Improvement in Machines for Making Strands or Cords and Cables.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug.. 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Machines for Making Strands or Cords and Cables.
I, WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON SISUM, residing at Courtland Street near
Joralemon, in the Village of Belleville, Essex County, State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to-be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This improvement is especially intended for making strands, cords or cables with
the use of wire, and the improvement consists in constructing and balancing a
machine for doing this work so that it may be run at high speed.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a machine embodying my improvement and
adapted to the making of strands or cords, a certain portion being broken away
between the ends to economize space.
Figure 2 is a transverse section taken at the plane of the dotted line aa
Figure 1 and on a larger scale than Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of a portion of the machine, also on an enlarged
scale, taken as indicated by the dotted line y y Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of one end portion of the machine illustrated in
Figure 1, with certain parts shown in section. The arrow marked adjacent to the
right hand end of Figure 1 indicates the direction. in which the view, Figure 4,
is taken.
Figure 5 is a top view of a spool, a yoke supporting the same, a tension device.
and certain other parts comprised in the machine.
Figure 6 is a central longitudinal section of the parts shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a plan or top view of a machine embodying my improvement and
modified slightly in construction as compared with that previously described.
Figure 8 is a transverse section taken at the plane of the dotted line = 2
and on a larger scale than Figure 7.
Figure 7
Figure 9 is a horizontal section of a portion of the machine, also on a larger
scale, taken as indicated by the dotted line w w Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a transverse vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken at the plane
of the dotted linet Figure 7.
Figure 11 is partly a plan and partly a horizontal section of a machine embodying
my improvement and designed for making cables or strands or cords.
Figure 12 is a transverse vertical section taken at the plane of the dotted line uu
Figure 11, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow which is marked at
one end of said line.
Figure 13 is a transverse vertical section, taken at the plane of the dotted line v v
Figure 11 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow marked at one end
of this line.
Figure 14 is a rear end view of a portion of the machine shown in Figures 1 to 10.
Figure 15 illustrates a modification applicable to either form of machine which I
bave mentioned, but especially to the first mentioned machine. It is a longitudinal
section.
Figure 16 is an end view showing parts of the modified machine.
Figure 17 is a plan of a modified spool frame.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, 18 designates a number of spools upon
which wires or threads are wound. Preferably there will be seven of these spools.
They are journalled in frames, 1, and have combined with them brakes, 2, whereby
the unwinding of the wires or threads too rapidly will be prevented.

page_text: The frames, 1, are secured to shafts, 3, and may advantageously be formed
integral therewith. They have affixed to them gear wheels, 4, and their shafts, 3,
are loosely journalled in bearings, 21, formed integral with discs, 5; arranged one
before the other and having shafts, 16, combined with them. Certain of the discs, 5,
are-supported in frames, 7,best shown in Figures 2 and 3. Generally alternate
discs, 5, will be supported in frames; 7, and intermediate discs, 5, will be supported
by tie-rods, 8, extending through all the discs, 5. It will be seen by reference to
Figure 2 that the shafts,6,pass through diametrically opposite portions of the
discs, 5, and that this is also true of the tie-rods, 8. This arrangement of shafts
and tie-rods is advantageous as it secures a better balance of the frame which is
formed by the combination of shafts, tie-rods and discs. The frames, 7, are of
annular form, as may be readily understood by reference to Figure 2, and are
supported by a base piece, 9, which may be sustained by legs. These frames, 7,
are made in semi-circular sections, so as to provide for inserting the discs and
preferably the discs will engage with these frames by a tongue and groove connection.
As here shown, the frames, 7, are provided with internal grooves and the discs, 5,
with external ribs fitting such grooves.
The tie-rods, 8, are not intended to rotate within the discs, 5, but to be rigidly
connected therewith. To provide for such rigid connection, I surround these rods
with tubular sleeves, 10, filling the, spaces between the several discs, 5, and I
Screwthread the extremities of the rods beyond the end discs and combine with them
nuts whereby the discs and the tubular sleeves, 10, may be clamped together
through the agency of the rods, 8. I have shown the rods, 8, as also serving to
secure a driving pulley, 20, to the frame composed of the. rods, 8, discs, 5 and their
appurtenances. To provide for this, I apply to cach of the rods, 8, beyond one of
the end discs, 5, a sleeve, 11, and construct the driving pulley, 20, with a web
which may abut against. the sleeve, 11. The application of the nuts to the other
side of the web will serve to clamp the pulley in place.
