Hollow-braided rope having a rope termination formed therein and a rope termination forming system for forming the rope termination
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a hollow-braided rope having a new and improved rope termination formed therein and a new and improved rope termination system for forming the rope termination. Generally, the rope termination of the present disclosure is formed using a double-braided portion of hollow-braided rope in conjunction with a set of mechanical components of the rope termination forming system. The use of both the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope and the set of mechanical components causes any applied tensile forces to be distributed between the double-braided portion and the mechanical components. The distribution of part of any applied tensile forces away from the mechanical components and to the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope itself enables the mechanical components to be relatively small and lightweight and reduces the size and weight of the rope termination without compromising strength.
1. A rope termination forming system for forming a rope termination in a hollow-braided rope, the rope termination system comprising:
(a) the hollow-braided rope including (i) a first end, and (ii) an opposing second end having the rope termination formed therein, wherein the rope termination includes a double-braided portion of the hollow braided rope including an outer braid portion and an inner braid portion disposed within the outer braid portion and terminating in a tail, a portion of an outer surface of the inner braid portion near the tail contacting a portion of an inner surface of the outer braid portion;
rope inverter including a rope inverter body having a tapered rope inverter body outer surface, a rope inverter body inner surface defining a rope receiving channel through the rope inverter body, and a rope inversion surface connecting the rope inverter body outer surface and the rope inverter body inner surface, wherein the rope inverter is configured such that: (i) a portion of the outer braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is wrapped around at least part of the rope inverter body outer surface, (ii) a portion of the inner braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is disposed within the rope receiving channel through the rope inverter body, and (iii) a portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is wrapped around at least part of the rope inversion surface of the rope inverter body; and
(c) a socket including a socket body having a tapered socket body inner surface, the socket body inner surface defining a tapered bore through the socket body that forms a rope inverter receiving cavity configured to receive the rope inverter.
2. The rope termination system of claim 1 , wherein the socket is configured to be slidably disposed on the hollow-braided rope and the socket body inner surface and the rope inverter body outer surface are configured to clamp the portion of the outer braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope wrapped around the rope inverter body outer surface therebetween when a tensile force is applied to the rope.
3. The rope termination system of claim 1 , which includes a tail retainer configured to be disposed within the inner braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow braided rope upstream of the socket.
4. The rope termination system of claim 1 , wherein the rope inverter body is formed of a single piece and the socket body is formed of a single piece.
5. The rope termination system of claim 1 , wherein the rope inverter body outer surface is frustoconical.
6. The rope termination system of claim 5 , wherein the socket body inner surface is frustoconical.
7. The rope termination system of claim 6 , wherein the socket body has a cylindrical socket body outer surface.
8. A hollow-braided rope comprising:
a first end; and
an opposing second end having a rope termination formed therein, the rope termination including:
(a) a double-braided portion of the hollow braided rope including an outer braid portion and an inner braid portion disposed within the outer braid portion and terminating in a tail, a portion of an outer surface of the inner braid portion near the tail contacting a portion of an inner surface of the outer braid portion; and
(b) a rope inverter including a rope inverter body having a tapered rope inverter body outer surface, a rope inverter body inner surface defining a rope receiving channel through the rope inverter body, and a rope inversion surface connecting the rope inverter body outer surface and the rope inverter body inner surface, wherein:
(i) a portion of the outer braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is wrapped around at least part of the rope inverter body outer surface,
(ii) a portion of the inner braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is disposed within the rope receiving channel through the rope inverter body, and
(iii) a portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is wrapped around at least part of the rope inversion surface of the rope inverter body.
9. The hollow-braided rope of claim 8 , wherein the rope termination further includes a socket including a body having a tapered socket body inner surface, the socket body inner surface defining a tapered bore through the socket body that forms a rope inverter receiving cavity configured to receive the rope inverter.
10. The hollow-braided rope of claim 9 , wherein the socket is slidably disposed on the hollow-braided rope and the socket body inner surface and the rope inverter body outer surface are configured to clamp the portion of the outer braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope wrapped around the rope inverter body outer surface therebetween when a tensile force is applied to the socket.
11. The hollow-braided rope of claim 10 , wherein the rope termination further includes a tail retainer disposed within the inner braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow braided rope upstream of the socket.
12. The hollow-braided rope of claim 9 , wherein the rope inverter body outer surface is frustoconical.
13. The hollow-braided rope of claim 12 , wherein the socket body inner surface is frustoconical.
14. The hollow-braided rope of claim 13 , wherein the socket body has a cylindrical socket body outer surface.
15. The hollow-braided rope of claim 8 , wherein the first end has a different rope termination formed therein.
16. The hollow-braided rope of claim 8 , wherein the rope inverter body is formed by introducing a liquid resin into the hollow-braided rope proximate the second end and enabling the liquid resin to harden.
17. A hollow-braided rope comprising:
a first end; and
an opposing second end having a rope termination formed therein, the rope termination including:
(a) a double-braided portion of the hollow braided rope including an outer braid portion and an inner braid portion disposed within the outer braid portion and terminating in a tail, a portion of an outer surface of the inner braid portion near the tail contacting a portion of an inner surface of the outer braid portion;
(b) a rope inverter including a rope inverter body having a frustoconical rope inverter body outer surface, a cylindrical rope inverter body inner surface defining a rope receiving channel through the rope inverter body, and a rope inversion surface connecting the rope inverter body outer surface and the rope inverter body inner surface; and
(c) a socket including a body having a cylindrical socket body outer surface and a frustoconical socket body inner surface, the socket body inner surface defining a tapered bore through the socket body that forms a rope inverter receiving cavity configured to receive the rope inverter,
wherein:
(i) a portion of the outer braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is wrapped around at least part of the rope inverter body outer surface,
(ii) a portion of the inner braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is disposed within the rope receiving channel through the rope inverter body,
(iii) a portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope is wrapped around at least part of the rope inversion surface of the rope inverter body,
(iv) the socket is slidably disposed on the hollow-braided rope, and
(v) the socket body inner surface and the rope inverter body outer surface are configured to clamp the portion of the outer braid portion of the double-braided portion of the hollow-braided rope wrapped around the rope inverter body outer surface therebetween when a tensile force is applied to the socket.