EP0255573B1 - Supporting or tension cable with a sheath, and method and apparatus for manufacturing such a cable - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a support or tension rope with a sheathing. The invention also relates to a method and a device for producing such a rope.

Carrier ropes for buildings, in particular for rope bridges, have hitherto been provided with a plastic covering for the purpose of corrosion protection. However, it has been found that plastic sheathing does not withstand the aggressive influences of the atmosphere, especially in conurbations or industrial areas, for a sufficiently long time. Plastic coatings also do not have sufficient resistance to UV radiation.

In the case of a considerable number of structures and structures that have existed for a long time, the plastic-coated ropes are therefore due for renovation.

An advantageous type of renovation is that the rope is provided with a metallic sheathing in the form of a tight tube enclosing the rope made of a corrosion-resistant material, which offers permanent protection in the case of support or tensioning ropes.

However, since none of the rope ends are exposed in the case of ropes installed in existing structures or structures, it is not possible to push on pipes. EP-A 0 173 350 shows a method which nevertheless makes it possible to provide already installed ropes, in which no rope end is exposed, with a sheathing in the form of a dense metal tube.

In this known method, the metallic cladding tube is formed on the rope that has already been inserted into a structure, in that in a tube, forming and folding station, which is set up on an anchoring area of the rope, at least one metal band, preferably two bands, is a sheath is formed. The metal strips are advanced in the longitudinal direction of the rope and arched around the rope in the forming and folding station and tightly folded together along their abutting side edges running in the longitudinal direction of the rope. The tube formed in the form and folding station is pulled over the rope.

A disadvantage of the known method is that pulling forward the tube formed in the forming and folding station is extremely difficult when it comes to large, free rope lengths with a corresponding sag.

The invention is based on the object in this regard to provide a support or tension rope, the sheathing is designed so that it can also be attached to ropes already installed in structures or structures, regardless of whether it is large free Rope lengths with a corresponding sag.

In the case of a support or tension rope with an outer sheathing surrounding an inner tension element in the form of a metal tube, which is formed in the manner known from EP-A 0 173 350 from at least one metal band, the longitudinally adjacent side edges with a sealing connection between these side edges is provided forming the fold, this object is achieved in that the metal band helically surrounds the tension elements of the rope with adjacent turns, which are connected to each other by the fold forming a helix.

Characterized in that according to the invention a cladding tube made of helically wound metal band is provided, the cladding tube is not formed in a stationary forming and folding station, from which it would have to be pushed or pulled over the rope, i.e. the tension elements, but the envelope is in one winding and folding process progressing over the length of the rope. The invention is therefore suitable for rope lengths of any size with a corresponding sag.

Various suitable metals can be used to form the cladding tube, for example copper, stainless steel or the like. The metal strip forming the sheathing tube can also be provided with an additional protective coating, for example galvanized or tinned.

From EP-A 0 148 061 it is known per se to form a tubular body from a helically wound metal strip with folded side edges. Apart from the fact that this known method does not involve the production of a sealed sheathing tube, but rather a metallic reinforcement element for stiffening an otherwise sealed hose or pipeline, this known method cannot be used in connection with a carrying or tensioning rope , because in the known method mentioned, the process of tube formation is carried out on a rotating winding core.

In the production of the fold, which tightly connects the side edges of the adjacent turns of the metal strip to one another, a sealing element, for example a sealing strip extending in the longitudinal direction of the fold, can be inserted into the abutting surfaces of the fold. If the fold is carefully designed using customary folding techniques, for example if a double fold or a rolled fold is produced, the seal can be completely sealed without the use of additional sealing elements.

