SHEATHING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR SPLICING A ROPE

Abstract

A sheathing element, in particular a splicing tape, has at least one sheathing portion which is configured for an at least section-wise sheathing of at least one insertion end of at least one splice, embodied as a long splice, for a rope, in particular for a wire rope, advantageously for a haul rope and/or a traction rope, having a diameter d and a number of N stranded longitudinal elements, in particular strands, wherein

the sheathing portion is suitable for permitting the splice to be produced with a length of less than 100*N*d.

Claims

1. A sheathing element, in particular a splicing tape, having at least one sheathing portion which is configured for an at least section-wise sheathing of at least one insertion end of at least one splice, embodied as a long splice, for a rope, in particular for a wire rope, advantageously for a haul rope and/or a traction rope, having a diameter d and a number of N stranded longitudinal elements, in particular strands, wherein the sheathing portion is suitable for permitting the splice to be produced with a length of less than 100*N*d.

2. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein a test insertion end of a length of at most 50*d, which is inserted in a test rope piece with N stranded longitudinal elements and is sheathed with a test piece of the sheathing portion stranded, withstands an extraction force in kN of at least d.sup.2*0.68/N*0.04 and advantageously of at least d.sup.2*0.68/N*0.1.

3. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein a test piece of the sheathing portion which sheathes a test insertion end of the length of at most 50*d, which is inserted in a test rope piece with N stranded longitudinal elements, withstands a shear modulus of at least 1 MPa, advantageously of at least 5 MPa, and preferably of at least 30 MPa.

4. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheathing portion has at least one first region and at least one second region which differ in terms of at least one material parameter.

5. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first region and the second region differ in terms of a surface structure of the sheathing portion.

6. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first region comprises an underside of the sheathing portion, and the second region comprises an upper side of the sheathing portion.

7. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheathing portion has a tear strength of at least 15 N/mm.sup.2, advantageously of at least 20 N/mm.sup.2, and particularly advantageously of at least 25 N/mm.sup.2.

8. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheathing portion has at least one reinforcement.

9. The sheathing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheathing portion has an elongation at break of at least 10%, and advantageously of at least 15%.

10. A rope portion of a rope, in particular of an endless rope, preferably of a wire rope, in particular of a person transporting wire rope, having at least one splice that is embodied as a long splice, in particular a wire rope splice, which has a plurality of stranded longitudinal elements, in particular strands, at least one of which has at least one insertion end which is inserted between other longitudinal elements at least section-wise, in particular in place of a core, and which is sheathed at least section-wise with at least one sheathing portion of at least one sheathing element as claimed in claim 1.

11. The rope portion as claimed in claim 10, wherein the insertion end has a length of at most 50*d, wherein d is a diameter of the rope.

12. The rope portion as claimed in claim 10, wherein the splice that is embodied as a long splice has an overall length of at most 100*N*d, wherein N is a number of longitudinal elements of the rope, and d is a diameter of the rope.

13. A rope, in particular an endless rope, preferably a wire rope, in particular a person transporting wire rope, having at least one rope portion as claimed in claim 10.

14. A use of a rope as claimed in claim 13 as a haul rope and/or as a traction rope, in particular in a passenger cableway, advantageously in a mountain cable car and/or in an urban cable car.

15. A method for splicing a rope having a diameter d, in particular a wire rope, preferably a person transporting wire rope, preferably for producing an endless rope, in particular a rope as claimed in claim 14, advantageously for a passenger cableway, for example for a mountain cable car and/or an urban cable car wherein, for producing at least one splice embodied as a long splice, at least one insertion end is sheathed at least section-wise with at least one sheathing portion of at least one sheathing element, in particular a splicing tape, having at least one sheathing portion which is configured for an at least section-wise sheathing of at least one insertion end of at least one splice, embodied as a long splice, for a rope, in particular for a wire rope, advantageously for a haul rope and/or a traction rope, having a diameter d and a number of N stranded longitudinal elements, in particular strands, wherein the sheathing portion is suitable for permitting the splice to be produced with a length of less than 100*N*d.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the splice that is embodied as a long splice is fabricated in one piece, in particular without an advancement of the splice in an incomplete state, in a region having a length of at most 1200*d.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0050] Further advantages are derived from the following description of the drawings. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings. The drawings, the description, and the claims include numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form further meaningful combinations.

