Abstract:
An inflatable rope comprises three layers, a bladder, a sheath, and a fitted, perforated plastic bag to keep the inflatable rope in a compressed form. The compressed form can be hurled through the air at great distance to a person overboard. The inflatable rope can be inflated to a size that eases the ability of the person, who has lost dexterity in frigid water, to hold on to it for rescuing.
Abstract:
A method for the direct measurement of large strains in ropes in situ using a plastic optical fiber, for example, perfluorocarbon or polymethyl methacrylate and Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer or other light time-of-flight measurement instrumentation. Protective sheaths and guides are incorporated to protect the plastic optical fiber. In one embodiment, a small rope is braided around the plastic optical fiber to impose lateral compressive forces to restrain the plastic optical fiber from slipping and thus experience the same strain as the rope. Methods are described for making reflective interfaces along the length of the plastic optical fiber and to provide the capability to measure strain within discrete segments of the rope. Interpretation of the data allows one to calculate the accumulated strain at any point in time and to determine if the rope has experienced local damage.
Abstract:
An electrical cable having a holding member arranged within the cable for an optic fiber, which can be used for temperature sensing and/or communications. The holding member can replace one or more strands of the cable, be placed inside an interstice of the cable, be placed in between various layers of the cable, or placed in the jacket of the cable. If desired a strength member may be adjacent to and/or attached to the holding member to provide additional protection for the optic fiber. The cable can be produced through the addition of a planetary strander device to a wire assembly apparatus.
Abstract:
In order to improve visibility and hence to reduce the risk of accidents, a rope, for example a wire rope, is equipped with a number of luminous elements. A luminous element may in this case assume the position of a wire or of a braid, may be integrated in an insert, or may be guided in the spaces between wires or braids and preferably within the theoretical rope circumference. The luminous element may also itself be composed of luminous elements which are twisted together, are twisted or are laid. For strain relief, the luminous elements may be equipped with a reinforcement in the form of a strand, or with a mesh. The luminous element is intended to be connected to a source. In the state when it is fed, the luminous element is actively luminous. Owing to the improved visibility, rope lights may be used not only for a safety function but also for an aesthetic appearance.
Abstract:
A method of stranding profiled strands comprises the steps of stranding a plurality of profiled strands (7) together around an optical fiber conductor or cable (2) which serves as a central core while imparting twist to each profiled strand by the use of a rigid type stranding machine, and then heat-treating the strands (7) along with the optical fiber conductor or cable (2) so as to remove strains or stress from the heat treated strands.
Abstract:
An armored optical cable and process of manufacturing is described. The armored optical cable exhibits minimal inelastic elongation in response to tension at elevated temperatures and is capable of withstanding harsh ambient conditions. The armored optical cable is fabricated in a unitary operation with a central bundle of one handedness surrounded by at least one outer armor layer of opposite handedness substantially torque balanced to the handedness of the central bundle.
Abstract:
A jacket for a load-bearing, lengthy body, wherein the jacket is comprised of a plurality of braid elements which, when braided, enclose at least a portion of the lengthy body, and wherein the braid element is comprised of a braided ribbon. A method of forming the jacket is also described.
Abstract:
A cable 1 comprises a first thimble 2 and a second thimble 4, at least one yarn 6, and at least a first conductive fiber 8 for monitoring the cable 1. The yarn 6 extends from the first thimble 2 to the second thimble 4, turns around the second thimble 4, extends from the second thimble 4 to the first thimble 2, and turns around the first thimble 2. Each thimble holds a stack 9 of layers 10 of turns of the yarn 6. The first conductive fiber 8 is designed to signal the wear of the yarn 6 by breaking after a predetermined portion of the turns of the yarn 6 breaks. The first conductive fiber 8 is positioned at the first thimble 2 between the turns of the yarn 6 at less than 50% of the stack height h.
Abstract:
In a rope of a lifting device, particularly of a passenger transport elevator and/or freight transport elevator, the width of which rope is greater than the thickness in the transverse direction of the rope, which rope includes a load-bearing part in the longitudinal direction of the rope, which load-bearing part includes carbon-fiber reinforced, aramid-fiber reinforced and/or glass-fiber reinforced composite material in a polymer matrix, and which rope includes one or more optical fibers and/or fiber bundles in connection with the load-bearing part and the optical fiber and/or fiber bundle is laminated inside the load-bearing part and/or the optical fiber and/or fiber bundle is glued onto the surface of the load-bearing part and/or and that the optical fiber and/or fiber bundle is embedded or glued into the polymer envelope surrounding the load-bearing part, as well as to a condition monitoring method for the rope of a lifting device.
Abstract:
A cable 1 comprises a first thimble 2 and a second thimble 4, at least one yarn 6, and at least a first conductive fibre 8 for monitoring the cable 1. The yarn 6 extends from the first thimble 2 to the second thimble 4, turns around the second thimble 4, extends from the second thimble 4 to the first thimble 2, and turns around the first thimble 2. Each thimble holds a stack 9 of layers 10 of turns of the yarn 6. The first conductive fibre 8 is designed to signal the wear of the yarn 6 by breaking after a predetermined portion of the turns of the yarn 6 breaks. The first conductive fibre 8 is positioned at the first thimble 2 between the turns of the yarn 6 at less than 50% of the stack height h.