An elastic compliance of the sheathing in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the pipe, for example with regard to thermal expansion, can be achieved by a deformable zone which extends in the longitudinal direction of the metal strip and is deformable in the transverse direction of the strip. It is particularly advantageous if part of the fold itself serves as a deformable zone. To form the deformable zone, however, a separate corrugation extending in the longitudinal direction of the strip can also be provided in the metal strip.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the side edges of the turns of the metal strip are connected to one another by a double fold, which consists of five adjacent layers, of which three layers consist of sections of the side edge of a band and two layers of sections of the side edge of the be adjacent band are formed. Such a double fold, which in the finished state forms a rib projecting essentially radially from the lateral surface of the tube, can be pressed together with a force which acts essentially in the longitudinal direction of the tube. This can be important if the rope is surrounded by a relatively soft mass, for example if the rope is wrapped with a rubber band, for example, on the outside of which the metallic sheathing tube is seated.

The invention also relates to a method provided for the production of the rope according to the invention, which consists in that a metal tube is produced as a sheathing by helically winding a metal strip around the rope with adjacent turns and the side edges of adjacent turns of the strip by forming a tight, in The longitudinal direction of the tape can be connected to one another without interruption of the continuously extending fold.

The metal band can be wound directly onto the rope or onto a flexible mass that may surround the rope, for example a rubber or plastic band tied around the rope. However, the method can also be carried out in such a way that the sheathing tube is produced in such a way that its inside diameter is larger than the outside diameter of the rope, that is to say there is a gap between the rope and the metallic sheathing. In such an embodiment of the method, a split sleeve, the wall thickness of which is adapted to the clear width of the space to be formed between the rope and the tube, can be provided as a displaceable winding dome on the rope on which the metal strip is wound. In this case, the intermediate space thus formed between the rope and the sheathing tube can subsequently be filled with a flexible filler mass. Before filling with the filler mass, the casing can be checked for gas tightness by means of a pressure test in which the intermediate space is filled with a pressurized gas.

The invention also relates to a device for producing a metallic sheathing on a support or tension rope.

According to the invention, the device has a divided, rotatable winding body, which comprises the cable and carries a supply roll of the metal strip from which the sheathing tube is wound. Tape guide, tape profiling and folding tools are connected to the winding body. When the winding body rotates around the rope to be wound, the rotating tools ensure the tape tension required during winding.

In an advantageous embodiment, an electric motor drive is provided for generating the rotary movement of the winding body. The non-rotating part of the device which carries the drive and which can be moved along the rope together with the winding body is supported against the reaction torque generated by the drive, for example by a stabilizing weight or a support arm which is supported on an adjacent rope possibly extends next to the rope on which the winding process is carried out.

The invention is explained in detail below, for example with reference to the drawing.

• Fig. 1 einen Längsschnitt eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer Vorrichtung zum Herstellen einer metallischen Ummantelung auf einem Seil;
• Fig. 2 eine Vorderansicht des Wickelrahmens der Vorrichtung entsprechend dem Schnitt nach Linie 11 -11 in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 einen in anderem Maßstab gezeichneten Längsschnitt eines Seiles mit teilweise fertiggestellter Ummantelung und
• Fig. 4 einen der Fig. 3 ähnlichen Längsschnitt, bei dem die Ummantelung einen Innendurchmesser besitzt, der größer ist als der Außendurchmesser des Seiles.

Show it:

• 1 shows a longitudinal section of an embodiment of a device for producing a metallic sheathing on a rope.
• Figure 2 is a front view of the winding frame of the device according to the section along line 11 -11 in Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a drawn on a different scale longitudinal section of a rope with partially finished sheathing and
• Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 3, in which the sheathing has an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the rope.

The figures show a rope 1, which in the present example is a built-in suspension rope of an already existing rope bridge. The essential parts of a device which serves to provide the cable 1 with a metallic sheathing in the form of a tube 3 sealingly enclosing the cable 1 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The device has a support body 5, which is designed as a hollow metal housing, which is designed to be divisible into two housing halves, so that it can be attached to the cable 1 clamped on both sides, the housing halves being indicated by a fastening flange indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1 7 are screwed together. The support body 5 is mounted on the cable 1 so as to be longitudinally displaceable by means of a plurality of tensioning and guide rollers, of which only one is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated by 9. To adapt to different rope diameters, the rollers 9 can be attached to different bearing points 11 of an associated support arm 13, which in turn is pivotably mounted on the support body 5 and is supported on the support body 5 via a spring element 15, the position of the roller 9 and the roller 9 against that Rope 1 andrückedne biasing force of the spring element 15 are adjustable by an adjusting nut 16.

