A production method for a headline sonar cable characterized by steps of: a. providing a first strength member (14); b. coupling to strength member (14) a conductor (122); c. forming a layer of polymeric material about the combination of strength member (14) and conductor (122) while ensuring that the conductor remains slack; d. forming a flow shield around the layer of polymeric material, thus forming an elongatable internally located conductive structure; and e. braiding a strength-member jacket layer (52) of polymeric material around the elongatable internally located conductive structure while ensuring that the conductor is slack when surrounded by the jacket layer (52). For another embodiment, an optical fibre is wrapped around the exterior of the layer of polymeric material within which is enclosed a braided conductor formed about the first strength member (14). Other embodiments employ further thermo-plastic layers and further sheaths and further conductors.

A production method for a headline sonar cable characterized by steps of: a. providing a first strength member (14); b. coupling to strength member (14) a conductor (122); c. forming a layer of polymeric material about the combination of strength member (14) and conductor (122) while ensuring that the conductor remains slack; d. forming a flow shield around the layer of polymeric material, thus forming an elongatable internally located conductive structure; and e. braiding a strength-member jacket layer (52) of polymeric material around the elongatable internally located conductive structure while ensuring that the conductor is slack when surrounded by the jacket layer (52). For another embodiment, an optical fibre is wrapped around the exterior of the layer of polymeric material within which is enclosed a braided conductor formed about the first strength member (14). Other embodiments employ further thermo-plastic layers and further sheaths and further conductors.

A braided rope includes a plurality of braided strands comprising twisted yarns. Each of the twisted yarns includes a blend of first fibers and second fibers. The first fibers are high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fibers and the second fibers may be lyotropic polymer filaments, thermotropic polymer filaments, or polyphenylene benzobisoxazole fibers. The first fibers can have a creep rate of no more than 3.0×10.sup.−8 percent per second at 20° C. while subjected to a stress of 5.0 grams/dtex. The first fibers can have a creep rate of no more than 1.0×10.sup.−7 percent per second at 20° C. while subjected to a stress of 7.5 grams/dtex.

A braided rope includes a plurality of braided strands comprising twisted yarns. Each of the twisted yarns includes a blend of first fibers and second fibers. The first fibers are high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fibers and the second fibers may be lyotropic polymer filaments, thermotropic polymer filaments, or polyphenylene benzobisoxazole fibers. The first fibers can have a creep rate of no more than 3.0×10.sup.−8 percent per second at 20° C. while subjected to a stress of 5.0 grams/dtex. The first fibers can have a creep rate of no more than 1.0×10.sup.−7 percent per second at 20° C. while subjected to a stress of 7.5 grams/dtex.

There is described a hoisting system and method of lifting that make use of a particular fibre rope. The fibre rope includes a plurality of magnets that are embedded within the fibre rope and spaced apart along the rope with a known axial distance between the magnets. The system may include a fibre rope hoisting speed sensor, and a magnetic field sensor that can sense the presence of the magnetic field of the embedded magnets. Using the sensors, the hoisting speed of the rope may be determined by: measuring the time between the passing of consecutive magnets by using the magnetic field sensor; calculating the distance between consecutive magnets using the hoisting speed sensor and the measured time between the passing of the consecutive magnets; and comparing the calculated distance between the magnets with an original, predefined distance between the magnets.

There is described a hoisting system and method of lifting that make use of a particular fibre rope. The fibre rope includes a plurality of magnets that are embedded within the fibre rope and spaced apart along the rope with a known axial distance between the magnets. The system may include a fibre rope hoisting speed sensor, and a magnetic field sensor that can sense the presence of the magnetic field of the embedded magnets. Using the sensors, the hoisting speed of the rope may be determined by: measuring the time between the passing of consecutive magnets by using the magnetic field sensor; calculating the distance between consecutive magnets using the hoisting speed sensor and the measured time between the passing of the consecutive magnets; and comparing the calculated distance between the magnets with an original, predefined distance between the magnets.

There is a bearing swivel hitch comprising a housing and a mount. The inside of the housing is aligned with a plurality of bearings such that when the mount is inserted into the housing, the mount can rotate 360 degrees. There is a recovery rope assembly comprising at least two materials interwoven together with a first material substantially along a standing portion of the recovery rope assembly and a second material substantially along at least one working end of the recovery rope assembly. At the working end of the recovery rope assembly, there is a noose and a knob/knot which allows the working end to form a releasable end loop by mating the noose with the knob/knot.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

The disclosure provides a sling including a sleeve, a first eye formed by a first splice, and a second eye formed by a second splice. The sleeve includes braided strands and has a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion between. The sleeve also defines a hollow inner volume. The first splice is made by the first end portion extending into and along part of the hollow inner volume proximate the first eye. The second splice is made by the second end portion extending into and along part of the hollow inner volume proximate the second eye. A hollow load bearing portion is defined in the intermediate portion between the first splice and the second splice.