EP3265607B1 - Rope and method for producing a rope - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a rope.

EP 2 441 723 A1 describes such a procedure. Fiber strands formed from fiber bundles are coated with a resin, the fiber strands are then twisted together so that the resin is arranged on the fiber strands that have been twisted together, and wire strands are stranded on the resin.

From the WO 2012/107042 a method for rope production is known in which fiber bundles or fiber strands formed from fiber bundles are wound into a fiber core within a container that is filled with the liquefied matrix material. Steel wire strands are then stranded either directly on the fiber core produced in this way or on a sheath provided on the fiber core.

The invention is based on the object of further developing the method of the type mentioned in such a way that ropes of relatively low weight with improved mechanical properties can be produced.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that fiber bundles to form fiber strands are covered with a liquefied matrix material in front of and/or at a stranding point and are embedded in the liquefied matrix material during stranding, by means of the fiber strands a fiber core of the rope is formed, the matrix material of the fiber strands after the stranding and before stranding the fiber strands, and after the matrix material has solidified to form the fiber core, the fiber strands are immediately stranded together without further occupancy.

Using the method, a fiber core can be produced in a simple manner, the fiber bundles of which are embedded, preferably completely, in the matrix material and are therefore protected against breakage. Especially in comparison to the procedure according to WO 2012/107042 , in which the stranding takes place within the container and which is correspondingly complex, the process is simplified considerably. Instead of covering the fiber strands with the matrix material when forming the fiber core, the fiber bundles are simply embedded in the matrix material during the production of the fiber strands. To form the fiber core, which can form the core of a strand of the rope or a core of the rope, the fiber strands can be wound after the matrix material has solidified using the conventional stranding processes and the conventional equipment provided for this purpose.

As explained below, the method allows the fiber core to be produced with a relatively large diameter and with a relatively more complicated structure, which cannot be formed or can only be formed with great effort when stranded within the container.

Compared to the production of the fiber core from fiber strands that do not have embedded fiber bundles, the method according to the invention has the advantage that the handling of the fiber strands is significantly easier and that the fiber core produced has improved mechanical properties due to the embedding of the fiber bundles. Since the matrix material protects the fibers or wires, connects them to one another and transfers the forces that occur to them, higher numbers of bending cycles can be achieved.

The matrix material is expediently formed by a thermoplastic, which is heated to liquefy and cooled to solidify.

While it would be conceivable to use natural fibers, mineral fibers, glass fibers and/or carbon fibers to produce the fiber strands, synthetic fibers such as aramid or polyethylene fibers are used in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

A thermoplastic is expediently used as the matrix material. In addition to the preferred polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyethylene or PEEK are possible.

The fiber bundles are expediently sprayed with the matrix material or, as in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention provided, immersed in the liquefied matrix material before and/or at the stranding point.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fiber bundles are used, for example as in WO 2012/107042 described, moved through a, preferably heatable, container for receiving the liquefied matrix material, which encloses the fiber bundles before and, if necessary, at the stranding point. The container or the spray device is expediently connected to an extruder, by means of which the matrix material is liquefied and moved to the spray device or into the container.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the fiber strands are heated during and/or after they have been stranded to form the fiber core in such a way that the matrix material of at least some of the fiber strands, preferably all of the fiber strands, softens, connects to the matrix material of the other fiber strands and the fiber strands are then cooled to form a material bond with one another, preferably in air or in a cooling liquid.

A homogeneous composite fiber core is formed, which has improved mechanical properties compared to loosely twisted fiber strands. The process makes it possible to produce such composite fiber cores with large numbers of fiber strands that are cohesively connected to one another.

To form the fiber core, the fiber strands are expediently stranded in parallel or layered.

When stranding in layers, the fiber strands can be stranded in different lay directions to influence the torque that occurs when the rope is loaded. This makes it possible to create a fiber core that itself has little or no rotation. However, it is also conceivable to specifically provide the fiber core with a specific torque in order to adapt this to a torque caused by the outer wires or outer strands, e.g. in order to create a rope that is generally low-torsion or rotation-free.

d

= Seilnenndurchmesser

Fmin

= Mindestbruchkraft des des Seils.

