The lineGrip Spring-Ball-Retainer (SBR)
The retainer, or more specifically, the “plate retainer”, is the mechanism, that secures the loose clamping plate from inadvertently unlatching, which would send the lineGrip falling off the line.
When there’s a load at the load eye, this is not an issue, for the hooks are closed. Hanging free, however, the hooks open and a shaking line could cause the plate to unlatch.
Inadvertent unlatching could also occur, when repositioning the lineGrip, if no retainer is installed.
The former retainer-pin
had to be installed manually, after attaching the lineGrip to the line. Especially when rigging a highline and hanging below the line in your leash, it could prove to be quite cumbersome and frustrating to fumble the small pin into its hole in the plate.
The spring-ball-retainer
replaces the retainer-pin and eliminates any kind of additional user interaction for locking, while still fulfilling the exact same function – reliably securing the plate from inadvertent unlatching.
The spring balls will also guide the pegs snugly into the hooks, should they be misaligned while loading the lineGrip, as shown at the end of the video.
It is auto-engaging
and auto-releasing, which means, you simply attach the lineGrip to the webbing, latch the plate, and it’s automatically secured by the spring-balls.
To detach, you apply firm pressure to the plate, and the spring-balls release it for removal.
Durability of the SBR
Because steel balls would gradualy damage the aluminum levers, we used spring-balls made of POM, which is a relatively hard and tough plastic, commonly used in industrial applications.
We conducted extensive durability testing and found, that due to the smooth anodized surface on the levers, wear on the spring-balls was negligible.
Even after 3000(!) applications, the spring-balls were as good as new. This is also due to the fact, that the balls rotate inside their sockets, which results in uniform wear.
Therefore we guarantee a minimum endurance for the SBR of 3000 applications, which corresponds to about a 6 year lifespan for a lineGrip, that is used 10x every week of the year.
And should the spring balls ever wear off, they are easily replaced, by removing the rubber plate, extruding the SBR-inserts from inside the clamping-plate, and fitting a pair of new ones.
