Improvements in Stranding Machines Employed in the Manufacture of Wire Ropes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1886.
Complete Left, 1st Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
Improvements in Stranding Machines Employed in the Manufacture
of Wire Ropes.
We JOHN STEPHENS and Alexander SMITH both of Cuba Street Millwall in the
County of Middlesex, Engineers and Boiler makers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to what are technically known as stranding machines such
as are suitable more particularly to the manufacture of flexible steel wire ropes of very
large diameter.
.
The object of our Invention is to allow of accomplishing by means thereof the
hitherto unattainable and advantageous result to be derived from producing a twenty
four bobbin machine without necessitating an increase in the diameter of the discs
carrying the bobbins in the case of an ordinary eighteen bobbin machine. By means
of our Invention we are also enabled to reduce the speed relatively to that which
would be necessary for such machines as ordinarily constructed, to be driven. At the
same time we are enabled by means of our Invention to ensure a larger turn-out of
rope than would be attainable in wire stranding machines of the ordinary type:
inasmuch in the latter case, in addition to the objection of the necessarily large
diameter of bobbin discs, the initial speed would have to be decreased to a
proportionate degree consistently with safety of working.
Our said Invention may be described as comprising an addition or adaptation to
the usual type of horizontal wire stranding machines; said adaptation or addition
consists in the introduction of a supplementary eccentric ring forming a portion of
the larger eccentric ring which already exists in machines of the type above referred
to, as a single eccentric ring.
The improved machine according to our Invention consists of three bays or divisions
formed by the discs aforesaid carrying the bobbins, the latter being driven by the
compound eccentric ring aforesaid. Two of the ordinary bobbin discs carry or are
each fitted with nine bobbins, the third bay is arranged with a smaller disc in front
of the two before mentioned, to carry six bobbins. The several bobbin discs are
TD 077

page_text: rotated in the usual manner upon motion being given to the central shaft on which
they are mounted. The bobbins of the two larger bobbin discs are rotated by means
of an eccentric ring connected by cranks in the usual manner, whilst the bobbins of
the smaller bay are rotated by the supplementary ring of reduced diameter, (and
corresponding with that of the smaller bay aforesaid) and separate set of cranks.
The cranks connecting the bobbins of said smaller bay with the smaller eccentric ring,
pass through the arms of the larger bays and in no way interfere with the working of
the latter, owing to the arrangement which I adopt as above described of having a
double set of cranks arranged concentrically relatively to each other and eccentrically
relatively to the centre of the shaft carrying the three bays upon which are arranged
the twentyfour bobbins to be rotated.
The improved machine aforesaid is also suitable for closing wire ropes of large
diameter at a great speed, thus materially reducing the cost of production.
Dated the Thirtieth day of June 1886.
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stranding Machines Employed in the Manufacture
of Wire Ropes.
We JOHN STEPHENS and ALEXANDER SMITH, both of Cuba Street, Millwall, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineers and Boiler makers 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 :-
Our invention relates to what are technically known as stranding machines such as
are suitable more particularly to the manufacture of flexible steel wire ropes of very
large diameter.
The object of our invention is to allow of accomplishing by means thereof the
hitherto unattainable and advantageous result to be derived from producing a twenty
four bobbin machine without necessitating an increase in the diameter of the discs
carrying the bobbins in the case of an ordinary eighteen bobbin machine. By means
of our invention we are also enabled to reduce the speed relatively to that which
would be necessary for such machines, as ordinarily constructed, to be driven. At the
same we are enabled by means of our Invention to ensure a larger turn out of rope
than would be attainable in wire stranding machines of the ordinary type: inasmuch
in the latter case, in addition to the objection of the necessarily large diameter of
bobbin discs the initial speed would have to be decreased to a proportionate degree
consistently with safety of working.
Our said invention may be described as comprising an addition or adaptation to the
usual type of horizontal wire rope stranding machines, said adaptation or addition
consists in the introduction of a supplementary eccentric ring forming a portion of
the larger eccentric ring which already exists in machines of the type above referred
to as a single eccentric ring.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is an end elevation and Figure 2
a side elevational view.
The improved machine according to our Invention consists of three bays or
divisions A, A, A¹¹, formed by the discs B, B1, B¹¹, B aforesaid carrying the
bobbins C, C, C, the latter being driven by the compound eccentric ring D, F afore-
said. Two of the ordinary bobbin discs B¹, B", carry or are each fitted with nine
bobbins two of which are shewn at C, C¹ Figure 2. The relative position of the
remaining sixteen being shewn at a, a, a, Figure 1. The third bay A" is arranged
with a smaller disc B₁ in front of the two before mentioned to carry six additional
bobbins one of which is shewn at C. The remaining five being shewn in their
relative positions as at b. b. b. Figure 1. The several bobbin discs B, B¹, B¹¹, B¹¹¹,
Figure 2 are rotated in the usual manner upon motion being given to the central
shaft E on which they are mounted. The bobbins of the two larger bobbin discs B B¹
are rotated by means of an eccentric ring D connected by cranks G in the usual

page_text: manner, whilst the bobbins of the smaller bay C¹ are rotated by the supplementary
ring of reduced diameter F, Figure 1 (corresponding with that of the smaller bay C
aforesaid) and separate set of Cranks H. The cranks connecting the bobbins of said
smaller bay Cwith the smaller eccentric ring F pass through the arms of the
larger discs B, B¹B", and in no way interfere with the working of the bobbins C C
owing to the arrangement which we adopt as above described of having a double set
of cranks arranged concentrically relatively to each other and eccentrically relatively
to the centre of the shaft E carrying the three bays 'A A' A", Figure 2 before
mentioned upon which are arranged the twenty four bobbins to be rotated.
The improved machine aforesaid is also suitable for closing wire ropes of large
diameter at a great speed thus materially reducing the cost of production.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
Firstly The improved wire rope stranding apparatus whereby we are enabled to
produce a twenty four bobbin machine without necessitating an increase in the
diameter of the discs carrying the bobbins in the case of an ordinary eighteen bobbin
machine substantially as herein described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly-In connection with the usual type of horizontal wire rope stranding
machines the adaptation or addition to the larger eccentric ring already existing in
such machines, of the supplementary ring F of reduced diameter relatively to and
forming a portion of the larger eccentric ring, with separate set of cranks H
substantially as and for the purposes here set forth.
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.