An assembly and method for using a flexible tensile member as part of the rigging for a heavy machine such as those used in the mining industry. The inventive tensile member includes a core surrounded by a separate armor layer. The armor layer assumes various forms, including a hollow cylinder having a substantial wall thickness. The core produces excellent strength in tension (and with a substantial reduction in weight). The armor layer protects the core from external blows and forces produced by the weight of the other parts of the machine's rigging and the hostile environment in which the machine operates.

A method for creating a termination by attaching some kind of fitting to the end of a tensile member such as a cable. The end fitting is provided with one or more internal cavities. Each cavity has a proximal portion that is adjacent to the area where the tensile member exits the fitting and a distal portion on its opposite end. A length of the tensile member's filaments is placed within this expanding cavity and infused with liquid potting compound. The method exploits the characteristic of a liquid potting compound as it transitions to a solid. Once the potting compound in at least a portion of the cavity has transitioned sufficiently to hold the filaments at a desired level, tension is placed on the tensile member and a small linear displacement may be imposed on the tensile member. This linear displacement tends to pull the filaments residing in the potting compound into better alignment and improve load sharing. The invention can be applied to single fittings having multiple cavities and to multiple fittings having only one cavity per fitting.

Advanced components that are useful in providing a compact overall cable termination for a multi-stranded cable and in providing for the control and inspection of the individual components of a multi-stranded cable. Multiple individual cable strands are provided with a termination on their free end. These terminations are connected to a collector. An advanced collar is provided that assists in the transition of the strands as they leave the collector and transition to the structure found in the free portion of the cable.

A coupler may be provided. The coupler may comprise a first cylindrical cavity, a first truncated conical cavity, and a second truncated conical cavity. The first truncated conical cavity may be adjacent to and concentric with the first cylindrical cavity. The first truncated conical cavity may have a first angle. The second truncated conical cavity may be adjacent to and concentric with the first truncated conical cavity. The second truncated conical cavity may have a second angle less than the first angle.

A method for creating a termination by attaching some kind of fitting to the end of a tensile member such as a cable. The end fitting is provided with one or more internal cavities. Each cavity has a proximal portion that is adjacent to the area where the tensile member exits the fitting and a distal portion on its opposite end. A length of the tensile member's filaments is placed within this expanding cavity and infused with liquid potting compound. The method exploits the characteristic of a liquid potting compound as it transitions to a solid. Once the potting compound in at least a portion of the cavity has transitioned sufficiently to hold the filaments at a desired level, tension is placed on the tensile member and a small linear displacement may be imposed on the tensile member. This linear displacement tends to pull the filaments residing in the potting compound into better alignment and improve load sharing. The invention can be applied to single fittings having multiple cavities and to multiple fittings having only one cavity per fitting.

A method for straightening, constraining, cutting and terminating a multi-stranded, non-parallel cable. The method includes: (1) dividing the cable into smaller components which are in the size range suitable for the prior art termination technology; (2) creating a termination on the end of each of the smaller components; (3) providing a collector which reassembles the individual terminations back into a single unit; and (4) maintaining alignment between the terminations and the smaller components while the terminations and the collector are in a connected state.

A method and hardware for damping and controlling unwanted motion in the fixed rigging of large machines. In a first approach large clamp blocks are added to multi-cable rigging systems. These blocks use a first cable to damp the motion of an adjacent cable. The invention also encompasses adding armored sections to synthetic cables to enhance their abrasion resistance and cut resistance.

A termination system which improves the consistency and repeatability of the wicking of the liquid potting compound in the transition area between the potted and the imported filaments. The termination system controllably compresses the filaments within the transition area to produce repeatable wicking. The potting compound selected and the degree of compression employed combine to produce a desired wicking effect.

A cable termination in which part of the potted region is free flex somewhat. A portion of the potted region is maintained within an anchor and rigidly held in the conventional fashion. Another portion, however, extends out of the anchor to ease the transition between the unpotted cable filaments and the filaments locked within the anchor.

A method for creating a termination by attaching some kind of fitting to the end of a tensile member such as a cable. The end fitting is provided with an internal cavity. The cavity has a proximal portion that is adjacent the area where the tensile member exits the fitting and a distal portion on its opposite end. A length of the tensile member's filaments is placed within this expanding cavity and infused with liquid potting compound. The method exploits the characteristic of a liquid potting compound as it transitions to a solid. The potting compound in one portion of the cavity is typically transitioned to a solid at a more rapid rate than other portions. Once the potting compound in one portion of the cavity has transitioned sufficiently to hold the filaments at the desired level, tension is placed on the tensile member and a small linear displacement may be imposed on the tensile member. This linear displacement tends to pull the filaments residing in the potting compound into better alignment and improve load sharing.