Improvements in the Manufacture of Cables, Ropes, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1898
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Cables, Ropes, and the like.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention (a communication to me from the Firm of Felten
Guilleaume, of Mülheim-on-the-Rhine, in the German Empire, Cable Manu-
facturers), to be as follows:
This invention relates to the manufacture of cables, ropes or strands of any
kind, composed of wire, hemp, jute, cotton or the like, or of a combination of
such materials; and consists essentially in a new method of manipulating the
strands in the process of laying up, whereby greater pliability is imparted to
the rope and its liability to spin or to form kinks is diminished.
"
In laying up a rope according to the improved method, the subject of the
present invention, two strands are laid up together to form one double strand,
and then a number of such double strands are laid up together to form the rope.
In carrying out the latter operation, the double strands are again divided, but so
as to retain the twist in the strands imparted in the formation of the double
strands, such twist being thus utilised in the formation of the rope. Assuming
the rope to be composed, by way of example, of 6 strands, these several strands
are laid up two and two together to form 3 double strands; and each of these
double strands is led to one of the arms of the rope-stranding machine. When
the double strands reach the die to be laid up together to form the rope, they
are again divided, but so that each single strand preserves the twist which it had
previously acquired whilst being twisted with its fellow strand: such twist corre-
sponding with that desired for each strand when laid up in the finished rope.
Thus the twist which, under ordinary circumstances, is imparted to the strands
whilst being laid up in the rope does not take place.
The rope thus formed has the same outer appearance as any other rope in
which the several strands are laid up one by one; but, in addition to the advan-
tages already mentioned, the improved mode of manufacture admits of smaller
machines being employed, a three-armed machine sufficing for a 6-strand rope,
a six-armed machine for a 12-strand rope, and so forth; expense being hereby
saved, space economised, and fewer strands having to be separately strained before
the closing of the rope is commenced.
The same method of procedure is applicable when manufacturing the strand
proper the two threads or wires being first laid up to form a double thread or
double wire, these being then laid up together to form a strand, and such double
threads or double wires being again divided as before described when passing
the die. A number of these strands may be laid up in pairs in a similar manner
to form a rope and several such ropes may be laid up in pairs in a similar
manner to form a cable or compound rope.
Dated this 21st day of June 1898.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Cables, Ropes, and the like.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of Clun House, Surrey Street, in
the County of London, late of 191, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion (a communication to me from the Firm of Felten & Guilleaume, of
Mülheim-on-the-Rhine, in the German Empire, Cable Manufacturers,), and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement;-
-
This invention relates to the manufacture of cables, ropes or strands of any
kind, composed of wire, hemp, jute, cotton or the like, or of a combination of
such materials; and consists essentially in a new method of manipulating the
strands in the process of laying up, whereby greater pliability is imparted to the
rope and its liability to "spin or to form kinks is diminished.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the application of this invention to a
six-strand wire rope. Fig. 1 being a side elevation and Fig. 2 a transverse
section.
In laying up a rope with a view to accomplish the objects of the present
invention, two strands a a are laid up together to form one double strand A
and then a number of such double strands A A¹ A³ are laid up together to form
the rope. In carrying out the latter operation, the double strands are again
divided, but so as to retain the twist imparted to the respective strands during
their formation into double strands; such twist being thus utilised in the forma-
tion of the rope. Assuming the rope to be composed, as in the present example,
of 6 strands, these several strands are laid up two and two together to form 3
double strands, A A A³, and each of these double strands is led to one of the
arms of the rope-stranding machine. When the double strands arrive at the die
in order to be laid up together to form the rope, they are again divided, but so
that each single strand a preserves the twist already acquired by it in the course
of being twisted with its fellow strand; such twist corresponding with that desired
for each strand when laid up in the finished rope. Thus the twist which, under
ordinary circumstances is imparted to the strands whilst being laid up in the
rope does not take place.
The rope thus formed has the same outward appearance as any other rope in
which the several, strands are laid up one by one; but, in addition to the advan-
tages already mentioned, the improved mode of manufacture admits of smaller
machines being employed, a three-armed machine sufficing for a 6-strand rope, 3
a six-armed machine for a 12-strand rope, and so forth; expense being hereby
saved, space economised, and fewer strands having to be separately strained before
the closing of the rope is commenced.
The same method of procedure is applicable when manufacturing, the strand
proper; the two threads or wires being first laid up to form a double thread or 4
double wire, these being then laid up together to form a strand, and such double
threads or double wires being again divided as before described when passing
the die in order to be laid up to form a strand.
be laid up in pairs to form a rope; and several such ropes may in like manner
A number of these strands may
be laid up in pairs to form a cable or compound rope.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
The herein described method of manufacturing cables, ropes or strands, con-
sisting in twisting together two ropes, strands, wires or threads, to form double
4.

page_text: ropes, strands, wires or threads, and then, on each such pair reaching the die in
order to be laid up into a cable, rope or strand, separating each rope, strand,
wire or thread, from its fellow without removing the twist already imparted to it
in the course of forming the double ropes, strands, wires or threads.
Dated this 14th day of March 1899
G. G..M. HARDINGHAM.