Corrosion resistant termination connector for steel wire rope/minesweeping cable
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorJames E. Sovel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A corrosion resistant termination connector for connecting to a steel wire rope and a modular fitting for use on a magnetic influence minesweeping cable is provided. The connector body is made of a high strength composite material, and has a common channel. The body has three sections: A ribbed annular stem, an abutment band with uniform edges for forming sealing occlusions, and an externally threaded spelter socket with a conical channel. Strands of the wire rope are splayed and adhesively joined with a mixture of thermosetting resins forming a conical wedge that secures the rope within the conical channel. The modular fitting is screwed on the elongate socket section, and includes a pin with a thimble. A molded insular cover seals the steel wire rope and the ribbed stem.
Claims21
A termination connector for a steel strand rope having a thickness, said termination connector comprising:
- a connector body with a common channel, wherein said connector body is composed of a high strength composite material, and wherein said connector body has a first section comprising a ribbed annular stem with a circular entrance port having a cross-sectional diameter that is larger than the thickness of the steel rope, a second section having a widening channel and an abutment band, and a third section comprising an elongate externally threaded spelter socket with a fully widened conical channel;
- wherein said abutment band has first and second edges, each of said first and second edges having a smooth surface and uniform edges for creating sealing occlusions;
- wherein said ribbed annular stem, said entrance port, said abutment band, said widening channel, and said conical channel are axially aligned;
- and
- wherein a connection with the steel strand rope is formed by threading the steel rope through the entrance port of the first section, past the second section and into the fully widened conical channel of the third section, where the strands of the rope are splayed within the conical channel of the spelter socket, such that on adding a reactive liquid mixture of thermosetting resins to the spelter socket the strands of the steel strand rope are adhered into a solid conical mass as the thermosetting resins cure.
A magnetic influence minesweeping cable having a termination connector, comprising:
- a connector body with a common channel, wherein said connector body is composed of a high strength composite material, and wherein said connector body has
- (i) a first section comprising a ribbed annular stem with a circular entrance port having a cross-sectional diameter that is larger than the thickness of the steel rope,
- (ii) a second section having a widening channel and an abutment band, wherein said abutment band has first and second edges, each of said first and second edges having a smooth surface and uniform edges for creating sealing occlusions, and
- (iii) a third section comprising an elongate externally threaded spelter socket with a fully widened conical channel, wherein said ribbed annular stem, said entrance port, said abutment band, said widening channel, and said conical channel are axially aligned;
- a steel strand rope comprising a plurality of steel strands, said steel strand rope having an end threaded through said entrance port of said first section, through said second section and into said conical channel of said third section, wherein the ends of said steel strands are splayed within said fully widened conical channel;
- and
- a thermosetting resin disposed within said conical channel and encompassing said splayed ends of said steel strands, thus forming a solid conical mass when said resin cures into a solid state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.