ROPES AND LINES

1. UNIT 10: ROPES AND LINES
Rope: The ultimate product when three or more strands are laid together to form a helix round a
central axis. The term ‘rope’ should not be used when the ultimate product has a circumference
of less than 4 mm; in this case cord or thread would be used

2. Fibers used for Rope
Following materials are used in single or combined form to make ropes:-
i. Natural fibre
ii. Man made or synthetic fibre
iii. Steel

3. Italian Hemp
A base fiber obtained from the hemp plant. The fiber is soft and considerably
stronger. Hemp rope is about 1.5 times as strong as the best Manila rope available. It
lasts well, is easy to handle, and does not swell when wet. New it will be a soft golden
color
Manila A fiber obtained from the leaf of the Abaca plant. Perhaps the best overall rope. It has
a good size to strength ratio, does not stretch too much and handles well when tying
knots . While it can withstand frequent wetting and drying it must be stored dry to
avoid mildew and rot
Sisal Has a poor size to strength ratio, does not handle well and wears out quickly. While it
is less expensive than manila it’s limited use
Cotton This fibre is obtained from the cotton plant. Cotton ropes are soft to handle. But
they get easily damaged
Coir To a much less extent. This fibre is made from husk of coconut. Coir rope is weaker
than other ropes
Natural Fiber Rope: Rope, as generally used in the fire
service, is made principally of:

4. Nylon A man-made fiber with a complex form structure of Carbon, Nitrogen,
Oxygen and Hydrogen.
Polyester A fiber derived by chemical synthesis from the products of mineral oil. It
is sometimes marketed under the trade name Terylene.

5. Valuable properties of man-made fibers are:
a) Ability to absorb shock loads.
b) Ability to withstand repeated loading of high order without failure.
c) Little swelling on immersion in water.
d) They can be stored wet without degradation by rot or mildew. Nylon rope is also highly
resistant to alkali.
Wire Rope: Wire rope is a combination of steel wires arranged around a central fiber core. The
breaking load of wire is considerably greater than that of fiber rope of equivalent size but it is far
less flexible and more difficult to handle.

6. Care and Maintenance
Do not step on ropes
Protect ropes against chafing and running over sharp corners or edges
Protect ropes from exposure to chemicals, petroleum products, battery acids and vapors
Protect ropes from mechanical or heat damage
Avoid running nylon ropes across nylon (or synthetic across synthetic)
Keep nylon ropes away from heat
Attempt to keep ropes dry, as rope loses approximately 15% of its strength when wet.

7. Standard Knots and their Uses
In operational situations personnel may need to use rope , together with knots and hitches to
join or secure items of equipment or other objects. Some tasks are routine and appropriate
methods can be pre-planned and practiced. Other tasks are not routine, requiring more on site
planning and closer supervision to ensure that they are achieved in a safe and efficient manner.
Definition of Knot: A knot may be defined as the twist together of cordage in specific patterns
for the purpose of stopping ends, joining ends, forming loops and securing equipment.

8. Bend A bend knot is a type of knot that is used to join two ropes
together
Bight the looped or loose part of a rope between two ends
Hitch a "hitch" is a type of knot that is used to attach a rope to an
object, such as a post, tree, or pole.
Running end the free end of a rope.
Running part the moving part of a rope that is loose and is used to hoist and
lower.
Seizing the binding together of two or more ropes or parts of one
rope to stop them moving in relation to each other
Standing Part anding part" refers to the main length of the rope that is not
being used to form a knot, hitch, or loop.
Whipping binding of the end of a rope with twine to prevent it unlaying
or unravelling.

10. A knot may be formed with a number of loops, hitches or turns involving one or both ends of a
rope or of two different ropes and each knot may be tied in a number of ways using different
sequences. There are a number of different knots available, some of which have specific
functions, whilst others can be used in a number of situations and for more general applications.
Principles of Knot Tying: The general requirements of a knot are-
It should carry out the function for which it is intended, safely and without slipping. It
should be easy to tie.
The knot and its intended use should not damage the rope.
It should be easy to untie Firefighters must be competent in tying knots in the range of
conditions likely to be met in operational situations. They must also be able to adapt knots
and lashings to a particular situation and training should prepare personnel for dealing
effectively with non-standard tasks.

11. The following table contains a list of knots, bends and hitches that are in general use. In the interest
of clarity the 'running end' is not drawn to scale length in the diagrams below. It should in practice
be at least 100 millimetres long in every case to prevent the knot untying.

12. Standard Knot Details of use
Overhand Knot Tied in a burst or damage length of hose to identify it while it is still laid out. Used
as a stopper knot
Figure of Eight Knot knot in rope work that forms a strong and secure loop in the end of a rope. It is
similar to the overhand knot, but with an additional twist that makes it more secure
and less likely to slip.
Half Hitch A half hitch is a simple knot used in rope work to tie a rope to an anchor point or
to secure the rope to itself.
Clove Hitch Used to make a line fast to a spare, or to secure a line to any object, such as a
pump suction. Also useful for hoisting items of Fire Brigade equipment
Double Sheet Bend A secure method of joining two lines particularly those of unequal thickness.
Bow Line Used by emergency personnel to loop around a victim's body, under their armpits,
for rescue operations. If properly tied, it will not grow or shrink under a load. Some
common uses of the bowline knot include tying off a boat to a dock, securing a
tent, and creating a loop for a climbing harness

13. Reef Knot or square
knot
One of the most useful of all knots for a variety of purposes. It can be used to fasten
two lines of equal size or two ends of the same line.If used to bend two lines of
unequal size together, it will slip.
Timber Hitch This knot is used to secure a line for hoisting a of timber, a plank or any irregular
object. The working end of the rope is then passed around the object again
Sheet bend Used to tie two ropes together: notice the similarity to the Square (or Reef) Knot.
Equally good for thick and thin ropes, and easy to untie
Sheepshank The Sheepshank is a knot that is used to shorten a rope without cutting it. The knot
works by creating a temporary loop in the rope, which can then be used to adjust the
length of the rope as needed
.

14. Round Turn & Two Half
Hitches
he Round Turn and Two Half Hitches is a knot that is commonly used to secure a rope
or line to a post, tree, or other object. It consists of two half hitches tied around a
post, with a round turn wrapped around the post
Fireman’s Chair Knot The Fireman's Chair Knot is a knot that is used in rescue situations to create a secure
seat for a person to be lowered or raised from a building or other high location
Double Overhand Double Overhand knot can be used as a stopper knot at the end of a rope to prevent
it from unraveling or passing through a hole or a block..
Butterfly Knot The Butterfly Knot can be used in climbing as a mid-point attachment for a rope.
Overall, the Butterfly Knot is a knot that is easy to tie and provides a secure loop in
the middle of a rope. It can be used in a variety of situations where a mid-point
attachment or secure anchor point is needed

15. Rolling Hitch The Rolling Hitch holds well as long as there is strain on the rope.