IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TWINE AND ROPE AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TWINE AND ROPE AND
IN MACHINERY THEREFOR, to be as follows:-
Rope as heretofore commonly manufactured has been composed of a number of
strands each consisting of a number of separately spun yarns, and its manufacture
has involved three distinct operations, viz-first "spinning" which consists in
twisting the fibres together to produce yarns, second "forming" which consists
in twisting the yarns together to form the strands, and third "laying" which
consists in twisting the strands together to make the rope. In these successive
operations the directions of the twists are reversed and it will be commonly found
that the relative twists in the spinning and forming operations are such that the
twist given to the yarns in spinning is all or almost entirely taken out in forming
the strand.
Now the present invention consists firstly in taking a number of separate
slivers or collections of straight fibres and twisting them together to produce a
material which may either be used as twine or for the strands of a rope or cord.
In this operation the slivers or separate collections of fibres themselves receive a
twist in the same direction as that in which they are twisted together. The
invention consists, secondly, in taking a number of separate slivers or collections
of straight fibres, twisting them together to form strands and afterwards laying
these strands spirally together to form a rope or cord.
The invention consists thirdly in the twine or strand material produced as
herein above mentioned by twisting together a number of separate unspun slivers
or collections of straight fibres, such twine or strand material being in other words
composed of a number of separate collections of fibres each having a twist of its
own and all twisted together in the same direction as that in which they are
individually twisted.

page_text: It consists, fourthly, in the rope or cord hereinabove mentioned composed of a
number of spirally laid strands each of which is formed of several slivers or
collections of fibres twisted together as above mentioned without having been
separately spun.
The above mentioned improvements in the method of manufacture may be
carried out by the machinery at present in use in the manufacture of twine and
rope, and the preparation of fibrous materials therefor; but in order to provide the
better for forming several previously untwisted slivers together into the twisted
material suitable for twine or for the strands of rope, the invention further consists
in the combination with a spindle and flyer and a forming-tube, for forming the
said slivers together and a guide plate for conducting the slivers to the said
forming-tube, of a number of nippers or condensing devices, one for each sliver,
attached to said guide plate.
These condensing devices consist of trumpet mouthed tubes, each fitted with a
pivotted nipper, working in a slot in one side of the tube and having a spring
applied to it outside of the tube to press upon it for the purpose of making the
nipper press upon and condense the slivers. The slivers or collections of straight
fibres of which the strands or twine are composed may be produced in the ordinary
hemp drawing machine or in any other machine capable of producing a straight
and uniform sliver, and the said slivers or collections of straight fibres in the state
in which they are delivered from the drawing-head of this machine are taken
directly to the forming machine which might be similar to that commonly
employed in forming spun yarns into strands for rope, though a machine with
the addition of the nippers hereinabove mentioned is by preference used.
The desired number of slivers for forming a strand are separately conducted to
the forming tube of this machine whence they pass to the flyer, by which they are
at the same time separately twisted together and collected on its bobbin.
The forming machine may have as many flyers as desired. To make the strand
material thus produced, into rope, the bobbins from the flyer or flyers of the
forming machine are transferred into the flyers of an ordinary rope laying machine
in which the strands are made into rope in the same way as strands made in the
usual way.
Doted thin 91 d. of the 1001.

page_text: I ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TWINE AND ROPE AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
Rope as heretofore commonly manufactured has been made of a number of
strands each composed of a number of separately spun yarns and its manufacture
has involved three distinct, operations, viz:-first "spinning" which consists in
twisting together the fibres of the sliver to produce yarns; second "forming"
which consists in twisting the yarns together to form the strands; and third
laying which consists in twisting the strands together to make the rope.
"
In these successive operations the directions of the twists are reversed and it will
be commonly found that the relative twist in the spinning and forming operations*
are such that the twist given to the yarns in spinning is all or almost all taken out
in forming the strand.
A consideration of the condition above mentioned of the yarns in the strands of
ordinary rope induced the inventor to undertake experiments which have led to the
present invention.
It is now proposed to dispense altogether with the preparatory spinning of the
fibres into separate yarns for the manufacture of rope, cordage and twine, and
thereby to save time, labour and machinery and reduce the room necessary for
carrying on the manufacture, and thereby to reduce the cost of the product, while
at the same time a rope is produced which is found to be at least as strong in
proportion to its weight, as the best of that made in the old way and stronger than
most of the samples tested, having the same quality of fibre in that way.
The invention embraces the method of manufacture, the manufactured product
and the machinery employed in the manufacture.
Now the present invention consists firstly in taking a number of separate slivers
or collections of straight fibres and twisting them together to produce a material
which may either be used as twine or for the strands of a rope or cord.
In this operation the slivers or separate collections of fibre themselves receive a
twist in the same direction as that in which they are twisted together.
The invention consists secondly in taking a number of separate slivers or
collections of straight fibre, twisting them together to form strands and after-
wards laying the strands spirally together to form a rope or cord.
The invention consists thirdly in the twine or strand material produced as
hereinabove mentioned by twisting together a number of separate unspun slivers,
or collections of straight fibre such twine or strand material being in other words
composed of a number of separate collections of fibre each having a twist of its*
own and all twisted together in the same direction as that in which they are
individually twisted.
It consists fourthly in the rope or cord hereinabove mentioned composed of &
number of helically laid strands each of which is formed of several slivers or
collections of fibre twisted. together as above mentioned without having been
separately spun.
The above mentioned improvements in the method of manufacture may be
carried out by the machinery at present in use in the manufacture of twine and
rope and the preparation of fibrous materials therefor; but in order to provide the
'

