Sleeves are used to prevent damage to a drum. It is usually cheaper
to replace a worn out sleeve instead of replacing or repairing the
complete drum assembly. That is why grooved sleeves have become so
popular. Unlike LeBus grooves, a helical groove is one that is a
constant helix around the drum barrel. It is much like a screw thread.
This type of groove provides a positive path for the cable to lay in
and keeps it in place while the loading operation is taking place.
Since the cable is laying in a groove, the scrubbing is kept to a
minimum. Higher fleet angles are possible with a helical groove
because the groove will tend to hold the cable in place. Also since it
is a continuous groove, there is no harmonic motion induced into the
cable. The groove will support the cable and help to keep it from
flattening out due to high cable loads. This groove can also be flame
hardened to give it a very hard surface and can increase the life of
the rope and the drum significantly. Our flame hardening process can
produce surfaces that are from 47 to 53 Rc. LeBus can manufacture
grooved sleeves anywhere from just a few inches in diameter to over 18
feet, from very narrow to 10 to 12 feet wide (or more with some
stipulations). The helical sleeve can be mounted to the drum by either
welding in place or bolting through the drum core. For single layer
applications, a grooved sleeve/drum is a vital component to the life
and safety of the cable. Multiple layer applications may require the
special LeBus grooves. This information can
be found within this web site.
