Disclosed herein are methods for producing core-sheath structures by shaping at least one filament bundle containing a plurality of filaments to form at least one shaped strand of filaments, and braiding a plurality of strands, including the at least one shaped strand of filaments, over a core to form the core-sheath structure containing a braided sheath of the strands surrounding the core, wherein the shaped strand of filaments is an untwisted strand having a twist level of less than 1 turn per meter, a cross-sectional aspect ratio of the shaped strand of filaments is at least 3:1, as measured in the braided sheath, a thickness of at least a portion of the braided sheath ranges from about 10 to about 200 μm, and the braided sheath comprises a synthetic fiber having a tensile strength of greater than 12 cN/dtex. Also disclosed herein are core-sheath structures formed by such methods.

This application describes a braided cord containing a braided sheath and optionally a core surrounded by the braided sheath. The braided cord has changing cross-sectional area ranging from 0.0004 mm.sup.2 to 30 mm.sup.2 and contains one or more sections having a tapering angle ranging from 1° to 60° when observed in one direction along the cord axis. The change in the cross-sectional area of the cord can be achieved by changing the thickness of the braided sheath and/or changing the cross-sectional area of the core when the core is present. The thickness of the braided sheath can be adjusted by changing the size and/or twist level of one or more sheath strands, changing the pick count of the braided sheath, and/or using one or more shaped sheath strands. This application also describes a process of producing the braided cord with changing cross-sectional area.

A method for creating a composite cable having at least one advanced termination on at least one end. An advanced termination is added to an end of a short synthetic tensile strength member. The strength of the tensile strength member and termination is then tested. Once tested satisfactorily, the short cable is spiced onto a long cable of the same type using prior art splicing techniques. The union of the short cable and the long cable creates a “composite” cable having a advanced termination on at least one end. In most applications it is preferable to set the length of the short cable so that the interwoven splice will exist at a desired location.

The present disclosure is to a fly fishing line and a method of making a fly fishing line. The method includes preparing a composition comprising a polymer resin, a co-polymer of silicone, and one or more other polymeric materials. The method includes applying the composition around an elongated core. The method also includes exposing the composition to conditions that form a coating around the elongated core thereby forming the fly-fishing line. The composition is a plastisol composition and the polymer resin is a polyvinyl chloride resin. The fly fishing lines include an elongated core a coating disposed around the elongated core. The coating comprises a polymer resin, a co-polymer of silicone, and one or more other polymeric materials.

A coupling device comprising a flexible elongate member of at least one length of an at least twice wound rope and a pin configured to be removably engaged with the flexible elongate member, wherein the flexible elongate member is formed as a loop or a part loop completing the loop with the pin, wherein at least one winding of rope is of disparate length to at least one other winding.

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

A spliced rope apparatus and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The apparatus has a first rope including a first plurality of strands and a second rope including a second plurality of strands. The apparatus also has a splice connecting the ropes and defined by the first and second pluralities of strands. The splice has a spiral section including a first pair having strands of the first plurality of strands that are positioned proximate each other. The first pair extends helically and the strands of the first pair together pass under a plurality of picks defined by the second plurality of strands and together pass over a remainder of the second plurality of strands. The splice also has a tuck section in which at least some of the first plurality of strands extend longitudinally to pass under and over sequential picks defined by the second plurality of strands.

Braided bodies having a reduced braid density while retaining high tensile properties. High tenacity fibers are braided together at a braid density of less than or equal to 20 picks per inch, wherein the tenacity of the braided body does not decrease with increasing braid density from 17 picks per inch to 19 picks per inch in length of the braided body.

A chain includes a plurality of interconnected chain links, wherein at least one of the chain links comprises a Turk's head braided core having at least two consecutive turns of at least one primary strand. The at least one primary strand includes polymeric elongated elements having a tenacity of at least 1.0 N/tex.

Provided is a polyethylene fiber having outstanding anti-creep characteristics while having high strength. The present invention provides an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber including ethyl branches as side chains, characterized in that the ratio {(C.sub.2H.sub.5/1000C)/(elongation stress)} of the number of ethyl branches per 1,000 carbon atoms (C.sub.2H.sub.5/1000C) to the elongation stress of the polyethylene fiber (MPa) is 2 to 30 branches/1,000 carbon atoms/MPa.