AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND LUBRICATING WIRE ROPES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew William Parrington and Charles Almond, both
of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Mining Engineers, for an Invention
of "AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND LUBRICATING WIRE ROPES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew William Parrington
and Charles Almond at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st
November 1881.
MATTHEW WILLIAM PARRINGTON and CHARLES ALMOND, both of Sunderland, in
the County of Durham, Mining Engineers. "AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND
LUBRICATING WIRE ROPES."
This Invention relates to an apparatus or machine by which wire ropes may be
cleaned and lubricated while in notion, and which is applicable to all ropes, whether
running vertically, horizontally, or at any angle.
The machine consists of a frame carrying in moveable bearings a pair of driving
rollers of wood or other suitable material (or of wood or metal covered with some
suitable material), the space between these rollers being just sufficient to allow tho
rope to pass tightly through, the bearings of the rollers (or one of them) being
adjustable to suit the size of the rope.
At a suitable distance in the same frame and parallel with these driving rollers
a pair of wire brushes are carried on spindles working in moveable bearings, the
space between the brushes being just sufficient to allow the rope to pass tightly
through; the bearings of the brushes (or one of them) being adjustable to suit the
size of the rope.
Upon one end of each of the driving rollers is a toothed wheel, which gears into
a similar toothed wheel on one end of each of the brushes or on their spindles.
The bearings of one of the driving rollers and of one of the brushes are só
constructed that one roller and one brush can be removed to admit the rope to be
[Price Gd 1

page_text: cleaned and then replaced in contact with the rope, the wood frame (which carries
the machine) being constructed with one open end to admit the rope.
The operation of cleaning is as follows:-
The machine being in position the rope between the driving rollers is put in
motion (in either direction) and drives round the rollers by frictional contact, and
these by means of the toothed wheels drive the wire brushes in opposite
directions, and the rope is perfectly cleaned by the wires pressing into its strands.
To lubricate the rope the wire brushes are replaced by hair brushes (or by
barrels covered with some spongy material), and boxes are fixed above them
containing the lubricant which drops on to the brushes, and as they revolve is
brushed into the strands of the rope as they pass through.
In another modification of the apparatus the wire brushes instead of revolving
are placed in a frame so as to press against the rope as it runs through them; the
brushes for lubricating being arranged and driven as before described, and this
modification enables the cleaning and lubrication to be done at one operation, the
rope first passing through the cleaning brushes and then between the lubricating
brushes.
In cleaning or lubricating flat ropes the cleaning or lubricating (or both) can be
effected without changing the position of the machine, but in the case of round
ropes the machine after operating on two opposed sectors of the rope may be
turned so as to operate on the two other sectors.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
•
by the said Matthew William Parrington and Charles Almond in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 19th May 1882.
MATTHEW WILLIAM PARRINGTON and CHARLES ALMOND, both of Sunderland, in
the County of Durham, Mining Engineers. "AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND
LUBRICATING WIRE ROPES."
This Invention relates to an apparatus or machine by which wire ropes may be
cleaned and lubricated while in motion, and which is applicable to all ropes
whether running vertically, horizontally, or at any angle.
The machine consists of a frame carrying in moveable bearings a pair of driving
rollers of wood or other material (or of wood or metal covered with some suitable
material) the space between these rollers being just sufficient to allow the rope to
pass tightly through, the bearings of the rollers (or one of them), being adjustable
to suit the size of the rope.
At a suitable distance in the same frame and parallel with these driving rollers
a pair of wire brushes are carried on spindles working in moveable bearings, the
space between the brushes being just sufficient to allow the rope to pass tightly
through; the bearings of the brushes (or one of them) being adjustable to suit the
size of the rope.

page_text: Upon one end of each of the driving rollers is a toothed wheel, which gears
into a similar toothed wheel on one end of each of the brushes or on their
spindles.
The bearings of one of the driving rollers and of one of the brushes are so constructed
that one roller and one brush can be removed to admit the rope to be cleaned and
then replaced in contact with the rope, the wood frame (which carries the machine)
being constructed with one open end to admit the rope.
The operation of cleaning is as follows:-The machine being in position the rope
between the driving rollers is put in motion in either direction and drives round
the rollers by frictional contact, and these by means of the toothed wheels drive
the wire brushes in opposite directions, and the rope is perfectly cleaned by the
wires pressing into its strands.
To lubricato the rope the wire brushes are replaced by hair brushes (or by
barrels covered with some spongy material), and boxes are fixed above them
containing the lubricant which drops on to the brushes, and as they revolve is
brushed into the strands of the rope as they pass through.
In another modification of the apparatus the wire brushes instead of revolving
are placed in a frame, so as to press against the rope as it runs through them; the
brushes for lubricating being arranged and driven as before described, and this
modification enables the cleaning and lubrication to be done at one operation, the
rope first passing through the cleaning brushes, and then between the lubricating
brushes.
In cleaning or lubricating flat ropes the cleaning or lubricating (or both) can be
effected without changing the position of the machine, but in the case of round
ropes the machine after operating on two opposite sectors of the rope may bo
turned, so as to operate on the two other sectors.
In cases where the rope from long neglect of cleaning has become thickly
incrusted with dirt and rust the wire brushes fixed in a frame, as before uained,
may be first applied to break up and loosen the hard coating, and the rope may
then pass between the revolving wire brushes to be thoroughly cleansed, after
which the lubricating brushes may he used

page_text: the latter are replaced by hair brushes supplied with the lubricant by a box N
placed on a bracket M. over one or both of them, from which the oil drops onto the
brush and is brushed into the rope, or in some cases the cleaning may be effected
by the fixed brushes C, C, the rope afterwards immediately passing between the
revolving lubricating brushes H, I, thus being cleaned and lubricated by one
operation, the rope running for this purpose continuously in one direction.
On Figures 3 and 4 the same letters refer to corresponding parts, but the machine
is modified to operate upon round ropes, being carried upon a circular bedplate
(fixed to the framework A) on which it moves in the groove P, so as to embrace
the whole circumference of the rope, both with the rough wire brushes C, C, and
the revolving brushes for cleaning and lubricating.
On Figures 5 and 6 F, F, are the frames carrying in bearings C, C, the axles
D, D, and D', D', the former having keyed on them the rollers or sheaves G, G,
and spur wheels S and S', and the latter the brushes H and H, and another pair
of spur wheels gearing into those on the axles D; D. The brushes H and Hare
driven by the friction of the rope R running between the rollers or sheaves G
and G' in either direction by means of the spur wheels S and S¹. For convenience
of applying the machine to the rope the rollers or sheaves G and G' and the
brushes Hand Haro placed outside the frames F, F.
Having now described our Invention and the manner in which it may be carried
into practical application, we declare that what wo consider novel and therefore
claim as secured to us by Letters Patent is,―
First. The cleaning of wire ropes by revolving brushes, operating by friction
rollers, to which motion is given by the rope to be cleaned, substantially as shewn
and described.
Second. The lubricating of wire ropes by revolving brushes, operating by friction
rollers, to which motion is given by the rope to be lubricated, substantially as
shewn and described.
Third. In combination with revolving brushes for lubricating wire ropes the
use or application of fixed brushes for cleaning the rope, both operations being
simultaneous, substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Almond, on behalf of myself and the
said Matthew William Parrington, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
T. J. DANSON,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Newcastle on Tyne.
CHARLES ALMOND. (L.S.)