Ropes and Knots Flashcards
Bight
A doubled section of rope, usually made along the standing part, that forms a U-turn in the rope and does not cross itself.
Dressing
The practice of making sure that all parts of a knot are lying in the proper orientation to the other parts and look exactly as the pictures herein indicate.
Dynamic
A rope having a high degree of elongation (10-15%) at normal safe working loads.
Kern
A derivative of the term kernel, which is defined as “the central, most important part of something; core, essence.”
Life Safety Line
According to NFPA 1983, rope dedicated solely to the purpose of constructing lines for supporting people during rescue, firefighting, or other emergency operations, or during training evolutions.
Loop
A turn in the standing part that crosses itself and results in the standing part continuing on in the original direction of travel.
Mantle
Anything that cloaks, envelops, covers, or conceals.
Light-use (One Person) or General Use (Two-Person) Rope
According to NFPA 1983, a one-person rope requires a minimum tensile strength of 4500 lbs, and a two-person rope requires a minimum tensile strength of 9,000 lbs.
Round Turn
Formed continuing the loop on around until the sections of the standing part on either side of the round turn are parallel to one another.
Running End
End of the rope that is not rigged or tied off.
Setting
The finishing step, making sure that the knot is snug in all directions of pull.
Shock Load
A load or impact being transferred to a rope suddenly and all at one time.
Standing Part
The part of a rope that is not used to tie off.
Static
A rope having very little (less than 2%) elongation.
Tactilely
Using the sense of touch to feel for any difference or abnormality.
Tag/Guidelines
Tag lines are ropes held and controlled by firefighters on the ground or lower elevations in order to keep items being hoisted from banging against or getting caught on the structure as they are being hoisted.
Tensile Strength
Breaking strength of a rope when a load is applied along the direction of the length, generally measured in pounds per square inch.
Utility Rope
Rope used for utility purposes only. Some of the tasks utility ropes are used for in most fire departments are hoisting tools, and equipment, cordoning off areas, and stabilizing objects. Also ladder halyards.
Webbing
Nylon strapping, available in tubular and flat construction methods.
Working End
The end of the rope that is utilized to secure/tie off the rope.
What are the four materials natural fiber ropes are made out of?
Manila, Sisal, Cotton, Hemp
What are negative attributes of natural fiber ropes?
Prone to abrasion. Susceptible to mold. Loses 50% of strength when wet. Low shock load. Short fibers.
What are some positive attributes of natural fiber ropes?
High friction and cheap to produce.
What materials are synthetic ropes made out of?
Nylon, Polypropylene, Polyester, and Polyethelyne.
What are some negative attributes of synthetic fiber ropes?
Low Heat Resistance. Degrades in ultraviolet light. Low abrasion. Natural degradation. Low strength to weight ratio. Low shock load capability.
What are some positive attributes of synthetic fiber ropes?
Resists rot. High strength to weight ratio. Maintains strength when wet. Continuous fibers. Resists heat well. Some float and have good chemical resistance (Poly-ropes)
Rope is constructed in which four ways?
Laid (Twisted), Braided, Braid on Braid and Kernmantle.
Which type of rope construction is most common for natural fiber ropes?
Laid (Twisted)
Where is the strength in a braid on braid rope?
50% in the core and 50% in the sheath.
Where is the strength in a kernmantle rope?
75% in the kern, and 25% in the mantle.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)
The governmental agency or sub-agency which regulates the use of rope.
What is the NFPA standard that regulates life safety rope?
NFPA 1983
What are the two types of life safety rope?
Light-Use and General-Use
How can you tell the difference between light-use and general-use rope?
General-Use has a larger diameter to accommodate extra weight.
Which knot is an inherently loose knot (especially with nylon rope)?
Bowline
What should natural fiber rope be used for?
Halyards, and hoisting. Never for life safety.
Manila rope is made from which plant?
Abaca
Ropes of sisal was a which percentage less of tensile strength than manila?
25%
Ropes of cotton has how much less tensile strength than manila?
50%
What are negative properties of nylon?
Susceptibility to damage by acids, loss of up to 25% when we or frozen, stretching when under load, and inability to float on water.
What are positive properties of nylon?
High melting point (400-500 F), excellent abrasion resistance, can be bent sharply, high tensile strength and resistance to most chemicals.
What is the most significant difference between nylon and polyester materials?
Polyester materials have good resistance to both acids and bases. Low elongation under load, and not affected when wet or frozen.
Which two synthetic materials float?
Polypropylene and Polyethylene.
Which two synthetic materials have low melting points and degrade in sunlight?
Polypropylene and Polyethylene.
Which knot is the correct knot to use?
“The one that works.”
What should happen to life safety rope after is taken out of service?
Remove it from all forms of service.
How often should rope be inspected?
After each use and monthly.
How should laid rope be inspected?
By untwisting the rope at intervals to check for damage.
How is kernmantle rope inspected?
By feeling along the rope with ungloved hand to feel for bumps or voids in the kern.
What is another way to inspect a rope with a slight imperfection?
Tie off the rope and put slight tension on it. If not serious issue. Leave rope in service.
How do you clean natural fiber ropes?
Brush off dirt and debris, no water!
How do you clean synthetic rope?
Per manufactures recommendations, if none, cold water and mild soap or detergent if necessary. No bleach.
What is the most basic way of cleaning rope?
Hand wash
What cannot be used with a rope washer?
Detergent
What type of washing machine can be used for washing rope?
Front loading, glass window with rope put into mesh bag or tied in to daisy chain.
How should rope be dried?
Laid out on apparatus floor, or any other clean or dry area and turned as it dries so it dries uniformly. Or hung in hose tower away from any vapor or chemicals.
How should rope be stored?
Manner that allows for quick identification, access, and deployment.
Which type of storage method allows for better deployment?
Bagged NOT coiled.
Which storage method is NOT recommended for life safety rope?
Bag
How big should rope coils be?
18 to 24 inches
What should never happen to life safety rope?
Dropped from an elevation.
What is different in the rope from life safety to hoisting?
Smaller diameter for hoisting.
