Front	Rear	Top

Bottom	Front: Open for Rigging	Rear: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

Vitaly Tomchyk sent me this Pishchepromavtomatika Drop (Пищепромавтоматика Капля) in 2021.

The Pishchepromavtomatika Drop (Пищепромавтоматика Капля) is 81 mm. tall, 49 mm. wide, 26 mm. thick, and weighs 144 g.

The Pishchepromavtomatika Drop consists of a pivoting lever and an anvil mounted between two side plates. One side plate is stationary, while the other pivots on the lever axle so that it may be opened to admit the rope. A notch on the lower left side of the swinging plate slides under the head of a shoulder nut on one of the anvil screws when the ascender is closed. The right side has 12 mm. holes passing through both plates, forming an attachment eye. A second 12 mm. hole in the rear plate does not have an obvious function.

There are no markings on this ascender.

Comments

This ascender was manufactured at the Pishchepromavtomatika plant in Odessa. Vitaly, master of sports in mountaineering, initiated the production run of 500 pieces.

The name "Drop" (Капля) refers to its shape, which resembles a drop of water.

To rig this ascender, bring the standing rope down to the right (as shown) of the lever, then pass it under the lever and over the anvil. Close the swinging side gate, and insert a carabiner through the holes. When load is applied to the carabiner, the rope exerts a counter-clockwise torque on the lever, and the left side of the lever squeezes the rope against the knurled post.

Since the ascender rotates when loaded, there is a fair amount of lost motion in each cycle.

The lever on the Pishchepromavtomatika Drop is not spring loaded. A spring is not needed for climbing, but without a spring, this Drop has a tendency to slide down the rope when unloaded.