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Version A, Front View |
Version B, Front View |
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Version A, Rear View |
Version B, Rear View |
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Version A, Side View |
Version B, Side View |
[ Top | Version B | Return to Misc. Descenders ]
I acquired my CMC Rescue Escape Artist from Rescue response Gear in 2006.
The CMC Rescue Escape Artist, Version A is 101 mm. tall, 70 mm. wide, and 41 mm. thick. Mine weighs 145 g.
This Rescue Escape Artist consists of a pivoting, lever-actuated, oval spool fitted between two side plates. The side plates are 2.5 mm. anodized aluminum. The side plates are shaped much like inverted rescue pulley side plates, including a 24 mm. high, 16 mm. wide oval hole at the bottom of each for rigging, and two bends each to bring the plates together at the rigging hole. The plates are rigidly connected by two 9.5 mm riveted bars, one at each side. The spool and lever are mounted on a hollow steel shaft that penetrates the rear plate. A third bar riveted to the center of the front plate passes through a hollow bar. The rear plate has an additional cut to provide clearance for a second pin connecting the spool and release lever.
The spool is 28.7 mm. high by 19.2 mm. wide oval-shaped aluminum block. The block appears to be extruded. It has shallow grooves at the lower left and right, while the top is semicircular. The block is free to rotate on the shaft to about 60° to one side of center. A 3.2 mm. stainless steel pin protrudes 9 mm. from each side of the spool.
The release lever is made from 4.1 mm. anodized aluminum.
The front plate is screened with "Ø 7.5-9.5mm," "PATENTED," an illustration of the rope path complete with an arrow labeled "TO ANCHOR" and a hand labeled "MUST GRIP ROPE." the "Reading is Dangerous" icon, and "LOT# A001." The lever is screened with "CMC RESCUE ESCAPE ARTIST™," "MEETS NFPA 1983 (2001 ED.) E MBS 13.5kN", the Underwriters Laboratories Classified logo, and a semicircular double-ended arrow around the pivot with one end labeled "GO" and the other "STOP."
The CMC Rescue Escape Artist came without any instructions (so what is the "Reading is Dangerous" icon supposed to mean?), but there is some information available on the CMC web site.
The Rescue Escape Artist does not open for rigging, so the user must have access to a free end of the rope. This means that the device should be pre-rigged if one intends to have it available in emergency situations. Rigging consists of putting two wraps around the spool. The device is not symmetrical so the rigging must follow the illustration on the front of the device.
The instructions state that one controls the descent using both the lever and a braking hand. The lever is too sensitive for my taste, especially on smaller ropes. Squeezing the lever fully decreases friction dramatically - there is no "panic safety" feature. The Rescue Escape Artist will provide an autostop feature if one lets go. I don't like this on any device, for a variety of reasons.
The Rescue Escape Artist is designed for firefighters. I avoid burning buildings myself, so I'll let people who don't write their own web sites to tell about its use in that environment. For cavers and climbers, it is too small for ropes over 9.5 mm. and too complex.
The Rescue Escape Artist was clearly motivated by the Traverse Rescue 540° Rescue Belay, which CMC now sells as well.
[ Top | Version A | Return to Misc. Descenders ]
I acquired my CMC Rescue Escape Artist from Rescue response Gear in 2008.
The CMC Rescue Escape Artist, Version B is 117 mm. tall, 72 mm. wide, and 37 mm. thick. Mine weighs 145 g. It is similar to version A, so I'll give the description in gray and use black to indicate changes made in version B.
This Rescue Escape Artist consists of a pivoting, lever-actuated, oval spool fitted between two side plates. The side plates are 2.5 mm. anodized aluminum. The side plates are shaped much like inverted rescue pulley side plates, including a 24 mm. high, 16 mm. wide oval hole at the bottom of each for rigging, and two bends each to bring the plates together at the rigging hole.. The plates are rigidly connected by two 9.5 mm riveted bars, one at each side, and a third, 14 mm. steel shaft that acts as an axle for a central spool.
The spool is 28.7 mm. high by 19.2 mm. wide oval-shaped aluminum block. The block appears to be extruded. It has shallow grooves at the lower left and right, while the top is semicircular. The block is free to rotate on the shaft to about 60° to one side of center. A 3.2 mm. stainless steel pin protrudes 9 mm. from each side of the spool.
The release lever is made from a 108 mm. long, 12.6 mm. square, anodized aluminum bar. It pivots on one of the side bars between the plates. A 35 mm. long, 12 mm wide, and 3.5 mm thick aluminum bar connects the upper end of the release lever with the upper end of the spool. These attachments are loosely pinned. The release lever has six 4.8 mm lightening holes drilled along its length.
The rear plate is screened with "Ø 7.5-9.0mm," an illustration of the rope path complete with an arrow labeled "TO ANCHOR" and a hand labeled "MUST GRIP ROPE." the "Reading is Dangerous" icon, and "ESCAPE ARTIST™." The front plate is screened with "CMC RESCUE," the Underwriters Laboratories Classified logo, "5F04", "PATENTED," and"MEETS NFPA 1983 (06 ED.)E MBS 13.5kN."
I prefer the lever arrangement on version B to that on version A. Not only is the lever larger and easier to use, but it is also more robustand in a more protected location. Version B is larger and heavier than version A, but this is mainly because of the sturdier control lever. For some reason, CMC reduced the recommended rope sizes as well.
[ Top | Version A | Version B ]
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©2008, Gary D. Storrick