Mess-Free Ice Release Concept

I really like the idea of using an ice release as a reliable method, especially for backup purposes. My main concern is that melting ice might drip water where I don’t want it. Recently, while working on this in my workshop, I came up with a design for a contained system using PVC fittings and other hardware store items. It’s mostly built at the moment; I just need to find one essential component.

The core idea is that the ice rests inside a pipe with its sealed end pointing down. A plunger sits on top of the ice, also within the tube. This plunger fits snugly against the tube walls but doesn’t create a seal, and it likely needs some drilled holes for extra stability. The plunger connects to a long 3/8” bolt that points upward inside the tube, away from the ice. I’ve sawed off the head of this bolt so it sticks out through a hole in a thread-on cap attached to the other end of the PVC pipe. The lengths are calibrated so that when the plunger reaches the bottom of its travel, the exposed part of the bolt is level with or just slightly below the outer surface of the cap. A compression spring on the bolt between the plunger and the inner side of the cap ensures a downward force pressing the plunger against the ice.

To use it, you drop in your desired number of ice cubes inside the pipe. Then slide the plunger (with the spring over its shaft) into place and screw on the thread-on cap. The height of the ice pushes the plunger up toward the top of the tube, compressing the spring and forcing the bolt to protrude through the hole. You hook a key ring or similar tool onto this exposed part of the bolt, much like hanging something on a coat rack, keeping the whole tube upright. As the ice melts, gravity pulls the plunger down, moving the bolt with it. Once all the ice is gone and the plunger hits the bottom inside the capped pipe, the bolt drops to be flush with the top cap. The ring looped around it loses its anchor point and falls away.

With some tweaks and a more detailed part added to the top cap, I believe this release could serve as an integrated keyless mechanism within bondage gear. Instead of just describing it here, I’ll sketch out how it might work in practice. My mental image uses a concept similar to a panic snap or pelican hook (a standard sailing latch). The closure is designed to hold a ring or chain end securely but can be triggered by a part under significantly less strain due to mechanical advantage.

Here’s a photo of one type of pelican hook for reference:

The small sliding ring and the hinged half must stay in place for the closure to remain shut under load, but they don’t bear anywhere near as much force as the entire structure.