Winch line

• US 10,640,920 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bubba Rope, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bubba Rope, LLC
• Inventors: Worswick, Douglas J., Grass, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Application Number:
  US15/338,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20180119341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/34 Attachment of ropes or cables to drums or barrels
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/148 comprising marks or luminous elements
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/162 characterised by a plastic or rubber enveloping sheathing
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/18 Grommets slings B66C1/12
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/185 characterised by the eye construction

Abstract

A winch line includes a length of synthetic rope having a connector end and a terminal end. An eye is formed by a splice at the connector end of the synthetic rope. An elastomeric coating encapsulates the eye. An elastomer mass is formed over and encapsulates a base portion of the eye and a portion of the splice. The winch line has a number of intermediate sections of consistent length along the length of the synthetic rope extending between the elastomer mass and the terminal end. A number of demarcations reside on a surface of the synthetic rope indicating a boundary between the intermediate sections.

Claims

1. A synthetic rope winch line comprising a length of synthetic rope having a connector end and a terminal end;

an eye formed by a splice at the connector end of the synthetic rope;

an elastomeric coating on the eye;

an elastomer mass formed over and encapsulating the elastomeric coating on a base portion of the eye adjacent to the splice and further extending over and encapsulating a portion of the splice;

a number of intermediate sections of consistent length along the length of the synthetic rope extending between the elastomer mass and the terminal end; and

a number of demarcations on a surface of the synthetic rope indicating a boundary between the intermediate sections.

2. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric coating is a two-component, high-performance polyurethane elastomer.

3. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 1, wherein the elastomer mass is a two-component, high-performance polyurethane elastomer.

4. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 1, wherein the elastomer mass is in a form of a trapezoid.

5. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 1 further comprising

a heat shield sleeve positioned along an intermediate length of the synthetic rope, beyond the intermediate sections away from the eye, and spaced apart from the terminal end such that a further length of unshielded synthetic rope extends between the heat shield sleeve and the terminal end.

6. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 1, wherein the synthetic rope is made of woven high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE).

7. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 1, wherein the length of synthetic rope has a high molecular weight polymer coating.

8. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 7, wherein the high molecular weight polymer coating is a vinyl coating.

9. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 8, wherein the vinyl coating is a polymer organosol vinyl dispersion consisting of high molecular weight polymer.

10. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 8, wherein

at locations of the demarcations, the vinyl coating is of a first color;

and

along the intermediate sections, the vinyl coating is of a second color that is different from the first color.

11. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 10 further comprising

a warning section positioned between a final one of the intermediate sections and the terminal end, wherein

the vinyl coating on the warning section is of a third color that is different from the second color.

12. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 11 further comprising

a heat shield sleeve positioned along an intermediate length of the synthetic rope, beyond the warning section away from the eye, and spaced apart from the terminal end such that a further length of unshielded synthetic rope extends between the heat shield sleeve and the terminal end.

13. A synthetic rope winch line comprising

a length of synthetic rope having a connector end and a terminal end;

an eye formed by a splice at the connector end of the synthetic rope;

an abrasion resistant thimble coating on the eye;

a rubber thimble stopper formed over and encapsulating the abrasion resistant thimble coating on a base portion of the eye adjacent to the splice and further extending over and encapsulating a portion of the splice, where in the rubber thimble stopper is formed of high molecular weight polymer.

14. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 13, wherein the abrasion resistant thimble coating is an elastomeric coating.

15. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 14, wherein the abrasion resistant thimble coating is a two-component, high-performance elastomer.

16. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 13, wherein the high molecular weight polymer of the rubber thimble stopper is a two-component, high-performance polyurethane elastomer.

17. The synthetic rope winch line of claim 13, wherein the rubber thimble stopper is in a form of a trapezoid.