AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant(s): ONESTEEL WIRE PTY LIMITED Invention Title: DRAGLINE ROPE FERRULE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: -2 Dragline Rope Ferrule Technical Field Disclosed is a ferrule for a dragline rope, as well as a method for attaching the 5 ferrule to the rope, and a dragline rope comprising the ferrule. The ferrule finds particular, though not exclusive, application in relation to dragline dump ropes, and will in part be described in this context. However, it is to be appreciated that the ferrule can be employed on hoist ropes and drag ropes in a dragline. The ferrule may also be employed on other steel wire ropes that are used in both mining and civil engineering 10 applications, such as where a high degree of ferrule-to-rope securement is required. Background Art Large capacity mining draglines subject a dragline bucket to enormous forces and loads. Ropes (also referred to as "cables") are employed in draglines to control the 15 various movements of the bucket, and accordingly experience extreme and rapid wear, especially at the sheaves in components of the dragline. For example, hoist ropes may need to be replaced every 3-6 months, drag ropes every 1-3 months and dump ropes every 1-2 weeks. Rope replacement is time consuming, with "downtime" of the dragline representing a significant cost in mining operations. 20 Minimizing the rope changeover time and improving rope integrity so as to decrease the incidence of ferrule-to-rope failure can each contribute to downtime reduction and improved operating cost and efficiency It is known to connect ferrules to wire ropes by a swaging method or a jaw pressing method. Such methods have been observed to provide sufficient securement 25 of the ferrule to the wire rope for a number of applications in which wire ropes may be employed. However, such methods are unlikely to provide sufficient securement of a ferrule to a wire rope for dragline conditions. US 2006/0160435 discloses a termination that is swaged to an end of e.g. a wire rope to enable the end to be provided with a loop or bolt. A coupler is secured to the 30 wire rope by a swaging operation. An open internally threaded end of the coupler is then able to receive therein an externally threaded proximal end of a connector that has e.g. a looped distal end or a bolt formation. 26/03/12 - 3 It is also known to force opposing ends of a loop of small diameter wire rope into the space that exists between a swaged termination and the wire rope to which the termination is swaged. The loop is for rope towing purposes and, because the loop is of small diameter wire, the loop is unable to provide any torsional or twisting resistance to 5 the rope in use. The above references to the background prior art do not constitute an admission that such art forms a part of the common and/or general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. The above references are also not intended to limit the application of the ferrule and method as disclosed herein. 10 Summary of the Disclosure Disclosed herein is a dragline rope ferrule that is adapted for being attached to a multi-stranded wound wire rope. A distal end of the ferrule is adapted for having a lug secured thereto. The lug is configured such that, when located in a connection socket of 15 a dragline assembly, it is able to maintain alignment of the ferrule in the socket. A primary function of the lug can be to maintain alignment of the ferrule when located in a connection socket. However, the lug may additionally allow for towing of the dragline rope into position in a dragline assembly. The maintaining of alignment may prevent e.g. rotational movement of the rope, whereby premature rope failure may 20 be prevented. In one embodiment the lug may be configured such that a bolt is able to be inserted through the lug (e.g. through an eye of the lug) to prevent the ferrule from rotating within the socket and thus the dragline rope from twisting thereat and from unraveling, which can lead to premature rope failure. The lug can therefore resist 25 torsional forces in use of the ferrule in a socket. The lug may be of metal plate such that it may prevent rotational movement of the ferrule within the socket in use. The lug may be secured to the ferrule distal end by being welded thereto. The distal end may be adapted such that the welding of the lug may take place after 30 attachment of the ferrule to the rope. For example, the distal end of the ferrule may comprise a shaping of the distal end so that, when the lug is welded to the distal end, the 26/03/12 - 4 weld bead does not protrude beyond a profile of the ferrule. The welded lug may extend between opposing sides of the ferrule distal end. In this regard, a method for manufacturing the ferrule may comprise attaching the ferrule to the dragline rope, and then securing the lug to the ferrule distal end. The 5 securement may be by welding, and the welded lug may extend between opposing sides of the ferrule distal end. Also disclosed herein is a dragline rope ferrule that is adapted for being attached to a multi-stranded wound wire rope. The ferrule comprises a body of metal. The body 10 is configured