[0051] In the figures:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a passenger cableway having a rope in a schematic illustration;

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the rope in a non-spliced state in a schematic illustration;

[0054] FIG. 3 shows the rope in a schematic cross-sectional illustration;

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a rope portion of the rope, having a splice, in a schematic illustration;

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a splice location of the splice in a schematic longitudinally sectioned illustration;

[0057] FIG. 6 shows an insertion end of the splice, having a sheathing portion, in a schematic plan view;

[0058] FIG. 7 shows part of the sheathing portion in a schematic sectional illustration;

[0059] FIG. 8 shows an upper side of the sheathing portion in a schematic plan view;

[0060] FIG. 9 shows a test rope piece of the rope in a test attempt, in a schematic illustration;

[0061] FIG. 10 shows a schematic flowchart of a method for splicing the rope; and

[0062] FIG. 11 shows an alternative sheathing element in a schematic perspective illustration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a passenger cableway 92a having a rope 12a in a schematic illustration. The passenger cableway 92a is a ropeway. The passenger cableway 92a can be a mountain cable car, for example. The passenger cableway 92a is advantageously an urban cable car. It is conceivable herein that said passenger cableway covers a difference in altitude. It is likewise conceivable that the passenger cableway 92a runs at least in a substantially horizontal manner. The passenger cableway 92a can have support pylons (not shown). The passenger cableway 92a can moreover have a plurality of portions having dissimilar gradients, in particular also portions with a positive gradient as well as portions with a negative gradient. It is furthermore conceivable that the passenger cableway 92a at least section-wise runs underground. The rope 12a in the present case is a haul rope. The rope 12a is used as a haul rope in the passenger cableway 92a. The use as a traction rope, in particular in addition to a separate suspension rope, is likewise conceivable. In principle, it is furthermore conceivable that the rope 12a is part of a ropeway for transporting materials, in particular of a material mountain ropeway and/or a material urban ropeway. The rope 12a can in general be used as a traction rope and/or as a haul rope in a ropeway, and/or be part of said traction rope and/or haul rope.

[0064] The rope 12a in the present case is a wire rope, in particular a steel wire rope. However, the rope 12a, at least section-wise, can be embodied as a plastics material rope and/or a composite material rope, or the like. The rope 12a has at least one rope portion 10a having at least one splice 14a. The splice 14a in the present case is a long splice. The splice 14a in the present case is moreover a wire rope splice. The splice 14a, at least section-wise, is in particular embodied in the manner of a long splice. The rope 12a is an endless rope. The rope 12a is in particular an endless rope that is spliced by means of the splice 14a.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a rope 90a which is configured to be spliced by means of the splice 14a of the rope portion 10a. The rope 90a corresponds in particular to the rope 12a of the passenger cableway 92a, in the non-spliced state of said rope 12a. The rope 12a, embodied as an endless rope, of the passenger cableway 92a can be produced by means of splicing the rope 90a. For example, the rope 90a, wound on a drum, is transported to an installation site, in particular a site of the passenger cableway 92a, and is spliced there. Fabrication of the rope 90a herein can take place at another site, for example in a rope factory.

[0066] FIG. 3 shows the rope portion 10a in a schematic cross sectional illustration. In particular, a region of the rope portion 10a that is different from the splice 14a is shown in FIG. 3. A cross section of the rope 12a is implemented in a corresponding manner. The rope portion 10a, and in particular the rope 12a, has a number of N longitudinal elements 16a-26a. In the present case N=6. As mentioned above, any other number of longitudinal elements 16a-26a is however conceivable, in particular a number of five, seven, eight, ten, twelve, or even more. The longitudinal elements 16a-26a in the present case are strands, in particular wire strands. Wire bundles, or else individual wires, composite wires, core/shell longitudinal elements, or the like are likewise conceivable.

[0067] The longitudinal elements 16a-26a in the present case are implemented so as to be at least substantially mutually identical, or mutually identical. The longitudinal elements 16a-26a have in particular at least substantially identical, or identical, cross sections. Moreover, the longitudinal elements 16a-26a can have at least substantially identical, or identical, lay lengths and/or lay directions. The rope 12a can be a regular lay rope, and preferably is a lang lay rope. In principle, it is conceivable for the rope portion 10a and/or the rope 12a to have longitudinal elements 16a-26a of dissimilar configuration, which differ, for example, in terms of a cross section, a material, a tensile strength, a lay length, a lay direction, or the like.

