High traction synthetic rope for powered blocks and methods

Abstract

A high traction synthetic rope comprising a braided sheath ( 8 ) adhered to a synthetic strength member ( 7 ) by means of a first synthetic portion ( 9 ) and portions of material ( 23 ) adhered to the outside surface of the braided sheath by means of a second synthetic portion ( 21 ), where the portions of material ( 23 ) are formed of a substance that differs from a substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion ( 21 ) and exhibits greater friction when wet or with greasy conditions and measured on an iron surface than does the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion. Also methods of manufacturing such a high traction synthetic rope are disclosed. The rope shows reliable traction on driven rotating elements during wet/greasy conditions.

1 . A synthetic rope ( 1 ) exhibiting improved traction comprising a strength member ( 7 ) formed mainly of fibers, a braided sheath ( 8 ) formed mainly of fibers, a first synthetic portion ( 9 ) joining the braided sheath to the outside surface of the strength member, a second synthetic portion ( 21 ) situated upon the outside surface of the braided sheath and joining at least to itself portions ( 23 ) of material formed of a substance that differs from a substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion, the portions of the material formed of a substance that differs from the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion exhibiting a greater friction when wet and measured on an iron surface in comparison with friction exhibited by the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion when wet and measured on the iron surface, thereby increasing traction of the synthetic rope and improving its safety of operation and its economy of operation. 
     
     
         2 . A method for forming a synthetic rope ( 1 ) exhibiting improved traction, the method comprising steps of:
 firstly, forming a strength member ( 7 );   secondly, situating an adhesive substance forming a first synthetic portion ( 9 ) about the outside surface of the strength member;   thirdly, forming a braided sheath ( 8 ) about the combination of the strength member and the adhesive substance forming the first synthetic portion;   fourthly, adhering to the outside surface of the braided sheath by means of a second adhesive substance forming a second synthetic portion ( 21 ) portions of material ( 23 ) formed of a substance that differs from a substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion, the method including steps of selecting for the portions of the material formed of a substance that differs from the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion a substance that exhibits a greater friction when wet and measured on an iron surface in comparison with friction exhibited by the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion when wet and measured on the iron surface, thereby increasing traction of the rope and improving its safety of operation and its economy of operation.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising additional steps of selecting a blending machine to blend together two or more substances that when set form a highly elastic substance and situating such blend of substances upon the outside surface of the strength member ( 7 ) to serve as the first synthetic portion ( 9 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising additional steps of selecting a set time for the blend of substances that is less than ninety minutes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising an additional step of selecting a temperature that is lesser than ninety degrees Celsius for a temperature of the blend of substances at a time that is within thirty seconds of when the blend of substances is situated upon the outside surface of the strength member ( 7 ). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising selecting a blending machine to blend together two or more substances that when set form a highly elastic substance and situating such blend of substances upon the outside surface of the braided sheath ( 8 ) to serve as the second synthetic portion ( 21 ). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising additional steps of selecting a set time for the blend of substances that is less than ninety minutes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising an additional step of selecting a temperature that is lesser than ninety degrees Celsius for a temperature of the blend of substances at a time that is within thirty seconds of when the blend of substances is situated upon the outside surface of the braided sheath ( 8 ). 
     
