IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL ROPES, CABLES, AND RODS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING "RY SAME
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Weightman Harrison, of Woolwich, in the
County of Kent, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN METAL ROPES, CABLES, AND RODS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING
"RY SAME"
Sealed the 16th November 1855, and dated the 26th May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Weightman Har-
rison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th May 1855.
I, CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of Woolwich, in the County of Kent,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL ROPES, CABLES, AND RODS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in forming ropes or cables solid or hollow, of a
number of angularly-shaped wires, ribbons, plates, or strips, each of which
in its transverse section forms on one or more of its sides a portion of a
circle. I also make ropes, cables, and rods by winding flat, square, or
rectangular wires or strips of metal round a core, or I dispense with a core
entirely.
My Invention also consists in forming a hollow rope or rod by laying
angular wires, ribbons, or plates upon a core, afterwards withdrawn ; or I

page_text: lay them upon and around a pipe of lead, gutta percha, caoutchouc, or other
suitable flexible material.
My improvement in machinery consists in fixing the wire bobbin frames in
a rigid position on the rope or rod making machine, and in the employment
or antifriction rollers or guides to prevent the several wires or strips from
becoming twisted in themselves or from being irregularly laid.
When my rope is laid round a leaden pipe, I interpose between the lead
and the wires a coating of felt, or other like material; hollow ropes so formed
will be found well adapted for conveying liquids, as they will not be liable to
burst from the effects of frost.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Weightman Harrison in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of Woolwich, in the County of Kent, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Weightman Harrison, Her special licence that I, the said
Charles Weightman Harrison, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL ROPES, CABLES, AND RODS, AND IN
MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed), that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention consists in forming ropes and cables solid
or hollow, of a number of angularly-shaped plates or strips placed together
side by side upon a core and parallel therewith. Each of these strips in its
transverse section forms a sector of a circle, the angles of two of its opposite
sides being either radial lines from a centre or central core, or forming a
tangent thereto. Around the strips so placed I lay, either spirally or other-
wise, a coating of felt, or some other suitable fibrous material; and to
preserve the metal strips from oxidation, I saturate such covering with tar,
marine glue, or other compound of a similar nature. Upon this covered
core I wind wire or flat metal ribbons, or rectangular metal strips, but I prefer
for the most part to use one or two narrow flat ribbons or sheets for this
purpose, so as to form spirals approaching to a right angle with the axis of
the core, and thus avoid impairing the flexibility of the rope or cable. I do
not confine myself to any particular kind of central core, but vary it according
to the object for which the rope or cable is required; and it may consist of a
strund of wire, or strips, or a pipe of metal, gutta percha, caoutchouc, or of
other suitable flexible substance; or it may be a core of insulated conducting
wire, adapted for electric communication; or a rope or strands of hemp, cocoa
nut fibre, or other like material.
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an electric telegraph rope or cable
constructed on this principle; a being the central core of insulated wires;
6, the angular parallel strips; c, the coating of serving; and d, the spiral flat
ribbon wrapper.
It will be seen that in this rope or cable every strip is laid
entirely free from twist and in exact parallelism one with another, so that each
bears its true proportion of strain to resist fracture under tension, whilst from
the peculiar shape of the strips they give to the rope or cable all the strength
of a cylinder of equal size. In longitudinal strains the strips bear with their
broadsides against each other, and cannot slip inwards, as wires when laid in
a rope, and only touching at a point of their surface are liable to do, thereby
throwing the strain on the central core of conducting wire, and in like manner
under pressure they offer the strongest resistance against injury. The rope or
cable, too, being formed without torsion of perfectly straight strips, it has less
tendency to double or kink in passing up from the hold of a ship during the pro-
cess of laying down, and thus in a great measure are avoided the interruptions,
which it is well known have frequently endangered the safety of the ordinary
twisted submarine telegraph cables. By laying the parallel strips around a pipe