such that, during attachment to the rope, the metal is able flow along the rope. The configuration is also such that, once the ferrule is attached to the rope, a generally square ferrule end results at the rope end. Configuring the body in this way may eliminate subsequent machining steps that are otherwise required to remove excess metal at the ferrule and rope ends. The 15 configuring of the body may, for example, comprise optimising its dimensions and/or the volume of body material prior to attaching the ferrule to the rope, to ensure that a suitable amount of the body metal can flow along the rope and a generally square end can result. For example, in one embodiment, the body may be provided with an external 20 chamfer that is located at the body end that in use sits adjacent to the rope end prior to being attached to the rope (e.g. such as by die-pressing). The chamfer can provide a space to receive therein a flow of body metal that occurs along an outer portion of the ferrule during attachment (such as by die-pressing) whereby a generally square ferrule end without e.g. flashing can result. 25 Also disclosed herein is a dragline rope ferrule that is adapted for being attached to a multi-stranded wound wire rope. A body of the ferrule has a number of grooves or threads formed on its external surface. Optionally the body may have a number of grooves or threads formed on its internal surface. 30 The external grooves or threads can assist in the attaching of the ferrule to the wire rope. In this regard, they can receive and distribute a lubricant over the ferrule external surface. This can facilitate ferrule passage into and deformation by e.g. a die or 26/03/12 - 5 other press. The optional internal grooves or threads may be fine and may be formed on the internal surface prior to locating the ferrule over the rope. These grooves or threads can adapt the ferrule for interacting with a ferrule lining (e.g. a sleeve) of deformable material (i.e. by binding/securing together the ferrule and the lining during and after a 5 process of attaching to the rope). Also disclosed herein is a method for attaching a ferrule to a dragline rope. The method comprises locating the dragline rope in a die of a die-press. The method also comprises locating over the dragline rope a ferrule that is lined internally with a 10 deformable material. The method further comprises forcing the ferrule longitudinally through the die whereby the ferrule is caused to be internally expanded and be extruded back over the dragline rope. This deforms the lining directly against the dragline rope and attaches the ferrule to the dragline rope. Such a method has been optimised towards increasing the pull-off strength of 15 the ferrule in relation to a dragline rope (i.e. the force required to pull the ferrule off the rope). Increased pull-off strength means that the dragline rope is able to withstand higher forces when located in e.g. a dump socket, whereby the ferrule is less likely to be pulled off in use, thus decreasing the incidence of dragline rope failure caused by ferrule-to-rope failure. Also, an intact ferrule-to-rope attachment can better facilitate 20 rope changeover, whereby the intact ferrule can be more easily detached from e.g. a dump socket. These two factors contribute towards more dragline "uptime" (i.e. the dragline spends less non-operating downtime waiting for rope servicing and changeover). By deforming the lining directly against and into the dragline rope, the method 25 has been observed to provide the ferrule with a pull-off strength of up to 60 - 70% of the rope breaking force. This level of strength has been observed to be effective in reducing the incidence of dragline rope failure at the ferrule, thus increasing dragline uptime. In this regard, premature servicing due to ferrule pull-off can be avoided, with eventual rope wear (e.g. at the sheaves) instead being the cause for rope 30 servicing/replacement. 26/03/12 - 6 In one embodiment, prior to locating the ferrule over the rope, the ferrule external surface can be coated with a lubricant (e.g. an anti-friction coating) over the ferrule external surface, to facilitate ferrule passage into and deformation by a press. In one embodiment, a body of the ferrule is of metal (e.g. of a mild steel, such as 5 a low carbon, low manganese steel). In one embodiment, the dragline rope is a multi-stranded wound wire rope, with each strand defining a lay length. In such case the ferrule may be attached (e.g. by die pressing) to the rope so as to provide a ferrule length that is approximately 70% of the lay length. 