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US 4,550,559 AGranted
Cables and process for forming cables
AssigneeCable Belt Limited
InventorIan M. Thomson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cable comprises at least one layer of strands (10) with each strand covered with an individual sheath (20) of rubber or plastics material. The sheaths are so shaped (16, 17, 18) that the sheaths of adjacent strands interlock. This provides a layer in which the strands have a generally fixed spatial relationship both to each other and within the cable. This reduces inter-strand forces, so increasing cable life, and also provides a dimensionally stable cable.
Claims25
A cable comprising:
- at least one layer of strands twisted together,
- each strand of said at least one layer being of circular cross-section and being formed of a plurality of elements twisted together,
- each strand of said at least one layer being covered with an individual sheath of a plastics or rubber material,
- at least some of said individual sheaths being of non-circular cross-section prior to the twisting of said at least one layer such that the sheaths of adjacent strands interlock to provide a layer in which the sheaths provide the circular strands with a generally fixed spatial relationship both to each other and within the cable.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing a cable comprising:
- twisting a plurality of elements together to form strands of circular cross-section,
- covering a plurality of of said strands with individual sheaths of a plastics or rubber material of non-circular cross-section,
- each sheath being so shaped as to be inter-engageable with the sheaths of other strands of the same layer and then,
- twisting the strands together to form the cable or a layer of the cable, adjacent strands in a layer being arranged with their sheaths interlocked to provide a layer in which the sheaths provide the circular strands with a generally fixed spatial inter-relationship both to each other and within the cable.
1 more element
A cable comprising:
- a layer of strands twisted together, each strand of said layer being formed of a plurality of longitudinally extending elements,
- means for fixing the strands in spatial relationship both to each other and within the cable including an individual sheath of a plastics or rubber material covering each strand, certain of said sheaths having a non-circular cross section as formed extending spirally along the strand before twisting of the strands into the cable, side surfaces of sheaths of adjacent strands in the cable being in face to face inter-engagement to interlock the strands, and the outer surfaces of adjacent sheaths forming a substantially continuous outer cable surface.
A method of manufacturing a cable comprising the steps of:
- (a) taking a plurality of load-bearing elements,
- (b) forming from said elements, a plurality of strands,
- (c) covering at least some of said strands with an individual sheath which is of plastics or rubber material, and which is non-circular in cross-section,
- (d) during said covering step, extending each non-circular individual sheath in a spiral along the associated strand,
- (e) twisting said spirally sheathed strands into a cable with the hand of twist of said strands being the same as the hand of the spiral sheaths, the non-circular cross-section of the sheaths interlocking the sheaths in the cable so that the sheaths provide the strands with a generally fixed spatial relationship both to each other and within the cable.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.