IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LINES, ROPES, AND CABLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Smith, Engineer, of 69, Princes Street,
Leicester Square, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MAKING LINES, ROPES, AND CABLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 29th November 1859, and dated the 30th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1859.
I, ARCHIBALD SMITH, Engineer, of 69, Princes Street, Leicester Square,
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LINES, ROPES, AND CABLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to consist in additions to and improved arrangements of the rope
machinery described in the Specification of a Patent granted to William and
Archibald Smith, dated 1852, No. 14,021, and also in the Specification of a
Patent granted to myself, dated 1857, No. 442.
The first part of my present Invention consists in the use of a hollow tube
or tubes for the protection of the core in making telegraphic ropes or cables.
through which the core passes in being drawn from a reel at the back end of
a machine to near the laying plate at the front end. This tube revolves with
the cylinder or cage frame of wire reels, but does not revolve on its own axis,
& therefore does not in any way affect or alter the twist, lay, or other con-
dition of the fibres of the core passing through it; also the application of the
before-mentioned protecting tube or tubes to machines used in the process of

page_text: "serving" or covering the electric core with hempen yarns, wire, wires, or
any other covering material.
The second branch of this Invention consists in placing the cylinders or
frames containing the reels & their frames side by side either horizontally or
vertical, by which means the machine would be such as would be produced by
dividing a long horizontal machine into sections, whether it be of the kind
described by the Specification No. 14,021, wherein the axis of the reels is in a
line with the axis of the revolving cylinder in which they are contained, or
according to my Specification No. 442, wherein the axis of the reel frames is
placed at an angle with the axis of the cylinder.
In the construction of a stranding machine, or a machine for covering a
core with a number of wires, yarns, or strands on this principle of short com-
bined cylinders or frames, I attach or fix such a number of cylinders with their
reels, as will be convenient to the work intended, to a revolving circular frame,
so that they are carried around to produce the "lay" or twist of the strand or
covering to the core. The reel frames are caused to move by suitable geering
or other means, so that the wires have no twist imparted to them indi-
vidually, the drawing-off apparatus & other details being the same as at
present in use.
In constructing a machine for stranding & laying simultaneously, I place a
suitable number of cylinders or frames (furnished with their reels & frames)
within bearings at each end, so that each may revolve on its own axis instead
of being fix'd, as in the last-mentioned machine. The bearings or support of
the journals of these reel cylinders are formed in a frame or within a hoop, so
that they all revolve around a common centre, similar in this respect to the
first-mentioned machine. In front of the cylinders there will be a laying
plate in the usual manner.
The operation of this machine will be as follows:-1st, revolving motion
will be given to the axis of each reel frame, to prevent the twisting of the wire;
2ndly, the cylinders containing the reels will revolve on their axis to produce
a strand by the wires meeting at the laying plate; & 3rdly, the whole of the
cylinders revolving on the axis of the machine, the strands will be twisted
together at the laying plate fix'd in the common centre, forming a rope.
Altho' hitherto wire only has been mentioned as the material used, it must
be understood that ropes may be made of other materials, by provision being
made for imparting the necessary amount of twist or "forebard," or such
other conditions of detail as the nature of the materials employ'd may
require.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Archibald Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARCHIBALD
SMITH, Engineer, of 69, Princes Street, Leicester Square, London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Archibald Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Archibald
Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Archibald Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING LINES, ROPES, AND CABLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC
AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Archibald Smith, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Archibald Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My improvements for protecting the core in making telegraphic ropes or
cables, as shewn by the Figures 1, 2, and 3, on the Sheet of Drawings, No. 1,
by its passing through a tube extending from one end of the machine to the
other. One end of this tube is fixed by a pin or set screw in the bracket at A
in Figure 1, from whence it passes through the hollow axis of the ring B of
the cylinder. Close inside to this ring B the hollow tube has a universal
joint C, fixed on. it, with a hollow cross or ball, so that the core passes freely
through it. At D, E, and F, there are similar universal joints, so that whilst
this tube D, E, is carried around with the cylinder containing the wire reels,

