Abstract: A rope or cable having a series of loops and/or fairings extending laterally in spaced relation along its length is disclosed. In one embodiment, the fairings are composed of a series of strands which splay outwardly from a jacket applied onto a core. In one species of this embodiment, a layer of resilient material surrounds the core, and the jacket is braided over base portions of the fairings which overlie the resilient layer. In another species of this embodiment, the core is provided by an elongated cable, and the jacket is provided by a helically-wrapped tape which anchors the strands to the cable. In another embodiment, a central core is omitted and a braided jacket surrounds base portions of the strands to secure the fairings.Methods and apparatus for producing the faired articles are also disclosed.

Abstract: A high-strength parallel yarn rope comprises a series of multi-filament rope yarns which are bounded together in parallel relation along their lengths by a binder distributed only on the surfaces of the yarns to form a flexible rope core. The core is surrounded by a braided jacket, and a flexible layer of water-impervious material adhesively and mechanically bonds the core to the jacket.A method is also disclosed for manufacturing the rope.

Abstract: An elongated article such as a rope or cord having a series of fairings spaced apart along its length is produced in a continuous manner by the method and apparatus of the present invention. The rope comprises a core having a plurality of yarns surrounded by a layer of resilient material, and a braided jacket surrounds the core and anchors the fairings thereto. The fairings are provided by a resilient fairing yarn which is fed toward the core and which is manipulated by a needle during braiding of the jacket to cause each fairing to have a base portion anchored between the jacket and the resilient layer of the core and streamer portions extending outwardly from the base portion. The needle is mounted for reciprocation parallel to the moving core upstream of the braider, and the fairing yarn passes through the eye of the needle and a first length is displaced through the path of movement of the braid yarns into engagement with a gripping assembly located downstream of the braid yarns.

Abstract: Fittings are provided for use in terminating parallel yarn ropes containing one or more electrical conductors, and methods are disclosed for securing the fittings to the ropes to afford separation of the conductors from the rope and connection to electrical apparatus. One fitting has a frusto-conical body portion providing a tapered peripheral surface with an axial bore and a bail extending beyond the base of the body. The rope yarns are inserted into the bore at the narrow end of the fitting and divided into two pairs of bundles with each pair being splayed outward diametrically of the bore and returned along the outside of the fitting for wrapping helically in opposite directions for a predetermined distance about the periphery of the rope. The ends of the bundles are secured to the rope, so that when tension is applied between the bail and the rope, the wrapped bundles grip the outside of the rope to mount the fitting securely to the rope.