IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE ROPES AND CABLES
Year: 1887

page_text: I, JAMES BENNETT STONE, Manufacturer, of the City and County of Worcester, and
State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, do hereby declare, the
nature of my invention, for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE ROPES AND
CABLES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
:
My invention relates to the manufacture of wire ropes and cables, and has for its
purpose to obtain a wire rope or cable which will not kink or twist, when unwound
from the receiving spool for use.
Heretofore in the manufacture of wire rope, it has been customary, as one step in
the process of the manufacture thereof, to prevent torsion being put into each
individual wire in the process of twisting the several wires together, to form the
rope.
The mechanical means, necessary to be employed, to prevent torsion being put into
each individual wire, as the several wires are twisted together, makes the process of
twisting the wires together a comparatively slow one. But it has been deemed
necessary to prevent torsion being put into each individual wire, as the wires are
twisted together, for the reason, that if a rope is made with torsion in the individual
wires or strands, each wire or strand will have, on that account, inherent in it, a
tendency to kink and twist, so also will the completed rope, formed of the several
wires or strands so twisted together, have a tendency to kink and twist.
By my invention, I do away with the necessity of preventing torsion being put into
the individual wires, as said wires are twisted together, and at the same time I render
the twisted rope or cable free from any liability or tendency to kink or contort, when
removed from the receiving spool for use.
The great advantage of my invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in
the art, for by doing away with the necessity of employing mechanical means for
preventing torsion being put into each individual wire in the process of twisting the
several wires together to form the rope, I am enabled to greatly increase the speed of
the machine for twisting the wires together, thus increasing the amount of
production.

page_text: I have discovered, that by passing a rope, made of two or more individual wires
twisted together, without reference to the torsion put into the wires, in the process of
twisting them together, or without any means employed for preventing torsion being
put into the wires, as they are twisted together, through what is termed a straighten-
ing device, of any ordinary construction and operation, used for straightening wire,
by giving alternate bends to the wire, or wires passing through it, all tendency of the
rope to kink and contort, is removed."
Briefly, my invention consists in twisting together two or more wires, and then
passing the twisted wires through a straightening device, or a device adapted to give
alternate bends to the wires, for the purpose of removing the tendency to kink and
contort therefrom, all in one continuous operation.
I have spoken of wires, meaning single, individual wires, but it will be readily
understood, that my invention may also be employed, when, instead of individual
wires, wire strands, made up of any number of wires, are used to form a rope.
Any well known mechanical means may be employed for carrying out my invention,
it requiring, first, means for twisting together two or more wires, or wire strands;
second, means for giving alternate bends to the twisted wires, or twisted strands, after
they are twisted together, for the purpose of removing therefrom the tendency to kink
and contort; and third, means for receiving and winding up the rope, all in one
continuous operation.
The following description, together with the drawings, describes and shows one
form of moans adanted to carry out my invention
Figure 1, represents a side view of a machine, adapted to carry out my invention,
some of the parts thereof being shown in section, to more clearly illustrate the
same.
Figure 2, is a top, or plan view of the machine shown in figure 1, the operating
shaft being left out in this figure, and,
Figure 3, represents, on an enlarged scale a cross-section, on line x, y, figure 2,
looking in the direction of arrow a, same figure.
In the drawings, A is the frame of the machine, provided with suitable uprights
and bearings, for the several parts of the machine. B is a large revolving flyer, for
carrying a series of delivery spools C, upon which the individual wires, of which the
strand is formed, or the strands, of which the rope is formed, are wound. Said
spools Crevolve with the flyer B, as the same is revolved, to twist together the wires
to form the strand, and also revolve independently upon their own axes, in the same
direction, in bearings formed upon the cross-bars D, of the frame of the flyer B, as
the wire is drawn off from said spools.
The top part, or cap b, of the bearings for the spools C, on the cross-bars D, are
hinged or pivoted thereto, and held down, when the spools are in place, by means of a
bolt R, and nut S, as clearly shown in figure 3, the object of which is, to allow of
the spools or hobbins C, being readily removed from the Hyer B, for any purpose.
The ends, or sides c, of the spools C are grooved, as shown in the drawings, for the
purpose of holding in place a cord d, which passes around one end of each spool, and
acts, in connection with springs e, attached thereto, and which are secured to the flat
piece, held in place on the frame of the flyer B, by bolts y passing through the same,
(all as clearly shown in figure 3 of the drawings,) as a tension device for keeping the
wire tight, as the spools C revolve and the wire is drawn off therefrom, and is
operated by tightening or loosening the cord d, by turning in or out the bolts g.
On the frame of the flyer B are secured, in any suitable manner, small guide
pulleys, as shown, over which the wire passes, as it is drawn from the spool C; a
pulley h, being provided for each spool. There are also two guide pulleys, i, one on
each side of the flyer B, as shown in figure 1, over which the several wires pass, before
converging, and passing through the perforated cylindrical head, or end j, of the flyer B.

