Improvements in and relating to Ropes or Bands applicable for Driving, Hauling, Winding, and like Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 8th Mar.. 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
Improvements in and relating to Ropes or Bands applicable for
Driving, Hauling, Winding, and like Purposes.
I, ROBERT DICK, of Greenhead, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
ropes or bands applicable for driving machinery, and for hauling and winding
purposes such as for hausers and ropes on board ship, and for hauling or winding
ropes for mines, hydraulic lifts, cranes, tramway cars, and railway carriages, and for
other general purposes as a substitute for the hemp and wire ropes at present in use,
with the object of getting greater strength and flexibility then heretofore.
The invention consists in the manufacture of the said ropes or bands from composite
layers of canvas and gutta percha with a core of iron, steel, or other metal link chains,
embedded in gutta percha, within them, either plain or twisted or of any ordinary
construction of metal link chain used for hauling or pulling purposes. This chain
would first be embedded in a covering of gutta percha, and then lapped round, while
distende: helically with a strip or ply of canvas or soft twisted yarn coated or
saturated with gutta-percha solution or gutta percha, overlapping each other as the
strip was twisted round the chain, all heated by currents of hot air or otherwise, the
gutta percha or mixtures of gutta percha being filled into the interstices or inequalities
between the links of the chain below the said helical binder, to maintain the links in
their normal regular and distended position as an approximately round core for being
afterwards covered by a longitudinal band of prepared solutionized canvas the length
of the chain and rolled spirally over each other to two, three, or more thicknesses
throughout the length of and tightly over the said core chain thus having only a
single joint of the canvas longitudinally along the whole length of the canvas of
this composite chain rope or band. It would then be covered with a thin layer or
thickness of prepared selected or elastic hot plastic gutta percha, and compressed in
hollow cylindrical moulds to the form of a round rope or band, or drawn through
dies, or rolled through a series of grooved rollers to the tightness and size required.
By these improvements the chain would be made of a strength about equal to the
drawing or driving power desired to be transmitted by the rope, while the outer
sheathing or covering would be made up of a spiral layer or layers of canvas and
gutta percha sufficiently thick to give the diameter of rope to suit the purpose desired
such as when used for driving purposes to suit the grooves of the pulleys and give
the proper surface gripping action upon the rope by the grooves in the pulleys for
these to act properly, or be made of a thickness of coils or sheathing only sufficient to
protect the chain from moisture and wear and give it the elasticity of a rope.
These improved composite chain ropes are very flexible by reason of the chain
core and the outer canvas covering, which enables them to bend round small diameters
of pulleys with little or no torsion or strain on the outer shell or body of the rope, the
chain giving a great strength in a small diameter of rope. The ends of the chains
when used for endless driving ropes may be attached by a U or shackle link and bolt
or rivet through its open end and one end link, or through double links and rivets
or bolts on each side of the end links, or with wire internal wound links, and have
the outer covering of coiled canvas placed in an overlapping manner over the
coupled ends of the chain attached by gutta percha compressed in a mould until
cold.
A further improvement has reference to a cotton flax or hemp twisted rope or
band without a metal chain core and applicable for driving purposes, and consists
in saturating each strand after it is twisted, with a solution of hot gutta-percha

page_text: dissolved in strong naphtha or bisulphite of carbon by passing it through a vessel
with the dissolved solution or spreading it on while traversing after being spun, and
then in a similar manner coating these strands, after they are twisted together into
the rope form, also with an outer coating of hot gutta-percha solution, and finally
with a coating of fine selected elastic hot gutta-percha, and then compressing them in
hollow cylindrical moulds, or drawing them through dies, or rolling them through
grooved rollers. The ends of this rope could be spliced in a usual manner, as twisted
and driving ropes are usually spliced, for a considerable distance up from the ends;
or they maight be attached by metal socket ends linked into each other, having the
sockets cemented and rivetted over the ends of the rope, and covered with a covering
of gutta-percha and canvas at the joint.
It is to be understood that in making these composite ropes individually, whether
with the chain core, or with the twisted textile solid core or body, that the outer
coatings and coverings of gutta-percha and canvas would be applied to them, in their
moulds, draw dies, or rollers while they were tightened, or in longitudinal tension,
so that each part of the rope when finished, that is the core and outer covering may
afterwards take their proportionate tensile strength in use or working.
A further improvement consists in making these composite round bands, of chain,
gutta-percha and fibre, or of twisted textile fibre and gutta-percha, into flat bands,
as for heavy machinery driving, or for mineral winding, or other hauling purposes.
