Tool for treating or cleaning wire rope

Claim 1

A tool for cleaning or treating wire rope comprising: a. a body defining a cylindrical passage along which passes the wire rope to be cleaned or treated; b. the diameter of at least a portion of the passage corresponding to the nominal gauge of the rope with only a small clearance substantially less than the gauge of the rope; c. a supply chamber in the body for supplying pressurized fluid; d. an annular duct terminating in an annular orifice extending around said portion of the passage coupling the supply chamber to the orifice for conveying the fluid; e. the duct being defined by the space between the portions of the body with closely spaced frusto-conical surfaces so as to be inclined at the orifice end towards the end of the passage at which the rope enters, the angle defining the inclination between the axis of the passage and the duct being greater than 45* and less than 90*; f. said body being split in a plane containing the axis of the passage to define two similar body halves; g. removable means holding the body halves in their assembled relationship; and, h. means attached to the removable means to enable the body halves to be quickly separated in the event the rope should become blocked in said portion of said body where only said small clearance is provided.