Device for Termination of a Rope

Abstract

A device for termination of a rope comprises a cylinder extending longitudinally from a base to a cone or pyramid, wherein the cylinder defines at least one channel for receiving a pair of subropes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. It can be used for termination of rope manufactured from synthetic fibres or constructed from multiple subropes.

Claims

1. A device for termination of a rope which comprises a cylinder extending longitudinally from a base to a cone or pyramid, wherein the cylinder defines at least one channel for receiving a pair of subropes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder is a solid cylinder or tubular.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein cylinder has a circular cross section or an oval or polygonal cross section.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the cone or pyramid tapers to a point or the cone or pyramid is a frustocone or frustopyramid.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the cylinder defines a plurality of channels substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein an opening is defined at each end of the channel and the openings are located diametrically opposite each other on the cylinder.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein each channel is curved between the openings, wherein the curve extends towards the base of the cylinder between the openings.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein each channel is located along a diameter of the cylinder.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein each channel is defined by a wall having a substantially circular cross section.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein each channel defines a bearing point.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the bearing point is located where the inner curve of the channel is proximate to the base of the cylinder.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the bearing point is equidistant from each opening.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein each channel is spaced longitudinally from an adjacent channel.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the longitudinal spacing between each channel is equal.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein each channel is equally angularly offset.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein there are two channels aligned at right angles to each other, three channels aligned at 60 degrees from each other, four channels aligned at 45 degrees from each other or five channels aligned at 36 degrees from each other.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the end of each channel is defined by a smoothly radiused curve where the channel opens into an outer wall of the cylinder.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the cylinder defines paths for each subrope.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the base adjoins a termination connection.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the device is of steel or synthetic/polymer composite structure.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the device comprises a plurality of cylinders of different diameter.

22. A method for terminating a rope, which comprises the steps of: providing a device which comprises a cylinder extending longitudinally from a base to a cone or pyramid, wherein the cylinder defines at least one channel for receiving a pair of subropes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, splitting the rope into pairs of subropes, placing the subropes of each pair in the channel(s) of said device, and splicing each pair together.

23. The method of claim 22 which comprises the steps of milking back an outer jacket and/or filter if fitted, from the end of the rope.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each subrope in a pair of subropes has a splicing mark applied to indicate the start of a splice.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a subrope on a first side is threaded through the channel in the cylinder and a subrope on a second side is threaded through the channel in the opposite direction until the marks are aligned.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the subrope is spliced into the subrope on a second side using a conventional splice method and this step is repeated with the subrope on the second being threaded through the channel and spliced into the subrope on the first side.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the splicing process is repeated for the remaining subropes in the main rope.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein each splice has a starting point, wherein the starting point of each splice is at the bearing point in the device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein during the splicing step, a protective jacket or tubular cloth is applied individually over the spliced subrope and into the body of the rope.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the method includes the step of applying a protective layer over the subropes and the device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows known rope terminations, where an eye spice is formed around a spool thimbles. The spool thimble can be connected to a shackle, which can be connected to a chain;

[0044] FIG. 2 shows details of a device according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the rope has three pairs of subropes;

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a details of a device according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein two cylinders are included; and

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a details of a device according to an embodiment of the invention used with plaited rope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] It will be appreciated that aspects, embodiments and preferred features of the invention have been described herein in a way that allows the specification to be written in a clear and concise way. However, unless circumstances clearly dictate otherwise, aspects, embodiments and preferred features can be variously combined or separated in accordance with the invention. Thus, preferably, the invention provides a device having features of a combination of two or more, three or more, or four or more of the aspects described herein. In a preferred embodiment, a device in accordance with the invention comprises all aspects of the invention.

[0048] Within the context of this specification, the word about means plus or minus 20%, more preferably plus or minus 10%, even more preferably plus or minus 5%, most preferably plus or minus 2%.

[0049] Within the context of this specification, the word substantially means preferably at least 90%, more preferably 95%, even more preferably 98%, most preferably 99%.

[0050] Within the context of this specification, the word comprises means includes, among other things and should not be construed to mean consists of only.

[0051] The invention provides a device (1) for termination of a rope (2) as well as a method for terminating a rope (2).

[0052] In the past, larger ropes (2) that are used, for example in offshore applications, are typically connected to steel fittings (3). These can be in the form of spool thimbles (4) that are located in a spliced eye (5) which are then connected to shackles (6) and chains (7). FIG. 1 illustrates this.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 2, an embodiment of the invention comprises a steel device (1) for termination of a rope (2) which comprises a cylinder (8) extending longitudinally from a base (9) to a cone (10), wherein the cylinder (8) defines at least one channel (11) for receiving a pair of subropes (12) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder (8).