The axis of the pulley, 20, which is supported by the tie-rods, 8, coincides with
the axis of the frame composed of the tie-rods and discs and their appurtenances.
Obviously, therefore, rotary motion imparted to this pulley by means of a belt or
otherwise; will cause said frame to revolve.
This disc, 5, which is nearest the pulley, 20, has secured to it a shaft, 12, which
extends through.the pulley.. It is tubular at one end and internally screwthreaded
to engage with an external screwthread formed upon a hub with which said disc is
provided. This shaft, 12, extends through a stationary sleeve, 13, supported by a
bracket erected upon the bed, 9. The shaft, 12, has at its outer extremity a gear
wheel, 14, whose function will presently be explained. The inner end of the
sleeve, 13, is provided with a gear wheel, 15, and the adjacent ends of the shafts, 6,
are provided. with gear wheels, 16. When the frame carrying the shafts, 6, is
rotated the gear wheels, 16, travel around the stationary gear wheel, 15, and are
caused to rotate upon their own axes.
:
Adjacent to each of the discs, 5, gear wheels 17, are affixed to the shafts, 6.
They engage with the gear wheels, 4, which are affixed to the frames, 1, carrying
the spools, 18.
The gear wheels, 17, and the gear wheels, 4, are of equal diameter, hence the
revolving and rotary motions of the gear wheels, 17, will hold the gear wheels, 4,
against rotation. Because of this, the spools, will have no rotary movement.
Manifestly, if a rotary movement from the spools in either direction should.be
desired, it could readily be attained by differently proportioning the gear wheels 4
and 17.
The shafts, 3, of the frames, 1, may be secured within their bearings in the
discs, 5, by any suitable mears. As here shown, the gear wheels, 4, impinge
against the bearings at one end and collars surrounding the extremities of the shafts
and pinned thereto, impinge against the bearings at the other end: The brakes, 2,
as here shown, consist of bars resting upon the wires or threads upon the spools, 18,
and supported by the extremities of springs, 19, coiled around rods, 22, mounted on

page_text: the frames, 1. Pins, 23, engage the middle portion of the coiled springs, 19, and
prevent them from turning around the rods, 22. The rods, 22, are preferably
cylindrical and fit in bearings, 24, extending from the frames, 1. Screws, 25,
passing through the bearings and engaging with the rods hold the latter in position.
The tension of the brakes may, of course, be varied by adjustments of the rods.
The frame 1, of each spool, 18, is provided at the centre of its forward end with
an eye, 26, through which the wire or thread passes as it leaves the spool.
The wire or thread of the foremost spool, 18, extends through the eye, 26, of its
frame, 1, directly to a pair of rollers or rotary dies, 27, mounted upon studs
extending, upwardly from the bed, 9. Preferably on this spool will be wound some
soft material such as hemp. The wires or threads from the other spools, after
leaving the eyes, 26, of their frames, 1, pass through holes, 28, in the discs, 5.
Their passage to the adjacent discs will be at an angle and, owing to this, the eyes
of the disc which receive wires or threads from adjacent spools will preferably be
lined with steel, or other suitable substance. After these wires or threads leave the
last or forward disc, 5, they pass through holes in a spacing disc, 29, loosely
mounted upon the frame, 1, of the forward spool, 18. The function of this disc, 29,
is to preserve the proper relation between the wires or threads extending from all
of the spools except the front spool.
The revolving of the frame comprising the discs, 5, and tie-rods, 8, winds or
twists around the wire or thread proceeding from the forward spool, 18, all of the
other wires or threads.
