Abstract: The following specification discloses an anchor for a cable employed in rotary drilling rigs for oil well derricks. Tension on the anchored cable is measured through a load cell in connected relationship to the anchor. The anchor comprises a drum upon which the cable is wound and snubbed, and is journaled for partial rotative connection around a spindle on a base member. The drum is fabricated from weldments in a unique manner and employs a weigh beam that is triangularly braced to incorporate maximum strength to the welded drum to which it is attached. In addition thereto, the weigh beam is oriented for optimization of the transfer of rotative tension forces on the drum to the weigh beam and then to the load cell in a manner whereby the movement of the weigh beam describes a substantially uniform movement through its operative functions.