10 In one embodiment the ferrule can be provided with a length that corresponds approximately to four times a diameter of the rope once the ferrule has been die-pressed to the rope. Optimising the ferrule length to the lay length of the dragline rope has been observed to contribute to increased ferrule pull-off strength. In one embodiment, the ferrule is attached to the dragline rope by a longitudinal 15 pressing (e.g. die-pressing) operation. In such a case, the ferrule and, when present, its lining can be caused to be more evenly extruded over and more significantly deformed against the dragline rope. This can bring the ferrule and its lining into more intimate contact with the rope, causing the ferrule and its lining to flow into the interstices/valleys between strands of the rope, as compared with jaw press/swaging 20 methodologies. This longitudinal pressing may also provide favourable pull-off results when compared to existing press methodologies used to attach ferrules to ropes in other fields. In one embodiment, the ferrule is located over the rope adjacent to but inset from an end thereof. A "rope-end" location is a usual (though not exclusive) ferrule 25 location and, when located at the rope end, the ferrule can assist with rope connection in the dragline (e.g. enabling the ferrule to be positioned in a dump socket). In one embodiment, the amount of ferrule inset adopted corresponds to an amount the ferrule is caused to be extruded back over the rope to its end during the longitudinal pressing of the ferrule to the rope (e.g. through a die). In other words, the 30 resultant dragline rope can comprise a ferrule that terminates at the rope end (providing a "square" end finish) rather than leaving an end of the rope exposed. An exposed rope end can otherwise cause handling issues, and be subject to damage and fraying etc. 26/03/12 In one embodiment, the ferrule can be forced through a die of a die-press by a mandrel that is initially arranged to oppose the die as well as an end of the ferrule. When the mandrel is advanced against the ferrule (e.g. by a hydraulic ram) to force it into the die, this can cause the ferrule to be internally expanded against and be extruded 5 back over the rope, with the ferrule external diameter reducing accordingly. In one embodiment, the body can comprise an internal annular constriction located at a body end that in use sits adjacent to the rope end (e.g. at an end that is engaged by a mandrel during die-pressing). The constriction can provide increased strength to the ferrule such that it better resists swelling and buckling resulting from the 10 compressive forces induced during attachment to the wire rope. In one embodiment, the ferrule body may be internally lined with a sleeve of metal. The metal of the sleeve may be of lower yield strength than the body metal. The metal of the sleeve may optionally comprise aluminium. The use of a deformable sleeve can allow the sleeve to deform against the dragline rope during attachment, to improve 15 the pull-off strength of the ferrule. In one embodiment, the sleeve may be flared at one end to facilitate insertion of the rope in the sleeve. The flaring (e.g. bell-mouthing) of the sleeve can improve the feeding of the rope into the ferrule/sleeve combination. Further, the flaring can help to prevent the sleeve from sliding during rope insertion and as the ferrule is being attached 20 to the rope. The flaring of the sleeve can also restrict the amount of sleeve insertion into the ferrule body prior to attaching, whereby the flared end may be retained at an open insertion end of body. In one embodiment, the sleeve can be adapted such that it terminates from an end of body, being that end of the ferrule which in use is located at or adjacent to an end 25 of the rope. This can prevent the sleeve from being "squeezed out" of the body during attachment to the wire rope. In one embodiment, during a process of attaching the ferrule to the wire rope (e.g. through a die), the sleeve may be caused to be forced against and e.g. be extruded back over the rope. When so extruded, the sleeve material can deform and flow into the 30 valleys of the rope, thereby improving the inter-engagement of the ferrule and the rope. 26/03/12 -8 Also disclosed herein is a dragline rope. The dragline rope comprises a die pressed ferrule thereon. It has been discovered that where a ferrule has been die-pressed to a dragline rope it has increased "pull-off' strength, and especially when compared to other ropes having comparable length ferrules secured thereto by known swaging or 5 jaw-pressing techniques. The ferrule may be die-pressed to the dragline rope in accordance with a method as set forth above. In one embodiment, when the dragline rope is of stranded wire (such as e.g. a 6 or 8 strand helically wound steel wire rope in which the strands extend around a core or 10 king wire) the resultant length of the die-pressed ferrule can be optimized to the specific lay length of the given rope (i.e. working towards an optimum length of ferrule in contact with each lay of strand). A primary use of the dragline rope can be as a dump rope, though the ferrule can be adapted for use with a drag rope and/or a hoist rope. 15 Also disclosed herein is a dragline rope ferrule that is adapted for being die pressed to a multi-stranded wound wire rope (e.g. a 6 or 8 strand helically wound steel wire rope extending around a core or king wire). Each such stand can define a lay length. The ferrule can be provided with a length that corresponds to a predetermined 20 proportion of the lay length, once the ferrule has been die-pressed to the rope. In this regard, the ferrule pull-off strength has been found to be related to the length of ferrule in proportion to the lay length (whereby an optimum length of ferrule in contact with each lay of strand is determined). For example, for helically wound wire rope, predetermining the ferrule length 25 such that it at least approximately corresponds to up to 70% of the lay length, results in a pull-off strength that is approximately 70% of the rope breaking force. It has been observed that a pull-off strength that is 70% of rope breaking force is sufficient for use in dragline rigging. However, it has also been observed that a ferrule length that is beyond 70% of the lay length can cause interference when fitting the rope into the 30 dragline rigging. It has also been observed that predetermining the ferrule length such that it at least approximately corresponds to four times a diameter of the rope results in an increased pull-off strength. 