High-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment such as cranes

Abstract

A high-strength fibre rope (1) comprising a rope core as well as a sheathing indicating optical wear, wherein the sheathing comprises a sheath layer (2) made up of textile subunits (3, 4) of a first hierarchy level. An outermost sheath layer (2) is provided, wherein textile subunits (3, 4) of said outermost sheath layer of the first hierarchy level differ from each other in terms of their textile structure, and/or an outermost sheath layer and a further sheath layer underneath said outermost sheath layer are provided, and wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level of said outermost sheath layer differ in their textile structure from that of said further sheath layer. The textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are neither dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer nor in the further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer.

Claims

1. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment, comprising: a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands; and a sheathing surrounding the rope core and optically indicating wear, wherein the sheathing comprises at least one sheath layer made up of at least two textile subunits of a first hierarchy level, which are braided with each other, wherein one of the at least two textile subunits of the first hierarchy level is braided and another one of the at least two textile subunits of the first hierarchy level is twisted, wherein the sheathing includes an outermost sheath layer, the outermost sheath layer including textile subunits of the first hierarchy level, wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ from each other in terms of their textile structure and, resulting therefrom, exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer.

2. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level differ from each other in terms of their textile structure in at least one of the following properties: mode of the construction; technical parameters of the construction, including braid angle or lay angle; and one or more of presence, type, or extent of impregnation.

3. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein at least two textile subunits of the first hierarchy level are twisted, wherein one of the at least two textile subunits of the first hierarchy level is twisted more strongly than another one of the at least two twisted textile subunits of the first hierarchy level.

4. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein textile subunits which exhibit different wear resistances are dyed with different colours.

5. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the rope core has a colour deviating from that of the sheathing.

6. A hoisting equipment comprising a high-strength fibre rope configured according to claim 1.

7. The hoisting equipment according to claim 6, wherein the high-strength fibre rope forms a crane hoisting rope or a crane boom suspension rope.

8. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level comprises at least two textile subunits of a second hierarchy level.

9. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 8, wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level differ from each other according to number of textile subunits of the second hierarchy level in each textile subunit of the first hierarchy level.

10. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the textile subunits of the second hierarchy level comprises at least two textile subunits of a third hierarchy level.

11. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 10, wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level differ from each other according to number of textile subunits of the third hierarchy level per textile subunit of the second hierarchy level.

12. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 8, wherein the textile subunits of the second hierarchy level differ from each other in terms of their textile structure.

13. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, further comprising a further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer, and wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ in textile structure from that of the further sheath layer, and thereby exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein the textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer.

14. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 13, wherein synthetic fibres of the outermost sheath layer differ from at least part of synthetic fibres of the further sheath layer according to one or more of fineness, abrasion, tensile strength, bending fatigue, or materials.

15. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 13, wherein the sheathing comprises sheath layers having layers of different thicknesses, synthetic fibres with different thicknesses from layer to layer, or both.

16. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment, comprising: a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands; and a sheathing surrounding the rope core and optically indicating wear, wherein the sheathing comprises at least one sheath layer made up of at least two textile subunits of a first hierarchy level, which are braided with each other, wherein the sheathing comprises an outermost sheath layer and a further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer, wherein textile subunits of the first hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ in textile structure from that of the further sheath layer, and thereby exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer and are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer.

17. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level comprises at least two textile subunits of a second hierarchy level, and wherein the textile subunits of the second hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ in textile structure from that of the further sheath layer.

18. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment, comprising: a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands; and a sheathing surrounding the rope core and optically indicating wear, wherein the sheathing comprises at least one sheath layer made up of at least two textile subunits of a first hierarchy level, which are braided with each other, wherein at least one of the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level comprises at least two textile subunits of a second hierarchy level, wherein the sheathing includes an outermost sheath layer, the outermost sheath layer including textile subunits of the first hierarchy level, wherein the textile subunits of the second hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ from each other in terms of their textile structure and, resulting therefrom, exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer.

19. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment, comprising: a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands; and a sheathing surrounding the rope core and optically indicating wear, wherein the sheathing comprises at least one sheath layer made up of at least two textile subunits of a first hierarchy level, which are braided with each other, wherein at least one of the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level comprises at least two textile subunits of a second hierarchy level, wherein the sheathing comprises an outermost sheath layer and a further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer, wherein textile subunits of the second hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ in textile structure from that of the further sheath layer, and thereby exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer and are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer.

20. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment, comprising: a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands; and a sheathing surrounding the rope core and optically indicating wear, wherein the sheathing comprises at least one sheath layer made up of at least two textile subunits of a first hierarchy level, which are braided with each other, wherein at least two textile subunits of the first hierarchy level are twisted, wherein one of the at least two textile subunits of the first hierarchy level is twisted more strongly than another one of the at least two twisted textile subunits of the first hierarchy level, wherein the sheathing includes an outermost sheath layer, the outermost sheath layer including textile subunits of the first hierarchy level, wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ from each other in terms of their textile structure and, resulting therefrom, exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer.

21. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment, comprising: a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands; and a sheathing surrounding the rope core and optically indicating wear, wherein the sheathing comprises at least one sheath layer made up of at least two textile subunits of a first hierarchy level, which are braided with each other, wherein at least one of the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level comprises at least two textile subunits of a second hierarchy level, wherein the sheathing includes an outermost sheath layer, the outermost sheath layer including textile subunits of the first hierarchy level, wherein the textile subunits of the first hierarchy level of the outermost sheath layer differ from each other in terms of their textile structure and, resulting therefrom, exhibit different wear resistances, and wherein textile subunits of a lowermost hierarchy level of the rope are not dispersed in a resin matrix in the outermost sheath layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is illustrated below in further detail on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments and associated drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 to FIG. 7: each show a detail of a sheathing of a design variant of a high-strength fibre rope according to the invention. Therein, the 1TUEs each are illustrated in only one braiding direction (herein S) for the sake of better readability. All explanations analogously refer to the second braiding direction (herein Z).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIGS. 1 to 7 each show a detail of a design variant of a high-strength fibre rope according to the invention. Each of the high-strength fibre ropes is formed from a rope core, which is not visible in FIGS. 1 to 7, and a sheathing surrounding the rope core, wherein the sheathing is formed directly around said rope core or, optionally, can be spaced apart therefrom by an interlayer. The rope core can assume the entire indicated tensile strength of the fibre rope. In particular, said sheathing may form the outer sheath of the fibre rope and acts especially only as a support and as a protection for the rope core. The sheathing comprises an outermost sheath layer which is formed from braided 1TUEs, whereby a rhombus-shaped braiding pattern is formed. The 1TUEs and/or, if provided, the 2TUEs differ from each other in their textile structures, resulting in wear resistances of the subunits which are different in each case, from which the state of wear of the rope can be detected optically.

(4) In none of the illustrated embodiments, a resin matrix is provided in one of the sheath layers, in which resin matrix the TUEs of the lowermost hierarchy level are dispersed.

(5) Specifically:

(6) FIG. 1 shows a design variant of a high-strength fibre rope 1 according to the invention. The outermost sheath layer 2 is formed by two 1TUEs braided with each other, which are provided in the form of small ropes 3, 4 twisted from twines (not illustrated). The small ropes 3,4 thus form the 1TUEs of the rope, the twines used for twisting the small ropes form the 2TUEs of the rope.

(7) The small rope 3 has a twist X, and the small rope 4 has a twist Y different therefrom.

(8) Advantageously, the twist X of the small rope 3 may amount to 20 T/m, and the twist Y of the small rope 4 may amount to 60 T/m or more.

(9) A different structure (herein: extent of twisting) is thus provided on the level of the 1TUE.

(10) The synthetic fibres of the twines forming the basis of the small rope 3 may either exhibit the same material as the synthetic fibres of the twines forming the basis of the small rope 4, or they may be formed from a different material. Thus, the synthetic fibres used in the small rope 3 can, for example, be formed from polyester fibres, and the synthetic fibres used in the small rope 4 can be formed from HMPE fibres.

(11) Furthermore, as an alternative or in addition to said embodiment, the possibility exists that the twines forming the small ropes 3 are provided with an impregnation, whereas the twines forming the small ropes 4 are not.

(12) As an alternative or in addition, there is the further possibility that the number of twines forming the small ropes 3 is different from that of the twines forming the small ropes 4.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a further design variant of a high-strength core/sheath rope 5 according to the invention.

(14) The 1TUEs are provided in the form of strands 7 and 8.

(15) The strands 7 and 8 are each formed from several 2TUEs arranged next to each other essentially in parallel. The 2TUEs of the strands 7 and 8 are formed from twisted twines, which are not illustrated further in FIG. 2, and exhibit a twist X in the strand 7 and a twist Y different from X in the strand 8.

(16) Advantageously, the twist X may amount to 20 T/m, and the twist Y may amount to 60 T/m or more.

(17) Thus, a varying structure (herein: extent of twisting) is provided on the level of the 2TUE. Of course, this feature might be provided in addition also in the embodiment according to FIG. 1.

