Theme 2

The Story of Rope Making

Investigating the process of rope making and the materials used

KS2 Science and Technology

Rope Making - Teaching Notes This theme looks at the process of rope making and how it has changed. It covers mainly science and technology through materials, forces and motion. Objectives

• Compare the properties of materials used for rope making and their uses.

• Find out about how rope was made • Investigate methods of transferring

power. Outcomes These activities could be used with Theme 5 to create an exhibition about rope making in Barton. Activity 1: What are ropes? Introduction to rope making with a true/false quiz. Use the teachers’ notes sheet as part of class discussion when feeding back answers.

Activity 2: The History of rope making

This sheet could be cut up and the cards placed on a class timeline. Identify links to periods pupils have already studied in history. How has rope making changed over time?

Activity 3: What is rope made from? Use the first worksheet to introduce pupils to fibres and the ways they can be processed to form different materials. Use real examples of objects and materials to demonstrate each one. They could go further to investigate the properties of the different materials and their uses. Use the structure of rope resource sheet to help focus pupils’ examination of collected samples of rope and string. The second worksheet can be used to create a table to compare the relative properties of the natural and synthetic fibres. The natural fibres were grown all over the world. Pupils could use an atlas to help them mark the countries where the fibres came from onto a world map. Which came the furthest? How might they have been transported? Why were they grown so far away?

Activity 4: How are ropes made? The two information sheets explain the four stages of rope making. These could be used as a useful recap following a visit to the gallery. Types of rope and equipment These two resource sheets could be used during or following a visit to the heritage display, enabling pupils to examine the ropes and objects first hand. Making your own rope Making a simple rope in the classroom should make the stages much clearer and enable pupils to write their own instructions explaining what they did. A blank sheet with illustrations for the different stages in the rope making process could be used as the framework for pupil’s explanations. Activity 5: How were machines powered? This activity investigates how theories of forces and motion can be applied to the transfer of power in the rope factory. Pupils set up their own belt driven model and investigate the effects of using different sized wheels to help solve a problem. Cotton reels, rubber bands or simple mechanics sets can be used for this experiment. This could be extended by comparing and designing simple rope making devices like the ones here: http://www.ropeworks.biz/text04/r.html Activity 6: What were the ropes used for? The first ropes made at the factory in Barton were used mostly by the shipping industry. Sailing ships required miles of rope for rigging as well as rope for anchors. The worksheet includes information about the length of rope required and a picture to complete to demonstrate the uses of rope on sailing ships. Ropes for rigging need to be strong and those for anchors need to be waterproof. Most ships are no longer powered by wind so rigging for sails is not needed.

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What are ropes?

Read the following statements and decide whether you think they are

true or false. Have a guess if you are not sure.

Statement True False

1. Nylon can be used to make ropes.

2. Nylon comes from the stems of plants.

3. Ropes are made by twisting fibres (threads) together.

4. Ropes are made by plaiting or braiding fibres together.

5. Ropes are held together by glue.

6. The Tudors were the first people to make rope.

7. Animal skin can be used to make ropes.

8. Silk is the most common material for making rope.

9. Ropes can be made from metal.

10. Putting knots in a rope strengthens it.

11. Two ropes can be joined by weaving the ends together.

12. Ropes are rigid (they don’t change shape).

13. Ropes can be used for pushing.

14. Ropes can be used for pulling.

Teacher’s Notes

Statement T F

1. Nylon can be used to make ropes.

Nylon is a one of the most common materials for making rope today.

2. Nylon comes from the stems of plants.

Nylon is a synthetic fibre – it comes from refined oil. Natural and synthetic fibres are

both used for making rope.

3. Ropes are made by twisting fibres (threads) together.

This is the traditional way to make ropes. Twists in opposite directions hold the rope together. It is possible to see this by pulling a rope apart.

4. Ropes are made by plaiting or braiding fibres together.

Plaited or braided ropes are made by machine and are often used for climbing ropes.

