SYNTHETIC FIBER ROPE

Abstract

A method of making a splice termination for a synthetic fiber rope, said synthetic fiber rope comprising a fiber core and at least a layer of synthetic fiber strands twisted around said fiber core, said method comprising steps: (a) Providing a synthetic fiber rope having a laid construction and an unrestrainedend, (b) Measuring tails having a length of L1 from the end of the rope, applying cloth or tape on the synthetic fiber rope for a length L2 from the end of tails to form a taped section, (c) Bending the synthetic fiber rope at the point having a length of about L1+L2/2 from the end of the rope to form an eye, (d) Untwisting the core and the strands of the tails, dividing and bundling up the yarns equally amongst the number strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope so that forming a plurality of bundled tails, (e) Tucking and pulling the plurality of bundled tail(s) respectively through between respective strand(s) of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope next to the taped section to form a tucked section, (f) Repeating step of tucking and pulling the plurality of bundled tail(s) respectively through between respective strand(s) of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope next to the previously tucked section to form a spliced termination.

Claims

1. A method of making a splice termination for a synthetic fiber rope, said synthetic fiber rope comprising a fiber core and at least a layer of synthetic fiber strands twisted around said fiber core, said method comprising steps: (a) providing a synthetic fiber rope having a laid construction and an unrestrained end, (b) measuring tails having a length of L1 from the end of the rope, applying cloth or tape on the synthetic fiber rope for a length L2 from the end of tails to form a taped section, (c) bending the synthetic fiber rope at the point having a length of about L1+L2/2 from the end of the rope to form an eye, (d) untwisting the core and the strands of the tails, dividing and bundling up the yarns equally amongst the number strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope so that forming a plurality of bundled tails, (e) tucking and pulling the plurality of bundled tail(s) respectively through between respective strand(s) of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope next to the taped section to form a tucked section, (f) repeating step of tucking and pulling the plurality of bundled tail(s) respectively through between respective strand(s) of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope next to the previously tucked section to form a spliced termination.

2. The method of making a splice termination for a synthetic fiber rope according to claim 1, wherein said fiber core is coated with a polymer coating and said step (d) including a step of removing said polymer coating.

3. The method of making a splice termination for a synthetic fiber rope according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic fiber rope has two layers and step (d) comprises of dividing and bundling up the core and the two layers yarn equally amongst the number strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope.

4. The method of making a splice termination for a synthetic fiber rope according to claim 1, wherein said synthetic fiber rope has three layers and step (d) comprises of dividing and bundling up the core, the layer one, layer two and layer three yarns equally amongst the number of the out layer of the synthetic fiber rope.

5. The method of making a splice termination for a synthetic fiber rope according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises step (g) removing a part of the yarn content on each step of the tucks for a plurality of tapers.

6. A synthetic fiber rope comprising a fiber core and at least a layer of synthetic fiber strands twisted around said fiber core, wherein the synthetic fiber rope has a splice-type termination, said splice-type termination comprising a cloth or tape covered rope section bent into an eye shape, a spliced rope section next to the eye shaped rope section, the spliced rope section being made by tucking a number of bundled tails of the synthetic fiber rope respectively through between the synthetic fiber strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope.

7. The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise nylon fibers, polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers such as polypropylene and polyethylene fibers.

8. The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein the synthetic fibers comprise high modulus synthetic fibers or blended high modulus synthetic fibers selected from high strength polypropylene (HSSP), high modulus polyethylene (HMPE), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMwPE), para-aramid fibers such as poly(P-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) fibers, liquid crystal polyester (LCP/LCAP), poly(P-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO), meta-aramid fibers such as poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide fibers, copolyamide fibers of (terephthaloyl chloride, P-phenylenediamine, 3,4-diaminodiphenyl ether), normally referred to as copolymer aramid).

9. A The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein the number of bundled tails of the synthetic fiber rope is made by untwisting, dividing and bundling the fiber core and the at least a layer of synthetic fiber strands.

10. A The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein the number of tails of the synthetic fiber rope equals the number of synthetic fiber strands at the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope.

11. A The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein said synthetic fiber rope has two layers, and the tails of synthetic fiber rope is made by dividing and bundling up the core and two layers yarns equally amongst the number strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope.

12. The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein said synthetic fiber rope has three layers, and the tails of synthetic fiber rope is made by dividing and bundling up the core, the layer one, layer two and layer three yarns equally amongst the number of strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope.

