Abstract: The invention provides a method of stowing a rope or the like. The method comprises the steps of: placing a first looped portion of a rope in a longitudinally extending cavity; and placing successive adjacent looped portions of the rope in respective next adjacent longitudinally extending cavities. The method employs a device which may comprise a number of tubular members defining the rope stowing cavities arranged in juxtaposed relationship. Alternatively, the device may comprise a housing, the interior of which is subdivided to provide the rope stowing cavities. The rope end device combination of the invention is intended as an emergency tow pack for a sea-going vessel.

Abstract: A device and a method for terminating a rope or a bundle of ropes. The device comprises a housing member having a frusto-conical bore for accommodating hollow member which, in use, wedgedly retain rope ends or rope end portions within the housing. The hollow members are located in juxtaposed relationship within the housing, each hollow member having a conically shaped member which traps a rope end or rope end portion within its respective hollow member. The device is designed for terminating ropes of large diameter or bundles of ropes which collectively have a large diameter. The device is shaped or has means to enable it to be secured to a fixture such as a seabed anchorage. The device may, however, be provided as a means of connecting two ropes of large diameter and as such comprises two of the rope end terminating devices fixed in back to back relationship.

Abstract: A variable camber vane comprises a plurality of articulated spanwise segments which can be operated by a mechanism of pivoted links at one end. A plurality of such vanes may be arranged in a supporting frame to act a variable thrust deflector for the exhaust of a lift engine. In a VTOL or STOVL aircraft installation the vane array is mounted on the underside of the aircraft below a downwardly exhausting lift fan and the range of movement of the variable vane array is used to vector lift thrust between a mainly downward direction and a direction having a substantially rearward component.

Abstract: A failure tolerant engine mounting is formed by three links between the engine and its support structure, one of the links being arranged so that in the event of failure of either of the other links it will form a connection between three points on the engine and supporting structure which are symmetrically arranged about a vertical axis through the engines center of gravity.