Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891

page_text: I may group a series of six strands. round a core, which I may make of an elastic
material such as india rubber, or hard, like a hempen or iron cord.
This core has for function to vary the flexibility of the rope or belt in the
direction of its section, in such a way that it may be applied to the bottom of the
grooves of pulleys whatever curves these grooves may present.
I may replace the core by a strand identical with those described for composing
the rope or belt Further, each strand.may itself have a similar core.
5°. The strands, thus placed parallelly, are then wound in a section of cloth or
fabrio manufactured as described in paragraph 1º and covered with an adhesive
and impermeabilitising substance. This fabric, is cut and rolled in the, manner
described for the strands paragraph 3°.
The strands may be enclosed in a sheath which I may form by the aid of a
hempen tube, or of other material suitable for weaving, braiding or knitting, or
again, of leather, such as those used for the pumps of fire engines.
I may also set my sheaf of strands at work without other sheath than that formed
by the adhesive and gluing substance, with which the stuffs or fabrics composing
the strands are covered. In this case, the adhesive and gluing matter is used in
larger quantity on the outside of the sheaf of strands. This layer of matter may
be still further protected by a spiral composed of thread or of ribbon.
6°. The sheaf of atrands.employed in one or other of the forms above described,
may be used straight or receive a twist in order that, in its working upon a driving
pulley of slight radius, the traction strain may be uniformly spread upon each
strand and over each of its particular parts.
7°. I may splice the ends of a strand of one or of several fabrics first cut into
parallelograms the opposite angles of which are perfectly equal.
I may splice the two juxtaposed ends of a strand composed of one or several
cloths or fabrics by the aid of fabrics cut in triangles or trapeziums of which the
angles adjacent to the base will have previously been made perfectly equal to those
contiguous to the large trapezium base of the fabric forming strand:
The ends of the section of woven fabrics instead of being juxtaposed may be
superposed.
To effect the splicing of a rope or belt having several strands, I proceed for each
of them as above described for one particular strand, and when each partial splice
is made,, if the rope is covered with a sheath of stuffs or fabrics in parallelogram or
trapezium, I proceed to. the splicing of the sheath as I proceeded to that of the
strands.
To shorten a rope or belt already spliced, it is only necessary to unglue the piece
of stuff cut in triangle or in trapezium, to unwind it, thus leaving the ends of the
rope or belt exposed, and to shorten the rope to the extent desired, by cutting off
the stuff. from one end in a helicoidal curve parallel to that delineated by the end
itself.
The ungluing of the triangular piece as well as of that part which is cut for the
shortening, is effected either cold or with heat according to the nature of the
adhesive or impermeabilitising matter employed.
The. reglucing of the triangular or trapezoidal piece is effected, if needed,,by
adding adhesive and impermeabilitising matter, and the piece is rolled up as it was
before.
In the case where the stuffs or fabrics composing the sheath and the strands are
cut in parallelograms instead of trapeziums,. the splicing is effected by not rolling
the stuff: up to the extremities. The ends of the stuff, remaining flat are, in this
case, joined by a small, strip of thinner fabric and the two parts are wound. into
one single strand...
!
1
2 TI
1001

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Kind of Driving Rope or Belt and an Improved
Process of Manufacture in connection therewith.
:
I JULES LECHAT of Ghent, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, 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 an improved driving rope or belt and an improved
process of manufacture in connection therewith.
The driving ropes or belts the object of this invention are formed, essentially, of
strands made up from stuffs or fabrics prepared in a special manner and afterwards
cut to fixed geometrical shapes permitting the joining of their ends in such a way
as to make a splice by winding and adhesion.
:
The strands which compose these ropes or belts are grouped in round or flat
sheaves or bundles powerfully compressed to ensure perfect cohesion; in certain
cases they may be covered by a protective sheath formed in the same way as the
strands, and combine these latter with a suitable core which will modify the
flexibility or suppleness in the direction of the section.
The uniting or joining of the ends of each strand is obtained by the aid of
sloping or beveling sections in steps or echelons of more or less length in one
bundle or sheaf; it may also be obtained by rolling up pieces cut triangularly or in
trapezium and prepared like. the pieces intended for making the strands themselves.
The splicing of these ropes or belts whether round or flat is obtained in the same
way as the uniting of the ends.
Be it as it may these ropes or belts thus constituted offer the following
advantages':
1°. Sufficient adhesion on the pulleys to avoid the necessity of having recourse
to wedging in the grooves of the said pulleys;
2°: Stretching reduced by the decrease or the suppression of the helicoidal
arrangements of the parts composing ordinary driving ropes ;
3°. Facility of splicing;
4°. A flexibility which will permit the modification of their cylindrical shape
under the pressure resulting from the the traction undergone during the work of
transmission.
To leave no doubt as to the method in which my ropes or belts are composed and
manufactured; nor as to the advantages which they afford, I will now give a
complete description thereof with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawing.
DESCRIPTION.
My ropes or belts are composed essentially, of woven, braided or knitted fabrics,
made of cotton, hemp, ramie or other materials suitable for weaving, braiding or
knitting.
The fabrics thus made are covered with a coating of adhesive and imper-
meabilitising substance such as india rubber, gutta percha, gums, insoluble
gelatines, or any other substance which will answer the same purpose.
These substances may be applied upon the fabrics in the state of solution or in a
pasty condition, hot or cold.
After this preparation, the fabrics are cut according to geometrical figures
permitting the juxtaposition, end to end, of their extremities or to the extremities
of other sections of fabrics, preferably cut in parallelograms, trapeziums or
triangles. Each section of cloth or fabric is rolled up on itself into a strand, as
shown Figures 1, 2 and 3, or they are rolled up two or more together as shown
Figures 4, 5 and 6.