26/03/12 - 9 Again, the dragline rope ferrule that is adapted for being die-pressed to a wire rope can be as defined above. Brief Description of the Drawings 5 Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the ferrule and method as set forth in the Summary, specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side sectional view of an embodiment of a ferrule body as set forth in the Summary; 10 Figures 2 and 3 respectively show side and end views of an embodiment of a ferrule lining as set forth in the Summary; Figure 4 shows a ferrule comprising the assembled body and lining of Figures 1 to 3 having been die-pressed to the end of a dragline rope; Figures 5A to 5D respectively show side, plan, end and perspective views of a 15 second embodiment of a ferrule having been die-pressed to the end of a dragline rope; Figure 6 shows a schematic depiction of apparatus and a process for die pressing a ferrule to a dragline rope; Figures 7 and 8 respectively show plots of ferrule pull-off force (in kN) vs die press pressure (Fig. 7) and ferrule length (Fig. 8). 20 Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, a hollow ferrule body 10 and a ferrule insert sleeve 12 are shown. The sleeve is inserted into the body to define a ferrule assembly to be die-pressed to a dragline rope (the assembly is often simply referred to herein as a 25 "ferrule"). A primary use of the ferrule is in a dragline dump rope, though the ferrule can be readily adapted for use with a drag rope and/or a hoist rope in a dragline. Die-pressing the ferrule to the dragline rope increases pull-off strength (i.e. increases the force required to pull the ferrule off the rope). For example, die-pressing has been observed to increase the force required to pull the ferrule off the rope by up to 30 60 - 70% of the rope breaking force. This represents a significant increase when compared to existing ferrule-to-rope attachment methodologies (jaw-press and swaging). 26103/12 - 10 In use, the ferrule length is predetermined to approximately correspond to up to 70% of the lay length. As discussed below, this results in a pull-off strength that is approximately 70% of the rope breaking force, which is sufficient for use in dragline rigging. In use, the ferrule length can be predetermined to not go beyond 70% of the lay s length as this can cause interference when fitting the rope into the dragline rigging. In use, with such a pull-off strength, the ferrule is better able to withstand high forces at the sockets employed to connect the rope to the dragline components. This can decrease the incidence of rope "failure" due to ferrule-to-rope failure. Maintaining an intact ferrule-to-rope attachment can also facilitate rope changeover, in that it is rope 10 wear at the sheaves that eventually cause rope changeover, rather than rope failure at a socket. An intact ferrule-to-rope attachment also allows the ferrule to be readily and more easily detached from a socket (e.g. a dump socket). The ferrule is specifically, though not exclusively, adapted for being die-pressed to the dragline rope. In this regard, the ferrule body 10 of can be of an 15 extrudable/deformable metal, for example, a carbon steel alloy such as AISI 1020. In AISI 1020, the "10" designates a basic plain carbon steel and the "20" designates the approximate carbon content. For example, a suitable steel is a hot roll 1020 - which is a general purpose, mild, low-carbon, low-manganese machine steel with good overall, structural steel properties. This steel demonstrates high machineability capacity and 20 excellent welding characteristics. The sleeve comprises a metal of lower yield strength than the body metal, for example, aluminium. When die-pressed to a dragline rope of stranded wire (e.g. a 6 or 8 strand helically wound steel wire rope in which the strands extend around a core or king wire) the sleeve 12 is accordingly deformed and extruded to a greater extent than the 25 body 10, and thus tends to be squeezed and flows into the regions (valleys) between adjacent wire strands, thus better securing the ferrule to the rope. The sleeve can thus help increase the ferrule pull-off force (e.g. up towards 70% of the rope breaking force). An interior surface 14 of the body 10 can be provided therein (e.g. by a threading tool) with a number of fine grooves or threads, prior to locating the sleeve in 30 the body. Again, during die-pressing, the sleeve 12 is deformed and flows into the grooves/threads at surface 14, thus better binding/securing the ferrule body to the sleeve. 