US2250863A - Flexible cablelike formation of - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1941.

FLEXIBLE A. M. GOODLOE ',2,250;863

CABLELIKE FORMATION OF KNITTED METALLIC FABRIC -Filed Oct. 8, 1940' 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR.

. ATTORNEY.

- July 29, 1941. A, M. GOODLOE FLEXIBLE CABLELIKE FORMATION OF KNITTEDMETALLIC FABRIC Filed 001' 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 29, 1941 FLEXIBLE CABLELIKE FORMATION OF I KNITTED lHETALLIC FABRIC llfred M. Goodloe, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Metal TextileCorporation, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8, I940, Serial No. 360,220

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an'improved material of indeterminate length and suitable cross-sectional shape formed from knitted metallic fabric toprovide a body which is highly resistant to transverse crushing pressure and yet possessive of a high degree of flexibility along its longitudinal axis: such material being of cable-like .form, of desired cross-sectional shape, and suitable for many uses including, for example, use as a packing or gasket material, with or without impregnation by various other substances or incorporation therewith of other materials; or as power transmission shafting of flexible character; or for manyother uses in connection with which a cable-like formation of flexible characteristics would be desirable. l

This invention, therefore, has for an object to provide a cable-like formation comprising a metallic mesh fabric made from knitted wire which, when subjected to pressure transverse to its longitudinal axis, is sufliciently hard to withstand comparatively high pressure without undue tendency to deformation, and yet of such longitudinal flexibility as to permit the same to be readily conformed to desired annular shapes without stretching or substantially altering the crosssectional areaof the body thereof; such ability being due to a compensating relative sliding action of the dnterengaged knit wire loops of the metallic mesh fabric" from which the body is made, whereby differently located areas of the fabric, respectively subjected to longitudinal stretch and compression, may be relatively elongated and shortened without working, bending or otherwise stressing or straining the metallic wire from which the fabric is made.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be .understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of the novel cablelike body of knitted metallic fabric are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

.Fig, 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the cable-like body; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the body with successive portions of layers of knitted metallic mesh making up the same b oken away so as to show the relation" sliding play between intereng'aged knit loops of the metallic mesh fabric to which the longitudl nal flexibility or pliability of the body is" due, and

by which such characteristics are -attained without substantially altering the cross-sectional area thereof or stressingor straining the metallic wire from which the body material is made.

Fig. 5 is a view similar'to that of Fig. 2, but showing a modified construction of the cable-like body; and Fig. 6 is a similar viewof another modified construction of the cable-like body.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

In making up the novel flexible cable-like body, in one form thereof according to this invention, strips of knitted metallic wire fabric of desired length and suitable width are employed. These strips preferably comprise tubular knit metallic fabric members which areflattened to provide double ply strips; although it will be obvious that flat knit strips constituting single ply strips may be optionallyused, A plurality of such strips are used, varying in number according to the diametric sizc of cable-like body desired to be duced. a

For the purpose of illustration, as shown in PTO? Figs. 2 and 3, one strip, indicated by the refer-v ence character I0, is laterally rolled upon itself to form a center member or core, upon which, in

successively applied overlying layers, are superimposed successive strips ll, l2, I3, and It by.

respectively tightly rolling or laterally winding or convolving the same about the said core l0 and one upon'anotheruntil a body A of desired diameter in cross-section is built up. The knitted ,loops of the thus'assembled strips are all disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resultant body, thus permitting relative-sliding Instead of employing a plurality of strips,

-which is the preferable practice as above'set forth, the body may be produced by laterally winding a single strip of knitted metallic fabric of suitable width upon itself, whereby to build up the convolved superposed layers wherein the interengaged knit loops will nevertheless lie par- .allel-to the longitudinal axis of the body and the compensating sliding play between adjacent loops will be permitted.

Preferably, an external cover member l5 of tubular knit metallic fabric. is applied over the basic formation to retain theelements thereof against disassociation; although other forms of retaining means may be employed, if desired, and

in some-case's such retaining means may 'even be omitted.

The resultant body, formed as above described,

by the tightly laminated core and overlying built up strips of knitted metallic wire fabric, will be sufiiciently hard or dense to strongly resist pressures applied thereto transverse to its longitudin'al; axis, and yet, due to the play permitted betudinal axis, and consequently may be easily bent 'into circular or other annular shapes of comparatively small radius without stressing or straining the wire strands fromwhich the fab ric is knit. Owing to the permissible longitudinal slidin play between the interlinked knitted loops in either direction, the fabric elements of. the body will readily react to longitudinal stretch at one point or area thereof and to compression at another are incorporated therewith in association with the strip of knitted metallic wire fabricof which it is basicly formed. Examples; of such'amodified forms are shown in Figs. 5 and- 6 offthe drawings. In Fig. 5, in the modified construction therein shown, the core ll of the body comprise a length of flexible cable, rope 0: ,cord of textile, metallic or other material,

tween the interlinked knitted wireloops, will nevertheless be readily flexible along its longi-l-m' aroundfwhich are'laminated the'superposed layers of knitted metallic wire fabric II, l2, l3 and I4, and, if desired, the external tubular sheath or cover ll of. knitted metallic wire fabric. In Fig. 6, in the modified construction therein shown, the core l0" and superposed layers of knitted metallic wire fabric i2 and I4, with or without the tubular sheath or cover ll of knitted m ta l c: ,i e. fa ric, may be alternated with other point or area thereof when the body isflexed or bent along its longitudinal axis. This is schematically indicated in Fig. 4 0i the drawings, wherein a section of the bodyin bent condition is shown. When the body is bent longitudinally, the areas of the fabric elements lying along the outward portions of the bent section will be subject to longitudinal stretch, whereas the areas lying along the inward portions of the bent section willbe subject to longitudinal compression orcontraction. Upon these conditions, as shown in Fig. 4, the interlinked loops 3 located along outward areas of the bent section interposedlayers "it, of fibrous material, such e. s.