page_text: -The strands thus formed or formed in any other suitable and appropriate manner,
are, having been covered with a coating of an adhesive and impermeabilitising
substance, united in a parallel manner into a sheaf or bundle so as to form a round
rope or belt (Figure 7).
The number of the strands and their diaineter are calculated with respect to the
powers to be transmitted according to the dimension of the transmissions or driving
gear and so that the contacts attain the maximum total possible; the bundle of
strands remain straight or may receive a slight twist (Figure 8).
In a round cable the outer strands may be grouped round a core O; (Figure 9)
which I may make of an elastic material, such as india rubber, or hard, like a
hempen or iron cable.
This core having for function to vary the flexibility of the rope or belt in the
direction of its section, in such a way that it may be applied to the bottom of the
grooves of pulleys whatever curves these grooves may present. Each strand may
have a core similar to that of the combined rope or belt. The ends of each strand
are cut to a more or less lengthened bevel (Figure 10) and the surface of the cut is
covered like the strand itself with a layer of adhesive and impermeabilitising
matter. In a same sheaf or bundle the strands are so arranged that the beveled
sections echelon at.cach end to a greater or lesser extent (Figure 11) in order that
the joint or splice may not be made at one point, but that it may, on the contrary,
be spread over as great a length as possible."
The uniting or joining of the ends of each of these strands may also be obtained
by the aid of fabrics or cloths cut in triangles or trapeziums of which the angles
adjacent to the base will be first laid perfectly equal to those adjacent to the main
base in form of trapezium of the fabric forming strand. The ends of the sections
of fabrics instead of being juxtaposed may be superposed as shown Figures:13, 14
and 15.
་
In whatever way the fragments of strands are united in the sheaf and whatever
may be the method of closing this latter, the whole is powerfully compressed either
by the aid of a draw plate or in a mould, so that it takes the shape. shown
Figure 12. Further, whon the strands are joined in beveled sections the sheaf
may be sewn pinned or riveted at the point of junction of the strands so as to
further strengthen the splice, particularly in ropes or belts, the strands of which are
of a woven fabric.
The strand sheaf may also be wound round with a section of stuff manufactured
as aforesaid and covered with an adhesive and impermeabilitising substance. This
stuff will be, cut and rolled in the manner indicated for the strands. The fastening
or splice of this sheath or envelope is obtained in the same way as for the strands.
The strands thus.euclosed, in a sheath are represented Figure 16. This sheath, may
also be formed by the aid of a tube of hemp or other material suitable for weaving,
braiding or knitting, or even of leather like those used for the pumps of fire
engines..
Instead of the aforesaid envelope, the strands may be protected by the aid of a
spiral or a plait composed of threads, or slivers or ribbons of hemp,.cotton or other
material;
When it is desired to shorten a rope the strands of which are united by beveled:
sections, it is only necessary to unglue each strand after having removed the sewing.
or riveting if any, then to cut the required quantity from each strand, recover the
ent surfaces with a fresh coating of adhesive and impermeabilitising substance, and,
finally, to, again juxtapose the cut ends and compress again the length thus
reconstructed, as above set forth, after having or not having given it a twist equal
to that of the touched part of the rope.
In the case of joining by winding it is sufficient to unglue in each strand' the
piece of stuff cut in triangle or in trapezium, to unwind it, thus leaving the ends of
the strand exposed, to shorten this latter to the extent required, by cutting, away
stuff from one of its ends following a helicoidal curve parallel to that described by
the end itself: -