26/03/12 - 11 The sleeve 12 is flared (or bell-mouthed) 18 at one end. This initially restricts the amount of sleeve insertion into the ferrule body 10, whereby the flared end 18 is retained at the open insertion end 20 of body 10. The flaring also improves the feeding of the rope into the ferrule/sleeve combination, and further helps to prevent the insert 5 from sliding during rope insertion and as the ferrule is being die-pressed to the rope. Further, the hollow interior of the body 10 has an annular constriction 22 located adjacent to its opposing end 24 (i.e. the end that in use sits adjacent to the rope end). The annular constriction inside the ferrule provides an increased area for the mandrel to push against during die-pressing (see Figure 5). The annular constriction also reinforces 10 the end of the ferrule in order to prevent the ferrule from swelling and buckling before and as it enters the die (i.e. resulting from the compressive stresses that occur in the ferrule during the die-pressing operation). It has been observed that ferrules without such reinforcement can become jammed in the die. The annular constriction 22 also helps prevent the sleeve from sliding and being 15 "squeezed out" at end 24 as the ferrule is being die-pressed, such that a "clean", delimited end of the ferrule results. Further, the sleeve 12 is provided with a longitudinal passage 26 through its length. Thus, a sleeve diameter can be selected that requires a push-fit of the sleeve into the body 10, with the passage allowing the sleeve walls on either side of the passage to 20 flex, to allow the push-fit to occur. Once inserted, the sleeve again slightly expands within the hollow body to be frictionally retained therein, ready for use in the die pressing procedure. Prior to locating the ferrule over the rope, the ferrule body can also be provided with (e.g. by machining) a number of fine grooves or threads on its external surface 30. 25 These grooves can assist in the die-pressing process, in that they can receive and distribute a lubricant over the external surface 30, to facilitate ferrule deformation by, and passage into and through, the die. The external surface of the body is also chamfered 32 at the opposing end 24. The chamfer provides space for the flow of metal along the outer surface of the ferrule 30 during die-pressing (i.e. during die-pressing metal flows along the ferrule and fills the chamfer "void"). This reduces or eliminates flash at the end of the ferrule, which must 26/03/12 - 12 otherwise be ground smooth to eliminate safety concerns during subsequent handling of the ferrule. A square ferrule end thus results at the rope end. Prior to die-pressing, the ferrule assembly F is located over the rope adjacent to but inset from the rope end (see Figure 5). The amount of ferrule inset adopted (see 5 distance P in Figure 5) typically corresponds to an amount the ferrule is caused to be extruded back over the rope to its end during the forcing of the ferrule through the die. As shown in Figure 4, in the resultant dragline rope R the ferrule F terminates at the rope end E, rather than leaving an end of the rope exposed (which would otherwise be subject to damage and fraying, handling dangers, etc). 10 Referring now to Figures 5A to 5D, where like reference numerals are used to denote similar or like parts, a second embodiment of a ferrule F' is shown as having been attached to a dragline rope R', terminating at the rope end. The ferrule F' is similar in most respects to the ferrule F of Figures 1 to 4, and will not be redescribed. However, the ferrule F' differs in that a lug 50 has been secured to a distal end 15 E' of the ferrule. The lug 50 comprises an annular plate 52 and a loop 54 welded thereto. Typically the lug plate 52 is welded to the end of the ferrule after attachment. The lug 50 serves three purposes: 1. It allows for towing of the dragline rope into position in a dragline assembly. 2. It maintains alignment of the ferrule when it is located in a connection socket 20 (e.g. a dump socket) 3. It prevents the dragline rope from unravelling when e.g. a bolt is placed through the eye of the lug, by preventing rotational movement of the rope (i.e. rope unravelling can lead to premature rope failure). The distal end E of the ferrule F as shown in Figure 4 may still comprise a small 25 or residual chamfer-like region. Thus, when the lug is welded to the distal end, the weld bead can extend into this chamfer-like region so that the bead does not protrude beyond a profile of the ferrule, or only minimal machining is required. A flush finish as shown in Figure 5 can result. 30 Non-limiting examples of a ferrule-to-rope attachment procedure and testing methodology will now be provided. 