page_text: the end C and F of the short angular pieces remain in the centre of the
machine, whilst the ends D and E are carried around in the circle of the long
tube. This tube being fixed at the end at A, is prevented from turning around,
and therefore always presents the same side or part towards any fixed external
point. The short tube F, G, extends to near the laying plate H. These
tubes are made perfectly smooth inside, so as not to injure the core in passing
through it. If preferred, the short angular tubes may be dispensed with by
putting on one end of the long tube a chain wheel, and having a similar chain
wheel on the centre of the disc, which will be kept from turning around by a
weight fixed to it. This is shewn at Figure 2, where a is the chain wheel
fixed on the hollow tube b, that on the centre of the disc c, the weight to prevent
its turning, and d, d, the chain.
The same effect is produced by Figure 3, wherein a tooth wheel e is fixed
on the long tube, a similar tooth wheel f, with a weight in the centre of the
revolving disc, and an intermediate wheel g, which arrangement will also
prevent the tube from turning.
This hollow tube may be applied to any of my machines described in the
Specification of former Patents for making round ropes, cables, &c. It will
be seen that this hollow tube machine is applicable to covering electric cores
with hemp or any other material.
The second division of my present Invention being improvements in former
Patents is shewn by the remaining Figures on the Sheet No. 1. Figure 4
represents a plan view of four cylinders having six reels in each, so as to
produce a strand of twenty-four wires. These reels are supported or carried
in arms revolving in brackets or sockets fixed to the discs of the cylinder,
and are prevented from turning around on their axis by universal joints and
pinions whilst the cylinders are carried around a common centre; Figure 5
shews an end view of the cylinders and pinions supported on a bearing at the
end at A, Figure 4. The view, Figure 6, shews a transverse section of the
machine at B and C, see Figure 4, wherein a, a, represent the fixed guard
frame with an antifriction supporting wheel B, and guard wheels c and d.
The four cylinders are supported and kept in their proper places e, e, e, e, by
the circular frame.f, f, ff, which frame revolves within the before-mentioned
frame a, a, which is supported by and fixed to the wooden or other foundation
for the machine.
The Figures 7, 8, 9, are enlarged views more fully illustrating this machine.
Figure 7 is a side or elevation view of a part of the upper cylinder, shewing
the reels with their supporting arms and brackets and universal joints; g the
reels, h the arms, i the brackets, the universal joints, and the pinions fixed

page_text: on the shafts leading to the universal joints. Figure 8 shews an end view of the
driving wheels.
D is a tooth or strap wheel receiving its motion from the
motive power. This wheel is supported on and turns on a hollow fixed shaft
or bar E, extending to near the laying plate through which the core passes;
F is a tooth wheel firmly fixed on the hollow shaft; 9, 9, 9, 9, are pins fixed in
the large driving wheel D, passing through the back wheels into the discs G,
in which they are fixed, forming the support of the ends of the cylinders;
H, H, are tooth wheels running loose on the before-mentioned fixed pins, and
geering into the wheel F. To the inside of each of these wheels H are bolted the
wheels I, I, which, geering into the pinions k, k, k, of the reel spindles, prevents
them from turning on their axis whilst the cylinders are being carried around.
;
at the upper right hand in Figure 8 is shewn the train of wheels complete; the
uper left hand shews the wheels H and I, the lower right hand. pinions and
its disc, and the lower left hand the disc only.
The operation of this machine is as follows:-Motion being given to the
wheel D in the direction of the arrows, causes the four cylinders to revolve
around the centre shaft or bar E; the wheels H, H, will be caused to turn on
the fixed pins in the direction of their arrows; the wheels I being turned in
the same direction will revolve around between the pinions, but instead of
turning them, will keep them stationary as regards their individual position,
that is to say, any tooth or point on the circumference will point in the same.
direction, altho' they are being carried around in the circle of revolution.
My machine for laying strands and then "laying " them into a rope is shewn
in Sheet No. 2.
Figure 1 shews a six cylinder machine, each containing six reels, and will
therefore produce a rope of six strands of six wires each around a centre core,
the reels for the strand cores being fixed to the front disc. The upper part A.
shews a cylinder only with the wires being led off to a laying plate; the lower
part B shews the reels also; the dotted lines further above and below re-
present the adjoining cylinders. These cylinders are also supported by a wheel
at the right-band end, and by a fixed frame with rollers at the middle at m,
and at the end at n; Figure 2, is a section of the machine with the roller
frame.
a, b, c, d, e, f, (dotted lines) represent the cylinders; 9, 9, 9, represent an,
armed hoop to contain the cylinders, with antifriction rollers h, h, between;
which the cylinders revolve. This hoop also revolves within the fixed frame.
on the supporting wheels below and guide wheels above. These two hoops are
united together by stretching rods o continued on towards the large wheel
where the end is found to fit the centre of the small wheel, and beyond is
C:

