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four gear wheels, arranged as described, the upper strand spindle, 

 H, is kept stationary, while the main frame, A B, rotates — the 

 shaft L, being caused to rotate on its axis once during every rota- 

 tion of the main frame by the motion it receives round the station- 

 ary gear, I, — and the strand spindle, H, is also kept stationary. 

 Tlie shaft, L, is similar to the upper one, L, and has a like spur 

 gear on its top and bottom, the latter gearing into like spur 

 wheels on a shaft, L'', and the strand spindles, H H' H", are 

 compelled to be stationary while the main frame revolves. 



0' (C. by mistake, fig. 3,) 0", are three upright tubes; the 

 strands from the hollow journals of the spools, G, pass up through 

 these to the laying block, P. The tube, 0, works in bearings in 

 two plates, R R, bolted to the top and bottom of the top plate, A; 

 the other two strand tubes are fitted to rotate in bearings in the 

 same plate ; their lower bearings rotate respectively in plate A, 

 above strand spindle H', and the plate above strand spindle H". 

 The strands coming from the spools through the hollow journals 

 of the strand spindles are conducted by these tubes, as shown, 

 up to the laying block, P, and are then twisted into rope. 



Each of the conducting tubes has an opening near its bottom, 

 in which is a roller, K, round which the strand passes. These 

 conducting strand tubes have secured to their upper ends spur 

 gear, S S' S"', (fig. 2,) corresponding in size with the other gears 

 described. The gear, S, meshes with wheel T, of similar size, on 

 shaft L, The gear T meshes with gear U, of similar size, fitted 

 loosely on a stud secured in the centre of the top plate. A; and 

 between this gear and those S' and S" are interposed the gears 

 V and V'', which are fitted to studs, by which means all the con- 

 ducting tubes, 0' 0", are rotated in a corresponding manner 

 in the opposite direction to the main frame. 



W is one of two capstans -in stationary framing. The several 

 strands from the spools, G G G, are conducted up through their 

 tubes to the laying block, P, of the main rotating frame to the 

 capstan, and a suitable motion is given to the latter to take up 

 the laid rope. The laying or twisting of the rope is accomplished 

 by the revolution of the strands around the axis of the laying- 

 spindle, and when a fore-hard in the strands equal in turns to 

 that of the lay is desired, it is performed as described, without 

 any revolution of the laid portion of the strands in the finished 

 rope, or of the unlaid ends of the strands, or of the spindles 

 which carry them. In this particular, this machine differs from 

 other rope machines, and embraces much originality. The revo- 

 lution of the strands to produce the lay of the rope being effected 



