Page 355 equipment and instruments 4464 



4464. Care of Taut-Wire Apparatus 



The taut-wire apparatus is a comparatively simple mechanism and requires only 

 ordinary care. All rotating parts are provided with grease cups or oilholes and they 

 must be kept clean and well greased or oiled to ensure free movement. When the 

 apparatus is idle, the flyer arm should be left in a position so that the hole in the lubri- 

 cating ring is at the top. The brake drum should be lubricated with only two or three 

 drops of light oil. 



Light-canvas covers should be made and used to protect the apparatus when it 

 is not in use. One may be made to cover the entire measuring-apparatus stand and 

 another to cover the entire reel and standard, with provision in the latter to fit the 

 flyer at the correct idle position, as described in the preceding paragraph. The wire 

 on the reel must always be protected with seA^eral layers of oil-soaked cloth wrapped 

 around the entire circumference, before the cover is placed on the drum standard. 



The outer layers of wire are thickly greased by the wire manufacturers as protec- 

 tion from rust during shipment and storage. Wlien a reel of new wire is first used 

 this grease is quite annoying because the revolving flyer arm throws it in all directions, 

 and some of it is carried to the revolving wheels where it is thrown on the deck and 

 overhead. As protection from this the vulnerable parts of the ship should be covered 

 with canvas or discarded tarpaulins, when a reel of new wire is first used. 



4465. Preparation of Taut-Wire Apparatus for Use 



Each time before use all sheaves, rollers, and revolving parts of the taut-wire 

 apparatus should be well lubricated. The grease cups should be removed, filled with 

 a satisfactory grade of cup grease, and replaced. The parts requiring oil should be 

 lubricated with a medium weight of engine oil. A special "Stauffer" lubricator, pro- 

 vided with the taut-wire apparatus, is used to lubricate the spindle of the standard. 

 It must be screwed on the spindle lubrication hole after the brass hexagon cap has 

 been removed. After the spindle has been filled with grease, the lubricator is removed 

 and the hexagon cap replaced. After lubrication, all sheaves and rollers should be 

 inspected and tested to ensure that they revolve freely. 



The wire passes through the measuring apparatus as indicated by the direction 

 of the arrows in figure 75. Before reeving the wire through the sheaves, the tension 

 on the brake drum should bo decreased by loosening the two wing nuts on the brake 

 bands until the wire may be pulled ofl' the reel by hand. The wire passes only three- 

 fourths of a turn around the cyclometer wheel and care must be taken to pass it on the 

 correct side so that the wire leaving the wheel clears the wire entering the wheel, where 

 it crosses. After the wire has been rove through the measuring apparatus, it is led 

 to the stern of the vessel and passed through the tafirail rollers, if these are used. 



The end of the wire is then brought inboard and after sufficient slack has been 

 pulled off the reel, the tension on the brake is increased and the wire made taut so that 

 it will stay on the sheaves of the measuring apparatus. A length of Manila rope is 

 secured to the end of the wire and the anchor weight is attached to the end of the rope. 

 Any piece of scrap iron weighing from 65 to 80 pounds may be used for an anchor. The 

 rope should be of small diameter but long enough so that the anchor may be lowered 

 into the water by it. After the rope and anchor are attached, any slack wire should 

 be reeled back on the reel by backing the flyer arm around the reel. 