On the supporting body 5, an annular disk-shaped bearing body 17, which can also be divided into two halves, is rotatably mounted, specifically on a bearing ring 19 concentric with the housing of the supporting body 5, on which a plurality of pairs of rollers 20, which serve for axial guidance, and a plurality of rollers 21 run for radial guidance . Only one of the rollers 21 and the roller pairs 20, which are rotatably mounted on the bearing body 17, is shown in FIG. 1. Since the bearing ring 19 is concentric with the housing of the support body 5 and is guided centrally out of the rope 1 by means of the rollers 9, the axis of rotation of the bearing body 17 and the longitudinal axis 23 of the rope 1 are identical.

As a drive for generating the rotary movement of the bearing body 17, a geared motor 25 is flanged to the side on the support body 5, the pinion 26 of which meshes with an internal ring gear 27 of the bearing body 17. The number of teeth of the pinion 26 and the ring gear 27 and the gear reduction of the geared motor 25 are selected so that the bearing body 17 can be driven at a speed which is suitable for a winding process in which a metal strip 29 is wound around the cable 1, whereby , as will be explained in more detail below, the metal tube 29 surrounding the cable 1 is formed from the metal band 29.

For its manufacture, a winding body is firmly connected to the bearing body 17, which in the present exemplary embodiment is designed as a circular winding frame, designated as a whole as 31, which essentially centrally surrounds the cable 1, which extends through a round inner opening 33 of the winding frame 31 . The winding frame 31, like the supporting body 5 and the bearing body 17, is also divided so that it can be brought into position on a relevant rope 1 clamped on both sides, the halves of the winding frame 31 being connected to one another by means of fastening flanges 35 only indicated in FIG. 2 are screwable.

Corresponding to the pitch angle with which the metal strip 29 is wound around the rope 1 in helically adjacent turns, the winding frame 31 is arranged at an angle to the plane of rotation of the bearing body 17 carrying it, the angle of inclination being adjustable by means of adjustable connecting members 37 and 38, via which the winding frame 31 is connected to the bearing body 17 (FIG. 1).

In the assembled state, the winding frame 31 has two mutually parallel washers 39 and 41, which are connected to one another by means of inner connecting bolts 43 and outer connecting bolts 45 located on the circumference, sleeves 47 seated on the bolts 43 and 45, the annular discs 39 and 41 from one another Keep a distance that corresponds essentially to the width of the flat, not yet machined metal strip 29. A supply roll 49 made of the still flat, unworked metal strip 29 is accommodated in the annular space between the inner bolts 43 and the outer bolts 45, the sleeves 47 of the inner bolts 43 carrying the supply roll 49.

As can be seen most clearly from FIG. 2, the metal strip 29 runs from the innermost turn of the supply roll 49 via a strip guide device, which is formed from two curved guide strips 51 and 52, to the circumference of the rope 1 to be wound. On the strips 51 and 52, a plurality of bending rollers 53 are mounted, which form a profiling station, which profile the continuous band 29 on both side edges 67 and 69 (FIG. 3) in several bending steps in the manner as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and 4 on the far left can be seen. This profiling of the side edges of the band 29 prepares it for the formation of a double fold 75 (FIG. 3) by means of which the helically adjacent turns of the band 29 wound around the cable 1 are connected to one another, so that the closed metal tube is on the cable 1 3 is created as a casing.

In the present example, the double fold 75 is produced in three steps with three folding tools, of which only one is shown completely in FIG. 1 and is designated as a whole by 55. This folding tool 55 is adjustably arranged on a carrier 57, one end 59 of which is screwed to the bearing body 17. Carriers 61 and 62 for the two other folding tools, one of which is indicated in FIG. 1 with a broken line and designated 63, are shown schematically in FIG. 2.

