Wire rope logging choker

Abstract

A choker cable having its end portions encapsulated by ferrules, wherein the cable wire ends extend at least to the distal ends of the ferrule sleeves, and wherein the wire ends are all fused into a mushroom shaped cap structure and wherein peripheral portions of the cap structure overlie the distal ends of the ferrule sleeves.

Claims

1. A choker cable comprising an elongated bundle of helically wound steel wires, said bundle having a hook end portion with a longitudinal axis, and a winchline end portion with a longitudinal axis, the wires of said hook end portion having terminal ends, a steel ferrule sleeve having a body portion formed with a cylindrical wall forming a cable bore extending longitudinally therethrough, said cylindrical wall having a proximal end and a distal end, the wires of said hook end portion of said bundle being mounted through said bore from said proximal end to said distal end of said cylindrical wall with said terminal ends of said wires and said distal end of said cylindrical wall of said ferrule sleeve being positioned substantially in a common lateral plane relative to said longitudinal axis, said body portion of said ferrule sleeve being mechanically affixed to said hook end portion of said bundle, said distal end of said cylindrical wall of said ferrule sleeve being chemically connected by a solid steel cap to said terminal ends of all said wires in said hook end portion of said bundle, wherein said steel cap comprises an intermixture of molecules and atoms of said terminal ends of said wires with molecules and atoms of said distal end of said cylindrical wall of said ferrule sleeve, and wherein said steel cap lies substantially laterally over said terminal ends of said wires and substantially laterally over said distal end of said ferrule sleeve.

2. The logging choker of claim 1 wherein said cap structure comprises an added metallic material which has been chemically intermixed with said distal end of said cylindrical wall of said ferrule sleeve and with said distal end of each said wire to form a monolithic solid connection cap structure which chemically joins said ferrule with all wires of said cable.

3. The logging choker of claim 2 wherein said added metallic material is welding steel.

4. The logging choker of claim 2 wherein said added metallic material is brazing composition.

5. The logging choker of claim 1 wherein said distal end of said ferrule sleeve and said peripheral portions of said cap structure have been intermixed molecularly and atomically to a longitudinal depth of from about 1/64 in. to about in. longitudinally down into said distal end of said cylindrical wall of said ferrule sleeve.

6. A choker cable comprising an elongated bundle of helically wound steel wires, said bundle having a hook end portion with a longitudinal axis, and a winchline end portion with a longitudinal axis, wherein the wires of each said end portion have terminal ends, each said end portion further comprising, a steel ferrule sleeve having a body portion formed with a cylindrical wall forming a cable bore extending longitudinally therethrough, wherein said cylindrical wall has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the wires of said end portion are mounted through said bore from said proximal end to said distal end of said cylindrical wall with said terminal ends of said wires and said distal end of said cylindrical wall being positioned substantially in a common lateral plane relative to said longitudinal axis, wherein said body portion of said ferrule sleeve is mechanically affixed to said end portion, wherein said distal end of said cylindrical wall is chemically connected by a solid steel cap to said terminal ends of said wires, wherein said steel cap comprises an intermixture of molecules and atoms of said terminal ends of said wires with molecules and atoms of said distal end of said cylindrical wall of said ferrule sleeve, and wherein each said steel cap lies substantially laterally over said terminal ends of said wires and substantially laterally over said distal end of said ferrule sleeve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be further understood from the drawings herein wherein the figures are not drawn to scale or in consistent proportions and are intended to illustrate basic structure of the present invention, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a present steel wire choker cable (rope) wrapped around a log and having a ferrule fixed on each cable wire end portion of the cable by means of the present fusion method, and wherein a slider hook front (access side) of the slider body is shown partially in cross-section;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hook end of the cable of FIG. 1 prior to the fusion operation according to the present direction;

(4) FIG. 2A is a lateral cross-section of a typical choker cable;

(5) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hook end of the choker cable taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2 showing the present connection cap in the form of mushroomed cable strand ends which abutted the annular, distal end of the ferrule sleeve;

(6) FIG. 4 is an end view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3 and showing the radially and longitudinally bent cable wire ends being fused together and forming the connection cap overlying radially the distal end of the ferrule sleeve;

(7) FIG. 5 is a view as in FIG. 3 showing the welded monolithic form of the connection cap with adjacent distal portions of the ferrule sleeve end being fused into the connection cap along a fusion boundary;

(8) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the winch line end of the choker cable formed into an eye splice through which a winch cable link 45 is captured;

(9) FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 8 is a front view of the ferrule and cable access side of the slider hook with the slider hook body partially in cross-section, and with the ferrule and cable end portion nested within said body;

(11) FIG. 9 is a rear view of the slider hook body of FIG. 8;

(12) FIG. 10 is a lateral cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 9 with the cable end in place in the slider hook body; and

(13) FIG. 11 is a partially cross-sectional longitudinal view of the slider hook body taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(14) Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-7 of the drawings and with reference to the claims herein, the present choker cable 10 and ferrule sleeve 12 having a cable bore 35 and a preferably cylindrical wall 37 are as shown, wherein the distal sleeve cable wire 11 (strand) ends 14 prior to formation of the connection cap structure 18 extend longitudinally 52 outwardly of the distal end 20 of ferrule sleeve 12 preferably a distance of from about to about in. such that, depending on the width 22 of distal annular end 20 of ferrule sleeve 12, a substantial portion of the strand ends will overlie annular distal end 20 and be forcibly and permanently bent down against 20 by the mushrooming hammer forging forces applied against the heat softened strand ends 14. It is noted that the heat softened ends will become at least partially fused with adjoining (contiguous) wire ends due to the hammering (forging) forces applied thereto during the mushrooming operation and will result in a substantially solid, monolithic connection cap structure 18. Peripheral portions 19 of the cap will overlie distal end 20 of the ferrule sleeve and prevent the ferrule from sliding off the cable end. Cable 10 typically, e.g., as shown in FIG. 2A, comprises helically wound strands 24 of multiple steel wires 11 having a slider hook 32 slidably mounted on the cable between a hook end portion 30 and a winchline end portion 33 of the cable 10.

(15) As shown in FIG. 5, the steel welded cap 18 will create a fusion boundary such as 26 which will incorporate into the fused connector cap 18 the distal ends 14 of all wires 11, the distal end portions 20 of ferrule sleeve 12, and, e.g., a welding rod whereby the ferrule cannot slide off from the cable.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 8-11, the slider hook 32 comprises body 34 having a choker cable bore 41 and further having at said body access (front) side 47, a keyway shaped aperture 43 providing a ferrule access port 36 and a cable access slot 48. This slot is formed at its bottom portion as a short longitudinal ferrule socket 42 having rear wall portion 50 and a semi-annular shelf or cradle 40 on which the bottom or proximal end 49 of the ferrule abuts and prevents the ferrule from being dislocated from the slider hook as long as there is tension on the winchline 44 which is secured to eye splice 51 by chain link 45.

(17) The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.