Method of spinning cables for suspension bridges

• Main Author: NIXON JOHN E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.02.1961
• Subjects: ASSEMBLY OF BRIDGES; CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES; CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; OR VIADUCTS

911,976. Bridges. COLORADO FUEL & IRON CORPORATION. May 20, 1959 [Nov. 6, 1958], No. 17107/59. Class 20 (1). [Also in Groups XXV and XXX] A cable for a suspension bridge is made in position by first laying in known manner a guide wire 13 across sheaves 17, 18, on the bridge towers 10, 11 in conformity with the desired catenaries, anchoring it at 14 and 19 and marking the wire 13 adjacent fixed points on the sheaves 17, 18 and anchorages 14, 19. The guide wire 13 clamped at the tops of the towers 10, 11 during the process of forming the catenaries is then released from the clamping devices on the towers and placed under a number of hold-down sheaves 27 positioned along a foot walk 12, under which sheaves it is held by the tension exerted by a counterweight 21. The free end of wire on a reel 22 is next anchored at 14 and a loop therefrom in the form of a fixed wire 26 and a running wire 23 is laid as by means of a spinning wheel unit 25 parallel to the guide wire 13 and beneath sheaves 28, a counterweight 29 being attached to its far end by a rope 30. The fixed wire 26 is then marked in alignment with the markings on the guide wire 13. After all the wires of a strand have been so gauged, the guide wire and strand wires are released from the hold down sheaves and the strand wires moved so that their markings coincide with the fixed markings on the towers and anchorages. The spun wires from the sheaves 17, 18 are then transferred by a picking beam into the saddle of the tower. Two or more wires may be spun simultaneously with an appropriate number of pulleys in the sheaves.