AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE STRANDS OF WIRE ROPES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Fréderic Vasserot, of 45, Essex Street,
Strand, London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE STRANDS OF WIRE ROPES."-A commu-
nication from Jean Baptiste Pieux-Aubert, residing at Clermont-Ferrand
(Puy-de-Dôme), in the Empire of France.
Scaled the 12th August 1859, and dated the 19th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th February 1859.
I, CHARLES FREDERIC VASSEROT, of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE STRANDS OF WIRE ROPES,"
communication from Jean Baptiste Pieux-Aubert, residing at Clermont-
Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-—
This apparatus is intended to make a strand of 37 wires, and it consists
in three rings of cast iron of a different diameter, having each a cross bar,
through the center of which passes a fixed-axis. The first of these rings bears
7 bobbins, upon which the wire is placed; they can be taken away when
empty, and replaced by others. Those seven wires united in the center of the
apparatus form the center of the strand, instead of the flax ordinary used.
The second ring has 12 bobbins similar to those before described; these
12 wires surround the center of the strand; they are covered by the 18 wires

page_text: of the third ring, which is mounted like the others. The three crowns which
give the motion to the bobbins are free on the axis which passes through the
three rings, and the motion transmitted to each pulley is uniform and in the
same direction. The wires are united in a screwing table which contains the
37 threads, and a winch regulates the movement and the length of the twist.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERIC VASSEROT, of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, 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 Charles Fréderic Vasserot, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Fréderic Vasserot, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and 'no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE STRANDS OF WIRE
ROPES," a communication from Jean Baptiste Pieux-Aubert, residing at
Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), in the Empire of France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Fréderia Vasserot,
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 Charles Fréderic Vasserot, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-

page_text: The first part of my Invention relates to the machinery by which I form
the small strands of which the rope I afterwards make is made up of. Upon
a proper frame, and placed parallel and behind each other and mounted
upon a common axis, are three rings or wheels of cast iron, the diameters of
each regularly decreasing; thus, the extreme one being greater than the one
next to it, and that one again greater than the one preceding it. Upon each
of these rings or wheels are mounted a number of bobbins, the number on
each being proportionate to the number of strands or wires of which the
composing strand is to be made; thus, if 37 wires are to be used, the first
wheel will have 7 bobbins, the second 12, and the third 18. Upon each
bobbin is mounted a wire, and all the wires are wound off the bobbins, and
are all drawn and passed through an eye or converging guide, by means of
which they are brought together; the combined mass is then fixed to a
hooked rotatory spindle, and the requisite twist given to it; the bobbins are
put in motion by means of pullies and geared wheels. The strands being
formed in this manner, a rope is then formed of a certain number of these
strands, as before.
.
This is effected as follows:-Suppose the rope to have 37 of these, then the
centre is formed by taking and mounting 7 of these upon a helice having
grooves cut on it so as to give the requisite twist; this portion of rope being
attached to the drawing and twisting apparatus is passed through the centre
of another helice having twelve of the last-mentioned strands upon it; these
strands are, by means of this helice, twisted round the first-mentioned part,
which thus forms the centre, giving a rope of increased thickness; this latter
is again passed through the centre of another helice containing 18 of the said
strands which are similarly twisted round the part previously compounded,
and thus forming a single rope containing 37 strands, each strand containing
37 wires. To form a cable, 3 of these ropes are wound or twisted together
having a hempen portion of rope to form the core.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
CH. FRED. VASSEKOT. (L.S.)