(18) Furthermore, as an alternative or in addition to said embodiment, the possibility exists that the number of twines forming the strands 7 is different from the number of twines forming the strands 8.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a further design variant of a high-strength fibre rope 9 according to the invention. The outermost sheath layer 10 is formed by two 1TUEs braided with each other in the form of small ropes 11 and small ropes 12.

(20) The small rope 11 is twisted from several twines (2TUE).

(21) The small rope 12 is braided from several twines (2TUE).

(22) Thus, the small ropes 11 and the small ropes 12 exhibit a different construction.

(23) Again, the synthetic fibres used in the small rope 11 may either exhibit the same material as the synthetic fibres used in the small rope 12, or the material of the synthetic fibres may be different. Thus, the synthetic fibres used in the small rope 11 can, for example, be formed from PBO fibres, and the synthetic fibres used in the small rope 12 can be formed from aramid fibres.

(24) FIG. 4 shows a further design variant of a high-strength fibre rope 13 according to the invention. The outermost sheath layer 14 is formed by two 1TUEs 15 and 16 braided with each other, which are provided in the form of strands 15 and 16. The strands 15 and 16 are each formed from several 2TUEs arranged next to each other essentially in parallel.

(25) The 2TUEs of the strands 15 are twisted with each other with a twist X.

(26) The 2TUEs of the strands 16 are braided with each other.

(27) As an alternative, one part of the 2TUEs arranged next to each other essentially in parallel in 1TUEs 15 and 16 may be twisted, and another part of the 2TUEs may be provided in a braided state, wherein the respective number of twisted and braided 2TUEs or also the extent of twisting or the braid angle of the 2TUEs in one part of the 1TUEs differs from another part of the 1TUEs. For example, 3 braided and 2 twisted 2TUEs might be provided next to each other essentially in parallel in the 1TUEs 15, and 2 braided and 3 twisted 2TUEs might be provided next to each other essentially in parallel in the 1TUEs 16.

(28) In addition or as an alternative, the possibility exists that the 2TUEs are each formed from a different number of 3TUEs.

(29) FIG. 5 shows a further design variant of a high-strength fibre rope 17 according to the invention. The outermost sheath layer 18 differs from the outermost sheath layer 14 of the high-strength fibre rope 13 illustrated in FIG. 4 in that the bobbin sequence of the 1TUEs is different.

(30) In FIGS. 1 to 5, two subunits having different structures are respectively illustrated. The result is a two-stage progression of wear of the outermost sheath layer, which is detectable optically.

(31) FIG. 6 shows a further design variant of a high-strength fibre rope 19 according to the invention. The high-strength fibre rope 19 differs from the high-strength fibre rope 2 shown in FIG. 2 in that the high-strength fibre rope 19 exhibits a further 1TUE in the form of a strand 21 in its outermost sheath layer 20.

(32) The strand 21 is formed from several 2TUEs arranged next to each other essentially in parallel, which are braided with each other.

(33) Thus, the rope according to this embodiment comprises two strands 7 and 8 the 2TUEs of which are twisted with different strengths and a further strand 21 the 2TUEs of which are braided with each other. This results in wear of the outermost sheath layer 20 which progresses in three stages and is detectable optically.

(34) The synthetic fibres used in the strand 21 may exhibit the same material as the synthetic fibres in the strands 7 and 8, or they may be made of a different material.

(35) FIG. 7 shows a further design variant of a high-strength fibre rope 22 according to the invention. The outermost sheath layer 23 is formed by four 1TUEs braided with each other. The 1TUEs are formed by strands 24, 25, 26 and 27.

(36) The strands 24, 25, 26 and 27 each have several 2TUEs arranged next to each other essentially in parallel. In each case, the 2TUEs are formed from twines consisting of several 3TUEs. The 3TUEs are formed from yarns. The twines of the strand 24 are twisted with a twist X, the twines of the strand 25 are braided at a braid angle A, the twines of the strand 26 are twisted with a twist Y different from X, and the twines of the strand 27 are braided at a braid angle B different from A.

(37) Thereby, a four-stage progression of wear of the sheath is created, which is detectable optically.

(38) In this connection, it should be noted that implementations of the design variants as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 can be combined with each other in any desired way, whereby further design variants can be developed.

(39) Furthermore, it should also be pointed out that the sheathing of the design variants of the high-strength fibre rope according to the invention as described in FIGS. 1 to 7 may have a further sheath layer arranged underneath the outermost sheath layer, which further sheath layer may be configured according to one of the described outermost sheath layers or may exhibit a different number of 1TUEs and/or optionally 2TUEs and/or optionally 3TUEs with different textile structures.

(40) Furthermore, it should be noted that the synthetic fibres in the sheath layers may differ with regard to their thicknesses and/or the sheath layers may differ with regard to their thicknesses.