LS-58	Model 5000335

LS-1441,ver. A	LS-1441,ver. B

Overview

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LS-58
(#670)

Front	Rear
Left Side	Right Side

Rear: Open for Rigging	Side: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my LS-58 from John Murray in 1993.

The body of the LS-58 is made from two pentagonal pieces of 1/8" (3.2 mm.) separated 20.5 mm. by a strip of the same material forming a cross piece on the left and a 12.5 mm. pin welded forming a tie-in point at the upper right. The cross piece that forms the back of the rope channel. The other side of the rope channel is a hinged cover extending half the height of the device. The hinged cover is secured by the long pin seen in the photo. A slot in the rope channel holds a knurled roller that moves upward during a fall, wedging the rope between the roller and the swinging cover. A hook in the bottom of the hinge pin forces the rope to run over the roller.

The left side of the LS-58 has a sticker with an up-pointing arrow labeled "UP" and the following information:

The right side has a virtual book stamped on it. It reads as follows:

The LS-58 is protected by U.S. Patent 3,876,036.

Comments

The LS-58 uses a sliding roller and a rope bending action to provide its fall stopping capability. The LS-58 could be used as an ascender, but its large size and top-mounted tie-in point would make this impractical. The roller idea might be used to make a more workable ascender, especially if it was spring-loaded. The rope bending contribution has been applied in some ascenders (e.g., the Hiebler), but leads to inefficiency due to the lost motion.

The braking action is assisted by the high tie-in point, which is the rod passing through the device at the upper left. Most of the side plate is nonfunctional, and could easily have been lightened by judicious drilling.

If the LS-58 were any smaller, there probably wouldn't be enough room to stamp all of the text on the right side. By the time you read all of this, your partner finished the job and you can go home.

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LS-1441, Version A
(#817)

Front	Rear
Left	Right	Top

Front: Open for Rigging	Side: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired a used pair of LS-1441s on eBay in 2005.

Version A is 104 mm. long, 165 mm. wide, 47 mm. high, and weighs 720 g.

The LS-1441 side plates are stamped from 1/8" (3.2 mm.) stainless steel. Each plate has a diagonal slot cut in it, which is covered by another stainless steel stamping riveted in place. These pieces have small drain holes at their base. Three rivets and a welded pin connect and separate the two plates, holding them 18.9 mm. apart. The top rivet supports a 22.4 mm. hard plastic roller. The second rivet acts as a actuation lever stop and also supports one end of the lever spring. The third rivet provides an axle for the actuation lever. and the lever spring. This rivet is about 5.5 mm. in diameter, but supports a 16 mm. notched guide bushing that keeps the actuation lever from tilting sideways. One end of the axle is welded to the left side plate. Finally, a 9.5 mm. diameter pin is welded between the two side plates near their base.

The rear of the side plates are bent to form slots for the rear hinge pin (left side) and quick release pin (right side). The rear piece is milled aluminum. It has a U-shaped groove milled on the rope bearing surface and a small 9.5 mm. hard plastic roller mounted at its base. A small slot near the rope channel house a small metal tab that is pinned loosely in place. This is an aid to help prevent mis-rigging. If the device is upside down, this tab should fall and keep one from closing the device.

The actuation lever is formed from two stainless steel stampings. These are bent so that they touch at the interior end, but separate at the exterior. An 11.2 mm. rod welded between the two provides a tie-in point. The lever acts on a knurled roller that runs in the hidden slots in the two side plates. When one loads the lever, it forces the roller upward. The roller is free to move further, if necessary, since the lever action only pushes the roller half-way up the slot.

The left side of the LS-1441 Version A is stamped with an arrow labeled "UP," "HAUT," "AUF," and "ALTO" and the following fine print message:

               
WARNING
INSPECT SYSTEM
BEFORE EACH USE.
PARTS MUST BE
FREE AND IN WORK-
ING ORDER. FAILURE
TO READ AND FOLLOW
ALL INSTRUCTIONS
AND MARKINGS
SUPPLIED WITH
THIS PRODUCT MAY
RESULT IN INJURY.
SEE OTHER SIDE

9 93

The right side is stamped with ’ROPE DIAMETER 5/8,"’ "LS-1441," "NO. 9194A," and the following fine print messages:

WARNING
USE 5/8" (16MM)
DIA. SYNTHETIC
LIFELINE ONLY.
POLYPROPYLENE
ROPE IS NOT TO BE
USED. MAINTAIN
LIFELINE VERTICAL
AS POSSIBLE. DO
NOT USE ROPE OVER
SHARP EDGES.
SEE OTHER SIDE.