This is effected by placing a number of these, as two, three, or more of the round
bands in rows close together, or nearly close together, and cementing or attaching
them together by hot plastic gutta percha, filling up the interstices between the rounds,
all while partially heated by hot air or otherwise, and thus making them as a broad
flat band of ropes, and then in covering these by longitudinal strips of prepared
canvas and gutta percha in one, two, or more thicknesses of solutionized gutta percha
while heated also by currents of hot air or otherwise, the canvas in this case being
rolled circumferentially round the so far prepared flat band or circular ropes by hand
and passed through between rollers longitudinally while in tension to compress them
into a regular finished flat band.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Ropes or Bands Applicable for
Driving, Hauling, Winding, and like Purposes.
I, ROBERT DICK, of Greenhead, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and Figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
ropes or bands applicable for driving machinery; and for hauling and winding
purposes, such as for hawsers and ropes on board ship, and for hauling or winding
горез for mines, hydraulic lifts, cranes, and the drawing of tramway cars, and railway
carriages, and for other like general purposes as a substitute for the cotton, flax,
hemp, and wire ropes at present in use, with the object of getting greater strength
and flexibility then heretofore.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 shows a plan of an arrangement of mechanism or dies A, A¹, B and
rollers A, B, and mode of embedding and covering or sheathing the chain a or other

page_text: central core part of my composite driving ropes or bands, in accordance with my
invention. Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 1-1 in Figure 1,
showing the winding on rollers B' of the first outer sheathing c, the arrows indicating
the direction in which they turn. Figure 3 shows a plan of the chain rope a, b, c, as
taken from the machine in Figures 1 and 2, and the mode of rolling on the outer
sheathing d longitudinally. Figure 4 shows a plan of the composite chain rope a b c d,
as rolled, corresponding to Figure 3. Figure 5 shows a transverse section, to a large
scale, of the chain rope a, b, c, d, e, as completed, with its inner packing b, round the
chain a and helical and outer longitudinal canvas or cloth coverings c, d, e. Figure 6
shows a side view of a set of the grooved rolls D for compressing and shaping the
outer coverings of cloth and gutta percha c, d, e, on to the chain a or rope core a b;
and Figures 7 and 8 show an end view and plan opened up, of part of mould
box E E and screw press H, for compressing the outer coverings c, d, e, of these
ropes. Figure 9 shows a plan of a piece of the chain rope a, b, c, in which a
second or outer spiral or helical covering band c² is being applied over the inner
covering c, but breaking bond with this covering at the joints c¹. And Figure 10
shows an outer covering of cord or cords c³ wound helically over the inner chain
band a and its embedding gutta percha both of which coverings would be applied
helically as shown at the rollers B₁ in Figure 1, but might afterwards be passed
through the rollers D shown in Figure 6, or compressed as in the mould E E,
Figures 7 and 8, while yet hot and soft, to give them a finish on the outer surface,
with a thin layer e, of gutta percha to give a gripping surface to the ropes on the
outside, as indicated in Figure 5. Figure 11 shows a plan of one of the soft twisted
strands f, of a number of spun yarns f', as of cotton, flax, or manilla, as being
saturated or coated with gutta-percha solution at 2, ready for being twisted and
laid into a three-strand rope ³, as shown in side elevation in Figure 12, all in
accordance with my improvements. And Figure 13 is an end view of the same
corresponding to Figure 12. And Figure 14 shows two end sections, and Figure 15
a plan or face view of a flat band G, as being made out of two, three, or more of the
chain rope cores a, b, Figures 1 to 10, in accordance with my improvements. And
Figures 16 and 17 show corresponding end sections and side views of flat bands G, G',
as being made out of my improved rope bands f³, f, shown and described in
reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figures 18 and 19 show side and end views of a pair
of rollers G2, for shaping and covering or cheathing these flat bands G, G¹, with
their outer coverings g, g¹, Figures 14 to 17. Figure 20 shows an end view of
moulds G³ made in two halves, suitable for compressing and covering these flat
bands G, G¹, analogous to E, E, in Figure 7, for round bands.