     
         9 . A method for forming a synthetic rope ( 1 ) exhibiting improved traction, the method comprising steps of:
 firstly, forming a strength member ( 7 ) mainly of synthetic fibers;   secondly, forming a substance forming a first synthetic portion ( 9 ) about the outside surface of the strength member, where the substance forming the first synthetic portion is capable of exhibiting during its set phase a first elastic substance capable of affixing the strength member to a braided sheath formed about the outside of the strength member;   thirdly, forming a braided sheath ( 8 ) mainly of synthetic fibers and about the combination of the strength member and the substance forming the first synthetic portion;   fourthly, causing to be formed upon the outside surface of the braided sheath a combination of a substance forming a second synthetic portion and a third substance, the method further including steps: of selecting for the substance forming the second synthetic portion a substance that when in its set phase forms an elastic substance thereby forming a second elastic substance; selecting for the third substance a substance that differs from the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion and that is capable of exhibiting during a set phase of the third substance a substance exhibiting a greater friction when wet and measured on an iron surface in comparison with a friction exhibited by a set phase of the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion when wet and measured on the iron surface; further selecting for the substance forming the second synthetic portion a substance that upon setting of a non-solid phase of the substance forming the second synthetic portion forms an elastic substance capable of serving as a connector that holds the portions of material ( 23 ) both to the substance forming the second synthetic portion as well as to the outside surface of the braided sheath; the method further including steps of setting at least the substance forming the first synthetic portion and the substance forming the second synthetic portion; the method further including steps of selecting the set phase of the third substance as final phase of the third substance in the finished rope produced by the method, the third substance thereby forming the portions of material ( 23 ) formed of a substance that exhibits a greater friction when wet and measured on an iron surface in comparison with friction exhibited by the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion when wet and measured on the iron surface, thereby providing for a synthetic strength member containing rope having light weight in comparison to steel wire rope and less ability to store kinetic energy in comparison to steel wire rope while also thereby increasing traction of the synthetic strength member containing rope and improving its safety of operation and its economy of operation.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  where the method includes further steps of introducing non-solid portions of material forming the third substance to the second synthetic portion during either non-solid or set phases of the second synthetic portion, followed by setting at least the non solid portions of material that were contacted to the surface of the second synthetic portion into the portions of material ( 23 ), thereby permitting the final high traction synthetic rope of the present disclosure to exhibit an outside surface including both the set phase of the second synthetic portion as well as the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  where the method includes further steps of introducing non-solid portions of material that are capable of setting into the portions of material ( 23 ) into a non-set phase of the substance that sets to form the set phase of the second synthetic portion, where the non-solid phase of the portions of material that set to form the portions of material ( 23 ) are not solved into the non-set phase of the second synthetic portion, followed by steps of setting both the third substance and the substance forming the second synthetic substance thereby permitting the final high traction synthetic rope of the present disclosure to exhibit an outside surface including both the set phase of the second synthetic portion as well as portions of material that are distinct from the set phase of the second synthetic portion and are the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ), thereby permitting the final high traction synthetic rope of the present disclosure to exhibit an outside surface including both the set phase of the second synthetic portion as well as the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  where the method includes further steps of selecting to introduce a set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ) into a non set phase of the second synthetic portion after forming the second synthetic portion about the outside surface of the braided sheath, thereby permitting the final high traction synthetic rope of the present disclosure to exhibit an outside surface including both the set phase of the second synthetic portion as well as the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  where the method includes further steps of selecting to introduce a set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ) into a non set phase of the second synthetic portion so as to form a mixture including the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ) and the non-set phase of the second synthetic portion prior to forming the second synthetic portion about the outside surface of the braided sheath, followed by selecting to form about the outside surface of the braided sheath the mixture of the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ) and the non-set phase of the second synthetic portion, thereby permitting the final high traction synthetic rope of the present disclosure to exhibit an outside surface including both the set phase of the second synthetic portion as well as the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  where the method includes further steps of selecting to introduce a set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ) into a set phase of the second synthetic portion after forming the second synthetic portion about the outside surface of the braided sheath and affixing the portions of material ( 23 ) to the second synthetic portion, thereby permitting the final high traction synthetic rope of the present disclosure to exhibit an outside surface including both the set phase of the second synthetic portion as well as the set phase of the portions of material ( 23 ). 
     
