Steel Cable Ferrule
Wire rope is a type of rope which consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a helix. Today, steel is the main material used for wire ropes.
Terminations The end of a wire rope tends to fray readily, and it cannot be easily connected to equipment. Different ways of securing the ends of wire ropes exist to prevent fraying, and they require special tools and skill. The most common and useful type of end fitting for a wire rope is to turn the end back to form a loop. The loose end is then fixed back on the wire rope. Go to the Riggging Hardware page to see what the Sailmaker Loft can do for your termination needs.
Eye splice or Flemish Eye An eye splice may be used to terminate the loose end of a wire rope when forming a loop. The strands of the end of a wire rope are unwound a certain distance and plaited back into the wire rope, forming the loop, or an eye, called an eye splice. When this type of rope splice is used specifically on wire rope, it is called a “Molly Hogan”, and, by some, a “Dutch” eye instead of a “Flemish” eye.
Swaged terminations Swaging is wire rope termination that refers to the installation technique. The purpose is to connect two wire rope ends together, or to otherwise terminate one end of wire rope to something else. A mechanical or hydraulic swager is used to compress and deform the fitting to create a permanent connection.
Thimbles When the wire rope is terminated with a loop, there is a risk that it will bend too tightly, especially when the loop is connected to a device that spreads the load over a relatively small area. A thimble can be installed inside the loop to preserve the natural shape of the loop, and protect the cable from pinching and abrading on the inside of the loop. The thimble prevents the load from coming into direct contact with the wires.
Wedge Sockets A wedge socket termination is useful when the fitting needs to be replaced frequently. For example, if the end of a wire rope is in a high-wear region, the rope may be periodically trimmed, requiring the termination hardware to be removed and reapplied. An example of this is on the ends of the drag ropes on a dragline. The end loop of the wire rope enters a tapered opening in the socket, wrapped around a separate component called the wedge. The arrangement is knocked in place, and load gradually eased onto the rope. As the load increases on the wire rope, the wedge become more secure, gripping the rope tighter.
Wire Rope Clamps and Clips A wire rope clamp is called a clip, and it is used to fix the loose end of the loop back to the wire rope. It usually consists of a u-shaped bolt, a forged saddle and two nuts. The two layers of wire rope are placed in the u-bolt. The saddle is then fitted over the ropes on to the bolt (the saddle includes two holes to fit to the u-bolt). The nuts secure the arrangement in place.
Potted Ends or Poured Sockets Poured sockets are used to make a high strength, permanent termination. They are created by inserting the wire rope into the narrow end of a conical cavity which is oriented in-line with the intended direction of strain. The individual wires are splayed out inside the cone, and the cone is then filled with molten zinc or an epoxy resin.
