Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
I HENRY ROBERT INGHAM WEBSTER of Norton House, Fence Houses, in the county
of Durham, Rope Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of flat wire ropes
and has for its object to provide a means of stitching or fastening together the group
of ropes forming the flat rope whereby a greater amount of freedom from undue strains,
and consequent longer duration of life is given to the rope.
Hitherto in flat ropes composed of a group of round ropes the group has been
stitched or sewn together by a number of wires forming a continuous stitch traversing
the whole length of the rope and undulating from side to side, or by an iron rod, or
bar, inserted in the same manner as the said continuous stitch of endless wires, or, by
short pieces of iron placed through the rope from side to side and fastened at each end.
The objection to this undulating stitch in cases where a continuous endless wire or
group of wires has been employed is that the stitch while over-lapping the outside
ropes of the
group passes direct through the inside or intermediate ropes. A greater
amount of freedom to stretch is thereby allowed to the intermediate than to the
outside ropes, and this unequal strain causes the stitching wire or wires to fracture or
break before the rope is worked out. Where a continuous iron rod or bar, or short
pieces of iron passing direct through the rope, is employed for the same purpose the
solid iron being out of all proportion to the rope in regard to size, bardness, and non-
flexibility, causes the rope to be "ironbound the result being that the wires of the
ropes break on the crown heads of the strands, damaging the rope to such extent that
it will only last about half its normal lifetime.
According to my invention I do not use a continuous stitch as above described but
a number of free wire stitches or fasteners each one composed of a suitable length of
wire passed direct through all the ropes forming the flat rope and through or
embracing a plate or plates at each side thereof when both its ends are secured by
clamping the said plate or plates tight.
The invention is clearly shown in the accompanying drawing where a, a, a, are the
separate ropes serving to form the flat rope A A. The length of small wire composing

page_text: the free stitches B B is proportionate to the strength of the rope, and at a suitable
distance apart the stitches B B are passed direct through all the ropes a a a trans-
versely at right angles to their length, and through or embracing a plate or plates c
which are then clamped and secured firmly at each end. By this construction equal
freedom to stretch is permitted to the outside and inside ropes a a a alike, and the
stitches B B being independent are free to move correspondingly with the stretch of
the ropes and consequently no hang, drag, or undue strain is thrown upon them. The
wire or wires forming the stitches B, B, is or are annealed, whereby the rope is made
both flexible and durable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
In the manufacture of flat wire ropes the use of free wire stitches or fasteners each
consisting of a coil of wire passing transversely direct through all the ropes forming
the flat rope and a plate or plates at either end thereof substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore set forth.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.