5. Ropes are held together by glue.

Ropes are held together by two opposing twisting forces. The yarns and strands are twisted in opposite directions so they will not unravel – try untwisting a rope from the middle to test this.

6. The Tudors were the first people to make rope.

Ropes have been made since prehistoric times. The Egyptians developed tools for rope making and used ropes to move stones when building pyramids.

7. Animal skin can be used to make ropes.

Animal skin has been used to make ropes by explorers.

8. Silk is the most common material for making rope.

Too expensive! Hemp was the most common material until synthetic fibres were developed. Now synthetic materials like Nylon are the most common.

9. Ropes can be made from metal.

Wire ropes are made by twisting metal fibres. They are used in lifts and on cranes.

10. Putting knots in a rope strengthens it.

A knot in a rope weakens it, making it more likely to break. This is because some fibres are stretched more than others.

11. Two ropes can be joined by weaving the ends together.

This is called splicing. It is stronger than tying them together.

12. Ropes are rigid (they don’t change shape).

Ropes are bendy and flexible so they can be coiled up and used for tying things.

13. Ropes can be used for pushing.

They are flexible so can’t be used for pushing. (They have no compression strength.)

14. Ropes can be used for pulling.

Ropes are hard to break when pulled. (They have tensile strength.)

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The History of Rope Making

Prehistoric (Before writing)

There is evidence that ropes were made in prehistoric times from grasses and vines twisted together. No tools were used, the fibres were twisted by hand. Ropes were used for moving heavy objects like stones and logs.

Ancient Egyptian (2000BC) Rope was made from reeds and fibres from papyrus plants. They spun the yarns together on a hand held spindle.

Medieval (1100AD) Rope making was common in Britain during Medieval times. Rope was made on a long ropewalk so they could stretch out the yarns and make longer ropes.

Tudor (1500AD) Rope making was made in people’s own homes by skilled workers and sold locally. The yarns were attached to hooks turned by hand to twist them together.

Victorian (1850AD)

In the 1700s and 1800s, new inventions meant yarns could be spun by machine. Rope factories and spinning mills were built.

Twentieth Century onwards (1950AD) Fibres can be made from new synthetic materials like nylon and polyester. These fibres make rope that is cheaper and stronger than natural materials. It can also be easily dyed a variety of colours. Rope is mainly made by machine.

Comment [J1]: Wikipedia public domain image

What is rope made from?

Natural fibres are found in the stems of plants.

Synthetic fibres are made from oil.

This is the stem

of a hemp plant.

The fibres have

been stripped

from the stem

and separated

out.

Fibres can be processed in a number of ways to make

different materials. Can you match them up?

What objects can you find that are made from fibres?

How have the fibres been processed?

Rope is made from long solid threads called fibres.

Fibres

Knitting

Weaving

Twisting

Matting

Felt fabric

Knitted fabric

Woven fabric

Rope

Sisal

Sisal comes from the fibrous

leaves of a plant. The plant is

grown in areas with a tropical

climate. It is imported from

Kenya. It is not as strong as

hemp or manila but it

stretches slightly making it

good for mooring ropes.

What is rope made from?

Natural Fibres come from plants or animals

Synthetic fibres are made from

oil

Hemp

Hemp plants grow up to fifteen feet tall and

rope is made from fibres in the tall, upright

stems of the plants. It is very strong but it has

to be dipped in tar to make the ropes

waterproof. Hemp plants do not need a hot

climate. Barton rope makers used hemp from

Lincolnshire, Russia and Italy.

Manila

Manila comes from the leaves of the

abaca plant, a type of wild banana,

grown in countries with a tropical

climate, particularly the Philippines. It is

waterproof so the yarns did not need

tarring but not as strong as hemp.

Coir

Coir fibre comes from the shells of

coconuts. Palm trees grow in

countries with tropical climates like

India. The rope is good for making

fishing nets as it doesn’t rot in salt

water but is the weakest of the

natural fibres.

