WRC Wire Rope Clamps – Wedge Type

WRC Wedge Type Rope Clamps provide a convenient, positive and fail-safe method of anchoring, suspending or manoeuvring wire ropes. The clamps can be used for permanent rope anchoring, tensioning or suspending guide and rubbing ropes in shafts, or for manoeuvring or pretensioning ropes during installation or maintenance.

FAIL-SAFE
WRC Wedge Type Rope Clamps work on the principle of tapered, self-tightening wedges which produce a gripping action on the wire rope. This sliding, interlocking wedge design was established as the safest, most effective method of rope anchorage in a series of tests. The clamping action of the wedges ensures a constant restraining force under load
approximately 3.5 times greater than the load on the rope.

DESIGN
All the Rope Clamps are supplied with an appropriate number of two-bolt safety clamps which will act as an additional driving force for the wedges in the event of excess load. The split casing allows the clamp to be assembled on the rope without disconnecting the rope or conveyance. WRC Rope Clamps are designed for static-dynamic and fatigue conditions
incorporating a static safety factor in excess of 6:1. Manufactured of 1.5% manganese steel to BS 2772, part 2:1989 Group 2 150M19 in the hardened and tempered condition for the casing and mild steel to BS 4360 Grade 43A or SABS 1431 Grade 300WA in the normalised condition for the wedges. Two shackles are provided for transport and rigging purposes.

HYDRAULIC WEDGE EXTRACTOR
A hydraulic wedge extractor complete with newly-designed wedges, is available as an optional extra. The wedge extractor fits into the slots provided in the modified wedge. It is used to smoothly extract the wedge from the casing by means of a hydraulic jacking system.

QUALITY ASSURANCE
Manufactured and serviced by the experts in rope attachments, the WRC Rope Clamps carry with them extensive experience gained in supplying rope attachments to the South African mining industry for more than 30 years.

DESTRUCTION TESTING
At a test conducted by the CSIR Mine Equipment Unit in Johannesburg in April 1987, an assembled rope clamp accommodating a 51mm diameter stranded steel wire rope was subjected to an increasing tensile load up to the point of failure. Up to a load of 1176kN no distortions were found in the clamp casing. The test was then continued up to a load of 1957kN
when the clamp casing failed to sustain any further increase in load. This load is almost 10 times the designed safe working load (200kN).

WRC Rope Clamp fitted with the newly designed hydraulic wedge extraction unit