Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel Wire Winding Ropes, and Machinery therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug.. 1594
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1895-Accepted, 29th June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel Wire Winding Ropes,
and Machinery therefor.
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:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of steel wire
winding ropes and the machinery employed therefor, and consists in so arranging
the wires employed to form the separate strands, as to obtain the greatest amount
of durability and to render the rope more pliable and better able to stand the wear
and tear of use, and giving an increased metallic section.
Hitherto the manufacture of winding ropes for heavy lifts has been confined,
generally speaking, to what are known as compound laid ropes having 19 wires in
each strand or a modification of this number of wires.
In the arrangements most commonly in use, (1) the inner series of wires is laid
in the reverse direction to the outer series, or (2) the outer series of wires is laid in
the same direction as the inner wires or (3) the interstices of the inner wires are
wormed with hemp yarns or cords, or (4) the outer series of wires is made in two
gauges, the larger resting in the interstices of the inner series and the smaller wires
resting upon the crown or ridge of the inner series.
The objections to the formation of strands according to these methods may be
set forth as follows--In example (1) the inner series of wires being of a reverse
lay to and crossing the outer, a serious depreciation takes place by the two layers
of wires cutting into each other, in example (2) although all the wires are laid in
the same direction of spirál the true circumference is distorted and consequently
uneven wear of the outer wires takes place, in example (3) although the interstices
are wormed with hemp there is the same objection in the wires crossing each other
as pointed out in (1); in example (4) it will be seen that uneven wear takes place
in the outer series of wires and that the smaller wires will be nearly worn out and
fractured before the larger ones are half worn through.
Now by my invention the outer series of wires rests compactly in the alternate
interstices formed by worming the inner series with wires of a small gauge, all the
wires being laid in the same direction of spiral. The wear being perfectly uniform.
the life or durability of the rope will be greatly increased. A large or small gauge
of wire may of course be used as necessity may arise.
The strands of my improved rope I propose to make preferably at one operation
by employing a compound stranding machine carrying 24 bobbins, as it is essential
that the lay or spiral of the wires shall be perfectly uniform, and for this purpose
I employ a lay plate, the centre wire passing through the middle aperture, the
inner wires through other apertures, and the outer series through the outer
apertures.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1894

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel Wire Winding Ropes,.
and Machinery therefor.
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 chiefly to improvements in the construction of wire winding
ropes, more especially steel ones, and consists in an arrangement of the wires
employed to form the separate strands, whereby the greatest amount of durability
is obtained and the rope is rendered more pliable and able to stand the wear and
tear of use. I also obtain thereby an increased metallic section in a given
diameter. Hitherto the manufacture of winding ropes for heavy lifts has been
confined generally to what are known as compound made ropes having 19 wires in
each strand, that is a central wire, six wires surrounding that, twelve wires
surrounding that, if they be all of the same size, but when they vary in diameter
the number varies accordingly. The arrangements most commonly in use are four,
namely, first the inner series of wires is laid in the reverse direction to the outer
series, second, the outer series of wires is laid in the same direction as the inner
wires, third, the interstices of the inner wires are wormed with hemp yarns or
cords, and the outer series are laid in the reverse direction, fourth, the outer series
of wires is made of two gauges, the larger resting in the interstices of the ioner
series, and the smaller wires resting upon the ground or ridge of the inner series.
By this means the exterior surface of the wires approximate very closely to a
circle. The objection to the formation of strands according to these various
methods may be set forth as follows:-In the first and third arrangements, the
inner series of wires being of a reverse lay to and crossing the outer series, great
depreciation takes place through the two layers of wires cutting into each other.
In the second arrangement although all the wires are laid in the same direction of
spiral, the true circumference is distorted and consequently uneven wear of the
outer wires takes place, while in the fourth arrangement, it will be seen that
uneven wear must take place in the outer series of wires, and that the smaller
wires will be nearly worn out and fractured before the larger ones are half worn
through.
Now by my invention the outer series of wires rests in the alternate interstices
formed by worming the inner series with wires of small gauge, all the wires being
laid in the same direction of spiral. The wear being perfectly uniform, the life or
durability of the rope will be greatly increased. The larger or smaller gauge of
wire may of course be used as necessity may arise.
My invention is shown graphically in the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 shows a strand of 19 wires of the same diameter with smaller wires
filling up the interstices between the outer and the middle wires.
Figure 2 shows a modification in which a larger gauge of wire may be employed
in the outer series, the interstices in this case being filled up with smaller wires as
before.
Figure 3 shows another modification with a still larger gauge of wire in the
outer circle and four wires in the centre instead of 6 and 5 as in the previous
cases.
'
Figure 4 is a section of the central portion of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a piece of a rope formed on the plan set forth in Figures 1 and 4.
Figure 6 is a lay plate hereafter described, and
Figure 7 a cable formed of six strands such as shown in enlarged view in
Figure 5 with a central core of hemp or other material.

page_text: I prefer to make such a strand as that shown in Figure 5 in a single operation
by employing a compound stranding machine of the usual construction carrying
24 bobbins, but as it is essential that the lay or spiral of the wires shall be perfectly
uniform I employ the lay plate such as set forth in Figure 6. In this the central
wire passes through the middle aperture, the six wires of the inner series pass
through the six holes immediately surrounding that, there are then six smaller
holes surrounding this through which the smaller wires pass and twelve holes
outside for the wires of the outer series.
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 :-
1. The manufacture of a compound wire rope consisting of strands having the
wires arranged as in the manner set forth all laid in the same direction of spiral,
preferably at one operation, the outer concentric series being of equal gauge and
having a solid bearing upon the inner series by the worming of the interstices with
wires of a smaller gauge.
2. The combination with a compound machine of a lay plate having holes for a
central core and for two series of wires and for a third series of wires of such size
as to worm the interstices between the two main series of wires touching the
surfaces of both.
3. The improved arrangement of wires and the strands of steel wire winding
rope substantially as above described and illustrated.
1008
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.