Of out-of-the-box climbing inventions

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Jeffrey VanMiddlebrook

Boulder climber

Mountain View, CA

Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 16, 2013 - 04:49pm PT

You must forgive the unfettered audacity of the inventive mind -- which I possess in abundance and madness -- but eons ago I invented some unique climbing devices that never found their way into the marketplace for various reasons. One was a combination ascender-rapeller, the other a self-belaying system to allow any climber of any degree of skill to solo climb without fear of taking a screamer. I invented the combination device in 1979 and the solo-belay system in 1993. I named the solo-belay system "Solo-Dare", and filed the patent application accordingly.

My timing was just not right as what I confronted when I approached all the main players in the climbing equipment arena is that they were all moving away from high liability ideas, and my devices were seen as potentially of high liability.

So just as dozens of my inventions spanning several fields have been banished to my mildewed filing cabinets, those two climbing devices most likely shall never see the light of day again. Most prolific inventors understand this as very little of our unique ideas ever come to market. But the intellectual rush is in knowing nobody but you came up with the concept.

Norwegian

Trad climber

the tip of god's middle finger

Mar 16, 2013 - 04:52pm PT

you invented a device
that stripps the self-belayed climber
of any fear or regret?

i will begin praying to you tonight,
once im exhausted of my abundant sin.

Jeffrey VanMiddlebrook

Boulder climber

Mountain View, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2013 - 04:53pm PT

Funny response!! Love to swill a few brewskies with you!!

eKat

Trad climber

Less than a second shy of 49 minutes

Mar 16, 2013 - 04:56pm PT

Hi. . . I'd love to take a look at your patent. . . could you please post up the number?

Thanks.

Kath

Norwegian

Trad climber

the tip of god's middle finger

Mar 16, 2013 - 04:57pm PT

im a big fan of the silent partner,
though i most emphatically harbor fear
when im driving and she's braking.


	Credit: Norwegian

beers. they are readily consumed without trepidation.
who invented the fearlessly-swilled beer?

eKat

Trad climber

Less than a second shy of 49 minutes

Mar 16, 2013 - 04:58pm PT

YeahBaby. . . I'm kinda partial to the SilentPartner, too!

:-)

Prod

Trad climber

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:02pm PT

According to Czech legend, deity Radegast, god of hospitality, invented beer.

Prod.

Jeffrey VanMiddlebrook

Boulder climber

Mountain View, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2013 - 05:05pm PT

The only problem with a silent partner (in and out of bed) is the lack of that very twisted and morbid sense of humor that flows so freely with the flood of adrenalin.

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:06pm PT

It's never let me down so to speak...

Now. JVM, If you ever need beta testers....

Norwegian

Trad climber

the tip of god's middle finger

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:07pm PT

i named my daughter annapurna,
after the goddess of substance;
the provider of harvest.

i didn't realize that i was
assigning her such an exaggerated expectation;
i merely threw a monumental hissy-fit
when my wife won the name-the-child coin toss.

Jeffrey VanMiddlebrook

Boulder climber

Mountain View, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2013 - 05:08pm PT

Damn, Norwegian, you's a poet and don't know it!!

eKat

Trad climber

Less than a second shy of 49 minutes

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:09pm PT

So. . . post up a link to your patent, already!

:-)

Peter Haan

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, CA

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:14pm PT

I am with eKat; make this real

Jeffrey VanMiddlebrook

Boulder climber

Mountain View, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2013 - 05:17pm PT

Wish I could post it, but I abandoned the application when all the manufacturers turned me down. If you know the "game" then you know that you begin the patent process to acquire "patent pending" status then you start trolling for interest hopefully via NDAs. I got nowhere after the NDA level because my Solo-Dare system was seen as potentially of high liability because it promoted solo climbing which the industry does not want to promote.

A wise general knows when to retreat. Now I invent in arenas where liability is not a major concern, like the plumbing industry, CO2 sequestration, automotive security systems, and so on.

Brandon-

climber

The Granite State.

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:21pm PT

Open Source.

Jeffrey VanMiddlebrook

Boulder climber

Mountain View, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2013 - 05:26pm PT

When one knows that his/her idea/concept/invention is never going to make it into the marketplace then one can choose to bury the idea out of ego, or one can "gift" it to the Universe. I will now gift my Solo-Dare to the climbing world right here on this website.

Picture hydraulic-activated camming devices linked together via ultra-lightweight cable with the "master cylinder" on your harness.

That's the only crumb I will give you. There's a lot more to the system, a lot more versatility, but if you've got an inventive mind you should be able to deduce a fair picture of the system.

eKat

Trad climber

Less than a second shy of 49 minutes

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:27pm PT

Yeah. . . I know the game. . . and went about it completely differently than how you outlined it.

Thanks anyway.

coz

Gym climber

Belmont

Mar 16, 2013 - 05:31pm PT

I'm not buying any of it...

If you're going to come on here and claim you invented revolutionary climbing device before anyone else be prepared to show some proof.

Like a photo, my friend... Or it's just so much spray,