[0068] The rope 12a, in the present case also at least one peripheral region of the rope portion 10a, has a core 94a. The core 94a can at least in part be implemented from plastics material, for example. The longitudinal elements 16a-26a are disposed about the core 94a, in particular at regular spacings. The longitudinal elements 16a-26a run in particular in a spiral manner about the core 94a. The longitudinal elements 16a-26a are stranded around the core 94a.

[0069] The core 94a in the present case has a cross section which is larger than a cross section of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a. Moreover, the core 94a advantageously has a cross section having segment-shaped clearances and/or impressions for the longitudinal elements 16a-26a, said clearances and/or impressions advantageously following a spiral profile around the core 94a, in accordance with a stranding of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a.

[0070] The longitudinal elements 16a-26a are advantageously disposed about the core 94a in such a manner that said longitudinal elements 16a-26a are without mutual contact at least outside the splice 14a. In particular, the longitudinal sides of the longitudinal elements 16a-26 are disposed without mutual contact, at least outside the splice 14a. Additionally, it is conceivable for longitudinal inserts to be disposed between the longitudinal elements 16a-26a, said longitudinal inserts in particular running about the core 94a so as to be parallel with said longitudinal elements 16a-26a and advantageously establishing a spacing between the longitudinal elements 16a-26a. Longitudinal inserts of this type are advantageously implemented from a material that is softer than that of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a, for example from plastics material, rubber, a composite material, or the like. Moreover, the rope 12a, or the rope portion 10a, respectively, and/or at least one, in particular a plurality, or else all, of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a can have at least one coating, for example an anti-corrosion coating and/or a plastics material covering, or the like.

[0071] The rope portion 10a and in particular the rope 12a have a diameter d. In particular, the diameter d corresponds to a diameter of a smallest circle surrounding the rope portion 10a, in particular the cross section thereof. The rope 12a in the present case is a round rope, in particular a circular rope. However, in principle it is also conceivable for the rope 12a to be polygonal or elliptic. In the present case, for example, the diameter d can be 70 mm, wherein arbitrary other diameters are conceivable, as mentioned above.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows the rope portion 10a of the rope 12a, having the splice 14a, in a schematic illustration. For reasons of visualization, the longitudinal elements 16a-26a in FIG. 4 are shown so as to be parallel and lying beside one another, despite said longitudinal elements 16a-26a potentially being stranded and/or running in a spiral manner about the core 94a, as has been mentioned. The illustration of the rope portion 10a and in particular of the splice 14a in FIG. 4 is therefore to be understood to be a splicing diagram and does not necessarily further reflect the actual geometry of the rope portion 10a and/or of the splice 14a thereof.

[0073] At least one of the longitudinal elements 16a has at least one insertion end 28a which is inserted at least section-wise between other longitudinal elements 16a-26a. The insertion end 28a is inserted between the longitudinal elements 16a-26a in place of the core 94a.

[0074] In the present case, all of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a have in each case two insertion ends 28a-50a. The insertion ends 28a-50a are inserted in the manner of a long splice, in place of the core 94a. The splice 14a comprises in particular twelve insertion ends 28a-50a, wherein another number of insertion ends are conceivable, in particular in the case of a rope having a number of longitudinal elements deviating from six.

[0075] The rope portion 10a in the peripheral regions thereof has the portions 114a, 116a of the core 94a. The portions 114a, 116a of the core 94a in the present case delimit the splice 14a.

[0076] The insertion end 28a has a length of at most 50*d. The insertion end 28a in the present case, for example, has a length of 40*d, wherein other lengths are also conceivable, as has been mentioned above.

[0077] Furthermore, the longitudinal elements 16a-26a have in each case at least one insertion end 28a-50a having a length of at most 50*d. Each of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a in the case shown has two insertion ends 28a-50a having a length of at most 50*d, for example having in each case a length of 40*d.

[0078] The splice 14a has at least one splice location 84a. FIG. 5 shows the splice location 84a of the splice 14a in a schematic longitudinally sectioned illustration. The splice location 84a herein is illustrated only in a schematic manner, wherein the length ratios in particular may not necessarily be correctly reproduced. The splice location 84a comprises a splice knot 120a. The splice location 84a furthermore comprises two insertion ends 28a, 38a that are inserted in opposite directions.