The strand or cord formed in this machine passes around a roller, 30, thence
around a roller, 31, thence around the roller, 30, again and afterwards to a spool or
any other device by which it will be taken up. It may pass around the rollers 30
and 31, as many times as desired. By its engagement with these rollers, it is
moved along and the wires or threads drawn off the spools, 18. The rollers, 30, 31,
are mounted upon shafts which are journalled in brackets erected on the bed, 9,
and have affixed to them gear wheels, 32, which engage with a gear wheel, 33, that
is affixed to a shaft which also carries a bevel gear wheel, 34. Motion is imparted
to the bevel gear wheel, 34, by a bevel gear wheel, 35, affixed, to a shaft, 36,
supported in brackets extending from the bed, 9, and having at its other end a
gear wheel, 37, affixed to it. The gear wheel, 37, meshes with a gear wheel, 38,
and the latter engages with a gear wheel, 39, meshing with the gear wheel, 14.
The gear wheels 38 and 39 are mounted upon studs which are affixed to an arm, 40,
that is hung at one end upon the shaft, 36, and at the other end clamped to the
bed, 9.
As this arm is capable of swinging and has the studs of the wheels 38
and 39 secured to it, provision is afforded for removing the wheel 14, and
substituting therefor others of different sizes.
It will thus be seen that the gear, wheel, 14, transmits motion to the rollers 30
and 31.
Turning now to the example of my improvement illustrated by Figures 7 to 10
inclusive, it will be seen that the frame composed of the discs, 5, and tie-rods, 8,
differs in respect to having four of the tic-rods and also by reason of the fact that
the discs are not supported in frames, 7. Here the frame is supported at one
end by a shaft, 12, extending from one of the end discs, 5, and at the other end
by a shaft, 41, extending from the other end disc. These shafts are journalled in
brackets, 13, and 42 erected upon the bed, 9. The shaft, 41, is tubular and has
fitted within it a plug, 43, preferably made of hardened steel. A set screw, 44,
passing through the sleeve and impinging against the plug, secures it in place.
The plug has a central hole and a number of longitudinal notches in its periphery.
The wire or thread of the adjacent spool, 18, passes through the central hole and the
wires or threads of the other spools pass through the notches. After leaving
the plug, all the wires or threads pass between rollers or rotary dies, 27.
The frame composed of the discs, 5, and tie-rods, 8, is revolved by means of a
driving pulley, 20, on the shaft, 12, mounted in the bracket, 13. The frame carries

page_text: shafts, 6, as in the first described example of my improvement and these shafts are
provided with gear wheels, 16 and 17. The gear wheels, 16, engage with a
stationary gear, 15, affixed to the bracket, 13, and the gear wheels, 17, engage
with gear wheels, 4, affixed to frames, 1, supporting spools, 18. These frames, 1,
are, in this example of my improvement, supported at both ends by means of the
discs, 5, and alternate discs, 5, are provided with removable sections, 45, which may
be detached for the purpose of removing the frames.
In Figures 11, 12 and 13, a number of frames composed of discs and tie-rods
and carrying spools and gearing substantially as in the example of my improve-
ment represented in Figures 7 to 10 inclusive, are mounted in two heads or
discs, 46, connected by tie-rods, 47, to form a large revolving frame. One of
the heads 46, is affixed to a shaft, 48, supported in a bracket, 49, erected on-a
bed, 50. The other disc, or head, 46, is journalled in rollers, 51, crected upon
said bed: These rollers have in their peripheries grooves which receive the edge of
said disc or head, 46.
Through the shaft, 48, passes a shaft, 52, which also extends through a
bracket, 53, erected on the bed, 50, and has affixed to it a driving pulley, 54,
and a gear wheel, 55. The pulley, 54, drives the shaft, 52. The latter has
affixed to it a gear wheel,.69, affixed to a shaft, 70, supported in brackets erected
upon the bed, 50, and having also affixed to it a gear wheel, 71. The wheel, 71,
engages with a gear wheel, 72, affixed to the shaft, 48. In this way, motion
is transmitted from the shaft, 52, to the shaft, 48. The gear. wheel, 55, is
intended to transmit motion to two rollers similar to the rollers, 30, 31, illus-
trated in Figures 1 and 4: "At the inner end a gear wheel, 56, is affixed to the
shaft, 52, and engages with gear wheels, 57, affixed to the frames formed of the
discs, 5, rods, 8, and their appurtenances. The shafts, 6, of these frames are
rotated by means of gear wheels, 16, that mesh with gear wheels, 15, affixed to
shafts, 58, which are journalled in tubular hubs, 59, extending from one of the
heads, 46, and serving also to support tubular hubs, 60, extending from adjacent
discs, 5, of the frames formed of these discs, the rods, 8, and their appurtenances.