Fig. 3 shows the individual folding steps at 71, 72 and 73, which are carried out to form the metal tube 3, in more detail. At 65 it is shown how the tapered profiled band 29 is wound with its profiled side edge 67, which is on the right in the drawing, over the left-hand profiled side edge 69 of the previously laid turn in order to prepare the fold. The first stage in the formation of the fold, that is to say the state after the first folding step, is shown at 71 in FIG. 3. The configuration of the fold after the second folding step is shown at 72. Finally, FIG. 3 shows the completed double fold 75 at 73. As can be seen, the pressing force required to produce a completely tight fold, with which the double fold 75 is pressed together, is directed along the outside of the tube. In the course of the manufacture of the fold, there is therefore no need to exert any significant force acting radially on the metal tube 3. This is particularly advantageous when the rope 1 is coated on its periphery with a flexible mass, for example with a rubber band 77 or a plastic band, as shown in FIG. 3. When the fold is produced without the radial pressure force acting on the band 77 via the tube 3, there is no danger that the resilient inner casing formed by the band 77 will be pushed through.

Fig. 3 shows on the left outer turn of the metal band 29 a sealing band 79 inserted as a sealing element in the inside of the profiled side edge 67, which is omitted in the drawing at 71, 72 and 73 for reasons of clarity. It should be noted, however, that if the double fold 75 is carefully formed, complete tightness can be achieved without inserting a sealing tape.

When using a double fold 75, which represents a rib projecting radially on the jacket of the tube 3, the fold 75 itself can form a deformable zone which enables thermal expansion of the tube 3 by an outer layer of the fold 75, designated 81 in FIG the adjacent, marked 82 slightly within the elastic limits, is spread. In this case, changes in length of the tube 3 can be compensated for by elastically yielding, moving the layers 81 and 82 of each fold 75 closer together or bringing the layers 81 and 82 closer together.

Fig. 4 shows another possibility of forming a deformable zone in the form of a bead 83. The bead 83, like the profiling on the side edges 67 and 69 of the band 29, is produced as it passes through the group of rollers 53 in the profiling station.

Fig. 4 shows the use of a split sleeve 85 as a displaceable winding mandrel, which is moved in accordance with the progress of the winding process on the cable 1 in the longitudinal direction, so that the tube 3 wound from the band 29 is given an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the sleeve 85 . Between the rope 1 and tube 3 there is an intermediate space 87, the inside width of which corresponds to the wall thickness of the sleeve 85. This intermediate space 87 is later filled with a resilient filler mass, optionally after the finished tube 3 has been checked for gas tightness beforehand by means of a pressure test in which the intermediate space 87 is filled with a compressed gas.

In the operation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the supply roll 49 of the band 29, which is provided for forming the metal tube 3, is e.g. is a copper band, a band made of stainless steel or the like, placed on the sleeves 47 of the inner bolts 43 of the winding frame 31, the band 29 forming the winding 49 after removing the outer bolts 45 and their sleeves 47 from the outside can be wound up. The setting of the angle of inclination of the winding frame 31 to the axis 23, about which the rotational movement takes place during the winding process, is carried out in accordance with the pitch of the helical windings with which the band 29 is placed around the cable 1 by adjusting the adjustable connecting members 37 and 38. The angle of inclination depends on the diameter of the rope 1 and the width of the turns, i.e. the width of the band 29 used.

The tape 29 runs from the innermost turn of the supply roll 49 through the tape guide strips 51 and 52 and over the profiling station formed by the bending rollers 53 to the circumference of the rope 1 and is deposited there in the turns of the winding frame 31 in adjacent turns, the side edges of which by the folding tools , see the folding tool designated 55 in FIG. 1, are folded together. This folding tool 55 also serves, as it were, as a guide member that is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the cable 1 during the rotary movement by the finished fold 75 formed, the screw pitch of which is corresponding, which results in a longitudinal movement of the device movably mounted on the cable 1 by means of the rollers 9 . The tension required in the band 29 for the winding process results during the winding process due to the frictional forces which the band guiding and processing devices, i.e. the sleeves 47 which carry the innermost turn of the winding 49, the guide strips 51, 52 and the bending rollers 53 exercise the band 29 moving relative to them.