[0079] The insertion ends 28a, 38a in the present case extend in each case from a center 122a of the splice knot 120a up to the inserted ends of said insertion ends 28a, 38a, said inserted ends not being illustrated in FIG. 5. The insertion ends 28a, 38a herein can have in each case one inserted portion as well as one portion that is disposed on a surface of the splice 14a, wherein the latter configures in particular one part of the splice knot 120a. In the present case, those longitudinal elements 16a-26a that comprise the insertion ends 28a, 38a, in a region of the splice knot 120a in a known manner moreover run conjointly on the surface of the splice 14a. The longitudinal elements 16a-26a in the present case cross over one another. The splice knot 120a is in particular a reef knot.

[0080] Reference hereunder is made yet again to FIG. 4. The splice 14a has an overall length of at most 100*N*d. The splice 14a in the present case has an overall length of at most 600*d. The overall length of the splice 14a corresponds to a length of a portion between the portions 114a, 116a of the core 94a in the longitudinal direction 118a of the core portion 10a. In the present case, the overall length of the splice 14a is approximately 530*d, wherein other overall lengths are conceivable, as mentioned above.

[0081] Furthermore, an overall length of a region 76a having insertion ends 28a-50a is at most 100*N*d. In the present case, an overall length of the region 76a having insertion ends 28a-50a corresponds to the overall length of the splice 14a. The splice 14a is in particular free of regions, in particular having a length of at least 10*d, without insertion ends 28a-50a. However, it is likewise conceivable for the splice 14a to have at least one region without insertion ends 28a-50a, for example a central portion which advantageously comprises a portion of the core 94a and/or a replacement element for the core 94a.

[0082] The splice 14a has a plurality of splice locations 84a, 104a-112a, which are disposed at at least substantially regular spacings. In the present case, all of the splice locations 84a, 104a-112a of the splice 14a are disposed at regular spacings. Spacings between directly adjacent splice locations 84a, 104a-112a, are in each case at least substantially identical, or identical, in particular by virtue of identical lengths of the insertion ends 28a-50a.

[0083] FIG. 6 shows an insertion end 28a of the splice 14a, having a sheathing portion 152a of a sheathing element 150a in a schematic plan view. The insertion end 28a is sheathed with the sheathing portion 152a. In the present case, all of the insertion ends 28a-50a of the splice 14a of the rope portion 10a are sheathed with sheathing portions 152a of sheathing elements 150a of mutually identical configuration. Said sheathing portions 152a are not illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 for reasons of clarity, and accordingly are not provided with reference signs.

[0084] The sheathing portion 152a is suitable for permitting the splice 14a to be produced with a length of less than 100*N*d. Alternatively or additionally, the sheathing portion 152a is suitable for permitting the splice 14a to be produced with an overall length of regions having insertion ends 28a-50a that is less than 100*N*d. As mentioned above, regions of this type can be mutually separated by regions of the splice 14a without insertion ends 28a-50a. In the present case, the sheathing portion 152a is suitable for permitting the splice 14a to be produced with a length of less than 80*N*d, and advantageously with an even smaller length, as has been mentioned above. In particular, the splice 14a, the insertion ends 28a-50a thereof all being sheathed with sheathing portions 152a according to the invention, has a break strength, in particular a tensile strength, which is at most 20%, advantageously at most 10%, and particularly advantageously at most 5%, less than a break strength, in particular a tensile strength, of the rope 12a in a portion of the rope 12a that is different from the splice 14a, preferably in a portion without any splice 14a and/or insertion ends 28a-50a.

[0085] The sheathing element 150a in the present case is a tape, in particular a splicing tape. The sheathing portion 152a is at least one piece of the sheathing element 150a, in particular a severed and/or cut-off piece. However, the sheathing portion 152a can likewise comprise the entire sheathing element 150a. In the present case, the sheathing element 150a can originally be present as a rolled-up tape having a length of approximately 25 m, for example, wherein any other smaller or larger lengths are of course also conceivable. It is likewise conceivable for a plurality of, for example, two or three or four, sheathing elements 150a to be rolled so as to form a common roll.

