IMPROVEMENTS IN WIRE ROPES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Talbot Cheesman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th April 1880.
WILLIAM TALBOT CHEESMAN, of Hartlepool, Wire Rope Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WIRE ROPES."
"
"
My Invention has for its object the production of a wire rope which shall be
"non-twisting," and possess greater flexibility and an evener bearing surface,
thereby being better able to stand a larger amount of wear and tear than the wire
ropes at present in use.
In carrying out my Invention I use an ordinary made wire rope, say for example,
of six strands each composed of, say, 6, 7, or any required number of wires of small.
gauge, with a centre core of either hemp (or any fibrous material) or wires.
I then cover this rope with a "casing" of wire strands, say from to 18 in
number, which are laid in the opposite direction to the inner rope. I prefer 12
strands composed of 3 wires, each strand of, say, about double or three times the
area of the wires forming the inside rope, as I thereby produce a "rounder" and
more oven rope, and one possessing greater flexibility than the ordinary laid or
compound strand ropes at present in use.
By means of my Invention the following advantages are obtained:-First. The
rope is a nontwisting one. Secondly. By using large gauge wires to form the
casing outside they are better enabled to have the friction caused by working
around drums, pulleys, curves, and the like than the usual number of small wires
necessary to form a rope of the same size; and in addition the small wires insido
give combined strength and flexibility to the rope. This rope is also "rounder,"
consequently the wires are more evenly distributed throughout the bearing surface
of the rope, and lighter for the same size than ropes of the ordinary construction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Talbot Cheesman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st October 1880.
WILLIAM TALBOT CHEESMAN, of Hartlepool, Wire Rope Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WIRE ROPES."
My said Invention has for its object the production of a wire rope which shall
be non-twisting, and possess greater flexibility and an evener bearing surface,
thereby being better able to stand a larger amount of wear and tear than the wire
ropes at present in use.
This object is accomplished by forming the wire rope of an inner rope (which
may be of the usual description) and an outer casing constructed and arranged and
combined with the inner rope in the manner hereinafter described.
The principal upon which the Invention is based may be enunciated as follows,
videlicet:-The outer easing consists of a maximum number of strands, each having
a minimum number of wires of a maximum area, whilst the inner rope is comprised
of a minimum number of strands each having a maximum number of wires of a
maximum area.
It should, however, be understood that in using the terms "maximum" and
"minimum" in this my Specification for the purpose of elucidating the principle of
my said Invention the absolute superlative degree is in no case intended, but only
such a relative number and area of the wires of the several strands, and relative
number of the strands as shall approximate to the maximum or minimum, as the
case may be, so as to fulfil the required conditions.
The strands of the outer casing and inner rope respectively are by preference
twisted in opposite directions.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now proceed
more fully to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to both the
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in both tho Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents an elevation of the compound
wire rope constructed according to my said Invention; and Figure 2 is a transverse
section of the same.
In Figure 1 a portion of the outer casing is assumed to have been removed so as
to render the inner rope visible.
In carrying out my said Invention I use an ordinary made wire rope A, say, for
example, of six strands a each composed of, say, six, seven, or any required number
of wires of small gauge with a central core b. In the example illustrated the inner
rope A consists of six strands a each composed of seven wires of number 053 gauge,
and the central core b is also composed of wires, but the number of strands and
wires and the gauge of the wire may be varied, and the central core may consist of
hemp or any other suitablo fibrous material in lieu of wires.
The inner rope having thus been formed, I next by preference worm the same
as shewn at c with yarns of hemp or any other suitable fibrous material tarred or
coated with a mixture of tallow and sawdust or caoutchouc to fill up the interstices,
and thus form it perfectly round and make a bed for the wires of the casing
hereinafter described. I then cover this rope with a layer or casing B of wire
strands, say from eight to eighteen in number, which are by preference laid in the
opposite direction to the strands of the inner rope, as represented in the Drawing.
I prefer twelve strands composed of three wires (as shown) each of, say, about
double or three times the area of the wires forming the strands of the inside rope,
as I thereby produce a rounder and more even rope, and one possessing greater
flexibility than the ordinary laid or compound strand ropes at present in use. In
some cases I use hemp yarns or yarns composed of any other suitable fibrous

page_text: material intertwisted round the strands forming the casing, in order to prevent the
possibility of the wires indenting each other in the course of working.
By means of my said Invention the following advantages are obtained, videlicet :-
The rope is a non-twisting one, and by using large gauge wires to form the casing
outside they are better enabled to bear the friction caused by working around drums,
pulleys, curves, and the like than the usual number of small wires necessary to form
a rope of the same size, and in addition the small wires inside give combined
strength and flexibility to the rope. The rope is also rounder, consequently tho
bearing surface is more evenly distributed throughout the circumference of the rope,
and it is moreover lighter and stronger for the same size than ropes of ordinary
construction at present in use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. A compound rope consisting of an inner rope and an outer casing, the latter
composed of a maximum number of strands, each having a minimum number of
wires of a maximum area, substantially as herein before described.
Secondly. The combination of an inner rope and an outer casing constructed
substantially as herein set forth, the strands of the outer casing being twisted in
the opposite direction to the strands of the inner rope, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Talbot Cheesman, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, Ono
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM TALBOT CHEESMAN. (L.S.)