Autonomous cable lasher comprising lashing wire dispensers that apply opposed radial force components

An autonomous cable lasher for winding at least two lashing wires around a number of cables to attach them to each other, comprising:

• a carriage defining a longitudinal axis, the carriage for riding at least one of the cables in a direction that is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis, comprising:
• a carriage frame;
• a drive mechanism carried by the carriage frame, for autonomously driving the carriage frame along the at least one of the cables;
• a power source for powering the drive mechanism;
• and
• a drive controller that controls the drive mechanism;
• a low mass lashing apparatus comprising:
• a lashing apparatus frame rotatably mounted to the carriage frame and rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the carriage frame;
• at least one lashing wire magazine carried by the lashing apparatus, for carrying a reserve of the at least two wires therein;
• and
• at least two lashing wire dispensers each for dispensing a corresponding one of the at least two lashing wires from the at least one magazine about the cables in a helical winding pattern as the cable lasher moves along the longitudinal axis and the lashing apparatus rotates to attach the cables to each other;
• a channel for receiving the cables, about which the carriage and the lashing apparatus are disposed and extending along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a lashing apparatus actuator carried by the carriage frame, that rotates the lashing apparatus frame when the cable lasher moves along the longitudinal axis;
• wherein the lashing apparatus actuator actuates the lashing apparatus frame directly without acting on the at least two lashing wire dispensers, and wherein the at least two wire lashing wire dispensers are disposed about the longitudinal axis for having the at least two lashing wires dispensed thereby apply a radial resultant force component on the carriage frame through the lashing apparatus frame that is less than each of the individual radial force components applied by the two lashing wires.