26/03112 - 13 Example 1 - Die-pressing of Ferrule to a Dragline Rope A ferrule die-pressing procedure was employed, which adopted a methodology whereby an assembly of the ferrule and a dragline rope were pushed through a die with an interference fit. This was observed to effectively extrude the ferrule over the rope, 5 resulting in the ferrule being clamped to (deformed against) the rope. Referring to Figure 6, the die-press was set up as follows: 1. A dragline rope end was positioned through the die from the back (parallel) opening Ob, exiting through the front (tapered) opening Ot. The rope R was a multi 10 stranded wound wire rope of e.g. 6 or 8 wire strands, helically wound around a core or king wire. Each such strand defined a lay length, being the linear length of a rope portion corresponding to a strand having spiralled once around the rope circumference. 15 2. A ferrule F with its inside lined with the aluminium sleeve S was then slid over the rope end, leaving a calculated length of rope protruding P beyond the ferrule (as shown). This positioning allowed for deformation during the press, whereby the resultant deformed ferrule generally aligned with the rope end (see Figure 4). 20 3. Prior to locating the ferrule on the rope, the ferrule had an edge chamfered C on one of its ends (in-use outermost end). This chamfer functioned to allow the metal to flow and form a square end once the ferrule had been die-pressed to the rope. 4. The outer surface of the ferrule was coated with a special lubricant (such as 25 Molykote 106 anti-friction coating; trade mark of Dow Coming) to assist the process when the ferrule assembly was being pressed through the die D. Prior to locating the ferrule on the rope, the outer surface of the ferrule had been finely threaded T (e.g. in a lathe) to ensure the lubricant coating entered the die during pressing, to help facilitate passage through and deformation of the ferrule in the 30 die. 26/03/12 - 14 5. A mandrel M on a hydraulic ram Ra was then used to press the ferrule, together with the rope, through the die D. The ferrule and sleeve assembly were deformed against and extruded back over the rope end, until they assumed the configuration as shown Figure 4. Generally, for each dragline rope, as a result of the die-pressing 5 operation, the ferrule was observed to have a reduction in overall diameter, and its overall length was increased by approximately the length of the initial rope protrusion P. 6. With the ferrule now die-pressed to the rope, the aluminium sleeve was 10 observed to provide improved grip between the rope and the ferrule body. In this regard, a number of pull-off tests were conducted, and the results are presented in the graphs of Figures 7 and 8 7. Optionally, a lug 50 (as shown in Figure 5) was welded to the end of the ferrule 15 F, to improve its handling, as well as to improve its interconnectivity with a socket type connector in a dragline. Example 2 - Pull-off Testing of Ferrule on Dragline Rope Various dragline rope products resulting from the general procedure of Example 20 1 were subjected to ferrule pull-off testing, to determine the suitability of the ferrule for use on a dragline rope, as well as optimum ferrule and die press set-ups and configurations. The results of these tests are presented graphically in Figures 7 and 8. To test the pull-off force (in kN) of a ferrule die-pressed to a dragline rope product, so as to indicate the strength of the ferrule-to-rope attachment, the following 25 procedure was implemented: * Load the dragline rope into an Avery 3000kN testing machine. " Seat the ferruled rope end into test blocks, specially designed to transfer load to the end of the ferrule. * Apply force at a predetermined strain rate. 30 e Continue until ferrule-to-rope bond breaks, and record the load at breakage. 26/03/12 - 15 For each helically wound wire dragline rope, the ferrule had been die-pressed to have a length of up to approximately 70% of the rope lay length. This is indicated in Figure -8, where it can be seen that for a number of rope diameters (58-83mm) the pull off force increased with the die-pressed ferrule length up to a maximum. 5 It was observed that the pull-off strength (expressed as percentage of rope breaking force) was directly related to the length of ferrule as a percentage of the rope lay length. It was noted that a pull-off strength of approximately 70% of the rope breaking force would enable the rope to perform well in dragline applications, as compared with existing ropes. 10 It was further observed that pull-off force generally increased with the pressure employed in the die press up to a maximum, and then did not increase further with increasing die press pressure. This is indicated in Figure 7, where it can be seen for a number of rope diameters (58-95mm), that the pull-off force increased with the die pressed ferrule length up to a maximum, after which maximum there was no particular 15 increase in the pull-off force. Whilst specific embodiments of a ferrule, and a method of attaching the ferrule to a dragline rope, have been described, it should be appreciated that the ferrule and method may be embodied in other forms. 20 For example, when the resultant die-pressed ferrule length approximately corresponded to four times a diameter of the rope the resultant pull-off strength was observed to be increased. This measure provided an alternative means of predetermining ferrule length. 25 In the claims which follow, and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the ferrule and method as 30 disclosed herein. 26/03/12