Improvements in the Manufacture of "Lang's Lay" and other Wire Ropes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of "Lang's Lay" and other
Wire Ropes.
I, WALTER BADGER BROWN of The Globe Works, Bankhall, Liverpool in
the County of Lancaster, Steel Wire Rope Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
י,
This invention relates to the manufacture of Lang's lay and other wire ropes,
and is designed to avoid the defect in the present mode of manufacture, namely,
that the ropes have a great tendency to "kink," "snarl or "curl" in serpeutine
fashion when the load is released, and also to twist or rotate when used for vertical
winding. This is found to be more particularly the case with wire ropes made upon
the Lang's patent principle.
Hitherto "Lang's lay" and other wire ropes have been made by placing the
finished strands in a "closing" or "laying" machine to form the complete rope.
Each bobbin or reel in this machine, which may be either vertical or horizontal,
is so arranged that it revolves in the same vertical or horizontal plane as the case
may be, and with each revolution of the machine each hobbin makes one revolution,
so that they always remain in the same position relatively to the machine and to
each other.
Now according to this invention, I so arrange the mechanism of the said "closing"
machine that, instead of allowing the bobbins to remain stationary on their own
axes, I cause them to revolve each on its own axis and round the central axis of
the machine, and at the same time to keep the same relative position parallel to
each other. In my experimental apparatus these bobbins were caused to make one
revolution on their own axis during about 20 revolutions round the central axis of
the machine, but this may be increased as circumstances require. The consequence
of such motion of the bobbins which is in a direction opposite to that of the
machine is, that it causes a "back throw" or slight back twist in the strands which
entirely kills the "spring or curl which has been found so objectionable in
"Lang's patent" ropes.
"
In similar manner the motion imparted to the bobbins as already described when
applied to wire ropes of the ordinary construction puts a forward twist into the
strands, which, being laid in the reverse direction to the rope, has the same
tendency to kill the curl or rotating motion of the completed rope.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of "Lang's Lay" and other
Wire Ropes.
I, WALTER BADGER BROWN, of The Globe Works, Bankhall, Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, Steel Wire Rope 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 the manufacture of Lang's lay and other wire ropes,

page_text: "
and is designed to avoid the defect in the present mode of manufacture, namely,
that the ropes have a great tendency to "kink," "snarl or "curl" in serpentine
fashion when the load is released, and also to twist or rotate when used for vertical
winding. This is found to be more particularly the case with wire ropes made upon
the Lang's patent principle.
"6
Hitherto Lang's lay" and other wire ropes have been made by placing the
finished strands in a "closing" or "laying" machine to form the complete rope.
Each bobbin or reel in this machine, which latter may be either vertical or
horizontal, is so arranged that it revolves in the same vertical or horizontal plane
as the case may be and with each revolution of the machine each bobbin makes one
revolution so that they always remain in the same position relatively to each other
and to the machine.
Now according to this invention, I so arrange the mechanism of the said "closing"
machine that each bobbin has imparted to it a rotary motion in a direction opposite
to that of the machine round the central axis; the plane of rotation being the
same in both movements. At the same time the bobbins are caused to keep the
same relative position parallel to each other as shown on the accompanying
diagrams, in which,
Figure 1 shows the bobbins in the old position, and
Figures 2 and 3 the relative positions of the bobbins at different points in their
rotation in my improved machine. The large arrows show the direction of rotation
of the bobbins round the central axis and the small arrows the direction of rotation
of the bobbins on their own axes. A represents the bobbins and B the frame of
the machine on which the bobbins are mounted.
In my experimental apparatus these bobbins were caused to make one revolution
on their own axis during about 20 revolutions round the central axis of the
machine, but this may be increased as circumstances require. The consequence of
such motion of the bobbins is, that it causes a "back throw or slight back twist
in the strands which entirely kills the "spring" or curl which has been found so
objectionable in "Lang's patent" ropes.
"
In similar manner the motion imparted to the hobbins as already described when
applied to wire ropes of the ordinary construction puts a forward twist into the
strands, which, being laid in the reverse direction to the rope, has the saine
tendency to kill the curl or rotating motion of the completed rope.
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 I
claim is:
The improvements in the manufacture of wire ropes which consist in causing
each bobbin or reel in a closing or laying machine to revolve on its own axis in a
direction opposite to that of its movement round the central axis of the machine
and in the same plane, whereby while the bobbins keep the sanie relative position
parallel to each other a slight back twist or throw is given to the strands of the
rope substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this fith dex of June 1805
W M. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.