page_text: or tube, and binding them together in the manner herein-before stated, I form
a hollow rope of great strength and durability. When my rope is laid round
a leaden or other pipe intended for conveying liquids, I sometimes interpose
between the pipe and the strips, or between the strips and spiral wrapper, or
between both of these, a coating of felt or other suitable material. Hollow
ropes so formed will not be liable to burst from the effects of frost, as is the
case with ordinary pipes, and being exceedingly flexible are readily laid down
in any entire length. I connect together separate lengths of these ropes or
cables, both solid and hollow, by means of a socket made in two parts, with a
flange on the sides of each, through which they are bolted or screwed one to
the other. The interior of the socket is formed with suitable projections,
which fit into groves cut around the parallel strips near the end of each rope,
between which a projection also meets closely around the united part of the
central core. Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal and cross sections of one of
these joints; a being the central core; b, the parallel strips; c, the spiral
wrapper; and d, the socket bolted together through the flanges e. By using
branch or V sockets provided with suitable cores instead of these straight
sockets, a number of ropes or cables may be made to communicate with each
other, in a manner similar to that effected with cast-iron pipes.
The second part of my Invention relates to that description of metal rope
which is formed by laying or coiling two or more layers of wires in opposite
directions one over the other; and my improvements herein consist in con-
structing such ropes of flat metal in the form of ribbons or narrow sheets,
instead of wires, as hitherto done, whereby I obtain a close and uniform
covering around the core to defend it from injury, which it is well known is
not afforded by an ordinary metal rope of this kind by reason of the interstices
between the wires. I form both solid and hollow ropes by this plan, and I
sometimes use a single ribbon to form a layer, and sometimes more; but when
I wish to construct a very flexible rope I prefer using not more than two, in
order that the spiral convolutions may be laid short. By this means I form a
metallic wrapper, in which security is combined with great flexibility. To
protect the rope from decay, I interpose between the layers of ribbon a fibrous
coating, saturated with a suitable adhesive composition, as herein-before
described with reference to the first part of my Invention. Figure 4 repre-
sents a perspective view of a hollow rope formed in this manner; a being
a gutta percha tube; b, the metal ribbons; and c, the intervening fibrous
covering. By substituting for the hollow tube a core of insulated wires, I
form a flexible telegraph rope, very suitable for subterranean communication,
without the use of pipes or troughs, & process which is attended with much

page_text: trouble and expense.
It is well known that in streets and roads wherein gas
pipes are laid, the soil is generally impregnated with carburetted gases, and
that such are injurious to the insulating material; to obviate the ill effects of
these, I inclose the core of the rope in which they are contained in a pipe or
tube of lead or other flexible metal previous to winding around the metal
ribbon, and either with or without an intervening fibrous wrapper, as herein-
before described, or I lay in the core insulated wires separately covered with
lead. It will be understood that this highly flexible telegraph rope is not
intended to resist any great strain, and is only adapted for underground
purposes. When, however, I desire to form a telegraph rope or cable of equal
or nearly equal flexibility, and capable of supporting considerable tension
without injury to the conducting wires, I inclose in the core a strand or
several strands of wire, and place the insulated wires, wormed or surrounded
with hemp, in the intervening spaces between the strands. I lay these strands
either side by side in the core without twist, or I form the core by laying or
twisting the strands and insulated wires together, in the manner of a common
wire rope; but instead of applying an equal or nearly equal degree of tension
on the strands and insulated wires during the process of twisting or laying
them spirally together, as in the ordinary mode of construction, I put great
tension on the wire strands and very slight tension on the insulated wires.
By this means the insulated wires will readily yield without injury in any case
of strain to which the rope may be subjected, whilst the strands being
incapable of yielding are made to bear the entire tension force; and this
peculiar mode of manufacture I claim as new and of my Invention. Around
cores so formed, and surrounded when desired with a fibrous covering, I wind
one or more layers of spiral ribbons, as herein-before stated.
The third part of my Invention refers to the construction of metal rods,
both solid and hollow, which I form as follows:-I place together side by side
and parallel with each other a sufficient number of angular plates, each of
which in its transverse section forms a sector of a circle, as herein-before
described in the first part of my Invention, so as to form a cylindrical core or
rod, around which I wind wire ribbon or strips in close short spirals, and
then I pass the rod thus prepared through a bath of molten zinc, or other
metal or alloy of metals, whereby the convolutions are firmly united with each
other. I also construct rods withcut a spiral wrapper by tapering or cham-
fering the outer edges or corners of the plates, and drawing them when placed
together to form a rod through suitably sized dies or tubes, part or parts of
which are immersed at a short distance from each other in a bath of inolten
metal (as herein-before described), through which the rod is drawn.