[0054] The device (1) is placed coaxially with a rope (2) so that the cone (10) is positioned adjacent the rope (2). The rope (2) shown in FIG. 2 has six subropes (12). These are separated into three opposite pairs (13). One subrope (12) from a pair (13) of subropes (12) extends into a channel (11) from a first end (14) of the channel (11), and a second subrope (12) from the pair (13) of subropes (12) extends into the channel (11) from a second end (15) of the channel (11). The first subrope (12) is spliced into the second subrope (12) and the second subrope (12) is spliced into the first subrope (12).

[0055] The cylinder (8) is a solid cylinder having a circular cross section.

[0056] The cone (10) tapers to a point.

[0057] The cylinder (8) defines a plurality of channels (11) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder (8).

[0058] Each channel (11) is located along a diameter of the cylinder (8).

[0059] Each channel (11) is spaced longitudinally from an adjacent channel (11) and the longitudinal spacing between each channel (11) is equal.

[0060] Each channel (11) is equally angularly offset. In this regard, there are three channels (11) aligned at 60 degrees from each other.

[0061] The end (14, 15) of each channel (11) is defined by a smoothly radiused curve where the channel (11) opens into an outer wall of the cylinder (8). Advantageously, this avoids each subrope (12) contacting a sharp edge.

[0062] The base (9) adjoins a termination connection (16). The termination connection (16) is capable of being changed to suit any end fitting. In the Figures, the end fitting is a pad eye or a clevis to suit a shackle, a chain end link or another fibre rope termination.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 3, one embodiment of the device (1) comprises two cylinders (8) of different diameter. The splicing of the subropes (12) and finishing is the same regardless of the number of cylinders (8).

[0064] The device (1) is used in a method for terminating a rope (2), which comprises the steps of splitting the rope (2) into pairs (13) of subropes (12), placing the subropes of each pair in the channel(s) (11) of the device (1), and splicing each pair (13) together.

[0065] The method comprises the steps of milking back an outer jacket (17) and/or filter if fitted, from the end of the eye. This provides the advantage of exposing the subropes (12) inside and allows a first pair (13) of subropes (12) to be laid each side of the termination (1), as shown in FIG. 2, Diagram 1.

[0066] Each subrope (12) in a pair of subropes has a splicing mark (18) applied at location A to indicate the start of a splice.

[0067] A subrope (12) on a first side is threaded through a channel (11) in the cylinder (8) until the AA marks are aligned. A first subrope (12) is then spliced into the subrope (12) on a second side using a conventional splice method. This process is again repeated with the subrope (12) on the second being threaded through the channel (11) and spliced into the subrope (12) on the first side. Advantageously, this forms a spliced pair (13) as shown in FIG. 2, Diagram 2.

[0068] The splicing process is repeated for the remaining subropes (12) in the main rope (2). Diagram 3 in FIG. 2 shows six subropes (12), spliced into three pairs (13). These pairs are located in three channels (11) in the cylinder (8) which are rotated 60 degrees to each other.

[0069] The method can be applied to suit any number of subrope pairs being equally rotated around the longitudinal axis of the device (1) of the invention.

[0070] The method can be used with any subrope (12) construction e.g., 3 strand, 4 strand, 8 strand, 12 strand. In addition, it can be used with subropes (12) manufactured from any synthetic yarn type e.g. Polyester, Nylon, Aramids, High Modulus Polyethylene.

[0071] During the splicing step, a protective jacket or tubular cloth is applied individually over the spliced subrope (12) and into the body of the rope (2).

[0072] The method includes the step of applying a protective layer (19) over the subropes (12) and termination device (1) by using polyurethane or similar polymer to finish.

[0073] Advantageously, the method of the invention can be used for termination of ropes (2) that are constructed in a single body. These rope constructions are normally of plaited or stranded designs which comprise a number of strands within the structure. These designs can include, but are not limited to 6, 8, 12 or 16 strands. The rope (2) is spliced using a standard eye splice method but the strands are passed through the holes (11) in the device (1) of the invention. The termination is finished in the same way as described above with a protective layer (19) of polyurethane or similar polymer. FIG. 4 shows details of the splicing method.

[0074] The benefits of a rope termination according to the invention include but are not limited to: [0075] 1. A more efficient termination with less strength variation due to higher control on the subrope length differences. [0076] 2. Shorter end termination as the subrope splice starts at the end fitting. [0077] 3. Quicker to splice the whole end termination because the eye does not need to be rebuilt back together. [0078] 4. Total weight of steel will be reduced in the complete connection of the rope to other components.

[0079] The above described embodiments have been given by way of example only, and the skilled reader will naturally appreciate that many variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.