I have now explained how the frames comprising the discs, 5, and rods, 8, are
supported at one end. At the other end, one of the discs, 5, has a central cylindric
hole fitting a tubular stud, 61, extending inwards from the adjacent disc or head, 46.
The studs, 61, serve also as eyes through which pass the strands or cords formed
in each of the frames comprising the discs, 5, and rods, These strands or cords
are to be twisted together around a core to form a cable. The core may be of
any material, but usually it will be made of hemp or some similar soft material. It
will be wound' upon a drum and passed through the tubular shaft, 52, and through
a tube,.62, extending from the head or disc, 46, which is the farther from the said
'shaft, 52: This tube, 62, extends almost to rollers or rotary dies, 63, which are
mounted upon the. bed, 50,. and are analogous to the rollers or rotary dies, 27,
already described. Owing to the extension of the tube, 62, close to the rollers, 63,
the proper relation of the several strands or cords to each other and to the core
will be secured.
The shafts, 58, have at their outer ends cranks, 64, extending downwardly and
having at their lower ends wrists which enter holes in a ring, 65. This ring, 65,
is suspended from the cranks and is prevented from moving bodily to one side
by means of rollers, 66, supported upon studs fastened to brackets, 67, erected on
the bed, 50.
In the operation of the machine now under consideration, the frame composed of
the discs or heads, 46, and rods, 47, rotates, and, as it carries the small frames
comprising the discs, 5, and rods, 8, these small frames are revolved. The ring, 65,
prevents the shafts, 58, from rotating. The small frames comprising the discs, 5,
and rods, 8; are rotated because of the engagement of their gear wheels, 57, with
'the gear wheel, 56. The gear wheels, 16, of the small frames engaging with the
gear wheels, 15, thereof, will impart a rotary motion to the shafts, 6. The gear

page_text: wheels, 17, of the shafts, 6, engaging with the gear wheels, 4, which are connected
with the frames, 1, supporting the spools, 18, prevent these frames, 1, from rotating
on their axes, assuming that the gears 17 and 4, are of the same size.
Referring now to the example shown in Figures 15 and 16, it will be seen that
rotary motion is imparted to the machine through a band wheel, 70, rigidly secured
to the tie-rods, 8. The band wheel, 70, has a shaft, 71, extending from it through
a bearing in a rear support, 72, for the machine.
The machine now under discussion is adapted more particularly to making fibre,.
such as hemp, rope and therefore the spool frames, 1, are designed to rotate in an
opposite direction to that of the discs, 5, and tie-rods in order to give a twist to
the fibre forming a strand before several strands are twisted together to form a
rope. will now describe the means for imparting this motion.
The shaft, 71, has a gear, 73, on its outer end which imparts motion through an
intermediate gear 74, to a gear 75. A shaft, 76, extends from the gear, 75,
through a bearing in the support, 72, and has on its inner end a gear, 77, which
meshes with a gear, 78, rigidly secured to a sleeve, 79, loosely mounted on the
shaft, 71, between the band wheel, 70, and the end support, 72. This sleeve. 79,
has also attached to it a gear, 80, similar to the gear, 15, described in the first
example of my improvement. The gear, 80, engages with the gears, 16, on the
opposite shafts, 6. These shafts, 6, rotate in bearings, 81, in the band wheel, 70,
and, like the examples heretofore described, have gear wheels, 17, meshing with
gear wheels, 4, on the spool frames, 1.
The gear, 74, is mounted on a stud adjustable in a slot in the rock lover, 82..
This is to accommodate the gear, 74, to different sized gears, 73 and 75, that may
be employed to change the rate of speed of the spool frames. It will be seen
that the gears, 73, 75, are removably attached to their shafts.