13. The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 6, wherein said fiber core is covered by a polymer coating.

14. The synthetic fiber rope according to claim 13, wherein the fiber core is a laid or braided synthetic fiber strand, and the at least a layer of synthetic fiber strands comprises a first layer and a second layer, said first layer having at least six first synthetic fiber strands laid in a first direction surround said polymer layer, and said second layer having at least twelve second synthetic fiber strands laid in a second direction surround said first layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES IN THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The following detailed description makes reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1-5 illustrate step-by-step schematic of a splicing method according to the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 5 illustrates a final schematic view of a splice of a synthetic fiber rope in accordance with the present invention;

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0027] The following description will be based on a preferred embodiment of the invention. As will be evident to the skilled person, however, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment.

[0028] The present embodiment of the invention is directed to a synthetic fiber rope having a polymer extruded core and multi-strand. The synthetic rope in the example has a rope construction of 5-8-8-24, i.e., the outer layer of the synthetic rope having 24 strands, layer two having 8 strands, layer one having 8 strands and the core having 5 strands. Herein, the synthetic fiber rope has three layers outside the core. The synthetic rope has a diameter of 88 mm.

[0029] As illustrated in FIG. 1, measure tails having a length of L1 from the end of the synthetic rope 10, tying a clove hitch 12 at this point if needed. Measure eye size L2, from the first clove hitch 12, tying a second clove hitch 14 at this point if needed. L2, which denote the eye, is preferably to be calculated so that each side of the eye does not exceed an angle of 30? and preferably not exceed an angle of 15?. Mark the tucking pitch 16 of splice. Apply cloth or tape, e.g. HMPE, on the synthetic fiber rope between the two clove hitches 12, 14, which denote the eye to form a taped section.

[0030] Form eye 22 by passing tails to the right-hand side as illustrated in FIG. 2. Preferably, tie both legs together with a third clove hitch so that the previous two clove hitches line up, forming the eye (not shown in FIG. 2). Such third clove hitch can also increase the cohesive force of the tucking section since it exerts a normal compression force in the tucking section.

[0031] Then, secure the rope at e.g., a working station. Remove the tape from the end of the tails. Tape up the end of each of the outer strands individually. Halve the outer strands into top and bottom. In case of layer 4, this would equate to 12 top and 12 bottom; for layer 3, this would equate to 4 top and 4 bottom. Halve layer 2 yarns into top and bottomthis equates to 4 top and 4 bottom. Halve the layer 1 yarns into top and bottomthis equates to 2 top and 3 bottom.

[0032] In case, there is an extruded polymer on the individual layer, the extruded layer can be removed, e.g., using a hot knife. As shown in FIG. 3, the of the synthetic rope 30 is extruded by a polymer layer 34. The extrusion shall be cut out as close to the eye as possible.

[0033] Then, untwisting the core and the strands of the tails, dividing and bundling up the yarns equally amongst the number strands of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope has so that forming a plurality of bundled taped tails. As an example, the strands of layer three are broken down into yarns across the core, layer one and layer two and generate, e.g., 54 yarns.

[0034] Divide and tape up the yarns of the core, layer one, and layer two equally amongst the number of layer three strands the synthetic rope has. For the example rope, this equals 54 inner yarns divide 24 (layer three strands), giving 2.25 inner yarns per layer three strand. And then separate into top and bottoms once again.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, tucking and pulling the plurality of tapped tail(s) 42 respectively through respective strand(s) of the outer layer of the synthetic fiber rope next to the taped section 44. For instance, take a strand on the standing part at about 10 o'clock on the rope and insert e.g. a Swedish fid. On the tails, choose a grouping of yarns/strand that is at about 9 o'clock of the respective part of the rope. Loosely pull this strand underneath the strand on the standing part of the rope. Take the strand above on the standing part of the rope, insert fid, and pull through the next tail, ensuring that it exits at the pitch mark. Repeat this for all top grouped tails.

[0036] Rotate the rope, take the bottom tails and continue to tuck them under the correct strands on the standing part of the rope. Pull all the tails tight and ensure that they are exiting at the defined tuck mark 46.

[0037] Repeat the splicing procedure to form a spliced termination. In each tuck starting with the final tail from the previous tuck, until reaching the desired tuck mark. Caution shall be taken to ensure that all strands exit at the correct tuck markers at each point.

[0038] The finished product is illustrated in FIG. 5. Preferably, the amount of yarns are reduced at the last few tucks to form a taper region 52. At the starting point the tapering, remove e.g. a sixth of the yarn content on each step of the tucks for five tapers. Product may require a braiding over the top of the outboard end of the rope, depending on design.