U.S. PAT. NO. 4657110
CAN. PAT. NO. 1241937
U.K. PAT. NO. CB2168102 B

DB INDUSTRIES, INC
RED WING. MN. 55066

The back of the device has a sticker that reads as follows (the first two lines are next to two arrows):

UP, HAUT
AUF, ALTO

DBI/SALA ™
SERIAL NO.
R45748
CAPACITY
     310 LBS
     (141 Kg)

MEETS OSHA,
ANSI Z359.1
AND ANSI
A10.14-1991
                
WARNING
LIFELINE MUST
BE INDEPENDENT
OF PLATFORM
LIFT OR
SUPPORT LINES

The left side of the actuation lever is stamped, "MAXIMUM LANYARD 3 FT. (90CM)." The right side is stamped, "DO NOT OBSTRUCT LEVER MOTION."

The quick release pin is stamped, "AVK PUSH BLC5R49S."

The LS-1441 is protected by U.S. Patent 4,657,110.

Comments

The roller appears to be identical to the roller in the LS-058, but it rides in a sloping slot and is lever-actuated. This may be a more reliable system, but a lack of volunteers delayed testing: I don't have enough expendable people to throw off of cliffs and buildings.

My second LS-1441 is serial number R45756, and is essentially identical.

These guys love to write a lot of $#¡Ý on their devices.

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LS-1441, Version B
(#1710)

Front	Rear
Left Side	Right Side
Front: Open for Rigging	Side: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my DBI/SALA LS-1441, Version B from LittleLots in 2011.

Version B is 101 mm. long, 156 mm. wide, 48 mm. high, and weighs 714 g.

Version B uses a stainless steel cable to retain the quick release pin.

The left side of the LS-1441 Version A is stamped with an arrow labeled "UP," "HAUT," "AUF," and "ALTO" and the following fine print message:

               
WARNING
INSPECT SYSTEM
BEFORE EACH USE.
PARTS MUST BE
FREE AND IN WORK-
ING ORDER. FAILURE
TO READ AND FOLLOW
ALL INSTRUCTIONS
AND MARKINGS
SUPPLIED WITH
THIS PRODUCT MAY
RESULT IN INJURY.
SEE OTHER SIDE

00042669

The right side is stamped with ’ROPE DIAMETER 5/8,"’ "LS-1441," "NO. 9194A," and the following fine print messages:

WARNING
USE 5/8" (16MM)
DIA. SYNTHETIC
LIFELINE ONLY.
POLYPROPYLENE
ROPE IS NOT TO BE
USED. MAINTAIN
LIFELINE VERTICAL
AS POSSIBLE. DO
NOT USE ROPE OVER
SHARP EDGES.
SEE OTHER SIDE.

U.S. PAT. NO. 4657110
CAN. PAT. NO. 1241937
U.K> PAT. NO. CB2168102 B

DB INDUSTRIES, INC
RED WING. MN. 55066

The back of the device has a sticker that reads as follows (the first two lines are next to two arrows):

UP, HAUT
AUF, ALTO

DBI/SALA ™
SERIAL NO.
R115547
CAPACITY
     310 LBS
     (141 Kg)

MEETS OSHA,
ANSI Z359.1
AND ANSI
A10.14-1991
                
WARNING
LIFELINE MUST
BE INDEPENDENT
OF PLATFORM
LIFT OR
SUPPORT LINES

The left side of the actuation lever is stamped, "MAXIMUM LANYARD 3 FT. (90CM)." The right side is stamped, "DO NOT OBSTRUCT LEVER MOTION."

The quick release pin is stamped, "AVK PUSH BLC5R49S."

Comments

The difference between Versions A and B is minor. Version B is probably later since it has a larger serial number.

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Model 5000335
(#2859)

Front	Rear
Left Side	Right Side

Front: Open for Rigging	Side: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my DBI/SALA Model 5000335 from Scotty Horn in 2021.

My DBI/SALA Model 5000335 is 119 mm. long, 133 mm. wide, 53 mm. high, and weighs 770 g.

The body is made from two pieces of 2.4 mm. sheet steel, a central plastic housing, and plastic covers on each side. The steel is bent on each side to to form part of a hinge, and a milled block hinges on one side to form a channel cover. It is secured with a long QR pin. The housing holds a lever & attachment yoke assembly that the user clips to, a spring-loaded transfer lever, and a knurled roller that slides in angled slots in the steel sheets. In case of a fall, the knurled roller is forced upwards, wedging the rope between it and the cover block.

The attachment yoke is stamped with "MAXIMUM LANYARD 3FT (90CM)" on one side and "DO NOT OBSTRUCT LEVER MOTION" on the other. THere are three stickers that contain a lifetime’s reading material. The key points are that mine device was made in September 2008 (lot 13868775), has serial number 46468, and is designed for 5/8" (16 mm.) laid polyester/polypropylene rope.

The LS-58 is protected by U.S. Patent 4,657,110.

Comments

Model 50003358 could be used as an ascender, but its large size would make this impractical.

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