Chafe protected rope and protective cover therefore

Abstract

A protective cover for rope and an assembly of the protective cover installed on a rope. The protective cover has a fabric sleeve with a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end. One or more tethers are attached to and extend from proximate at least one of the sleeve ends. The one or more tethers provide resistance to motion of the sleeve relative to an underlying rope because the one or more tethers are interlaced with the strands of the rope. The one or more tethers are interlaced along a sufficient length of rope, with a sufficient number of tucks that the strands of the rope, under tension, will clamp upon the one or more tethers. The friction between the one or more tethers and the strands prevent movement of the cover or the tethers relative to the rope.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A protective cover for a rope, comprising:
 a) a fabric sleeve having a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end; and   b) one or more tethers attached proximate to and extending from at least one of the sleeve ends, the one or more tethers of such length, of such number, and so configured as to interlace with the rope for collectively maintaining a position of the cover along the rope when the rope is under tension.   
     
     
         2 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises: at least one of the one or more tethers attached to the sleeve proximate to each of the sleeve ends. 
     
     
         3 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is separable along at least a portion of the length thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , further comprising;
 a partial fabric loop having a first loop end and a second loop end, each loop end attached to the sleeve proximate to the first sleeve end.   
     
     
         5 . The protective cover according to  claim 4 , wherein the loop is separable along the length of the loop. 
     
     
         6 . The protective cover according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more tethers is attached to the sleeve proximate to the first sleeve end. 
     
     
         7 . The protective cover according to  claim 4 , wherein one or more tethers is also attached to the loop proximate to each of the loop ends and configured to extend toward the sleeve for being interlaced with a portion of the rope encircled by the sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The protective cover according to  claim 4 , wherein the cover further comprises a second partial loop attached to the second sleeve end. 
     
     
         9 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more tethers is at least one full fid in length, where the rope diameter is determined at the thinnest portion thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises an abrasion resistant fabric selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene, high molecular weight aramid, nylon, or ballistic nylon. 
     
     
         11 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is tapered, wherein a diameter of the sleeve at the first sleeve end is different than a diameter of the sleeve in a direction toward the second sleeve end. 
     
     
         12 . The protective cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is the shape of a partial loop configured for protecting an eye portion formed at the end of the rope. 
     
     
         13 . A rope assembly for lifting, hauling, winching, towing, or rigging heavy loads under harsh conditions, the assembly comprising:
 a rope comprising a plurality of braided, twisted, or linked components; and   a protective cover encircling at least a portion of the rope, the cover comprising:
 a) a fabric sleeve having a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end; and 
 b) one or more tethers attached to and extending from proximate at least one of the sleeve ends, the one or more tethers interlaced with the components of the rope to collectively maintain the position of the cover along the rope when the rope is under tension. 
   
     
     
         14 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the cover further comprises: at least one of the one or more tethers attached to the sleeve proximate to each of the sleeve ends and interlaced with the components of the rope. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve is separable along at least a portion of the length thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the rope further comprises:
 an eye formed by at least one end of the rope, resulting in the rope having an eye portion, a splice portion and a tail portion; and   
       wherein the cover further comprises:
 a partial fabric loop having a first loop end and a second loop end, each loop end attached to the sleeve proximate to the first sleeve end, the loop at least partially closed around the eye portion of the rope. 
 
     
     
         17 . The assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the loop is separable along the length of the loop to allow removal of the eye portion. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the one or more tethers is attached to the sleeve at a connection point proximate to the first sleeve end, said at least one tether extends from the connection point, through the eye portion of the rope and is interlaced along the splice portion of the rope in a direction toward the second sleeve end. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein one or more tethers is also attached to the loop proximate to each of the loop ends, said tethers attached proximate to the loop ends extending into the sleeve and being interlaced with the splice portion of the rope, the splice portion being encircled by the sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the sleeve at least partially surrounds the splice portion and the tail portion of the rope, the diameter of the sleeve being tapered to conform with the rope. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the rope further comprises:
 an eye formed at each end thereof; and   the protective cover comprises a pair of protective covers, each cover comprising:
 a) a sleeve having a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end; 
 b) a partial loop having a first loop end and a second loop end, each loop end attached to the sleeve proximate to the first sleeve end, the loop at least partially closed around a respective eye of the rope; and 
 c) the one or more tethers comprising:
 i) at least one first tether attached to the sleeve at a first connection point proximate to the first sleeve end, the at least one first tether extending from the connection point, through the respective eye of the rope and being interlaced along the rope in a direction toward the second sleeve end; 
 ii) at least one second sleeve tether attached to the sleeve proximate to the second sleeve end and interlaced with the rope in a direction away from the first sleeve end; and 
 iii) at least one third tether attached to the loop proximate to each of the loop ends, the third tethers extending into the sleeve and being interlaced with a portion of the rope encircled by the sleeve. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein the second sleeve ends of each protective cover abuts or overlaps one another. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly according to  claim 22 , wherein the at least one second tether of each protective cover extending into the sleeve of the other protective cover. 
     
     
         24 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the rope further comprises:
 an eye formed by each end of the rope, resulting in the rope having a pair of eye portions, a pair of splice portions and a tail portion between the splice portions; and   
       wherein the cover further comprises:
 a pair of partial loops, each partial loop having a first loop end and a second loop end, each partial loop attached to a respective sleeve end and at least partially closed around a respective eye portion of the rope; and 
 at least one of the one or more tethers attached to the sleeve at a connection point proximate to each sleeve end, each at least one tether extending from the respective connection point, through the respective eye portion of the rope and being interlaced along the respective splice portion of the rope in a direction toward an opposite sleeve end. 
 
     
     
         25 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein each tether is interlaced with the rope based on the ratio:
   under two strands:over one strand.   
     
     
         26 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the components are formed from a synthetic material selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, nylon, or ballistic nylon. 
     
     
         27 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the elongated sleeve is shaped as a partial loop for protection of an eye portion formed at the end of the rope.