Referring to these Drawings:-The first improvements of the invention consist in
the manufacture of the said ropes or bands from composite layers, b to e, of canvas
and gutta-percha, with a core a of iron, steel, or other metal link chains, embedded
within the said gutta-percha b, and canvas layers c, d; the chains a being either
plain or twisted, or of any ordinary construction and section of metal links heretofor
used generally for hauling or pulling purposes. Referring to Figures 1 to 10, a is the
central core chain, which would be stretched tight over guide rollers not shown in
the Drawings, in a straight line through the centre of the gutta percha laying on
draw blocks A A¹, or it might be rollers A2, and the lapping on rollers B¹ or draw
block or tube B, all so that the chain a would be drawn in through these, while also
being rotated through and from an air heating chamber, and be first embedded in a
covering b of gutta-percha or gutta-percha mixtures, shown as being applied warm in
a plastic state by hand to the entering chain a at A³ in front of the shaping tube
dies or blocks A, A¹, or it might be through a pair of shaping grooved rollers as
dotted in at A2, to fill the material b in between the tube die A, and leave a thin
layer or part b equally round the chain a, which as it passes forward to the laying on
rollers B¹, or it might be the shaping tube B, gets a spiral or helical screw lapping of
long strips of stretched canvas or other cloth c in a heated state wound round it.
These strips c of canvas would be previously coated and prepared on both sides with a
solution of dissolved gutta-percha, as described in the Specification of my former

page_text: Patent No. 13,285 Septr. 14 1888, to be securely attached to the outer surface of
the gutta-percha b in which the chain is embedded, and either attached by over-
lapping or by close butt joints at the edges c¹ as the strip c is twisted round the
chain a at the laying-on rollers B₁ over the gutta-percha or mixtures of gutta-
percha b previously filled into the interstices or openings between its links, to maintain
the links in their normal regular and distended position as an approximately round
core a, b, below this helical binder c, and all so done and cemented while heated by
currents of hot air or otherwise. And which is afterwards covered as shown in
Figures 3 and 4 by a longitudinal band d of prepared canvas or woollen cloth or a
union of these, solutionized on both sides the whole length of the so previously
prepared core chain a, b, or a b c, and rolled spirally over each other in two, three, or
more thicknesses d, throughout the length of and tightly over the said core chain a, b,
all while hot, thus having only a single longitudinally exposed joint d¹, along the
whole length of the outer canvas d of this composite chain rope or band a, b, c, d, as
shown more particularly in the enlarged section Figure 5. It would then preferably
be covered with an outer thin layer or thickness of prepared selected or elastic hot
plastic gutta-percha e, while being compressed and rolled through a pair of grooved
rollers D, as shown in Figure 6, or drawn through dies as indicated at B Figure 1, to
the tightness and size or thickness of the outer coating e desired, all as indicated in
section to a large scale in Figure 5; or it might be compressed in hollow cylindrical
moulds made in two halves as indicated at E, E, in Figures 7 and 8, and in either
case to the form of a round rope or band. By these improvements the chain a would
be made of a tensile strength fully equal to the drawing or driving power desired to
be transmitted by the rope, while the outer sheathings or coverings would be
made up of the embedding gutta percha 6 and spiral or helical layer or
layers c, c¹, or outer longitudinal coils d of canvas and gutta-percha e, to a
sufficient thickness to give the diameter of rope to suit the purpose desired, such
as when used for driving purposes to suit the grooves of the power-transmitting
pulleys, and give a proper or sufficient frictional gripping surface and action upon the
rope by the grooves in the pulleys for these to act properly. The outer sheathing c
or d however may when desired only be made of a thickness or number of coils
sufficient to protect the chain a from moisture and wear and give it the elasticity of
a rope, either with or without the internal embedding gutta percha mixture b.
Referring to Figures and 10, in some cases I would roll and lay on an outer
helical lapping c² of prepared canvas in the same manner and over the first lapping c,
as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but breaking bond at the joints c¹, as indicated in
Figure 9, preferably with the joints, at the edges close up to each other and not over-
Or otherwise as
lapping, although in some cases they might overlap at the joints c¹.
shown in Figure 10, I might put on an outer covering of solutionized cord c³, either
in one or two coils, and either over the embedding gutta-percha core 6 of the chain,
or over the first covering c, laid on in the same manner as indicated at c by the
angled rollers B¹ in Figures 1 and 2, which being angled rollers fixed in angling
frames may be set to any desired angle to roll on the lappings at the rate the chain
core a b is carried forward. These improved composite chain ropes a to e, are very
flexible by reason of the chain core a and the outer few layers c, d, of canvas
covering, which enables them to bend round small diameters of pulleys with little or
no tortion or strain on this outer shell or body c, d, of the rope, the chain a giving a
great strength in a small diameter of rope. The ends of the chains a, when used for
endless driving ropes, may be attached by double links a¹, and rivets or bolts on
each side of the end links of the chain a, as shown at all Figure 1, or by a U or
shackle link a² and bolt or rivet a³, through its open end and one end link, as
Or otherwise have steel
indicated in side and edge view detached in Figure 1 A.
wire or thin strips of sheet steel wound internally into the end links, as a coupling
link, and in any case have the outer covering of coiled canvas c or d placed in an
overlapping manner over this coupled or joint end of the chain, attached by gutta
percha and compressed in a mould until cold. In some cases I might mix the gutta
percha with Balata or india-rubber, and either partially vulcanize them in the

page_text: masticating of these before applying them to the chain cores and canvas, or I might
vulcanize them in moulds in the usual way rubber compounds are vulcanized, after
the mixtures are applied to the chain cores.
