IMPROVE- MENTS IN HOLDERS FOR WIRE ROPE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Archer junior of Dunston Engine Works
Gateshead, in the County of Durham, Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HOLDERS FOR WIRE ROPE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Archer junior at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th September 1882.
THOMAS ARCHER junior, of Dunston Engine Works, Gateshead in the County of
Durham, Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR WIRE ROPE.
My invention of improvements in Holders for Wire Rope consists in an arrange-
ment of mechanism whereby the effect is produced of a nipping or holding
arrangement on the rope to be held, and the effect is also produced which is
obtained by the use of what is called a surging head the mechanism being so
arranged as that the latter effect namely the friction produced by the tendency to
surge shall sustain the major portion of the strain and the nipping or holding effect
shall be merely employed to prevent surging.-A convenient form of mechanism
according to my invention consists of a fixed non revolving wheel or drum with a
spiral groove on its circumference adapted to take 2 or 3 turns of the wire
rope to be used, the drum being of such size as not to injure the rope by too
quick a bend as it passes round it, and attached to the drum or to the frame work
which carries it is a lever with a cam or eccentric on its end so as that in one
position it is clear of the rope and in another position it nips the rope but the
arrangement is susceptible of considerable variation. The principle of the invention
being the combination in one apparatus of the two effects I have referred to both
of which have been and are in various ways used seperately. By this arrangement
I am enabled to obtain an absolutely secure hold upon the wire rope, without any
injurious nip and to diffuse over a considerable extent of rope, by means of the
hold due to friction, the greater part of the strain applied instead of localizing it as
is usual in the ordinary form of rope nipper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Archer junior in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th March 1883.
THOMAS ARCHER junior of Dunston Engine Works, Gateshead, in the County
of Durham. Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR WIRE ROPE.
My Invention of Improvements in Holders for Wire Rope consists in an
arrangement of mechanism whereby the effect is produced of a nipping or holding
arrangement on the rope to be held, and the effect is also produced which is
obtained by the use of what is called a surging head the mechanism being so
arranged as that the latter effect namely the friction produced by the tendency to
surge shall sustain the major portion of the strain and the nipping or holding effect
shall be merely employed to prevent surging.-A convenient form of mechanism
according to my invention consists of a fixed non revolving wheel or drum with a
spiral groove on its circumference adapted to take 2 or 3 turns of the wire rope to
be used, the drum being of such size as not to injure the rope by too quick a bend
as it passes round it, and attached to the drum or to the frame work which carries
it is a lever with a cam or eccentric on its end so as that in one position it is clear
of the rope and in another position it nips the rope but the arrangement is
susceptible of considerable variation. The principle of the invention being the
combination in one apparatus of the two effects I have referred to, both of which
have been and are in various ways used separately. By this arrangement I am
enabled to obtain an absolutely secure hold upon the wire rope, without any
injurious nip and to diffuse over a considerable extent of rope, by means of the
hold due to friction, the greater part of the strain applied instead of localizing it as
is usual in the ordinary form of rope nipper.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe
more particularly the mechanism employed reference being had to the drawings
hereto attached which illustrate two simple forms of mechanism for the purpose.
In Fig. 1 I represent an elevation and section of a non revolving drum of cast
iron or other convenient material with a spiral groove cast in its periphery as shewn
in the convolution of which spiral I coil the rope to be stopped.-B. is a lever with
an eccentric side as shewn so as that when it is in an inclined position it is clear of
the rope, and when it is in a vertical position it nips the rope to the extent desired;
C is a catch to maintain it in its vertical position. By this arrangement the
actual hold on the rope produced by the nipper is as effectual with a slight pressure
of the lever, as a very heavy pressure of a lever would be if there was no coiling of
the rope round the fixed drum, and thus the risk of injury to the rope is reduced
and yet the security of the hold may be made absolute, the ratio of nip required
being proportioned inversely to the amount of hold given by the surging arrange-
ment as is well understood.-Fig. 2. represents another form in which the same
principle is applied, but in which there is no lever, the two drawings in Fig. 2.
represent a plan and elevation of a drum or surging head A. with smaller surging
heads B. B. upon the top of it and the rope wound on so as that to secure it, it
may be passed round one or both of the smaller surging heads after a sufficient
turn is taken upon the drum A. I prefer to make sloping channels from the
drum A. leading to the surging heads B. so as to give an easy bend to the rope.-
I may by slight modification of these arrangements place this drum A. vertically
or horizontally in respect of a line passing through its centre and I may also
combine the arrangement with a spring or springs acting against the partial
revolution of the drum, so as to give a slight elasticity to the hold. It will be seen

page_text: that there are many modifications possible of the mere mechanism.-I do not
therefore claim any mere form of mechanism, but what I claim as my Invention is
the combination of a non-revolving or only partially revolving drum with a nipping
arrangement whereby the nip necessary to secure a rope in its place is very much
reduced.
In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Archer junior, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this third day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight bundred and eighty three.
Witness
JOHN BOWMER
Clerk
Forest Hall
THOMAS ARCHER JNB (LS.)