Improvements in Machines for Making Ropes, Hawsers, and Cables.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1896-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Ropes, Hawsers, and
Cables.
I, JOHANN TEODOR HAASE, of Deichshausen, Oldenburg, Germany, Rope
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of ropes, hawsers, and cables, which
are rendered permanently buoyant in water, and likewise more elastic, by each
strand being provided with an inner core of cork enclosed in a sheath, formed by
plaiting yarns around the core, the operations of plaiting and filling the sheath
with the cork being performed concurrently. Around the core thus formed, other
yarns or strands, either of fibrous material or of wire, or both, may be plaited or
twisted, and the cork-cored strands thus formed are laid up in the ordinary way, or
around a similar central cork core, until a rope, hawser, or cable, of the required
strength for the purpose intended is obtained, as described in the Specification of a
former Patent granted to me No. 21,114 of 1894.
The present invention relates particularly to the means of filling ground cork, or
cork in short lengths, into the enclosing sheath concurrently with the operation of
plaiting the same. It also relates to a combination of machinery for concurrently
filling in the core and plaiting the inner layer of fibrous strands and likewise a
layer of wire strands around the fibrous sheath, the one operation being performed
in succession to, but concurrently with, the other.
For the purpose of filling in a core of ground cork concurrently with the
plaiting of the enclosing sheath, a circular braiding machine is surmounted by a
conical feed hopper containing the ground cork and provided with a vertical
rotary shaft armed with stirrers and terminating in a screw-conveyor whereby
the ground cork is constantly fed down through a tube to the point at which
braiding of the yarns is effected. The braiding machine is of the ordinary
construction and operation, as regards the bobbins carrying the yarns and the
racers and actuating devices whereby the bobbins are caused to follow the usual “
continuous serpentine course for effecting the interlacing of the threads, and the
machine is provided with the necessary mechanism for taking up the work as it is
produced.
The interlacing or braiding of the threads is performed preferably whilst
they are passing in the downward direction over the upper flared edge of a guide
ring supported centrally above the machine and over which the threads pass from
the bobbins, the braided work passing downwards to the taking up mechanism.
Into this ring projects the slightly contracted lower end of the feed tube down
through which the ground cork is forced by the conveying screw above referred
to, there being just sufficient space between the tube and ring for the passage and
interlacement of the threads, the braiding, feeding, and taking up mechanisms,
being operated from the same shaft and so regulated that the filling and braiding
will proceed equally.
For the purpose of supplying cork in short lengths to form the core, in lieu of
ground cork, a rotary holder would be provided, furnished with a circular series of
apertures for holding the lengths of cork which may be placed therein by hand gr
by a self-acting filler. This holder revolves over a fixed plate having a single
aperture in alignment with a plunger above and a feed tube below whereby the

page_text: corks are removed in succession from the revolving holder and forced through the
feed tube to the point where the braiding or plaiting is effected, the holder receiving
a step-by-step rotary motion whereby its apertures are brought successively into
alignment with the feed tube and the downstroke of the plunger being properly
timed to take place at this moment and both the table and plunger being operated
from the braiding machine so as to preserve the proper relation between the two
operations of braiding and filling.
For the purpose of applying a second layer, whether of fibrous or wire
strands, a second ordinary braiding machine is so arranged that the product of
the first may be led round suitable guide or taking up rollers and fed directly into
the second machine by which the second layer is braided or plaited on it in the
usual way.
Although I have described the plaiting of the sheath around the core as
proceeding in the downward direction, it will be obvious that whether the core
be of ground cork, or of short lengths of solid cork, the direction of the
operation may be reversed by a slight modification in the arrangement of the
machinery.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
VUMI LEIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Ropes, Hawsers, and
Cables.
I, JOHANN TEODOR HAASE of Deichshausen, Oldenburg, Germany, Rope
Maker, 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 to the manufacture of ropes hawsers and cables which
are rendered permanently buoyant in water and likewise more elastic by each
strand being provided with an inner core of cork enclosed in a sheath formed
by plaiting yarns around the core the operations of plaiting and filling the
sheath with the cork being performed concurrently. Around the core thus
formed, other yarns or strands either of fibrous material or of wire or both may
be plaited or twisted and the cork cored strands thus formed are laid up in the
ordinary way or around a similar central cork core until a rope hawser or cable
of the required strength for the purpose intended is obtained, as described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to me No. 21,114 of 1894.
The present invention relates to the machine for making the strands and
particularly to the means of filling ground cork or cork in short lengths into the
enclosing sheath concurrently with the operation of plaiting the same. It also
relates to a combination of machinery for concurrently filling in the core and
plaiting the inner layer of fibrous strands and likewise a layer of wire strands around
the fibrous sheath the one operation being performed in succession to but
concurrently with the other.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 a
plan of a machine for filling in a core of ground cork concurrently with the plaiting
of the enclosing sheath, only as much of the machine being shewn as is necessary to
explain the improvement.
A circular braiding machine is surmounted centrally by a feed hopper A
containing the ground cork and provided with a vertical rotary shaft B which
may be armed with stirrers and terminates in a screw-conveyor C which works
in the conical lower portion of the hopper A and feeds the ground cork