The counter-torque generated on the support body 5 of the device by the driving force of the geared motor 25 is compensated for by a counterweight (not shown) connected to the support body 5. In applications where, as is usually the case with rope bridges, in addition to the rope 1 to be sheathed, at least one other supporting rope runs, a cross-piece extending from the supporting body 5 to the adjacent rope in question can also be provided to support the torque on which the supporting rope is slidably guided.

When the tape supply of a supply roll 49 is used up in the sheathing of a long rope 1, a new roll is wound on the sleeves 47 of the bolts 43. The beginning of the innermost turn of the new supply roll is butt-fastened to the band end of the preceding band by brazing. In this way, an uninterrupted metal tube 3 of any length can be produced.

If a plurality of tape guiding devices, profiling stations and folding stations are arranged next to one another offset in the longitudinal direction of the rope on the winding frame, then a metal tube consisting of several metal tapes can be produced. Each turn of the winding frame creates several turns on the rope and connects them by folding.

All of the features mentioned in the above description and also the features that can only be inferred from the drawing are further refinements of the invention, even if they are not particularly emphasized and in particular are not mentioned in the claims.

Claims (31)

1. Supporting or tensioning cable with an outer casing in the form of a metal tube surrounding inner tension members, which metal tube is formed from at least one metal band, which is provided along adjoining side edges with a fold forming a sealed connection between these side edges, characterised in that the metal band (29) surrounds the tension members of the cable (1) helically with turns lying one beside the other, which are connected to each other by the fold (25) forming a helix.

2. Cable according to Claim 1, characterised in that the side edges are connected to each other by a double fold (75), which consists of five layers (81, 82) lying side by side, whereof three layers (81) are formed from sections of the side edge of one band (29) and two layers (82) are formed from sections of the side edge of the adjacent band (29).

3. Cable according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the fold (75) forms a rib projecting substantially radially from the surface of the tube (3).

4. Cable according to Claim 1, characterised in that the side edges are connected to each other by a rolling fold.

5. Cable according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised by a sealing member inserted in the fold (75).

6. Cable accordng to Claim 5, characterised in that a sealing strip (79) extending in the longitudinal direction of the fold is provided as the sealing member.

7. Cable according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the tube (3) comprises a deformable area extending in the longitudinal direciton of the band.

8. Cable according to Claim 7, characterised in that the deformable area is formed by an outer layer (81) of the fold (75), which consists of the side edge region of the band lying closest to the central region of the band (29).

9. Cable according to Claim 7, characterised in that for the formation of the deformable area, the band (29) comprises a corrugation (83) extending in the longitudinal direction of the band.

10. Cable according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the inner diameter of the tube (3) wound from the band (29) is greater than the outer diameter of the cable (1) and that provided in the gap (87) formed in this way between the cable (1) and tube (3) is a flexible material at least partly filling the gap (87).

11. Cable according to Claim 10, characterised in that a flexible strip (77) wound around the cable (1) is provided in the gap between the cable (1) and tube (3).

12. Cable according to Claim 11, characterised in that the gap (87) between the cable (1) and tube (3) is filled with a flexible filling material.

13. Cable according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the metal band (29) consists of a corrosion-resistant material.

14. Cable according to Claim 13, characterised in that the metal band (29) is provided on at least one broad sidewith a protective layer, preferably it is coated with tin or with zinc.

15. Method for producing a cable comprising a casing, according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterised in that a metal tube is produced as the casing, in that at least one metal band is wound helically with turns lying one against the other around the cable, whilst the latter is held stationary with respect to a rotary movement about its longitudinal axis and the side edges of adjacent turns of the band are connected to each other by the formation of a tight fold extending continuously without interruption in the longitudinal direction of the band.

16. Method according to Claim 15, characterised in that before they are placed against the turn wound previously around the cable, the side edges of the band are provided with profiling bent out of the plane of the band and adapted to the shape of the fold to be formed.

17. Method according to Claim 16, characterised in that when profiling the side edges of the band, a profile shape is produced facilitating the construction of the fold by applying a folding force acting substantially in the longitudinal direction of the cable.