[0086] The insertion end 28a is wrapped with the sheathing portion 152a. The sheathing portion 152a can be wrapped multiple times, and/or so as to at least partially overlap with itself, about the insertion end 28a. The insertion end 28a is advantageously wrapped with a single sheathing portion 152a. The sheathing portion 152a is particularly advantageously wrapped so as to be free on any overlaps with itself about the insertion end 28a. In particular, lateral edges of the sheathing portion 152a in a state wrapping the insertion end 28a abut one another. The sheathing portion 152a in the state wrapping the insertion end 28a advantageously configures an at least substantially planar surface about the insertion end 28a, said surface having in particular an at least substantially consistent diameter across the entire insertion end 28a. A wrapping with a plurality of sheathing portions 152a is likewise conceivable, in particular depending on a length of the insertion end 28a and/or a diameter of the insertion end 28a in comparison to a diameter of the core 94a. The insertion end 28a in the present case is sheathed with the sheathing portion 152a in such a manner that the cross section and/or diameter of said insertion end 28a is enlarged according to a cross section and/or diameter of the core 94a.

[0087] FIG. 7 shows part of the sheathing portion 152a in a schematic sectional illustration. FIG. 8 shows an upper side 160a of the sheathing portion 152a in a schematic plan view. The sheathing portion 152a in FIG. 7 is shown in an unrolled state and/or in a state not wrapped around the insertion end 28a.

[0088] The sheathing portion 152a in the present case has a width of approximately 20 mm, wherein any other widths are also conceivable, as mentioned above. Moreover, the sheathing portion 152a in the present case has a thickness of approximately 3 mm, wherein this value is likewise to be understood to be exemplary.

[0089] The sheathing portion 152a has at least a first region 156a and at least a second region 158a which differ in terms of at least one material parameter. In particular the sheathing portion 152a in the first region 156a is realized differently than in the second region 158a.

[0090] In the present case, the first region 156a comprises an underside 162a of the sheathing portion 152a, and the second region 158a comprises the upper side 160a of the sheathing portion 152a. The upper side 160a and the underside 162a of the sheathing portion 152a differ in particular in terms of the material parameter.

[0091] The first region 156a and the second region 158a differ in terms of a surface structure of the sheathing portion 152a. In the present case, the sheathing portion 152a in the first region 156a has a greater roughness than in the second region 158a. A surface of the sheathing portion 152a in the second region 158a is advantageously smooth, in particular smooth fabric, advantageously sanded. Moreover, a surface of the sheathing portion 152a in the first region 156a is advantageously rough and/or structured. In the present case, the upper side 160a of the sheathing portion 152a is smooth. Moreover, in the present case the underside 162a of the sheathing portion 152a is structured.

[0092] In the present case, the sheathing portion 152a in the first region 156a has a surface structure 166a. The surface structure 166a in the present case comprises a plurality of structural elements 168a, 170a, not all of the latter being provided with reference signs for reasons of clarity. The structural elements 168a, 170a in the present case are implemented as elevations. Alternatively or additionally, depressions are conceivable. The surface structure 166a in the present case forms a regular pattern, in particular a diamond pattern. The surface structure 166a comprises in particular a diamond profile. The structural elements 168a, 170a are advantageously diamond-shaped, wherein any other cross sections are conceivable, as mentioned above. The structural elements 168a, 170a advantageously have a cross section of at least 3 mm.sup.2, particularly advantageously of at least 5 mm.sup.2 and preferably of at least 10 mm.sup.2, wherein larger or smaller cross sections are also conceivable.

[0093] Furthermore, the sheathing portion 152a in the present case in the first region 156a has a lower Shore A hardness than in the second region 158a. For example, the sheathing portion 152a in the first region 156a can have a Shore A hardness of 75, and/or in the second region 158a can have a Shore A hardness of approximately 85.

[0094] It is furthermore conceivable for the first region 156a and the second region 158a to differ in terms of further material parameters such as, for example, a material and/or a material thickness and/or generally a geometry or the like.

[0095] The sheathing portion 152a has at least one reinforcement 164a. The reinforcement 164a in the present case is a reinforcement tier. The reinforcement 164a comprises at least one woven fabric 174a, in particular a polyester/polyamide woven fabric, wherein other materials are also conceivable, as mentioned above. The reinforcement 164a is implemented so as to be planar.