as asbestos. This last described formwould offer "that all matter' contained in the foregoing description or shown in .the accompanying draw- 1:185 shall be will tend to slide away one from another, whereas the interlinked loops C located along the inward areas of the bent section will tend to slide toward one another. It will be obvious that these differ-- cut and opposite relative sliding movements of interlinked knit loops in the outward and inward areas of the bent section will be mutually comse' will not be unduly stressed or strained with 'pensating, and consequently the wire strands per tendency to breaking or other injury, and yet ahigh degree of longitudinal flexibility will char-;

acterize the body. Furthermore, any tendency of the loops whichslide away one from another to elongate and thus laterally contract will be compensated by the tendency of the loops which slide toward one another to laterally expand, and consequently the longitudinal bending of the body will not result in any substantial alteration of the cross-sectional shape and area of said,

body, nor will wrinkling or bulging occur along the inner areas of the bent body. ,2

The novel cable-like body, having the flexible and other characteristics above set forth, and

- in the form described, will be found useful for many purposes, such as a packing or gasket material, flexible shafting, 'as a cushioningemedium for absorbing vibration in Joints and other mechanical associations, and as a base for friction materialssuch as brake linings. When used as a packing or gasket material, if so desired, the same. may be impregnated or filled with any desirable liquid proofing substance, or it may be impregnated with graphite, rubberor other plastic filler. Furthermore, when used as a packing or gasket, the body may be preformed to cross-- sectional shapes other than the circular shape shown in the drawings, such e. g. as of squareor other polygonal cross-sectional shape, and this without unduly impairing its desigfd longitudinal flexibility. v

The novelfiexible cable-like body may also be I provided in variously modified forms in which mxa imitins'sense.

f1. fn longitudinally flexible cable-like body comprising knitted metallic wire fabric arranged in laterally convolyed superposed layers, wherein the interengaged knit loops of the fabric lie parinterpreted as illustrative and not allel to the longitudinal axis of the body, and wherein sliding. play is permitted between ion-- gitudinally adloined loops toward and from each otherjthroughout the mass of the body.

j a s tifigitudinsiiyi flexible cable-like body "com osi n t metallic'lylre alamnz in] laterally Icbhyolved sili l'm layers, wherein the interen'gaiged knitloops'of fabric lie parallel to the longitudinal 'a'xisof thebodm'and wherein sliding playvls permitted between longitudinally .adioined loops toward and from each other throughout the mass of the body, and a tubular cover sheath of knitted metallic wire fabric enclosing said body.

a. A longitudinally flexible cable-like body comprising a fiexible core and knitted metallic wire fabric laterally convolved about said core in closely hugging superposed layers, wherein the interengaged knit loops of the fabric lie parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, and

wherein sliding play is permitted between iongitudinally adjoin'ed loops-toward and from each other through the fabric mass.

4. A longitudinally fiexible cable-like body comprising a flexible core and knitted metallic wire fabric laterally convolved aboutsaid core in closely hugging superposed layers, wherein the interengaged knit. loops of the fabric lie parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, and wherein sliding play is permitted between longitudinally adloined loops toward and from each other through the fabric mass, and a tubular oover sheath of knitted metallic wire fabric enclosin said body.

5. A longitudinallyfiexibleUcable-like body comprising, a plurality of strips of knitted metallic wire fabric, one said strip being laterally rolled .upon itself to provide a central core, a successionv of other strips being laterally eonvolved about said core in closely hugging superposed layers whereby the body is substantially resistant to deforming pressure applied transverse to the axis thereof, the interengaged knit loops of the fabric strips being disposed to lie parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, and longitudinally adjoined loops throughout the assembled fabric strips being capable of relative sliding play toward or from each other when the body is flexed along its longitudinal axis, to thereby compensatingly permit elongation of outward portions and contraction of inward portions of the flexed body without undue alteration of its cross-sectional shape and area.

6. A longitudinally flexible cable-like, body comprising, a plurality of strips of knitted metallic wire fabric, one said strip being laterally rolled upon itself to provide a central core,-a

succession of other strips being laterally convolved cross-sectional shape and area, and a tubular cover sheath of knitted metallic wire fabric enclosing said body. V I

7. A longitudinally flexible body of suitable cross-sectional shape comprising a flexible core and a plurality of strips of knitted metallic wire fabric successively laterally convolved about said core, the nterengaged loops of the'fabric strips being disp sed to lie parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, and longitudinally adjoined loops throughout the assembled fabric strips being capable of relative sliding play in longitudinal directions under flexing stresses applied to said body.

s. A longitudinally flexible body of suitable cross-sectional shape comprising a flexible core and a plurality of strips of knitted metallic wire fabric successively laterally convolved about said core, the interengaged loops of the fabric strips being disposed to lie parallel to the-longitudinal axis of the body, and longitudinallyadioined loops throughout the assembled fabric strips being capable of relative sliding play in longitudi-,

nal directions under flexing stresses applied to said body, and a tubular cover sheath of knitted metallic wire fabric enclosing said body.

9. In a longitudinally flexible body as defined in claim 7 wherein layers of fibrous materiafare interposed between two or more of said convolved strips of knitted metallic wire fabric.

ALFRED M. GOODLOE.

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