Referring to Figures 11 to 13-A further improvement has reference to a
cotton, flax, hemp, or other fibre twisted rope or band, without a metal chain core,
and applicable for driving purposes, and consists in saturating each strand f after it is
twisted out of the spun yarn f¹ Figure 11, with a hot solution f2 of gutta percha, or
hot gutta percha dissolved in strong naphtha or bisulphide of carbon, by passing it
through a vessel with the dissolved solution, or spreading it on while traversing in a
heated state; and then, after all the solvent spirit has been evaporated out of each
strand, coating them in a similar manner after or while they are being twisted
together into a rope f³, in passing through the rollers F in Figures 12 and 13, with
an outer coating of hot gutta percha solution, or finally with a coating e of fine
selected elastic hot gutta percha as described in reference to the chain form of bands,
and shown in Figures 5, or it may be while passing them through the rollers D
Figure 6, or drawing them through dies as B in Figure 1, or while compressing
them in hollow cylindrical moulds E E Figures 7 and 8. The jointing ends of these
ropes f³, when to be used as driving ropes, could be spliced in a usual manner, as
twisted and driving ropes are usually spliced, for a considerable distance up from their
ends; or they might be attached by metal socket ends linked into each other, having
the sockets cemented and rivetted over the ends of the rope, and covered with a
covering of gutta percha and canvas at the joint. It is to be understood that, in
making these composite ropes individually, whether with the chain core a, or with
the twisted textile solid core or body f³, the outer coatings and coverings b, c, d, e, of
gutta-percha and canvas would be applied to them as described while they were
tightened, or in longitudinal tension, so that each part of the rope when finished,
that is the core a or f³ and outer coverings 6 to e, may afterwards take their pro-
portionate tensile strength in use or working.
Referring to Figures 14 to 20, a further improvement consists in making these
composite round bands, of chain, gutta percha, and fibre, described in reference to
Figures 1 to 10, or of twisted textile fibre and gutta percha, described in reference to
Figures 11 to 13, into flat bands G, G¹, as for heavy machinery driving, or for mineral
winding or other hauling purposes. This is effected by placing a number of these, as two,
three, or more of the round prepared bands a, b, Figures 14 and 15, or f, e, Figures 11
to 13, in rows close together, or nearly close together, and cementing or attaching them
together by hot plastic guatta percha, filling up the interstices between the rounds, all while
partially heated by hot air or otherwise, and thus making them as a broad flat band of
ropes, and then in covering these by inner longitudinal strips g, g, of prepared canvas and
gutta-percha on both sides, and with one, two, or more thicknesses of solutionized
gutta-percha g' outside while heated also by currents of hot air or otherwise; the
canvas in this case being first rolled circumferentially round the whole length of the
so far prepared flat band or circular ropes by hand, and then passing them through
between grooves for the shaping of the band in the rollers G2 Figures 18 and 19,
longitudinally while in tension, to compress them into a regular finished flat band; or
this might be done in moulds G³ formed in two halves as indicated in Figure 20, and
pressed close in a press H, as indicated in Figure 7, for pressing the round
moulds E, E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same to to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,-
First. The forming of composite ropes or round bands with an internal metal
chain core, embedded in gutta percha and sheathed outside with a covering of
prepared solutionized canvas, woollen cloth, or a union of these with gutta-percha, or
with a cotton, flax, or other twisted fibre core, saturated and coated with gutta-percha,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second.
A composite rope or band formed with an internal metal chain core, for
taking up the tensile strain, with an outer covering of prepared solutionized
canvas or other equivalent fabric or material for taking up the gripping and torsional
strain, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. A composite rope or band formed with an internal core of twisted cotton,
flax, or other fibre, saturated with gutta percha solution and coated outside with gutta-
percha, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. The forming of composite flat bands with two, three, or more internal
cores of either chains or twisted ropes embedded in gutta percha and sheathed
outside with a covering of prepared solutionized canvas, woollen cloth, or unions of
these with gutta-percha, substantially as and for the purpose herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated the 7th March 1890.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.