[0096] The sheathing portion 152a is realized in multiple layers. The sheathing portion 152a in the present case comprises a first surface layer 176a. The first surface layer 176a configures the upper side 160a of the sheathing portion 152a. The sheathing portion 152a furthermore comprises a second surface layer 178a. The second surface layer 178a configures the underside 162a of the sheathing portion 152a. The first surface layer 176a and/or the second surface layer 178a in the present case are/is implemented at least in part or preferably in full from plastics material, in particular from rubber, advantageously from polychloroprene rubber.

[0097] The sheathing portion 152a furthermore comprises a first adhesive layer 180a. The first adhesive layer 180a connects the first surface layer 176a to the reinforcement 164a. The first adhesive layer 180a is disposed directly between the first surface layer 176a and the reinforcement 164a. The sheathing portion 152a moreover comprises a second adhesive layer 182a. The second adhesive layer 182a connects the second surface layer 178a to the reinforcement 164a. The second adhesive layer 182a is disposed directly between the reinforcement 164a and the second surface layer 178a. The first adhesive layer 180a and/or the second adhesive layer 182a are/is advantageously embodied as an in particular liquid rubber adhesive layer. The first adhesive layer 180a and/or the second adhesive layer 182a preferably have/has a thickness between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm.

[0098] The sheathing portion 152a has a tear strength of at least 15 N/mm.sup.2, in particular in parallel with a longitudinal direction 172a of the sheathing portion 152a. The sheathing portion 152a in the present case advantageously has a tear strength of at least 25 N/mm.sup.2.

[0099] The sheathing portion 152a furthermore has an elongation at break of at least 10%, in particular in the case of an elongation in the longitudinal direction 172a of the sheathing portion 152a. The sheathing portion 152a in the present case advantageously has an elongation at break of at least 15% and particularly advantageously of at least 25%.

[0100] FIG. 9 shows a test rope piece 98a of the rope 12a in a test attempt, in a schematic illustration. The test rope piece 98a section-wise has a construction identical to that of the rope 12a, in particular in a region which is different from the rope portion 10a and is advantageously not spliced. The test rope piece 98a moreover has at least one test insertion end 100a. The test rope piece 98a in the present case has precisely one test insertion end 100a. The test insertion end 100a is inserted at one end of the test rope piece 98a between the longitudinal elements thereof (not individually illustrated), in place of a core (not shown) of the test rope piece 98a. The test rope piece 98a has in particular a number of N longitudinal elements of this type.

[0101] The test insertion end 100a is advantageously realized so as to be identical to insertion ends 28a-50a of the splice 14a. The test insertion end 100a is in particular sheathed with a test piece 154a of the sheathing portion 152a, in particular in a manner analogous to the insertion end 28a. The test piece 154a of the sheathing portion 152a is advantageously realized so as to be identical to the sheathing portion 152a, and advantageously differs therefrom at most in terms of length. However, the test insertion end 100a can be inserted thereinto from one end of the test rope piece 98a, and not laterally at a splice location. In principle however, it is also conceivable for the test rope piece 98a to comprise at least one portion of a test splice, or an entire test splice.

[0102] The test insertion end 100a in the test attempt is under a tensile load. Moreover, the test attempt is carried out while the test rope piece 98a is under a tensile load. The test insertion end 100a in the test attempt is capable of being bent without damage at least 1000 times about a test disk 102a having a diameter of at most 80*d.

[0103] In the present case, the test insertion end 100a is capable of being bent, for example, at least 2000 times about in each case at least 90 and advantageously about in each case at least 150. Moreover, the diameter of the test disk 102a can advantageously be at most 60*d, or at most 40*d. A revolving of the splice 14a about a drive pulley of a ropeway can be simulated by means of the test attempt, for example. The insertion ends 28a-50a of the splice 14a are realized in such a manner that an identically implemented test insertion end 100a survives the described test attempt without damage.

[0104] The test rope piece 98a in the test attempt is pretensioned by way of a pretensioning force of at least 60 N/mm.sup.2 per cross-sectional area A. The test rope piece 98a in the test attempt is advantageously pretensioned by way of a pretensioning force of at least 500 N/mm.sup.2 per cross-sectional area.

[0105] The test insertion end 100a sheathed with the test piece 154a of the sheathing portion 152a in the test attempt withstands an extraction force in kN of at least d.sup.2*0.68/N*0.1. The test insertion end 100a advantageously withstands an extraction force of at least d.sup.2*0.68/N*0.2, and particularly advantageously of at least d.sup.2*0.68/N*0.4. In the present case, each of the insertion ends 28a-50a of the splice 14a withstands a correspondingly high extraction force.