A low-rotation rope rotates only slightly under load. To produce the low-rotation rope, the fiber strands and possibly the outer wires or outer strands are expediently laid in such directions and lay lengths that the rotation property of the rope is less than or equal to one rotation of the rope by 360 ° per rope length of 1000 d when lifting a load corresponding to 20% of F _min is,
where

d

= nominal rope diameter

Fmin

= Minimum breaking strength of the rope.

Such a definition of the low-rotation rope can be found in the standard DIN EN 12385-3:2008-06.B.1.5 under a).

However, to produce the low-rotation rope, it has proven to be particularly advantageous to lay the fiber strands and, if necessary, the outer wires or outer strands in such directions and lay lengths that the rotation property of the rope is less than or equal to a rotation of the rope of 36 ° per rope length of 1000 d when lifting a load corresponding to 20% of F _min , particularly preferably less than or equal to a rotation of the rope of 3.6 ° per rope length of 1000 d when lifting a load corresponding to 20% F _min .

wobei

• n = 1, 2, 3, 4, ...
• m=2,3,4,5...

The fiber core can advantageously be constructed in accordance with the general formation law for spiral ropes, which reads as follows: $$1+m+{\displaystyle \sum _1^n\left(m+6\ast n\right)}$$

where

• n = 1, 2, 3, 4, ...
• m=2,3,4,5...

With parallel stranding, the fiber core can be constructed in all conceivable rope arrangements. Particularly suitable rope arrangements are Standard Seale, Filler, Warrington, Warrington - Seale, Seale - Seale, Seale - Filler, Seale - Warrington, Seale - Warrington - Seale.

It has proven to be a particular advantage that the method according to the invention makes it possible to strand the fiber strands to produce the fiber core in the same direction, in which the fibers in the fiber strands and the fiber strands in the fiber core are twisted in the same direction. The inventor has recognized that such a stranding, which was previously not possible because the fiber strands would have wound up in parallel when stranded and accordingly the fiber strands would have lost their structure during stranding, can be achieved by means of the present method, in which the fiber bundles are passed through the matrix material in held by the fiber strand structure. Stranded with equal beat Fiber strands generate a greater torque when the rope is loaded than fiber strands stranded in a cross lay. This can be used advantageously to adjust the torque that occurs when the load is applied. For each fiber strand, depending on the required torque generated by the respective fiber strands, it can be selected whether the fiber strands are stranded in a straight lay or a cross lay.

It goes without saying that the fiber strands from the fiber bundles can be twisted clockwise (Z-lay) or counterclockwise (S-lay) and, as required, the respective fiber strand layer made of fiber strands can be stranded in a Z-lay or S-lay can.

In one embodiment of the invention, a sheath is provided on the fiber core. The casing is preferably formed from the matrix material, but can also be formed by another substance that connects to the matrix material or adheres to it in such a way that such large forces are transmitted between the fiber core and the casing through the connection or adhesion formed in each case can be ensured that the connection or adhesion holds when the rope is under load. The material expediently has material properties similar to those of the matrix material; it is preferably made from the same class of plastics. If the sheathing is formed from the matrix material, such an amount of matrix material can be arranged in the fiber strands during the production of the fiber strands that a layer of the matrix material forms on the fiber core when heated during the stranding of the fiber core. Alternatively, the coating can also be applied in an additional operation.

The sheathing is preferably provided with sufficient thickness to embed the wires or the wire strands at least in sections. In particular, the sheathing can be provided with such a thickness that at least the wires or wire strands of inner layers of the rope are completely embedded in the sheathing. It goes without saying that the sheathing can also be provided with such a thickness that outer layers of the wires or wire strands lie completely within the sheathing, so that the sheathing closes off the rope from the outside. The embedding also creates a positive connection between an outer layer of the strand or rope formed by the wires or the wire strands and the fiber core.

