Barrel bolt as emergency release in a chair

[AbsoluteBeginner]

(To the moderators: I wasn’t 100% sure if this belongs to safety or DIY – as a barrel bolt exit had never been discussed in this forum, I post it under “safety”)

The basic idea is simple:
A barrel bolt fixes a string which fixes a cuff. Moving the bolt with a foot partially releases the cuff, making it possible to reach a key and a pair of scissors.

Here, we see the chair:



The cuff is fixed to the corner brace by the white string going down.

At the bottom, we see the barrel bolt:



When the left foot is pushing the bolt back (red arrow), the white string is free and the left hand cuff can be moved. The green string is pulled when the left cuff is pulling up the white string, leading to a punishment (throwing an urine canister).

The left foot is fixed it in a dog collar linked to a chain around the chair leg. Movement up and down is restricted by the corner brace on the chair leg.

I did several tests, and the release mechanism worked fine.

In my opinion, this is an interesting additional emergency exit as it reduces the time until one hand is completely free to seconds:
Push the bolt with your foot, the hand is partially free and can grab a pair of scissors to cut the string.

(At this point it should be noted that I am a little obsessed with the problem of a quick emergency exit.)

Here is the rest of the setup:

The right side of the chair holds the standard release:



The primitive (but reliable) ice lock melts, the chain moves out and the right hand can be moved (to reach a key).
The line tightener is only used to make it easier to set this up.

Once one of the hands is partially free, I need a pair of scissors and a key reachable, therefore I placed this to the sides:



On both sides of the chair, a pair of scissors is reachable as soon as the hand is partially free (the bolt has been pushed or the ice has molten). The green string fixes it to another corner brace so that I can get it again in case that I drop it.


This is the complete chair (ready to start):




I have three release mechanisms:
- The icelock will set my right hand partially free (Standard), from there I have access to a key and a pair of scissors
- The barrel bolt can set my left hand partially free (emergency I), from there I have access to a key and a pair of scissors
- A little chain is fixed to the right cuff, leading to a key that comes with an urine shower (emergency II).

If the padlocks fail (read: Incompatible keys), the standard exit and the first emergency exit will still work (as I can cut the strings with the scissors).
If the ice doesn’t melt (read: temperature drastically falling), the emergency exits will still be available
If everything tangles up….that would be a problem but the left cuff (emergency release via barrel bolt) and the right cuff (standard release via icelock) are completely independent.
And even if both mechanisms are blocked, the emergency key alone would be sufficient to set me free.

I am fully aware that there is no such animal as “absolute security”, but I am hunting it anyway to achieve a "reasonable" level of security. In case of a heart attack, stroke e.t.c. I could still come into a situation where the self bondage pushes a problem from “survivable” to “lethal”.

Best regards,

the Absolute Beginner

[Riddle]

Your design is good. I like the fast release idea and have been trying to design one for myself. The use of a barrel latch is inventive.

Have fun!

[AbsoluteBeginner]

The fast release is in my opinion the most critical issue. I did a lot of experiments including a line tightener release and a deflating airbed.

I don't fear that I would starve to death or dehydrate because the release mechanism fails.
I use reliable release mechanisms, I always set it up in a way that I don't need to open the padlocks with a key (an icelock - either as standard or as failsafe backup - sets me free or sets me partially free with tools near me to open the padlocks and chains).
As a last resort: I don't use a gag and I'm living in an apartment block....should I ever use that method, I will give up my apartment immediately and move to another part of the town .

I regard a sudden, present danger like fire or an intruder as the most dangerous thing.

Regarding my constructions….I have some nice ideas, but unfortunately I am blessed with two left hands.

It surprises me that there is (nearly) no commercial SB furniture/equipment available.

Best regards,

the Absolute Beginner.

[AbsoluteBeginner]

I am currently in the process of modifying the scenario.

It is still in the test phase, but the results are looking promising.

I regard hands behind the back as the better chair position. The basic idea is this:





The barrel bolt will release the white string. Once it is no longer thightened, it is easy to get the black spring link free.

Now, two icelocks are put to the spring link:



As long as the white line is tightened, there should be no way to remove the ice locks from the spring link.

(These yogurt cans tend to be destroyed in the freezing/defreezing process.)

Now, add to this two cuffs:



The green string attached to the chair delivers a pair of scissors, a key and throws an urine canister.

The green string attached to the white string should throw the urine canister in case that the barrel bolt is used.

The basic idea is that the two ice locks are the standard release, the barrel bolt my first emergency release and the pair of scissors my second emergency release.

The first test run was disappointing:
After approximately 20 minutes, I was free. The Line wasn’t tight enough, so I was able to get the spring link free. Furthermore, one of the icelocks was completely destroyed – I suddenly hold the ice block in my fingers.

I guess that I will need a more tolerant thing then a quick link. Something that doesn’t open as soon as the line gets free by ½ inch or so.

Furthermore, I need to experiment with some better icelocks.

Nonetheless, I think that I am on the right track…..

the Absolute Beginner