page_text: fixed in the ring of the large wheel; at p there is a large circular ring forming
the laying plate for the strands, and also for receiving the stretching rods o,
which ring or plate p, the hoops m and n, and the end wheel c, being firmly
united by the stretching rods, form a lantern cylinder within which the reel
cylinders revolve and are supported; 9 is a laying plate where the strands are
twisted into a rope around the core which is drawn through the hollow shaft
from a reel at the back end. This plate 7 is united to the plate p by stretching
bolts r, and forms a part of the main outside revolving cylinder. Figure 3 is
a front end view of the plates p and q, being the laying plates for the strands
and finished rope; Figure 4 is a side view, and Figure 5 an end view, of
parts of the same machine enlarged for greater perspecuity. C is the large
driving tooth or strap wheel, running loose on a fixed hollow shaft; close
behind this wheel there is another wheel D, which is fixed on the before-
mentioned hollow shaft. Geering into this wheel D are three smaller inter-
mediate wheels E, running loose on the ends of the before-mentioned stretching
bars of the outside revolving cylinder. These ends are fixed in the holes j of
the large wheel. Only one of these wheels appear in this Figure, the others
On each of
being omitted in order to shew more clearly the work behind.
the six axle pins i of the cylinder there is a tooth wheel F fixed on the pin,
but geering into and being turned by the intermediate wheel E. At the back
of the wheel F there is a smaller wheel G, which is detached from the wheel
F, and loose on the axle, but is prevented from revolving on its centre by
being attached to an arm m extending from the main centre fixed shaft. Into
this wheel G there are three intermediate wheels H, H, fixed on pins n
projecting from the side of the discs of each cylinder. These three inter-
mediate wheels geer into six pinions at the end of each cylinder, which
pinions are fixed on ends of spindles leading to the universal joints and reels.
The reels, their axles, universal joints, and pinions are similar to the before-
mentioned machine.
The upper part of Figure 4 shew a part of a cylinder with the discs and
stretching bars and tooth wheels only; the lower part, the wheels and universal
joints. The right hand of Figure 5 represents a set of wheels on the end of
each of two cylinders; the left-hand lower quarter, a cylinder, the wheel fixed
ón an arm m, intermediate wheel and reel pinions; and the upper quarter left-
hand, the end of a cylinder. The diameters of these wheels must be so
proportioned to each other as to produce the amount of lay required in the
strands to the relative amount of lay required in the rope, and also to prevent
any twist taking place in the individual wires. In the serving or covering electric
cores or other similar purposes wherein it would be desirable to avoid its being

page_text: bent as in the jointed tube, I-propose using the horizontal machine shewn by
the Figure 6, on Sheet Number 2. This machine is formed of a fixed hollow
bar or tube, through which the core or other material to be covered passes.
This bar or tube is supported at the front end in the centre of the disc or end
of the machine B and at C, by a removal bearing. a, a, a, a, a, a, are bobbins or
reels to revolve on the shaft A, containing the covering material. These
bobbins or reels are made in halves, and united by means of spring catches,
and on becoming empty are taken off the shaft within the machine, put on
again at the long end of the hollow bar or shaft, and refilled. On any one of
the bobbins being taken out, say at a X, those at the left hand are pushed
forward to fill up the space left, and the full bobbin is pushed into the machine
at the left-hand end. The covering material is led from the bobbins over hooks
or pullies fixed to the stretching: bars of the skeleton frame to the front end of
the machine, where they are wound around the core by the revolution of the
lantern frame or cylinder, the draw off being by any ordinary or suitable
If considered desirable these bobbins may be made as usual, instead
of being in halves, and be filled in their places instead of being removed for
that purpose. Throughout the foregoing Specification letters of reference are
used to denote and identify the same parts or things wherever they occur.
Having described my Invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to any specific means of actuating the various parts, position of
machine or machines, or proportion of details; but I claim the addition of a
tube as described to any of my already patented machines for the protection of
cores of electric cables and similar purposes, and the arrangement of the
bobbins in the manner herein-before described in constructing a machine for
laying a number of wires, yarns, &c., around a core, and for laying wires or
yarns into strands, and strands into ropes simultaneously, and for serving,
binding, and covering cores of electric cables, ropes, wires, &c.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Smith, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness'd by
J. R. HILL,
Civil Engineer & Patent Agent,
7, Duke St., Adelphi.
ARCHIBALD SMITH. (L.S.)