page_text: The ungluing of the triangular piece as well as that of the part which is cut off
for the shortening is done either hot or cold according to the nature of the adhesive
or impermeabilitising substance used.
The regluing of the triangular or trapezoidal piece is done, when required, by
adding adhesive and impermeabilitising substance and the piece is wound as
primitively.
Strands prepared as above set forth and having their ends cut beveling, may be
arranged parallely in-a same plane as shown Figure 17 for the purpose of making
a flat rope or belt.
In this case, each strand may be twisted following its axis and to an extent
regulated by its intended use.
The flat belt thus made is in its entirety compressed in a draw plate or in a
mould so as to take the form shown in section Figure 18; it will be understood
that the beveled sections do not correspond and that on the contrary they extend
over a more or less considerable length (Figure 19).
In the flat belts thus made the strands may be tied together transversely by
metal rods or by strong threads of hemp, cotton or other material forming seam.
The shortening of these flat ropes or belts is effected in the same way as for the
round ropes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what '1
claim is::-
1. Driving ropes or belts formed of one or of several strands constituted by the
successive winding or rolling up of pieces of cloth or fabric woven, braided or
plaited or knitted, in one or several plies, cut following geometrical forms
(parallelogram, trapezium, triangle etc.) and covered with a coating of adhesive
and impermeabilitising matter (india rubber, gutta percha, gum, insoluble
gelatine etc.); the said strands being bound or welded together by compression and
enclosed or not in any kind of sheath or envelope, as hereinbefore substantially
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2. The constitution of round or flat ropes or belts by the aid of strands of any
kind coated with any kind of adhesive and impermeabilitising matter, arranged in
sheaves or bundles or flatwise, according to requirement, and submitted to a
powerful pressure to be suitably welded or bound, the one to the other, the said
strands being submitted or not in their combination for round ropes and separately
for flat ropes or belts to a certain twisting as hereinbefore substantially set forth
with reference to the accompanying drawing.
3. Driving ropes or belts formed of strands coustituted by the successive rolling
up of pieces of woven, plaited or knitted stuff or fabric, in one or more plies cut
following geometrical forms (parallelogram, trapezium, triangle etc.) and covered
with a coating of suitable adhesive and impermeabilitising matter; the said strands
combined, in any number, with a core. of iron, india rubber, hemp or other
substance, elastic hard, or inextensible, as hereinbefore substantially described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
4 Driving ropes or belts formed of strands constituted by the successive rolling
up of pieces of woven, plaited or knitted stuff or fabric, cut following geometrical
forms (parallelogram, trapezium, triangle etc.) and covered with a coating of suitable
adhesive and impermeabilitising matter; the said strands enclosed, with or without
a hard, elastic or inextensible core, and in any number, in a sheath or envelope
formed in the same way as the strands by the successive rolling of pieces of stuff
prepared and cut out as aforesaid.
5. Driving ropes or belts formed of strands constituted by the successive rolling
up
of pieces of stuff cut following geometrical forms (parallelograms, trapeziuma,
triangles etc.) and having a coating of suitable adhesive and impermeabilitising
matter; the said strands enclosed, with or without hard, elastic or inextensible
core, and in any number, in a sheath or envelope formed of a spiral or of a plait,

page_text: composed of hempen thread or of sliver or ribbon of hemp, cotton or other suitable
material, as herein before explained:
6. Driving ropes or belts formed of strands constituted by the successive rolling
up of pieces of stuff cut to geometrical shapes (parallelograms, trapeziums,
triangles etc.) and having a coating of suitable adhesive and impermeabilitising
matter; the said strands enclosed, with or without hard, elastic or inextensible
core, and in any number, in a tube of hemp or other material suitable for weaving,
plaiting or knitting, or even of leather, as herein before substantially described.
7. For the manufacture of these driving ropes or belts, the process which consists
in taking a cloth or fabric of cotton, hemp, ramie or any other material suitable for
weaving, plaiting or braiding or knitting, the threads of which have been first
suitably drawn and twisted, impregnating it with an adhesive and impermeabilitising
matter, such as india rubber, gutta percha, gum or insoluble gelatine etc. etc., and.
cutting it into the shape of parallelograms, trapeziums, triangles, or other similar
geometrical forms, then, finally, rolling up these pieces spirally, in one or more
plies, taking care to juxtapose. or slightly cover the successive pieces, in such a
manner as to form either strands constitutive of my driving ropes or belts, or
envelopes which unite and bind and weld these strands together in suitable number,
as substantially herein before described.
8. For splicing round or flat ropes thus constituted or made, the cutting in
lengthened bevel of each of the strands and in suchwise that, at the splice; the cuts
or sections echelon or form steps of greater or lesser length and that they
correspond for each of the ends displayed; the said sections coated with an
adhesive and impermeabilitising matter placed the one upon the other and sub-
mitted with the ropes in their entirety or separately, if a shortening of these latter
is in question, to a powerful pressure in order to be strongly glued together, as
substantially described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
9. For the splicing of round or flat ropes or belts thus constituted, in combination
with the beveled sections, in echelon coated with an adhesive and impermeabilitising
matter and submitted to powerful pressure, the use of a riveting or pinning with
metal rods or of a sewing with threads of hemp, cotton or other suitable material,
for the purpose of strengthening the junction, particularly in ropes formed of
strands of woven fabric, as substantially described with reference to the accom-
panying drawing.
10. In the manufacture of my driving ropes or belts, the formation of a splice to
unite the ends of a rope or to shorten it, by means of a piece of stuff cut in the
form of a triangle, parallelogram trapezium or other suitable geometrical form,
coated with an adhesive and impermeabilitising matter, and which is then rolled on
each of the ends presented so as to bind or weld them; this means being applicable
equally to the envelope or sheath when employed, as to each of the strands
considered separately, as substantially hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of August 1891.