Nylon

Nylon comes from refined oil.

Nylon is quite expensive but it is

more than twice as strong as

hemp and much lighter. It

stretches slightly so it is good

for boat mooring ropes and for

climbing ropes as it cushions the

shock if the climber falls.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene comes from

refined oil. It is very cheap,

floats on water, and does

not stretch. For these

reasons it makes a good

water ski tow rope.

Use an atlas to find the places where the natural fibres were imported from. How many different continents did Barton Ropery import raw materials from?

The Structure of Rope Rope is made up of fibres, yarns and strands.

Look carefully at the samples of rope and string you have collected.

Can you identify the fibres, yarns and strands?

Can you explain how these parts are held together?

Strand

Yarns

Rope

Fibres

Hatchelling and Spinning

Hatchelling The fibres were separated from the plant. They had to be cleaned and

straightened before spinning.

They were pulled through boards covered

in metal spikes called hatchels. Whale oil

was added to lubricate the fibres so they

were easier to comb.

The hatchelling boards were later replaced by goods machines.

Spinning the Fibres into Yarn

The long straight fibres were spun together

into yarn.

Traditionally this was done by hand-spinning.

The spinner held the fibres around his waist.

As the hooks on the spinning

wheel rotated, he walked

backwards pulling out the

fibres so they spun together.

From 1850, yarns were spun on machines in the spinning mill.

The machines wound the spun yarns onto bobbins. It was the job of the

machine operator to change the bobbins over when they became full.

bobbins rotated fibres yarn

Forming Strands and Twisting Rope

Forming strands

Six or more yarns were twisted together to form a strand.

The yarns were attached to hooks on the forming machine. The forming

machine moved down the walk pulling the yarns off the bobbins. As the hooks

rotated, the yarns were twisted together into strands.

Twisting the strands into rope

Three or four strands were twisted together to make a rope.

The strands were attached to the same hook.

The hook was rotated, twisting the strands into

a rope. The rope stayed together because the

twists went in opposite

directions.

A cone with grooves in it, called a top, was placed between

the strands as they were twisting to keep the twist tight and

even. The final rope was approximately two thirds of the

length of the yarns used.

forming strands top

Forming machine

Yarns

Strands

Rope Making

yarns fibres strands forming machine twist hatchel top rotate

Rope Making Equipment

F____ Used to splice ropes together without breaking the strands.

T________ or S______

It was used to twist the strands together into rope by turning the handle.

H______ It was used to straighten out the fibres.

T_____ It was used by the rope makers to hold the strands apart when twisting.

B_______ The yarns were wound on to these in the spinning mill.

Make Your Own Rope

1. Twist four lengths of yarn together in a clockwise direction, twisting from both ends, to

make a strand.

2. Make two more strands, holding them tight so they don’t unravel.

3. Place the strands alongside each other and hold them together at each end. Keep the

strands stretched out tight and running parallel.

4. Hold the ‘top’ between the strands at A to separate them. This keeps the twist tight.

5. Twist the ends at A in an anti clockwise direction. Move the ‘top’ slowly from A to B as

the strands twist together.

6. Finish the ends by tying another piece of yarn tightly round them.

This rope is called a hawser rope because it is made of three strands.

The yarns are twisted in the opposite direction from the strands. These two opposing

twisting forces act against each other. If the forces are equal, the rope will hold together

and not unravel. When the rope is dropped on the ground it should lie in a straight line.

Friction between the fibres stops them from sliding apart when the rope is pulled.

Try using different coloured yarns or experiment by using different materials, for example

strips of material.

Strands

Rope

‘Top’ held between strands

A B

You will need:

• 12 equal lengths of yarn, each approximately 2 metres long

(knitting yarn, string or twine)

• a piece of wood in a cross shape to use in place of the top.

