bachmann. It is useful when the friction hitch needs to be reset quickly or often or made to be self-tending as in crevasse and self-rescue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prusik knot</span> Type of knot

A Prusik is a friction hitch or knot used to attach a loop of cord around a rope, applied in climbing, canyoneering, mountaineering, caving, rope rescue, ziplining, and by arborists. The term Prusik is a name for both the loops of cord used to tie the hitch and the hitch itself, and the verb is "to prusik". More casually, the term is used for any friction hitch or device that can grab a rope. Due to the pronunciation, the word is often misspelled Prussik, Prussick, or Prussic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halter hitch</span> Type of knot

The halter hitch is a type of knot used to connect a rope to an object. As the name implies, an animal's lead rope, attached to its halter, may be tied to a post or hitching rail with this knot. The benefit of the halter hitch is that it can be easily released by pulling on one end of the rope, even if it is under tension. Some sources show the knot being finished with the free end running through the slipped loop to prevent it from working loose or being untied by a clever animal, still allowing easy but not instant untying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garda hitch</span> Type of climbing knot

The Garda Hitch, also known as the Alpine Clutch, is a type of climbing knot that can only be moved in one direction. It is often used in climbing and mountaineering, such as in pulley systems to haul loads up a cliff. However, the Garda Hitch has some drawbacks, including being difficult to release under load, difficult to inspect, and adding significant friction to a pulley system. It can be challenging to determine which direction the rope will move freely and which direction it will lock just by looking at it. To tie a Garda Hitch, you need two similar carabiners, and it works best with two identical oval carabiners. While "D" carabiners can also be used, there is a risk of them unclipping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tensionless hitch</span> Type of knot

A Tensionless hitch is an anchor knot used for rappelling or rope rescue. Unlike most knots, the tensionless hitch retains a 100% efficiency rating, meaning the strength of the knot is equal to the strength of the rope; it is not a significant stress riser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tumble hitch</span>

The tumble hitch is a "slip-free", quick-release hitch knot used for temporarily securing a rope such that it can be released easily to be completely free of the hitched-to object. The hitch might be able to be untied with a tug of the working end, even when under tension; but the workings depend upon materials and forces; note that in some cases, "under tension" will amount to simply being tied and the line itself giving significant tension by weight. The tumble hitch is tied in the bight.

References

  1. Matthews, M. (2009). Technical Rescue: Rope Rescue: Rope Rescue, Levels I and II. Delmar/Cengage Learning. p. 83. ISBN   1428320563.
  2. Grogono, Alan W. Grogono (Grog), David E. Grogono, Martin J. "Radium Release | How to tie the Radium Release Hitch | Rescue Knots". www.animatedknots.com. Retrieved 2016-09-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. 1 2 "Knots and Hitches" (PDF). whitewater-rescue.com. Air Medical Resource Group. 2004. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  4. Release-Devices: A Comparative Analysis, by Katie and Kirk Mauthner, 1999
  5. Jido (2010-06-11). "San Juan County Search and Rescue: Radium Release Hitch". San Juan County Search and Rescue. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  6. "Load Releasing Hitch" (PDF). stowemountainrescue. stowemountainrescue. Retrieved September 21, 2016.