Method for impregnating and coating wire rope

A method for continuously impregnating and encapsulating a wire rope with a polymeric material formed from at least two reactive components which when mixed together and sufficiently heated react rapidly and chemically to form a curable liquid polymeric material, said method comprising the steps of:

• separately introducing each component into a mixing unit, and transferring the component mixture into an injection die at a pressure of 20-50 psi and a temperature at which a rapid reaction of the components of the component mixture does not occur;
• preheating the wire rope to a temperature sufficient to initiate reaction of the components;
• introducing the preheated wire rope into the injection die in contact with the component mixture, the component mixture being heated upon contacting the wire rope and rapidly reacting to form a liquid polymer;
• and
• continuously impregnating spaces within the wire rope and encapsulating the outer surface of the wire rope with the liquid polymer as the wire rope passes through the injection die, the liquid polymer thereafter curing to form an impregnated, encapsulated wire rope.

An impregnated, encapsulated wire rope comprising:

• a core;
• a plurality of strands laid around said core to form a wire rope having an outer surface and spaces between the core and strands and between adjacent strands;
• and
• a cured polymeric material filling the spaces and coating the outer surface of the wire rope, the cured polymeric material being formed by the reaction of at least two components which when mixed together and sufficiently heated react chemically and rapidly to form a curable liquid polymeric material that penetrates the spaces and cures in a radially outward direction such that the liquid polymer in the spaces cures before the liquid polymer adjacent the outer surface of the wire rope, the liquid polymeric material providing a cushion around the core and strands to equalize stress within the wire rope and support the strands in positions established during stranding and rope closing.