While it would be conceivable to strand the wires or wire strands on the fiber core in a separate process step in which the sheathing of the fiber core is heated to soften it, in the preferred embodiment of the invention the wires or wire strands are directly after stranding Fiber core stranded on the fiber core during a period in which the matrix material is still soft.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the wires or the wire strands are preformed on the fiber core before stranding, preferably in or approximately into a healing shape, which they assume in the finished rope. The ropes made with the preformed wires or wire strands have lower or no internal stresses. They are cut-resistant, i.e. the wires or wire strands do not spread when the rope is cut.

The pre-shaping proves to be particularly advantageous if the rope only has a single layer of wire strands, since the wire strands in this structure exert a particularly large force on the fiber core and this can be significantly reduced by the pre-shaping. However, it goes without saying that the preforming of the wire strands can also be advantageous if the wire rope has two or more of the wire strand layers.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens,

Fig. 2

ein Detail der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 1 in isometrischer Darstellung,

Fig. 3

schematisch eine weitere Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens, und

Fig. 4 bis 9

Querschnitte verschiedener erfindungsgemäßer Seile.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings relating to these exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically a device for carrying out the method according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a detail of the device Fig. 1 in isometric view,

Fig. 3

schematically a further device for carrying out the method according to the invention, and

4 to 9

Cross sections of various ropes according to the invention.

To carry out the process, twisted bundles 2 of fibers made of, for example, aramid or polyethylene are first twisted using the method in Fig. 1 Stranding device 9 shown is stranded into a fiber strand 3. For this purpose, the fiber bundles 2 are guided by means of a rotatable stranding basket 10 to a stranding point 4, where they are wound into the fiber strand 3. Coils (not shown here) on which the fiber bundles 2 are wound are arranged on the Verlitzkorb 10 in a manner known per se are. When producing the fiber strand 3, the fiber bundles 2 are continuously unrolled from the spools while the strand basket 10 rotates. The fiber strand 3 is pulled away from the strand point 4 by means of rollers 16 and rolled up onto a drum 17 for further use.

How Fig. 2 As can be seen in more detail, the fiber bundles 2 are surrounded at the twisting point 4 by a container 11, to which thermoplastic material, for example polypropylene, can be fed via a heatable line 14 from an extruder 13. The container 11 is provided on its side facing the Verlitzkorb 10 with a rotatable side wall 18 which has a plurality of openings 19 through which the fiber bundles 2 can be guided into the container 11. By means of a web 12, which is rigidly connected to the Verlitz basket 10, the rotatable side wall 18 is taken along by the Verlitz basket 10 when the Verlitz basket 10 rotates. A fiber bundle 2, which forms a strand core in the fiber strand 3, can also be guided into the container 11 through the web 12.

On a side of the container 11 opposite the side wall 18, a further opening is provided through which the fiber strand 3 formed from the fiber bundles 2 can be moved out of the container 11. The opening has a diameter and a shape that corresponds to the diameter and shape of the fiber strand 3 to be formed.

To produce the fiber strand 3, the fiber bundles 2 are continuously twisted together at the strand point 4 in the required number, arrangement and size or in the required structure as the strand basket 10 and the movable side wall 18 rotate. The polypropylene is continuously supplied to the container 11 in liquefied form. This covers the fiber bundles 2 before and during the stranding, so that the fiber bundles 2 are embedded in the fiber strand 3 in the thermoplastic.

After the fiber strand 3 emerges from the opening of the container 11, it is cooled in a water bath 15 or simply in air in order to cool and thereby solidify the thermoplastic, and then rolled up onto the drum 17.

With the fiber strands 3 produced in this way, fiber cores 6 of any structure can be produced using the conventional stranding devices by parallel stranding or layer stranding of the fiber strands 3, for example in accordance with the general formation law for spiral ropes mentioned above or in the rope arrangements mentioned such as Seale, Filler, Warrington, etc.

Fig. 3 shows schematically a conventional stranding device 20, on which a heating device 22 is provided. By means of the heating device 22, the fiber strands 3 are heated in front of, at and/or behind the stranding point 21 in such a way that the thermoplastic in the fiber strands 3 becomes so soft that it fuses with the respective other fiber strands 3 and, after cooling, forms a one-piece fiber core 6 forms.

