The present invention inexpensively provides with high productivity and good yield a steel rod superior in drawability and a steel wire superior in twistability using the same as a material, that is, draws a high strength steel rod superior in ductility where the chemical components contain C: 0.80 to 1.20%, Si: 0.1 to 1.5%, Mn: 0.1 to 1.0%, Al: 0.01% or less, Ti: 0.01% or less, one or both of W: 0.005 to 0.2% and Mo: 0.003 to 0.2%, N: 10 to 30 ppm, B: 4 to 30 ppm (of which, solute B is 3 ppm or more), and O: 10 to 40 ppm, which has a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, has an area percentage of pearlite structures of 97% or more, has a balance of non-pearlite structures, and has a total of the area percentage of the non-pearlite structures and the area percentage of the coarse pearlite structures of 15% or less, to obtain high strength steel wire superior in ductility having a tensile strength of 3600 MPa or more and a number density of voids of lengths of 5 m or more at the center of 100/mm.sup.2 or less.

A steel wire according to an aspect of the present invention includes a predetermined chemical composition, in which a wire diameter R of the steel wire is 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, a soft portion is formed along an outer circumference of the steel wire, the Vickers hardness of the soft portion is lower than that of a position of the steel wire at a depth of of the wire diameter R by Hv 30 or higher, the thickness of the soft portion is 5 m to 0.1R mm, the metallographic structure of a center portion of the steel wire contains 95% to 100% of pearlite by area %, the average lamellar spacing of pearlite in a portion from a surface of the steel wire to a depth of 5 m is less than that of pearlite at the center of the steel wire, the difference between the average lamellar spacing of pearlite in the portion from the surface of the steel wire to the depth of 5 m and the average lamellar spacing of pearlite at the center of the steel wire is 3 nm to 60 nm, and the tensile strength is 1100 MPa or higher.

A steel wire according to an aspect of the present invention includes a predetermined chemical composition, in which a wire diameter R of the steel wire is 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, a soft portion is formed along an outer circumference of the steel wire, the Vickers hardness of the soft portion is lower than that of a position of the steel wire at a depth of of the wire diameter R by Hv 30 or higher, the thickness of the soft portion is 5 m to 0.1R mm, the metallographic structure of a center portion of the steel wire contains 95% to 100% of pearlite by area %, the average lamellar spacing of pearlite in a portion from a surface of the steel wire to a depth of 5 m is less than that of pearlite at the center of the steel wire, the difference between the average lamellar spacing of pearlite in the portion from the surface of the steel wire to the depth of 5 m and the average lamellar spacing of pearlite at the center of the steel wire is 3 nm to 60 nm, and the tensile strength is 1100 MPa or higher.

Disclosed is a steel wire rope for conveyor belts. The steel wire rope includes a central steel wire, a steel wire layer externally wound on the central steel wire, and a plurality of external steel wire strands. Each external steel wire strand includes a core steel wire and N external steel wires. The central steel wire, the steel wire layer externally wound on the central steel wire, and the plurality of external steel wire strands are wound into a steel wire rope for conveyor belts in one step. The steel wire layer is externally wound on the outer side of the central steel wire, the external steel wire strands are wound to wrap the outer side of the steel wire layer, and the external steel wire strands are in line contact with the steel wire layer.

Disclosed is a steel wire rope for conveyor belts. The steel wire rope includes a central steel wire, a steel wire layer externally wound on the central steel wire, and a plurality of external steel wire strands. Each external steel wire strand includes a core steel wire and N external steel wires. The central steel wire, the steel wire layer externally wound on the central steel wire, and the plurality of external steel wire strands are wound into a steel wire rope for conveyor belts in one step. The steel wire layer is externally wound on the outer side of the central steel wire, the external steel wire strands are wound to wrap the outer side of the steel wire layer, and the external steel wire strands are in line contact with the steel wire layer.

Disclosed is a tire-reinforcing steel cord for a radial tire. The tire-reinforcing steel cord has a double layer structure including a first-layer core and a second-layer core provided on the surface of the first-layer core. The first-layer core has an elliptical or rectangular cross section. The tire-reinforcing steel cord can improve processability, fatigue characteristics, and rolling resistance performance of a tire, resulting in improved fuel efficiency. A radial tire using the tire-reinforcing steel cord is also disclosed.

Disclosed is a tire-reinforcing steel cord for a radial tire. The tire-reinforcing steel cord has a double layer structure including a first-layer core and a second-layer core provided on the surface of the first-layer core. The first-layer core has an elliptical or rectangular cross section. The tire-reinforcing steel cord can improve processability, fatigue characteristics, and rolling resistance performance of a tire, resulting in improved fuel efficiency. A radial tire using the tire-reinforcing steel cord is also disclosed.

A wire rope for face shovels or draglines, comprising: a core, said core is made from a plurality of core strands a plurality of outer strands laid on said core, a plurality of separator strands located in the interstices between said core strands and said outer strands, a plastic jacket around said plurality of outer strands, said plurality of separator strands and said core strands, wherein said plurality of separator strands extend from said core strands and in-between each pair of said plurality of outer strands so as to produce and maintain gaps between said pair of said plurality of outer strands; wherein said core strands are compacted, and the gap between said core strands is less than 0.4% of the diameter of the core strand.

A wire rope for face shovels or draglines, comprising: a core, said core is made from a plurality of core strands a plurality of outer strands laid on said core, a plurality of separator strands located in the interstices between said core strands and said outer strands, a plastic jacket around said plurality of outer strands, said plurality of separator strands and said core strands, wherein said plurality of separator strands extend from said core strands and in-between each pair of said plurality of outer strands so as to produce and maintain gaps between said pair of said plurality of outer strands; wherein said core strands are compacted, and the gap between said core strands is less than 0.4% of the diameter of the core strand.