page_text: Figure 5 is a cross section of a hollow rod formed in this manner, the angular
spaces shown around the circumference being filled up with zinc or other metal
in the passage of the rod through the bath, by which the strips are united into
a solid smooth galvanized rod of great cohesive power.
Lastly, my Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery for
manufacturing metal ropes, cables, and rods, whereby wires, strips, or plates
are laid, as herein-before described, without individual torsion, in exact
parallelisin one with another, and bound together by spiral coverings or
wrappers, formed of equal or different breadths of ribbons, with intervening
coatings of hemp, felt, or other fibrous material, the entire operation being
completed simultaneously and with facility.
Figure 6 represents an elevation of my arrangement of machinery. a is a
driving pulley, which, by means of the bevilled cog wheels b, 6', communicates
a rotary motion to the shaft c, working in the bearings j, j. Upon this shaft
a number of conical pullies are fixed in suitable positions, for driving the frames
or discs carrying the bobbins or reels containing material for forming the
spiral wrappers. As each of these parts of the machine is similar in form
and arrangement, only one of them is shewn in the Figure; d being the
conical pulley on the shaft, connected by a band with another like pulley
inverted on the hollow axis e of the frame or disc f which carries the reels g.
The axis e is held in position by sockets fixed on the cross bearings h, h¹,
attached to the main supports i. k is a reel, having a free axial motion on the
standards m, fixed on the bed / of the machine, and immediately under the
hollow axis of the disc f. Upon this reel the material intended to form
the inner core of the rope or cable is wound. On the standards o revolve the
reels n, containing the strips or plates which are to be laid in the rope or cable,
and parallel to its axis. Only two of these reels are represented in the Figure,
but their entire arrangement is shewn in Figure 7, wherein the same letters
refer to like parts. p is a double cone or plate, fixed on the cross bearing
through suitably formed apertures, in which the plates or strips are drawn, and
thereby prevented from turning over or becoming twisted.
Figure 9 is a plan of this double cone or plate. On its inner part r grooves
are cut suitable for the passage of the strip employed, which is retained therein
by the outer parts being placed over, and the two secured together by bolts or
screwst. Each strip as it passes through a separate hole in the cone is carried
into the funnel-mouthed tube 1, secured to the bearing h¹, wherein they are
brought together to a cylindrical form, and conveyed thus through the hollow
axis of the frame j; on emerging from which they are covered by the spiral
wrapper supplied from the revolving reels g, the grooved pullies u' holding the

page_text: rope in a central position between the standard guides » during the process.
The rope or cable is then carried forward to pass through other similar arrange-
ments, and thereby to receive as many additional spiral coverings as may be
necessary. By alternately crossing the straps or bands connecting the conical
pullies, each successive spiral covering is laid in an opposite direction to the
preceding one, and by altering their position on the pullies I vary the speed
of the frames or discs to lay at pleasure both narrow and broad ribbons,
wires, strips, or sheets of covering material around the rope or cable at one
operation. Instead of using cones or plates, as just described, for the purpose
of preventing torsion, I sometimes employ antifriction rollers.
Figure 8 is a plan of a frame or disc on which the reels g are mounted to
revolve in a parallel plane, the freedom of their motion being regulated by the
bow springs and lock nuts 10, 11, so as to keep an uniform strain on the
covering material. The rope or cable as manufactured passes over a large
pulley placed in any suitable situation, and thence around a drawing drum,
which is connected by a wheel and pinion, as shown at x, x', in Figure 6. This
arrangement being similar to that provided in ordinary metal rope machines
and well known, it is not necessary to explain.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be carried into effect, I declare I do not confine myself to the
precise details of any part herein described, so long as the characteristics
thereof are retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the employment of angular metal plates, strips, or ribbons in the
construction of metal ropes and cables when such plates, strips, or ribbons are
placed together side by side, parallel with the axis of the rope or cable, as
herein-before described.
Second, the construction of hollow ropes and cables, formed by laying or
winding wires, plates, strips, or ribbons of metal upon or around a hollow
flexible tube or pipe, as herein-before described.
Third, the employment of metal ribbons or sheets of any proportions or
dimensions in the construction of that kind of metal rope which is formed by
successive layers of opposite spirals, the use of ribbons or sheets for such
purpose being attended with peculiar advantages, as herein-before described
under the second head of this my Specification.
Fourth, the employment in the construction of metal ropes and cables for
electric communication, of insulated conducting wire, inclosed in a tube or
pipe of lead or other flexible metal, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the mode of manufacturing metal rods, both solid and hollow, by

page_text: employing any number of metal plates or strips of the form and in the manner
herein-before described.
Sixth, the mode herein-before stated of connecting or joining together
separate lengths of ropes or cables constructed as described in the first part of
this my Specification.
Seventh, the method of twisting or laying spirally together strands of wire
and insulated conducting wires in telegraph ropes or cables, by placing a much
greater strain or tension on the wire strands than on the insulated conducting
wires during the process of manufacture, as herein-before described.
And, eighth, the machinery for manufacturing metal ropes, cables, and rods,
herein-before described, in so far as regards the mode of preventing metal
plates, ribbons, strips, or sheets from becoming twisted in themselves, by
passing them through angular-formed grooves or holes in plates, cones, or
antifriction rollers, and the mode of varying the speed in the motion of the
discs, so that different breadths of materials may be simultaneously employed
to form spiral coverings in or around a rope, cable, or rod.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON. (L.s.)