When stranding layers, the fiber strands 3 can be heated either when individual or each of the fiber strand layers 31, 32 are stranded or only when the last fiber strand layer 32 is stranded (cf. in Fig. 4 rope shown in cross section).

Then on the fiber core 6, if necessary as in Fig. 3 shown using a tandem stranding machine, wire strands 7 are stranded and a rope 1 according to the invention is formed. The wire strands 7 are preferably stranded on the fiber core 6 as long as the thermoplastic 5 is still soft. The wire strands 7 then press into the thermoplastic 5, are embedded in it and a positive connection is formed between a wire strand layer 71 lying directly on the fiber core 6 and the fiber core 6.

Alternatively, the wire strands 7 can be stranded when the thermoplastic 5 of the fiber core 6 has already solidified. The wire strands 7 then only rest on the fiber core 6.

Optionally, the wire strands 7 can be preformed before they are stranded, preferably in or approximately into the helical shape that they assume in the rope 1 when it is finished. This allows the rope 1 to be produced with lower, if necessary even without, internal stresses.

When producing the fiber strands 3, so much thermoplastic 5 can be provided in the fiber strands 3 that when the stranded fiber core 6 is heated, a sheath 8 made of the thermoplastic 5 is formed on the fiber core 6, in which wire strands 7 can be embedded.

Alternatively, an additional layer of thermoplastic 5 can be provided on the fiber core 6 to accommodate the wire strands 7.

Fig. 4 shows in cross section a rope 1 produced using the method described above, which has a fiber core 6 made of fiber strands 3 of the same diameter and has the same structure. The fiber core 6 has been stranded in layers in a 1 + 6 + 12 structure, with a first layer 31 made of six fiber strands 3 clockwise (Z-lay) and a second layer 32 made of twelve fiber strands 3 counterclockwise (S-lay ) has been stranded. Since the fiber strands 3 have been stranded in a Z-lay, layer 32 is stranded in a cross-lay and layer 31 is stranded in a cross-lay.

How Fig. 4 shows, the fiber strands 3 are completely embedded in the thermoplastic 5. The layer of wire strands 7 resting on the fiber core 6 is embedded in a sheath 8, which is formed from the thermoplastic 5 and which surrounds the fiber bundles 3 of the fiber core 6. The wire strands 7 are twisted on the fiber core 6 at such a lay angle that the torques caused by the fiber strands 3 of the fiber core 6 and by the wire strands 7 cancel each other out when the rope 1 is loaded. The lay lengths of the fiber core 6 and the wire strands 8 can be coordinated with one another in such a way that the rope 1 has low rotation, for example with a rotation property of a rotation of the rope of less than 3.6 ° / 1000 d rope length when lifting a load that is 20% of F _min corresponds, or is rotation-free.

Below we will refer to the Fig. 5 to 9 Referenced, in which the same or equivalent parts have the same reference number as in the Fig. 1 to 4 are designated and each reference number is accompanied by a letter.

An in Fig. 8 Rope 1d shown differs from the one shown Fig. 4 in that only a single layer of wire strands 7d has been provided, the wire strands 7d of one layer have been twisted on the fiber core 6d at such a lay angle that torques caused by fiber strands 3d of the fiber core 6d and by the wire strands 7d are caused when the fiber core is loaded Rope 1d cancel each other out, and the wire strands 7d have been preformed into a helical shape as described above. Due to the pre-shaping, the wire strands 7d exert a comparatively low force on the fiber core 6d. On the other hand, the rope 1d is cut-resistant, ie it does not spread out under its own stresses when it is cut. The rope 1d is also low-rotation and can have the rotation properties mentioned above for the rope 1.

An in Fig. 5 Rope 1a shown differs from rope 1 according to Fig. 4 in that a fiber core 6a has been stranded in parallel and has a 1+6+(6+6) structure (Warrington). Fiber strands 3a, 3b of an outer layer 32a of fiber strands 3a have different diameters. Also with the rope 1a are the lay lengths of the fiber core 6a and the wire strands 8a are coordinated with one another in such a way that the rope 1a has little rotation, for example with a rotation property of less than a rotation of 3.6 ° / 1000 d rope length when lifting a load corresponding to 20% F _min , or is rotation-free.