     
         15 . A method for forming a synthetic rope ( 1 ) exhibiting improved traction, the method comprising steps of:
 firstly, forming a strength member ( 7 ) mainly of synthetic fibers;   secondly, situating a substance forming a first synthetic portion ( 9 ) about the outside surface of the strength member, where the substance forming the first synthetic portion is capable of setting to form an elastic substance capable of adhering the strength member to a braided sheath formed about the outside of the strength member;   thirdly, forming a braided sheath ( 8 ) mainly of synthetic fibers and about the combination of the strength member and the adhesive substance forming the first synthetic portion;   fourthly, situating upon the outside surface of the braided sheath surrounding the strength member a combination of a non-solid substance forming a second synthetic portion and non-liquid substance, the method further including steps: of selecting for the non-solid substance a substance that when set forms an elastic substance; selecting for the non-liquid substance portions of material ( 23 ) formed of a substance that differs from a substance mainly forming the non-solid substance; further selecting for the non-solid substance an adhesive substance that upon setting of the non-solid substance forms the elastic substance forming the second synthetic portion while also affixing the portions of material ( 23 ) both to the elastic substance forming the second synthetic portion as well as to the outside surface of the braided sheath; the method further including steps of selecting for the portions of material ( 23 ) a material formed of a substance that exhibits a greater friction when wet and measured on an iron surface in comparison with friction exhibited by the substance mainly forming the second synthetic portion when wet and measured on the iron surface, thereby providing for a synthetic strength member containing rope having light weight in comparison to steel wire rope and less ability to store kinetic energy in comparison to steel wire rope while also thereby increasing traction of the rope and improving its safety of operation and its economy of operation.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2  where the method further includes steps of selecting a treatment being selected from group consisting of: plasma treatment; electrical arching; sputtering; and corona treatment, to facilitate affixing a set phase of any of the synthetic substances included in the rope to any other item forming the rope. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of providing a strength member further includes additional steps of:
 selecting to form the strength member mainly of synthetic fibers that are able to be creeped and of a braided construction; 
 providing a thermoplastic linear element that mainly is formed with a thermoplastic capable of exhibiting a flowable phase when such thermoplastic is at a temperature that is a temperature that is more than eight degrees C. below a temperature at which the selected fibers experience a phase change (and more preferably at least ten degrees lesser, yet more preferably at least fifteen degrees lesser than and yet even more preferably at least nineteen degrees lesser than such temperature at which the selected fibers experience a phase change); 
 forming a flow-shield sheath around the thermoplastic rod; 
 subjecting the braided strength member that is formed around the thermoplastic rod surrounded by the flow-shield sheath first to tension and subsequently to heat, while maintaining tension, in such a fashion and under such conditions so as to permit permanently elongating both the fibers forming the strength member and the strength member itself; 
 selecting for the heat a temperature that is not within 8 degrees C. of a temperature at which fibers mainly forming the synthetic strength member undergo a phase change and that also is a temperature that when stretching the rope is a temperature that is sufficient to cause permanent elongation of both the strength member as well as the fibers mainly forming the strength member; 
 cooling the strength member having been elongated to a predetermined amount as well as the thermoplastic core while maintaining sufficient tension applied to the strength member during the cooling process so that both at least the strength member and the thermoplastic core are cooled to their respective solid states while under a tension that results in the cooled fibers as well as the cooled strength member having been permanently compacted so as to cause the produced strength member of the instant disclosure to exhibit less lateral deformation when subject to a certain tension and when deployed against a hard working surface of a traction winch and/or drum winch than is exhibited in such same circumstances by a known steel wire rope. 
 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9  where the method further includes steps of selecting a treatment being selected from group consisting of: plasma treatment; electrical arching; sputtering; and corona treatment, to facilitate affixing a set phase of any of the synthetic substances included in the rope to any other item forming the rope. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  where the method further includes steps of selecting a treatment being selected from group consisting of: plasma treatment; electrical arching; sputtering; and corona treatment, to facilitate affixing a set phase of any of the synthetic substances included in the rope to any other item forming the rope. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of providing a strength member further includes additional steps of:
 selecting to form the strength member mainly of synthetic fibers that are able to be creeped and of a braided construction; 
 providing a thermoplastic linear element that mainly is formed with a thermoplastic capable of exhibiting a flowable phase when such thermoplastic is at a temperature that is a temperature that is more than eight degrees C. below a temperature at which the selected fibers experience a phase change (and more preferably at least ten degrees lesser, yet more preferably at least fifteen degrees lesser than and yet even more preferably at least nineteen degrees lesser than such temperature at which the selected fibers experience a phase change); 
 forming a flow-shield sheath around the thermoplastic rod; 
 subjecting the braided strength member that is formed around the thermoplastic rod surrounded by the flow-shield sheath first to tension and subsequently to heat, while maintaining tension, in such a fashion and under such conditions so as to permit permanently elongating both the fibers forming the strength member and the strength member itself; 
 selecting for the heat a temperature that is not within 8 degrees C. of a temperature at which fibers mainly forming the synthetic strength member undergo a phase change and that also is a temperature that when stretching the rope is a temperature that is sufficient to cause permanent elongation of both the strength member as well as the fibers mainly forming the strength member; 
 cooling the strength member having been elongated to a predetermined amount as well as the thermoplastic core while maintaining sufficient tension applied to the strength member during the cooling process so that both at least the strength member and the thermoplastic core are cooled to their respective solid states while under a tension that results in the cooled fibers as well as the cooled strength member having been permanently compacted so as to cause the produced strength member of the instant disclosure to exhibit less lateral deformation when subject to a certain tension and when deployed against a hard working surface of a traction winch and/or drum winch than is exhibited in such same circumstances by a known steel wire rope. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of providing a strength member further includes additional steps of:
 selecting to form the strength member mainly of synthetic fibers that are able to be creeped and of a braided construction; 
 providing a thermoplastic linear element that mainly is formed with a thermoplastic capable of exhibiting a flowable phase when such thermoplastic is at a temperature that is a temperature that is more than eight degrees C. below a temperature at which the selected fibers experience a phase change (and more preferably at least ten degrees lesser, yet more preferably at least fifteen degrees lesser than and yet even more preferably at least nineteen degrees lesser than such temperature at which the selected fibers experience a phase change); 
 forming a flow-shield sheath around the thermoplastic rod; 
 subjecting the braided strength member that is formed around the thermoplastic rod surrounded by the flow-shield sheath first to tension and subsequently to heat, while maintaining tension, in such a fashion and under such conditions so as to permit permanently elongating both the fibers forming the strength member and the strength member itself; 
 selecting for the heat a temperature that is not within 8 degrees C. of a temperature at which fibers mainly forming the synthetic strength member undergo a phase change and that also is a temperature that when stretching the rope is a temperature that is sufficient to cause permanent elongation of both the strength member as well as the fibers mainly forming the strength member; 
 cooling the strength member having been elongated to a predetermined amount as well as the thermoplastic core while maintaining sufficient tension applied to the strength member during the cooling process so that both at least the strength member and the thermoplastic core are cooled to their respective solid states while under a tension that results in the cooled fibers as well as the cooled strength member having been permanently compacted so as to cause the produced strength member of the instant disclosure to exhibit less lateral deformation when subject to a certain tension and when deployed against a hard working surface of a traction winch and/or drum winch than is exhibited in such same circumstances by a known steel wire rope.