AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 619 



It is then scaled or cleaned by being placed in warm water 

 with a little sulphuric acid or vitriol, mixed ; afterwards coated 

 with a preparation of leece or paste made of rye flour. 



One end being filed down, it is passed through a thick drawing 

 plate, containing a series of conical shaped holes, and drawn 

 down to No. 5 thickness of wire asauge, which is about the prac- 

 tical limit of reduction it will sustain until softened. 



The process of annealing next takes place, occupying from five 

 to eight hours, and then follows another course of cleaning and 

 drawing. 



The number of times this is repeated depending on the firm- 

 ness of wire required ; for very fine wire it may have to be half 

 a dozen times. 



The wires now being prepared for use, next comes the laying 

 from them of the strands, and finally the laying of the rope itself 

 from the strands. 



Each strand usually consists of three, seven, or nineteen wires, 

 the ropes leaving nine, forty-nine on one hundred and thirty- 

 three wires. 



The two most important considerations to be effected in laying 

 up the rope are, that when the rope is made and subjected to its 

 duty, that the tension of each wire shall be equal, and .that there 

 shall be no twist take place in the wires while being laid into 

 strands, nor in the strands while being laid into the rope. 



The first is effected by a simple mechanism of weights suspended, 

 one at the end of each wire, which is passed over pullies, and are 

 slackened as the strand is forming, and the weights drawn up; 

 and the same is the case with regard to the strands, the weights 

 being proportionally increased. 



The latter requires more machinery, very ingeniously arranged, 

 (and is patented by the manufacturer,) causing a continual re- 

 volving of each wire, while the strand is being formed, and also 

 of each strand while the rope is being laid. 



A striking and peculiar feature in this arrangement is, that it 

 enables the centre strand to be made similar to the others, of wire ^ 

 instead of using hemp, so that where rigid ropes are required, as 

 in stays, their strength is very materially increased. 



The foregoing I hope may give you a general idea of the pro- 

 cess of making, but a correct knowledge of the machinery could 

 hardly be imparted unless by observation when in operation. 



To the ends of the wire rope there can be attached when re- 

 quired, a socket, hook, device, tnrnbuckle, or any similar appen- 