In contrast to the rope 1a Fig. 5 is at the in Fig. 9 In the rope 1e shown, only a single layer of wire strands 7e has been provided, the wire strands 7e of one layer have been twisted on the fiber core 6e at such a lay angle that the torques caused by the fiber strands 3e, 3e 'of the fiber core 6e and by the wire strands 7e are at The load on the rope 1d is mutually canceled out so that it has little rotation (and, for example, has the rotation property mentioned above for the rope 1a) or is rotation-free, and the wire strands 7e have been preformed into a helical shape as described above.

In Fig. 6 Another rope 1b according to the invention is shown, the fiber strands of which are marked by hatching in the drawing. It has a core rope 6b with a 1 +6 + 12 structure. In order to influence a torque that is caused by the core rope 6b when the rope 1b is loaded, the individual layers of the core rope 6b made of fiber strands 60 have been stranded in opposite lay directions. A strand layer of five strands 40 is arranged on the core strand 6b, which have a 1+5+(5+5)+10 structure, with only the outer layer of the strands 40 made of steel wires 42 and the inner 1+5+(5+ 5) structure is formed by fiber strands 41. The strands 40 are compacted as a whole, for example by hammering.

An outer layer of outer strands 50 and 70 is wound around the strands 40. The outer strands 50 with fiber strands 51 and steel wires 52 have the same structure as the strands 40 and have also been compacted, but have a smaller diameter. The outer strands 70 have a 1+6+(6+6)+12 structure. The outer strands 70 also have an outer layer of strands formed by steel wires 72 and the interior of the strands, i.e. the 1+6+(6+6) structure, is formed by fiber strands 71. The outer strands 70 have also been compacted.

All of the fiber strands 60, 41, 51, 71 required to form the rope 1b have been produced using the method described above and heated during their stranding to form a one-piece fiber core. When producing the fiber strands 41,51,71, such an amount of thermoplastic, for example PEEK, was provided that when heated after they have been stranded, they become respective fiber core has formed a sheath made of the thermoplastic, in which the outer steel wires 42,52,72 have been embedded. When they were stranded to form the rope 1b, the core strand 6b and the strands 40, 50, 70 were embedded in a matrix material 80 made of thermoplastic. The matrix material 80 can be made of the same plastic in which the fiber bundles of the fiber strands 60, 41, 51, 71 have been embedded (eg PEEK) or another plastic, eg polycarbonate, which adheres to the thermoplastic, if necessary chemically connected to him, being educated.

Also with rope 1b Fig. 6 The fiber strands 60b, the strands 40 and the outer strands 70 can be laid in such a way that the rope 1b has little rotation and, for example, a rotation property of a rotation of the rope of less than 36 ° / 1000 d rope length when lifting a load that is 20% of F _min corresponds, has.

An in Fig. 7 The rope 1c shown has a core rope 6c with a 1+6+(6+6)+12 structure. An outer layer of the core rope 6c is formed by steel wires 62c. The inner 1 + 6 + 6 (6 + 6) structure of the core rope 6c is formed by a fiber core, the fiber strands 60c of which, produced according to the method described above, have been stranded in parallel and connected to one another during stranding under heating as described above.

Strands 40c wound around the core rope 6c have a fiber core formed from a single fiber strand 41c and steel wire wires 42c stranded thereon (1+6 structure). An outer layer of the rope 1c is formed by steel wire strands 70c.

When stranding the rope 1c, the core strand 6c, the strands 40c and the outer strands 70c have been embedded in a matrix material 80c made of thermoplastic. The matrix material 80c preferably consists of the same thermoplastic (e.g. polyamide) that was used to produce the fiber strands 60c, 41c. The rope c has been compacted overall, for example by hammering.

In the case of the rope 1c, the steel wires 62c, fiber strands 60c, the strands 40c and the steel wire strands 70c can be laid in such a way that the rope 1b has little rotation and, for example, a rotation property of a rotation of the rope of less than 18 ° / 1000 d of rope length when lifting a load , which corresponds to 20% of F _min .

It is understood that the wire-containing strands of the ropes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e according to the Fig. 5 to 9 can also be preformed, as explained above for the wire rope 1.