page_text: continuously down through a tube D to the point at which braiding of the
yarns is effected. The braiding machine is of the ordinary construction and
operation as regards the bobbins E carrying the yarns and the racers and
actuating devices whereby the bobbins are caused to follow the usual continuous
serpentine course for effecting the interlacing of the threads and the machine is
provided with the necessary mechanism for taking up the work as it is produced.
The interlacing or braiding of the threads is performed whilst they are passing
in the downward direction over the upper flared edge of a guide ring F carried on
supports G centrally above the braiding machine and over which the threads H
pass from the bobbins as shewn by the dotted lines the braided work passing
downwards to the taking up mechanism. Into the ring F projects the slightly
contracted lower end of the feed tube D down through which the ground cork is
forced by the conveying screw C above referred to there being just sufficient space
between the tube D and ring F for the interlacement of the threads H the
thread-braiding, cork-feeding, and rope taking-up mechanisms being all operated
from the same shaft I and so regulated as to proceed pari passu.
The taking-up mechanism shewn in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a pair of
drums J J rotating on horizontal axes jj and driven in the same direction and at
the requisite speed from the shaft K through gearing as indicated change wheels
being provided for the purpose of varying as may be necessary the speed of taking
up relatively to that of braiding. The drums JJ' are of equal diameter and the
surface of each is preferably formed with a series of shallow circumferential
grooves kk for the purpose of better holding the rope X which is so led from the
braiding ring F over the guide pulley K' as to be served tightly upon the drum J
at its first contact therewith and is thence wound about the two drums as often as
inay be desirable to ensure a firm grip being finally led off the drum J' as indicated.
This system of taking up mechanism is adapted to be used where the rope X is fed
directly to another machine and there subjected to braiding or other operations
necessitating its being strained taut; also in cases where it is undesirable to
subject the braided rope to the action of a deeply grooved pulley as in Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a machine very similar to that shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 but provided with taking up mechanism for the braided rope,
comprising the pulley L of relatively large diameter mounted upon a horizontal
axis and positively driven from the shaft I through suitable gearing as indicated.
The pulley L has a deep circumferential V-shaped groove adapted to seize the
braided rope X which it draws down from the braiding ring F the requisite grip
being ensured by the rope being kept in contact with a sufficient arc of the
circumference of pulley L by being passed over the idle pulley M the speed of
taking up relatively to that of braiding and cork-filling being when necessary varied
through suitable change gear.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation and Figure 5 a plan of mechanism for supplying
cork in short lengths in lieu of ground cork to form the core of the rope.
N is a
rotary holder consisting of a circular series of parallel tubes n open at both ends
and mounted in a framework capable of rotation about an axis O concentric with
and parallel to the axes of the tubes n which are cach of the same diameter as the
core and of a length adapted to contain any convenient number of short lengths
of cork which inay be placed in the tubes by hand or by a self-acting filler.
The holder N revolves over a fixed plate P having a single aperture pin
alignment with the feed tube P¹ below and with the plunger Q above, whereby
the corks are removed in succession from the revolving holder and forced through
the feed tube to the point within the braiding ring F where the braiding or plaiting
is effected. As the tubes n are successively emptied the holder N receives a
step-by-step rotary motion whereby the bore of each of the tubes n is in turn
brought into alignment with the feed tube P the downstroke of the plunger Q
being properly timed to commence at this moment whilst both the holder N and
plunger are operated from the braiding machine so as to preserve the proper
relation between the two operations of braiding and filling.

page_text: It will be obvious that if the braiding operation be continuous it will be
necessary for the plunger Q to have a quick return motion so that the periodical
interruptions to the cork feeding may be of as brief duration as possible.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of automatic feed mechanism for short lengths of
cork, consisting essentially of a tube R into the upper end of which the lengths of
cork are continuously forced to the braiding ring F by being successively caught
between the toothed peripheries of a pair of wheels S S¹ mounted directly
opposite to one another so as to project through slots rr in opposite sides of
the tube R and caused to rotate in the plane of the axis of the tube at the same
speed and in the same circumferential direction by means of any convenient
mechanism as for instance a pair of right and left handed worms T T mounted
upon a common shaft t and driving the worm wheels U U' fast upon the shafts & s¹
which also carry the wheels S S¹.
It will be obvious that the object of my invention is the rapid supply and forcing
of cork to the plaiting point and that without departing from this essential principle
the examples given for carrying out my object are susceptible of modifications and
variations.
For the purpose of applying a second layer whether of fibrous or wire strands, a
second ordinary braiding machine is so arranged that the product of the first after
being led round suitable guide or taking up rollers such as already described, may
be fed directly into the second machine by which the second layer is braided or
plaited on it in the usual way.
Although I have described the plaiting of the sheath around the core as
proceeding in the downward direction it will be obvious that whether the core be of
ground cork or of short lengths of solid cork the direction of the operation may be
reversed by a slight modification in the arrangement of the machinery.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a tube braiding mechanism arranged as described, of
means substantially as described for feeding ground cork into the tube or sheath
concurrently with the braiding operation and at the ring over which the braiding
is performed.
2. The combination, with a tube braiding machine arranged as described, of
means substantially as described for feeding cork in short lengths into the tube or
sheath concurrently with the braiding operation and at the ring over which the
braiding is performed.
3. The herein described method of manufacturing a rope composed of a cork core
enclosed in a sheath of plaited strands, which method consists in feeding the cork
to the plaiting point concurrently with the plaiting operation so that the plaiting of
the strands is performed about the cork as a core or foundation substantially in the
manner specified.
Dated this 21st day of March 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.