Improvements in the Manufacture of Rope.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 189!
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Rope.
We, WILLIAM JAMES CROWE, HERBERT THOMAS PHILLIPS and WILLIAM
JOHN BETTS, all of Eldon Street, in the City of London, Merchants, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of rope especially
applicable for use in raising or lowering scenery in theatres, for fire-escapes, for
house ladders, for lifts in buildings and other like uses, the object of the invention
being mainly to provide an incombustible rope which shall be safer and stronger
than ordinary ropes and equally elastic.
In carrying out our invention we form strands by first spinning asbestos fibre into
a core, around which core we wind or twist spirally, wires made of suitable metal,
over these wires we twist spirally yarns, spun from Manilla hemp or other suitable
fibre which is a vantageously dipped in a solution which makes it incombustible.
We lay as many strands, formed as above described, as may be required into a
rope, which rope will resemble any ordinary hemp rope as regards bulk or for
handling purposes.
By this method of manufacture it will be obvious that if our rope be exposed to
fire, the core of the strands being of asbestos will not burn and, as the wires are
laid spirally round the cores, they will retain their position without being destroyed
even should the outer covering of fibre be destroyed.
In some cases where, for example, incombustibility is not an object we may
employ a suitable elastic material such as india-rubber in place of asbestos.
Dated the 2nd day of December 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Rope.
We, WILLIAM JAMES CROWE, HERBERT THOMAS PHILLIPS and WILLIAM
JOHN BETTS, all of Eldon Street, in the City of London, Merchants, 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 improvements in the manufacture of rope especially
applicable for use in raising or lowering scenery in theatres, for fire-escapes, for
house ladders, for lifts in buildings for ships rigging and other like uses the object
of the invention being mainly to provide an incombustible rope which shall be safer
and stronger than ordinary ropes and equally elastic.
In carrying out our invention we form strands by first spinning asbesto fibre into
a core, around which core we wind or twist, spirally, wires made of suitable metal,
over these wires we twist, spirally, yarns, spun from Manilla hemp or other suitable
fibre which is advantageously dipped in a solution which makes it incombustible.
We lay as many strands, formed as above described, as may be required, into a
rope, which rope will resemble any ordinary hemp rope as regards bulk or for
handling purposes.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe how it may be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing in which :-
Figure 1 represents an elevation, and

page_text: Figure 2 a cross section of a piece of rope manufactured according to our
invention.
a, a, a represent the strands we form by first spinning asbestos fibre into a core b,
around which core we wind or twist, spirally, metal wires c, and over these wires c
we then twist, spirally, yarns spun from suitable fibre such as Manilla hemp,
previously dipped, if required, in a solution such as a solution of tungstate of soda
which will make it incombustible.
To make a rope from strands a formed as above described we lay the required
number of strands and twist them in the ordinary manner. In the drawing it will
be seen we have illustrated a rope made from three of our improved strands a.
By our improved method of manufacture it will be obvious that if our rope be
exposed to fire, the core of the strands being of asbestos will not burn and, as the
wires are laid spirally round the cores, they will retain their position without being
destroyed even should the outer covering of fibre be destroyed.
In some cases where, for example, incombustibility is not an object we may
employ a suitable elastic material such as india-rubber in place of asbestos.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The described improvements in the manufacture of rope consisting in spinning
asbestos fibre into a core, spirally winding or twisting metal wires around the said
core, and over these wires spirally twisting yarns spun from suitable fibre, a number
of strands thus formed being layed into a rope, substantially as described.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved rope herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 28th day of August 1891.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.