Claims (14)

1. Method for the production of a rope (1), in which fibre bundles (2) are coated with a liquefied matrix material (5) before and/or at a stranding point (4) to form fibre strands (3) and are embedded in the liquefied matrix material (5) during stranding, by means of which fibre strands (3) a fibre core (6) of the rope (1) is formed, wherein the matrix material (5) of the fibre strands (3) is solidified after the stranding and before rope-stranding of the fibre strands (3), and the fibre strands (3) after solidification of the matrix material (5) to form the fibre core (6) are rope-stranded with one another directly without further coating and wires or wire strands (7) are wound around the fibre core (6).
2. Method according to Claim 1,
   characterized
   in that the fibre strands (3), during or after the rope-stranding thereof to form the fibre core (6), are heated such that the matrix material (5) of at least individual fibre strands (3), preferably all of the fibre strands (3), softens and bonds with the matrix material (5) of respective other fibre strands (3), and is then solidified to form an integral bond between them.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2,
   characterized
   in that a sheath (8) that is preferably formed from the matrix material (5) is provided on the fibre core (6).
4. Method according to Claim 3,
   characterized
   in that the wires or the wire strands (7) are embedded in the matrix material (5) of the sheath (8).
5. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 4,
   characterized
   in that the fibre strands (3) are parallel-rope-stranded or layer-rope-stranded in order to form the fibre core (6) .
6. Method according to Claim 5,
   characterized
   in that, in layer rope-stranding, the fibre strands (3) are rope-stranded in different lay directions in order to influence a torque arising on loading of the rope (1), preferably such that the fibre core (6) or the entire rope (1) is low-rotation or rotation-free.
7. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 6,
   characterized
   in that the fibre strands (3) are rope-stranded in regular lay, in which the fibres in the fibre strands (3) and the fibre strands (3) in the rope (1) are wound in opposite directions, or in lang lay, in which the fibres in the fibre strands (3) and the fibre strands (3) in the rope (1) are wound in the same direction.
8. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 7,
   characterized
   in that, before rope-stranding on the fibre core (6), the wires or the wire strands (7) are preformed, preferably into a helical or approximately helical form which they assume in the finished rope (1).
9. Method according to any of Claims 1 to 8,
   characterized
   in that only a single layer of the preferably preformed wire strands (7) is wound around the fibre core (6), or at least two layers of the wire strands (7) are wound around the fibre core (6).
10. Rope (1), comprising a fibre core (6) having fibre strands (3), wherein the fibre strands (4) are formed from fibre bundles (2) embedded in a matrix material (5) and stranded with one another in the matrix material (5), and are rope-stranded with one another in the fibre core (6) and wires or wire strands (7) are rope-stranded on the fibre core (6),
    characterized
    in that the fibre core is formed of the fibre strands the matrix material of which is solidified after the stranding and before the rope-stranding to form the fibre core (4), and the solidified fibre strands (4) in the fibre core (6) are rope-stranded with one another directly without further coating.
11. Rope according to Claim 10,
    characterized
    in that the matrix material (5) of various of the fibre strands (4) in the fibre core (6) are bonded with one another, preferably melted with one another, to form an integral bond between the respective fibre strands (7).
12. Rope according to Claim 10 or 11,
    characterized
    in that a sheath (8), preferably formed of the matrix material (5), is provided on the fibre core (6), wherein preferably the wires or wire strands (7) are preferably embedded in the sheath (8).
13. Rope according to any of Claims 10 to 12,
    characterized
    in that, in layer rope-stranding, the fibre strands (3) are rope-stranded in different lay directions in order to influence a torque arising on loading of the rope (1), preferably such that the fibre core (6) or the entire rope (1) is low-rotation or rotation-free.
14. Rope according to any of Claims 10 to 13,
    characterized
    in that the fibre strands (3) are rope-stranded in regular lay, in which the fibres in the fibre strands (3) and the fibre strands (3) in the rope (1) are wound in opposite directions, or in lang lay, in which the fibres in the fibre strands (3) and the fibre strands (3) in the rope (1) are wound in the same direction.

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