(2 rulers bound together)

Different Types of Rope

Look carefully at the ropes on the left. Extend the ropes to join them to

their descriptions on the right.

Hawser laid rope

Three strands twisted into rope.

Shroud laid rope

Four strands twisted round a thinner rope running through the centre.

Cable laid rope

Nine strand rope made from three hawser ropes twisted together.

Spliced rope

The strand ends are woven back in to the rope using a fid to make a loop at the end.

Braided rope

Rope is made on a cross laying machine. The strands are woven together like plaiting.

How were the machines powered? Can you find the following things in the picture of the rope mill:

• things that turn • belts • wheels • machinery

Power to machines in the mills

By 1850 the rope factory was powered by steam. Spinning machines were built to

replace hand spinning. The steam engine turned a rod, called a drive shaft, in the

roof of the mill. The drive shaft had wheels attached to it called drive wheels. The

wheels were linked to wheels on the machinery by belts. As the drive shaft turned,

the power was transferred to the machinery by the moving belts. Later, when electric

power was generated on the site, this was used to turn the drive shaft to replace the

steam power.

Belt driven machinery

The wheels on the drive shaft are called drive wheels and those on the machinery are

called followers. The drive shaft turned at a constant speed and was used to power all

the machines in the mill. But the wheels on individual machines had to turn at

different speeds, some much faster than the drive shaft. Sometimes the wheels on

the machines had to turn in the opposite direction from the drive shaft.

Problem:

Find a way of changing the speed of the follower wheel keeping the drive

wheel speed the same.

As an extra challenge, see if you can find a way of changing the direction in

which the follower wheel turns.

How were machines powered? Set up a pulley system using two wheels the same size and a belt as in the

diagram below. What happens when the drive wheel is turned?

The drive wheel is driving the follower wheel. The energy is transferred from

one wheel to the other by the belt.

The drive wheel is turned by the drive shaft.

The follower wheel is turned by the drive wheel.

Label the drive wheel, the follower wheel and the belt. Draw an arrow to

show the direction the follower wheel turns in.

Swap the follower wheel with different sized wheels, what happens?

Use lines to join the sentences together to show what you found out.

When the follower wheel is larger than the drive wheel…

…the two wheels turn at the same speed.

When the follower wheel is the same size as the drive wheel…

…the follower wheel turns faster than the drive wheel.

When the follower wheel is smaller than the drive wheel…

…the follower wheel turns slower than the drive wheel.

Drive shaft

Ropes for Sailing Ships

Sailing ships were used before boats were powered by steam or oil. Sailing ships

needed huge amounts of rope for rigging and anchors. The rigging was used to

support the masts and lift the sails on the ship. The Encyclopaedia of useful Arts

(1866) lists the length and weight of rope needed for a first rate ship of war:

Total weight of rope = 78.5 tons (71 000 kilograms)

Total length of rope = 43 miles (69 kilometres)

Many of the ropes made at Barton were used on sailing ships built in Hull. Complete

the picture of a sailing ship and label it using the key words. Circle all the uses of

rope. What properties will the ropes need?

rigging anchor sails

cabin flags mast

Mountaineering Ropes

It is 1953 and Edmund Hillary and his team of climbers are about to attempt to climb

Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Do some research into the equipment

needed for climbing Everest. Draw pictures with labels to show how they could use

ropes to help them. What properties will these ropes need?

Edmund Hillary and his team were the first climbers to reach the summit of Everest in June 1953. They

used Nylon ropes for climbing, hemp ropes for the fixed ropes they left on the mountain and cordage

for various uses such as tent guy ropes. The ropes had to withstand the extreme cold temperatures on

Mount Everest. They had to be strong but light enough to carry with them. Nylon ropes have some

stretch in them, making them good for climbing and abseiling. Nylon ropes were very expensive so

cheaper hemp was used for the fixed ropes they left on the mountain.

There is some evidence to suggest these hemp ropes were made at Barton Ropery.

Machines in the rope mill