High-Strength Fiber Rope for Lifting Devices Such as Cranes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment like cranes having a rope core (11) comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands (4) as well as a sheathing (2) surrounding the rope core (11) and indicating wear, wherein the sheathing (2) has at least a sheath layer, in which the synthetic fibres having different wear resistance and/or tensile strength and/or bending fatigue are interwoven with each other.

Claims

1. A high-strength fibre rope for hoisting equipment such as cranes having a rope core comprising high-strength synthetic fibres or strands as well as a sheathing surrounding the rope core and indicating wear, wherein the sheathing has at least one sheath layer, in which synthetic fibres having different wear resistance and/or tensile strength and/or bending fatigue are interwoven with each other.

2. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic fibres in said at least one sheath layer are comprised of various fibre materials.

3. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the sheath layer containing fibres having various wear properties in the outermost area of the sheathing.

4. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the sheathing has several sheath layers, which differ from each other in regard to the fibre structure thereof and the wear resistance and/or tensile strength and/or bending fatigue of the synthetic fibres used in the sheath layers.

5. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 4, wherein there are provided synthetic fibres in a sheath layer, which differ from any other synthetic fibres of at least one further sheath layer in regard to the wear resistance and/or tensile strength thereof and/or bending fatigue and/or the material thereof.

6. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the sheathing has sheath layers of different layer thicknesses and/or synthetic fibres and/or strands with different thicknesses from layer to layer.

7. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic fibres, which exhibit different wear resistance and tensile strength and/or that are composed of different materials are dyed in different colours.

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

9. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 1, wherein the sheathing of the rope core forms the outer sheath of the rope.

10. A hoisting equipment, in particular cranes such as a tower slewing crane, a telescopic crane, a dockside crane or a ship crane, comprising a high-strength fibre rope configured according to claim 1.

11. The hoisting equipment according to claim 10, wherein the high-strength fibre rope forms the crane hoist rope or a crane boom suspension rope.

12. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 2, wherein the synthetic fibres comprise HMPE fibres and polyester fibres.

13. A high-strength fibre rope according to claim 3, wherein the sheath layer containing fibres have various wear properties in the outermost layer of the rope.

Description

[0030] The invention is explained in greater detail by way of a preferred embodiment example and related drawings. The drawings show:

[0031] FIG. 1 to FIG. 5: each show a side view of a high-strength fibre rope having a woven sheathing, wherein the sheath wear occurring in the sheathing is depicted showing different damage levels and wherein the rope core gradually surfaces,

[0032] FIG. 6 to FIG. 9: each show a top view of a portion of a high-strength fibre rope having a sheathing according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein herein cuts into the rope are depicted as damage of the sheathing in different development stages and

[0033] FIG. 10 to FIG. 13: each show a top view of a portion of a high-strength fibre rope having a sheathing according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein herein damage of the sheathing is depicted in the form of a pinch/local thickening of the rope in different development stages.

[0034] As, for example, shown by the FIGS. 4 and 5, the high-strength fibre rope comprises a rope core 11, which may be woven or made from strands 4, which in turn are made from high-strength synthetic fibres or at least comprise such high-strength synthetic fibres, for example HPMA fibres, HMPE fibres or others of the fibre types initially mentioned, wherein said rope core 11 may be composed of fibres of one fibre type or fibres of different fibre types.

[0035] The sheathing 2 surrounds said rope core 11 and may rest directly on said rope core, or it may optionally be spaced apart therefrom by an intermediate layer. Said sheathing 2 may form in particular the outer sheath of the rope 1. The rope core 11 may take over the entire tensile strength of the rope 1. The sheathing 2 furthermore only has a supportive effect, in particular as a protection for the rope core 11 and as a wear indicator.

[0036] Said sheathing 2 may thereby be composed of a single sheath layer, or it may also comprise several sheath layers, which are arranged one on top of the other.

[0037] As shown by the figures, said sheathing 2 comprises strands 3, which are interwoven with each other into the sheathing 2 and which each may be composed of high-strength synthetic fibres or may at least have such high-strength synthetic fibres.

[0038] In particular, said strands 3 of the sheathing 2 may be formed, in the way initially described in greater detail, from different synthetic fibres having different wear resistance and/or tensile strength and/or different materials. As shown in the figures, said strands 3 are preferably coloured in different colours.

[0039] In the FIGS. 1 to 5 there is depicted a sheath wear of the sheathing 2, which may be conditioned, for example, by the rope drive, in particular the deflection of the rope about the rope roll, the bending fatigue in the rope course, the rope friction on the drum while spooling and also stress due to multi-layered winding onto the drum, wherein the rope portions of an upper layer threaten to cut in-between the rope portions of a lower layer.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows the rope 1 with the sheathing 2 and the strands 3 of the sheathing in different colours. Extent of the damage shown about 5% of the replacement state of wear.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows the rope 1 with the sheathing 2, however with a visible wear of the individual strands 3 of the sheathing. Extent of the damage shown about 25% of the replacement state of wear.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows the rope 1, the sheathing of which has been worn over a partial portion of about 90% and wherein the strands 4 of the bearing rope core become visible. Extent of the damage shown about 50% of the replacement state of wear.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows the rope 1, the sheathing of which has a progressing wear condition in a partial portion of about 180 and wherein the strands 4 of the bearing rope core are well visible in this partial portion. Extent of the damage shown about 75% of the replacement state of wear.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows the rope 1, the sheathing of which has a progressing wear condition over the entire rope range (360). The sheathing is worn and displaced, and the strands 4 of the bearing rope are completely visible in this partial portion. Extent of the damage shown about 100% of the replacement state of wear.

[0045] The FIGS. 6 to 9 show a damage of the rope in the form of cuts, which lead to a gradually spreading damage extent.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows the rope 1 with sheathing 2 and the strands 3 of the sheathing in different colours. Extent of the damage shown about 0% of the replacement state of wear.

[0047] FIG. 7 shows the rope 1, the sheathing of which has a visibly tiny cut 5. Extent of the damage shown about 25% of the replacement state of wear.

[0048] FIG. 8 shows the rope 1, the sheathing of which and a strand of the bearing rope have a visible cut 6. Extent of the damage shown about 50% of the replacement state of wear.

[0049] FIG. 9 shows the rope 1, the sheathing of which and at least one strand of the bearing rope have a visible cut-through 7. Extent of the damage shown about 100% of the replacement state of wear.

[0050] The FIGS. 10 to 13 finally show damage of the high-strength fibre rope in the form of pinches of the rope.

[0051] FIG. 10 shows the rope 1 with the sheathing 2 and the strands 3 of the sheathing in different colours. Extent of the damage shown about 0% of the replacement state of wear.

[0052] FIG. 11 shows the rope 1 with a small pitch 8 and ovalization of the cross-section of the rope. Extent of the damage shown about 25% of the replacement state of wear.

[0053] FIG. 12 shows the rope 1 with a large pitch 9 and a strong ovalization of the cross-section of the rope. Extent of the damage shown about 50% of the replacement state of wear.

[0054] FIG. 13 shows the rope 1 with such a strong pitch 10 such that the sheathing is opened and the damaged strands of the bearing rope core surface. Extent of the damage shown about 100% of the replacement state of wear.