High tensile strength compacted towing cable with signal transmission element and method of making the same

• US 4,778,246 A
• Filed: 05/15/1985
• Issued: 10/18/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ACCO Babcock Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ACCO Babcock Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Carroll, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US06/734,736
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.23, 174/115, 174/128 R, 174/129 R, 174/129 S, 174/130, 174/131 R, 174/131 A, 57/215, 57/3.5, 57/9
• US Class Current: 385/107
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/068 characterised by the strand design
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/147 comprising electric conductors or elements for information transfer D07B1/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/162 characterised by a plastic or rubber enveloping sheathing
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/167 having a predetermined shape
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/2019 pressed to shape
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/2049 having protrusions extending radially functioning as spacer between strands or wires
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2801/24 Rope
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 5/007 comprising postformed and thereby radially plastically deformed elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4422 of the overhead type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4434 Central member to take up tensile loads
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/045 attached to marine objects, e.g. buoys, diving equipment, aquatic probes, marine towline

Abstract

A high tensile strength transmission cable having a plurality of main compacted strands. The strands surround, and are adjacent to, an uncompacted and moveable core which may form or contain one or more transmission elements. A method for making such a high strength transmission cable includes the steps of compacting the cable formed by a plurality of pre-compacted strands wound around a hard core wire, opening the strands to replace the hard core wire with a soft core containing transmission elements, and then closing the strands.

Claims

1. A composite high tensile strength towing cable including:

an outer cable structure formed of a plurality of unitary strands, said strands being compacted into one another such that the cross-sectional shape of said strands is deformed from an initial circular shape to a final non-circular shape; and

a central fragile non-deformed optical fiber signal transmission element.

2. A method of manufacturing a high tensile strength transmission cable from a pre-compacted multi-strand cable having a plurality of main strands surrounding a hard core wire including the sequential steps of opening the main strands, removing the hard core wire from the cable, inserting a relatively soft core containing a transmission element, and closing the main strands.

3. A method of manufacturing according to claim 2 including the additional step of encasing the cable in an electrical insulation sheath after closing the main strands.

7. A cable made by the process of claim 2.

8. A cable made by the process of claim 3.

4. A method of manufacturing a high tensile strength transmission cable from a multi-strand cable having a plurality of main strands surrounding a hard core wire, including the sequential steps of compacting said main strands around said hard core wire, opening the main strands, removing the hard core wire from the cable, inserting a relatively soft core, and closing the main strands.

5. A method of manufacturing according to claim 4 wherein the step of compacting the main strands includes compacting the strands until adjacent strands are bridged to contact each other and wherein the step of inserting a relatively soft core includes inserting a circular core element in the form of an electrical conductor or an optical fiber.

6. A method of manufacturing according to claim 4 wherein the step of compacting the main strands includes compacting the strands sufficiently to leave a space between adjacent strands and the step of inserting a relatively soft core includes inserting an insulation element having ribs which extend into the spaces between adjacent strands.

9. A cable made by the process of claim 4.

10. A cable made by the process of claim 5.

11. A cable made by the process of claim 6.