Thimble with element retaining feature

• US 20110052314A1
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Delta Rigging & Tools, Inc. (SBP Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Lindsey, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 8,256,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/210
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/12 Slings comprising chains, wires, ropes, or bands; Nets article side grippers suspended by ropes or chains from crane hooks B66C1/42
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/185 characterised by the eye construction
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/146 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A captivated wire rope assembly can comprise a wire rope, shackle, ferrule, and wire rope thimble having an element retaining feature. The element retaining feature can ensure that all of the assembly components remain together for the life of the assembly by rendering it impossible to remove or replace the shackle or other rigging element without apparent damage to the system. The element retaining feature can be, for example, a substantially triangular gusset welded to one thimble leg, but not the other. Disclosed methods for making such a captivated wire rope assembly require no welding after the wire rope has been placed in the thimble, thus preventing damage to the wire rope or other assembly components.

Claims

1. A thimble assembly, comprising:

a length of wire rope having a first end and a second end, wherein a loop is formed in at least one of the first and second ends;

a wire rope thimble, the thimble comprising first and second leg portions, an arch portion, a peripheral groove extending substantially along an outer surface of the first and second leg portions and the arch portion, an element retaining feature, and a thimble eye defined by an inner surface of the thimble and the element retaining feature, wherein the wire rope loop is installed in the peripheral groove; and

a rigging element installed through the thimble eye,

wherein the element retaining feature is secured to one of the first or second leg portions and disconnected from the other of the first or second leg portion.

2. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the element retaining feature is welded to one of the first or second leg portions.

3. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the element retaining feature is welded to the inner surface of one of the first or second leg portions.

4. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the element retaining feature comprises first and second edges, wherein one of the first or second edges is permanently connected to one of the first or second leg portions, and the other of the first or second edges terminates at least in close proximity to the other of the first or second leg portions.

5. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the element retaining feature is substantially triangular.

6. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the element retaining feature is substantially trapezoidal.

7. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second leg portions terminate at a vertex opposite the arch portion, and wherein the element retaining feature substantially fills a space between the thimble eye and the vertex.

8. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein the element retaining feature comprises a top edge extending between the first and second leg portions, along the thimble eye.

9. The thimble assembly of claim 1, wherein a diameter defined by the largest distance between the first and second leg portions is greater than any distance between any point on the top edge of the element retaining feature and any point on the inner surface of the arch portion or first or second leg portions.

10. A wire rope thimble, comprising

a u-shaped member shaped to form a first leg portion, a second leg portion, and an arch portion connecting the first leg portion to the second leg portion;

an outer peripheral groove defining a wire rope receiving surface;

a thimble eye defined by an inner surface of the thimble; and

an element retaining feature coupled to one of the first or second leg portion and disconnected from the other of the first or second leg portions.

11. The wire rope thimble according to claim 10, wherein the element retaining feature is welded to either the first or second leg portion.

12. The wire rope thimble according to claim 10, wherein the element retaining feature comprises first and second edges, wherein one of the first or second edges is permanently connected to one of the first or second leg portions, and the other of the first or second edges terminates at least in close proximity to the other of the first or second leg portions.

13. The wire rope thimble according to claim 10, wherein the element retaining feature fills the majority of a space between the first and second leg portions.

14. The wire rope thimble according to claim 10, wherein the element retaining feature is substantially triangular.

15. The wire rope thimble according to claim 14, wherein the element retaining feature comprises a first edge substantially parallel to the first leg portion of the thimble, a second edge substantially parallel to the second leg portion of the thimble, and a third edge positioned to extend between the first and second leg portions.

16. The wire rope thimble according to claim 14, wherein the element retaining feature is sized relative to the thimble such that a diameter defined by the arch portion is greater than the distance between a first point anywhere along the third edge of the element retaining feature and a second point anywhere along the inner surface of the thimble.

17. The wire rope thimble according to claim 10, wherein the element retaining feature is substantially trapezoidal.

18. The wire rope thimble according to claim 17, wherein the element retaining feature comprises a first edge substantially parallel to the first leg portion of the thimble, a second edge substantially parallel to the second leg portion of the thimble, and a third edge and a fourth edge substantially parallel to one another, wherein the third and fourth edges are positioned relative to the first and second edges to form a substantially trapezoidal shape, and wherein the third edge is adjacent to the eye of the thimble.

19. The wire rope thimble according to claim 18, wherein the element retaining feature is sized relative to the thimble such that a diameter defined by the arch portion is greater than the distance between a first point anywhere along the third edge of the element retaining feature and a second point anywhere along the inner surface of the thimble.

20. A method of forming an integrated rope sling, comprising:

welding one edge of an element retaining feature to a wire rope thimble having a pair of opposed thimble legs and a thimble eye;

bending one of the thimble legs away from the element retaining feature to increase the distance between the leg and the element retaining feature;

installing a shackle into the thimble eye;

bending the thimble leg back towards the element retaining feature such that the shackle is enclosed within the thimble eye;

separating a wire rope end into a first and second section;

sliding the shackle onto one of the first and second sections;

splicing the first and second sections to form a loop; and

fitting the loop into a peripheral groove of the thimble.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising installing a ferrule such that the first and second sections are secured back onto the wire rope.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the element retaining feature is formed to have a substantially triangular shape before welding.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the element retaining feature is formed to have a substantially trapezoidal shape before welding.

24. The method according to claim 20, further including selecting a shackle sized such that it cannot be removed from the thimble eye once it has been enclosed in the thimble eye.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein bending the thimble leg away from the element retaining feature comprises bending the thimble leg out of a plane defined by the thimble.