18. Method according to one of Claims 15 to 17, characterised in that before the metal band is wound around the cable, the latter is provided with a covering of flexible material and that the metal band is wound on the flexible covering.

19. Method according to one of Claims 15 to 17, characterised in that the metal band is wound around the cable in turns, whereof the inner diameter is greater than the outer diameter of the cable and that a resilient filling material is introduced into the gap formed in this way between the cable and tube.

20. Method according to Claim 19, characterised in that the metal band is wound around a sleeve surrounding the cable, which sleeve is aligned with the winding point by sliding longitudinally on the cable.

21. Method according to one of Claims 15 to 20, characterised in that when the side edges of adjoining turns of the band are placed one against the other, a sealing member is inserted in the fold.

22. Method according to one of Claims 15 to 21, characterised in that the band is provided with a corrugation extending in its longitudinal direction.

23. Apparatus for producing a metal casing on a supporting or tensioning cable characterised by a support member (5) guided to slide longitudinally on the cable (1) to be encased; a winding member, which is mounted to rotate on the support member (5) for a rotary movement about an axis of rotation coinciding with the longitudinal axis (23) of the cable (1) and forms a divisible frame surrounding the cable (1), whereof the peripheral region is provided with means (43, 47) for holding a storage roll (49), which comprises a supply of metal band (29) and surrounds the cable (1) in the form of a ring; band-guide devices (51, 52) located on the winding member, by which the metal band (29) is supplied from the inner turn of the storage roll (49) to the outside of the cable (1), at the time of the rotary movement of the winding member and is wound around this cable; band-processing devices located on the winding member, which comprise a profiling station, which is located on the path of movement of the band (29) extending from the supply roll (49) to the periphery of the cable and comprises bending tools (53) for producing profiling of the side edges (67, 69) bent out of the plane of the band (29), as well as folding tools (55, 63), which fold together the profiled side edges (67, 69) of turns of the band (29) lying one beside the other and wound around the cable (1).

24. Apparatus according to Claim 23, characterised in that the winding member comprises an annular winding frame (31) provided in its peripheral region with support bolts (43) for holding the supply roll (49) of band, which winding frame is attached to a bearing member (17) in the form of an annular disc, which is mounted to rotate on the support member (5) for the rotary movement about the axis of rotation and so that it is not able to move axially, by way of connecting members (37, 38), which are constructed to be adjustable, in order to adjust an angle of inclination between the bearing body (17) and winding frame (31), which is adapted to the pitch angle of the turns of the band (29) wound helically around the cable (1).

25. Apparatus according to Claim 24, characterised in that the folding tools (55, 63) are mounted on supports (57, 61, 62), which extend on the side of the winding frame (31) remote from the connecting members (37, 38) and the bearing member (17), along the cable (1).

26. Apparatus according to Claim 24 or 25, characterised in that the bearing member (17) is in geared connection with a drive located on the support member (5), for producing the rotary motion.

27. Apparatus according to Claim 26, characterised in that the bearing member (17) comprises a gear rim (27), which meshes with the pinion (26) of an electric geared motor (25) provided as the drive on the support member (5).

28. Apparatus according to one of Claims 23 to 27, characterised in that the support member (5) is guided to move by means of guide rollers (9) on the cable, which guide rollers are arranged to be adjustable on the support member (5) for adaptation to different cable diameters.

29. Apparatus according to Claim 28 and Claim 26 or 27, characterised in that the support member (5) is provided with a bracing member for receiving the reaction torque produced by the drive.

30. Apparatus according to Claim 29, characterised in that provided as the bracing member is a counterweight or a bracing arm, which is supported on an adjacent cable extending beside the cable (1) to be encased.

31. Apparatus according to one of Claims 23 to 30, characterised in that for forming a tube (3), whereof the inner diameter is greater than the outer diameter of the cable (1), a sleeve (85) is provided, which is able to slide longitudinally on the cable (1) together with the winding member and serves as the winding mandrel, on which the metal band (29) is wound.

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