I just found this looking for some bar parts in marine catalogs. Its called the Allen Keyball. The concept of the ball replacing the hook system seems to have been done before the fireball system. It does not have a quick release I can see but it should be easy to make one up and attach it to a normal kite harness. Thought it was interesting and should share. I may order one and try it out.

I have Massive respect for the innovative design of the fireball system, i am not knocking the fireball, but it looks like a similar concept has been done before.

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Allen Keyball Trapeze System - 08:10:2014

Australian Distributor DeckHardware 02 9905 9400 www.deckhardware.com.au

For many years the development team at Allen were keen to design a trapeze system that improves the safety of the sport and reduces the risk of entrapment by the traditional hook-on trapeze harness. Designer Julian Bethwaite had also been thinking along the same lines and had produced a prototype of the keyball trapeze system. In conjunction with Bethwaite Design, Allen have developed the concept into a sleek and innovative design, eliminating the hook altogether to create a safe intuitive solution that really works.

http://www.deckhardware.com.au/_files/allen_keyball_trapeze_system.pdf

and this really make sense for sailing, the harness hook really is a PITA while throwing your self under the boom to get to the trap on the other side, it catches on lines and can damage deck and tramps (not to mention ribs). Replacing the hook with a dome as shown for skiff/cat sailing would be great - for kiting, I don't get it. If the big advantage is the vertical leverage distance to reduce spreader bar twist/roll, then it is still worse than the standard rope slider.

AS the patent holder Cabrinha would be required to defend the patent.
If they try to spend a ****load of money to stomp on somebody elses copy, then all the other party needs to do is show prior art.

It would be expensive and probably foolish for them to pursue and so the patent will be no more.

If they are smart they would not waste dollars going for a patent in the first place.

Now do you have a brilliant suggestion as to how to make it slide?
I have a couple of ideas.

Looking forward to the pulleyless bridal upgrade you have graciously offered for this info.

I thought the same thing when I saw the cabrinha, about a sliding set up. A ball instead of Loop and a long horizontal slot on harness spreader.
Game changer!

A sliding rope harness has more advantages, I think it makes the ball system redundant, nice idea, but I can't see any massive advantage over a decent rope slider harness setup.

I still use this bar for snow kiting though i chopped and changed the line set up years ago

JB said..
Naish all over it a decade ago.

wow you could unhook but still stay connected.

sir ROWDY said...
You can add the Butt-Ball to the pile with Re-Con and Sigma in it I think... change for the sake of change... and as much as the click-bar is interesting in a techy sort of way you can probably throw it on that heap as well. But what would I know .

Not much.....

Interesting