page_text: There are also one or more notes L, in each ent of the cross-Date 1 of the Hyer,
through which the individual wires pass, as is customary, to prevent their being
entangled, and to guide them properly.
The flyer B revolves in bearings on the frame A, the end extending out beyond
the bearing, and having a small gear 7, secured thereto, for meshing with, and turning
a large gear m, secured to a shaft E, turning in bearings on the frame A, to operate, by
means of bevel gears n, and o, the drum F, by means of which the strand is drawn
through the machine, and which is secured to a shaft p, turning in bearings on frame
A, (See figure 2.). A pulley G is also secured to the end k, of flyer B, which is con-
nected by a belt with a pulley H, on the shaft I, which is operated by any suitable
means.
The head, or end, of the flyer B is made sufficiently large, and is provided with a
suitable number of openings or holes u, through which the wires pass. There is a
central opening, or hole r, through which the central, or core wire passes, and also a
grooved circular end, or head s, secured to the central part of the end in any suitable
manner, and having a hole through the centre thereof, for the purpose of keeping the
wires separated, and in their proper relative positions, before they are twisted
together at a point between said heads and the stationary adjustable dies J, which
are constructed and operated in the usual manner, and secured in a suitable upright t,
on the frame A.
The part marked K in the drawings, is a revolving wire straightener, of the usual
and well known construction and operation. It may be located at any point on the
machine, between the dies J, where the twisted strand is formed, and the draw-off
drum F, upon which it is wound. By passing the twisted strand which has been
made without any reference to, or means for removing the torsion put into the wires
in twisting them together, such as are usually employed in wire rope machines,
through the straightener K, as shown in the drawings, before the completed strand, or
rope is wound upon the draw-off drum, any tendency or liability of the strand or
rope to twist, or kink, (by reason of the torsion put into the individual wires in
twisting them together,) after the strand or rope is taken off of the draw-off drum,
or the receiving spool upon which it is wound after passing from the draw-off drum
to said spool, or spools, is overcome and removed.
The wire straightener K, shown in the drawings, has hollow ends, which turn in
bearings formed in the uprights, on the frame A; the central part of the
straightener being larger than the ends, and a pulley being formed at one end,
connected by a belt with a pulley 1 on shaft I, by which belt connection the wire
straightener K is revolved simultaneously with the flyer B. Through holes or
threaded openings in opposite sides of the straightener K, extend adjustable screws a¹,
between the grooved ends of which the twisted strand or rope passes, the degree
of curvature of the strand being varied as desired, by adjusting the screws.r¹.
I prefer, and intend, in practice to locate the straightening device on the machine,
between the dies where the twisted strand is formed and the draw-off drum, but it
may be located between the draw-off drum, and the receiving spool, or spools.
The machine shown in the drawings, adapted to carry out my invention, is designed
to make a strand, or rope, composed of three individual wires, but the same result
would be accomplished, namely, the removing of the tendency to kink and contort
from the wires, after they are twisted together, if, instead of single wires, wire strands,
or strands made up of any number of wires, were used to form a rope, or cable.
I have shown in the drawings, and described, one form of machine, and mechanical
devices adapted to carry out my invention, but I do not limit myself to the special
form of mechanism shown, for any other equivalent mechanism now employed in the
manufacture of wire rope, may be substituted for the mechanism shown and
described.
I have shown and described a revolving wire straightening device, but I may equally
well use a stationary wire straightening device of any ordinary construction, adapted
to give alternate bends to the wires passing through it.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
1. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wire rope, which consists in first
twisting together two or more wires, and then passing the twisted wires through a
straightening device, for the purpose of removing the tendency to kink and contort
therefrom, before the same are wound upon the receiving spool, all in one continuous
operation, substantially as set forth.
2. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wire rope, which consists in first
twisting together two or more wire strands, made up of any number of wires, and
then passing the twisted strands through a straightening device, for the purpose of
removing the tendency to kink and contort therefrom, before the same are wound
upon the receiving spool, all in one continuous operation, substantially as set forth,
and for the purpose stated.
3. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wire rope, which consists in first
twisting together two or more wires, and then giving alternate hends to the twisted
wires, for the purpose of removing the tendency to kink and contort therefrom, before
the same are wound upon the receiving spool, all in one continuous operation,
substantially as set forth."
4. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wire rope, which consists in first
twisting together two or more wire strands made up of any number of wires, and
then giving alternate bends to the twisted strands, for the purpose of removing the
tendency to kink and contort therefrom, before the same are wound upon the receiv
ing spool, all in one continuous operation, substantially as set forth, and for the
purpose stated.
5. In a machine for manufacturing wire rope, or cable, the combination with a
revolving flyer carrying delivery spools, and a receiving drum or spool, of a wire
straightener, or straightening device, adapted to give alternate bends to the wires
passing through it, after said wires are twisted together, and located between the flyer
and the receiving spool, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, 1, the said James Bennett Stone, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 25 day of January A.D. 1887.
DRE
CULT