page_text: better for forming several previously untwisted slivers together into the twisted
material suitable for twine or for the strands of rope, the invention further consists
in the combination with a spindle and flyer and a forming tube, for forming the
said slivers together and a guide plate for conducting the slivers to the said forming
tube, of a number of nippers or condensing devices one for each sliver attached to
said guide plate.
The slivers or collections of straight fibre of which the strands or twine are
composed may be produced in the ordinary hemp-drawing machine or in any other
machine capable of producing a straight and uniform sliver and the said slivers or
collections of straight fibre in the state in which they are delivered from the
drawing head of this machine are taken directly to the forming machine which
might be similar to that commonly employed in forming spun yarns into strands
for rope, though a machine with the addition of the nippers hereinabove mentioned
is by preference used. The desired number of slivers for forming a strand are
Beparately conducted to the forming tube of this machine whence they pass to the
flyer by which they are at the same time twisted together and collected on its
bobbin.
The forming machine may have as many flyers as desired. To make the strand
material thus produced into rope the bobbins from the flyer or flyers of the forming
machine are transferred into the flyers of an ordinary rope laying machine in
which the strands are made into rope in the same manner as strands made in the
usual way.
I will now describe the improvement in the forming machine and at the same
time more particularly describe the operation of forming the slivers into the strands
or twine.
Figure 1 in the accompanying drawing is an elevation of the improved forming
machine. Fig 2 is a horizontal section of part of one of the flyer journals, the
forming tube, the guide plate and adjacent parts of the machine with the condensers,
the addition of which to the guide plate constitutes the principle novel feature of
the machine. Fig: 3 is a front view of the guide plate and the attached condensers
Figure 4 is a longitudinal view of a piece of the new kind of rope made by the
improved process. Figure 5 is a longitudinal view of a piece of the new kind of
strand or twine made by the process.
A is the framing of the machine in which are the bearings for the flyer B and
for the main shaft C from which the flyer derives motion through gearing.
In front of the hollow journal a of the flyer is arranged the ordinary stationary
forming tube b and in front of said tube is secured the ordinary guide plate D, in
which are the usual holes for conducting the yarns to the forming tube. In as
many of these holes as there are slivers to be formed into the strand or twine and
at equal distances from the centre of the plate are placed condensing devices for
condensing the slivers one for each sliver.
These condensing devices as represented consist of trumpet mouthed tubes c c
each fitted with a pivotted nipper d working in a slot in one side of the tube and
having a spring e applied to it outside of the tube, to press upon it for the purpose
of making it press upon and condense the the passing sliver.
E E are cans for supplying the slivers to the machine one for each sliver.
These cans may be the same into which the slivers have been delivered from the
drawing head.
The slivers ff from the cans EE pass one into and through each of the condensing
tubes c and are led together into the forming tube b whence they pass to the flyer,
and by the rotation of the flyer they are at the same time each separately twisted
between one of the nippers d, and the forming tube b and all twisted together
between the forming tube and the capstan of the flyer, in the same direction as
that of the twist separately given to them, and they are thus formed into a compact
twine g such as is shown in Figure 5, suitable for the strands of the rope shown in
Figure 4 or for separate use. In this operation the several slivers are separately
condensed in the tubes c by the nippers d before being brought to the forming.

page_text: tube b wherein they are condensed together and formed into a round body preparatory.
to being twisted together by the flyer B.
As the laying together of the strands g formed as above described to produce the
improved rope illustrated in Figure 4 may be well performed by the machines
heretofore used for laying rope and the operation of the machine in performing
this part of the improved process does not differ from the laying together of strands
of the ordinary kind to produce ordinary rope, no particular description of the
laying machine or of that part of the process is necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me from abroad and explained in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st The improvement in the manufacture of twine or material for the strands of
rope consisting in twisting together a number of separate slivers without previous
separate spinning substantially as herein described.
2nd The improvement in the manufacture of rope or cord consisting in first
twisting together a number of unspun slivers to form strands and afterwards laying
a number of such strands together belically, to form the roper or cord substantially
as herein described.
3rd The strand material or twine herein described composed of several separate
slivers or collections of fibre twisted together and twisted separately in the same
direction in which they are twisted together.
4th A rope or cord composed as herein described of a number of helically laid
strands each of which is formed of several slivers or collections of fibre twisted
together and each having a twist of its own in the same direction in which they
are twisted together.
5th The combination with a flyer, a forming tube and a guide plate, of a number
of separate nippers or sliver condensing devices attached to said guide plate
substantially as herein described.