[0106] A test piece 154a of the sheathing portion 152a which sheathes the test insertion end 100a by the length of at most 50*d, said test piece 154a being inserted into the test rope piece 98a, withstands a shear modulus of at least 1 MPa. The test piece 154a of the sheathing portion 152a which sheathes the test insertion end 100a advantageously withstands a shear modulus of at least 30 MPa. In the present case, each of the sheathing portions 152a, which wraps insertion ends 28a-50a of the splice 14a embodied as a long splice, withstands a correspondingly high shear modulus.

[0107] FIG. 10 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method for splicing the rope 90a (cf. FIG. 2), wherein in particular the rope 12a of the passenger cableway 92a (cf. FIG. 1) is fabricated. In a first method step 138a, the rope 90a having a diameter d, in particular a nominal diameter d, having a plurality of stranded longitudinal elements 16a-26a is provided, for example at a site of the passenger cableway 92a. In a second method step 140a, the splice 14a is fabricated by means of splicing the rope 90a. In order for the splice 14a to be produced, at least one insertion end 28a-50a is at least section-wise sheathed with the sheathing portion 152a of the sheathing element 150a. In particular, the at least one insertion end 28a-50a is wrapped with the sheathing portion 152a, advantageously in such a manner that the diameter and/or the cross section of said insertion end 28a-50a corresponds at least substantially to a diameter and/or cross section of the core 94a. In the present case, all of the insertion ends 28a-50a are sheathed with corresponding sheathing portions 152a. A plurality of sheathing portions 152a per insertion end 28a-50a can be used herein, depending on the length of the insertion ends 28a-50a, or of the sheathing portions 152a. Alternatively, a single sheathing portion 152a can be used.

[0108] In order for the splice 14a to be produced in the present case, at least one end region of at least one of the longitudinal elements 16a-26a in a sheathed state is inserted as an insertion end 28a-50a over a length of at most 50*d, for example over a length of 40*d, between other longitudinal elements 16a-26a. In the present case, all of the insertion ends 28a-50a are inserted over a length of in each case at most 50*d, for example over a length of in each case 40*d.

[0109] In the second method step 140a, the splice 14a is advantageously fabricated in one piece in a region 96a having a length of at most 1200*d (cf. also FIG. 1). The splice 14a is in particular fabricated without said splice 14a being advanced in an incomplete state. The region 96a in the present case has a length of at most 900*d and advantageously of at most 700*d. In particular, the region 96a can have, in particular only, a maximum space available for splicing, for example in the case of a limited space in a cable car station 146a of the passenger cableway 92a.

[0110] A further exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 11. The description hereunder is limited substantially to the points of differentiation between the exemplary embodiments, wherein reference in terms of unmodified components, features, and functions, may be made to the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 10. In order for the exemplary embodiments to be differentiated, the suffix a in the reference signs of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 10 has been replaced by the suffix b in the reference signs of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 11. In terms of unmodified components, in particular of components having identical reference signs, reference in principle may be made to the drawing and/or the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 10.

[0111] FIG. 11 shows an alternative sheathing portion 152b of an alternative sheathing element 150b in a schematic perspective illustration. The alternative sheathing portion 152b is implemented in the manner of a hose. The alternative sheathing portion 152b is configured to be pulled over an insertion end (not shown) of a splice (not shown). When producing the splice, the insertion end can be sheathed in particular in that the alternative sheathing portion 152b is pulled over rather than wrapped.

[0112] Furthermore, the alternative sheathing portion 152b in the present case is configured to be shrink-fitted onto an insertion end. The alternative sheathing portion 152b is in particular configured to be pulled over in a non-shrunk state, and for subsequently being shrink-fitted. The alternative sheathing portion 152b herein at least section-wise advantageously realizes a form-fitting connection to the insertion end, in particular to the outer longitudinal elements of the latter.

[0113] It is likewise conceivable that a sheathing element is extruded onto an insertion end. A form-fitting connection can likewise be achieved herein. Multi-component extruding is to be considered in particular to this end, wherein a rubber layer and a reinforcement layer are simultaneously extruded, for example.