:
In Figure 17, I have shown a series of spools, 18, mounted in one spool frame, 1.
The frame is of course elongated to accommodate the series of spools. By this.
construction, I am enabled to twist several fibres or yarns into one strand in a
single frame, and as there are a number of the frames, 1, in a machine, the several
strands therefrom are ultimately twisted into a single rope or cable.
'
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 combination of a frame rotating on its axis, a number of spool frames
arranged in line within the rotating frame, a shaft carried by said rotating
frame, a single gear on each of the spool-supporting frames gears on said shaft
angaging with the gears on the spool-supporting frames, another gear on the
outer end of said shaft, and a non-rotary gear arranged opposite the centre of
the rotating frame to engage with the last named gear, substantially as specified.
2. The combination of a frame rotating on its axis, a number of spool frames
arranged in line within the rotating frame, shafts arranged at opposite points on
the rotating frame and extending the entire length of the spool frames, a single
gear on each of the spool-supporting frames and gears on said shafts engaging
therewith, substantially as specified.
3. The combination of a frame rotating on its axis, a number of spool frames
arranged in line within the rotating frame, shafts extending the entire length
of and carried by said rotating frame, a single gear on each of the spool-
supporting frames, gears on said shafts engaging therewith, other gears on the
outer ends of said shafts, and a non-rotary gear arranged central with the rotating
frame to engage with the last-named gears, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with a number of spool frames, of a rotary frame, take-up
rollers 30, 31, a shaft, 12, connected with the said frame, gearing, substantially such
as described, between said shaft, 12, and the rollers, 30, 31, and means for shifting
the bearing of certain of said gearing, substantially as specified.
5. The combination of a main frame rotating on its axis, a number of smaller

page_text: frames carried by said main frame and rotating independently on their own axes,
frames for supporting spools and connected with said smaller independent frames
so that there may be a relative movement between the latter and them, shafts
arranged in and extending the entire length of the smaller independent frames,
gears carried by said shafts in the smaller. independent frames and engaging gear
on the spool frame supporting shafts, non-rotary wheels with which said gears on
the smaller independent frames are engaged, eyes or guides in said smaller
independent frames receiving wires, threads or like material from said spools and
tubular studs arranged forwards of the foremost spools within said smaller inde-
pendent frames, substantially as specified.
6. The combination of a main frame rotating on its axis, a number of smaller
frames carried by said main frame and rotating independently on their own axes,
spool supporting frames arranged within the smaller independent frames, shafts
arranged in and extending the entire length of the smaller independent frames and
geared to the spool-supporting frames, wheels 15, gear wheels on said shafts
engaging with the wheels 15, shafts 58, cranks 64, on these shafts and a ring 65,
substantially as specified.
7. The combination of a main frame rotating on its axis, a number of smaller
frames carried by said main frame, and rotating independently on their own axes,
spool-supporting frames arranged in the smaller independent frames and geared to
the spool-supporting frames, wheels 15, gear wheels on said shafts engaging with
said wheels 15, shafts 58, cranks 64, on these shafts, a ring 65, and stops or
rollers 66, substantially as specified.
8. In a rope machine, the combination of the rotary outer frame, the spool frame
having spools arranged with their axes transverse to the axes of said frames, and
means for rotating the spool frames in a direction opposite to that of the outer
frame and at a greater speed, substantially as specified.
9. In a rope machine, the combination, with the rotary outer frame, of spool
frames carried around the axis of the outer frame, means for rotating the spool
frames on their axes, in a direction reverse to the rotation of the outer frame,
and spools arranged within the spool frames, whereby the independent fibres or
strands are freely delivered from the spools and receive a twist from the point
of leaving the spools up to the point of being twisted together, substantially as
specified.
10. In a rope machine, the combination of a rotary outer frame and spool
frames carried by the outer frame and having a rotary motion on their own axes.
at a greater speed than the outer frame, whereby the strands formed from the
spool frames will have a tighter twist imparted to them than the twist of the
rope formed by said strands, substantially as specified.
Dated this 28th day of June 1892
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent.