Device and method for producing a load bearing cable, as well as a load bearing cable

A device for producing an endless winding cable by winding at least one yarn around a first thimble and a second thimble that are provided at opposite ends of the cable, comprising;

• an elongated guide;
• a carriage movably connected to the elongated guide for movement of the carriage relative to the elongated guide in a length direction of the elongated guide;
• a first thimble holder and a second thimble holder connected to the elongated guide at a distance from one another, each designed to hold one of the first and second thimbles,
• a yarn feeder connected to the carriage, said yarn feeder comprising at least one spool holder for holding a spool with the at least one yarn, and an output guide for guiding the at least one yarn to the cable during winding,
• wherein the output guide and the first thimble holder, as well as the output guide and the second thimble holder, are movable relative to each other in at least a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the elongated guide for guiding the at least one yarn half a turnaround respectively the first thimble and the second thimble during winding,
• wherein the yarn feeder comprises at least one yarn brake for controlling a tension of the at least one yarn during winding,
• wherein the first thimble holder comprises a main frame and a sub-frame, wherein the main frame is connected to the elongated guide, the sub-frame is configured to hold one of the two thimbles, and the main frame and sub-frame are movably connected to one another for adjusting the distance between the first thimble and second thimble, and
• wherein the first thimble holder comprises an actuator for moving the main frame and the sub-frame with respect to one another, and a control which is operatively connected to the actuator, wherein the control is configured to decrease the distance between the first thimble and the second thimble after winding a previous layer of yarns and the relevant half turn around the first or the second thimble, such that a yarn tension in a subsequent layer of turns of the at least one yarn is higher than a yarn tension in previous layers of turns of the at least one yarn.

A method for producing an endless winding cable, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first thimble and a second thimble at a predetermined distance from one another, which distance corresponds to a required cable length,
• providing at least one yarn,
• winding the at least one yarn from the first thimble to the second thimble, a half turn around the second thimble, back to the first thimble, and a half turn around the first thimble,
• repeating the previous step until a predetermined number of layers of yarn turns is provided in both the first thimble and the second thimble, corresponding to a required cable thickness, wherein
• a tension of the at least one yarn which is fed to a subsequent layer is controlled during winding so that tension of the subsequent layer of yarn turns is greater than is tension of previous layers of yarn turns.

A method for producing an endless winding cable, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first thimble and a second thimble at a predetermined distance from one another, which distance corresponds to a required cable length,
• providing at least one yarn,
• winding the at least one yarn from the first thimble to the second thimble, a half turn around the second thimble, back to the first thimble, and a half turn around the first thimble,
• repeating the previous step until a predetermined number of layers of yarn turns is provided in both the first thimble and the second thimble, corresponding to a required cable thickness, and
• controlling a tension of the at least one yarn during winding wherein the predetermined distance between the first thimble and the second thimble is decreased after winding a previous layer of yarns and a respective half turn around the first or the second thimble, such that a yarn tension in a subsequent layer of turns of the at least one yarn is higher than yarn tension in a previous layer of turns of the at least one yarn.