General Machine Products 70400 User Manual

Apollo Cable Lasher

Operation and Maintenance

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or
transmitted in any form whatsoever without the written permission of General
Machine Products Co., Inc.

General Machine Products Co., Inc. • 3111 Old Lincoln Hwy • Trevose, PA 19053 • USA

TEL: [phone] • FAX: [phone] • www.gmptools.com

U.S. Patents: 6,062,542 and 6,389,989

General Machine Products Co., Inc.

Manual P/N 30757 ver 2
AK 08-2013

1

Apollo Lasher

REVISION HISTORY:

Rev Date Details Author

01 Original issue Adspeak

02 07-2013

Revised format for clarity

A. Konschak

Removed repair parts

2

Table of Contents

1.0 General Page 3

2.0 Precautions Page 3

3.0 Description Page 4

4.0 Operating instructions Page 7

5.0 Troubleshooting Page 18

6.0 Maintenance Page 19

7.0 Options and other information Page 20

8.0 Layout Page 22

1.0 General

This manual covers the care, operation and maintenance of your GMP
Apollo cable lasher, which you can use to lash cables up to 3.5 in. (89
mm) dia. to suspension strand, or smaller cable sizes to an existing lashed ca­ble and strand. The Apollo has the capability to lash up to a 4 in. (100 mm)
bundle of any assortment of innerduct, fiber, copper and coaxial cables as
well. The strand sizes range from .25 to .38 in. (6 to 10 mm) diameter, inclu­sive.

This machine is intended for use only by properly trained journeyed
lines-people or other craftspeople under the direct supervision and responsibil­ity of those individuals.

As such, this manual’s scope is specifically limited to the machine’s functions,
and no attempt is made to describe the proper procedures for placing and lash­ing aerial cable plant.

We cannot be held liable for any direct or indirect consequences arising from
use of this product by any individuals not already properly trained in its use.

The following conventions will be used in the manual:
Warnings - must be followed to avoid bodily injury.
Cautions - must be followed to avoid damage to equipment

Notes - contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your
Apollo lasher.

2.0 Precautions

2.1 Observe the following precautions when operating the Apollo lasher.

Read all of the instructions and save them for later reference. Before begin­ning any cable work, first check the cable run you want to make in order
to find out what local conditions might be while you are lashing. Among the
factors you should look for are:

● vehicle and pedestrian safety

● conditions of poles, anchors, guys and strand

● proper bonding and grounding of strand and attachments

● obstructions such as trees, limbs, and drop wires

● clearances and separations on poles shared by other utilities

● clearances over roads, driveways, walkways and crossings

3

Apollo Lasher

Protect
points

Check your Apollo
make
semblies
properly maintained,
sary

In case your Apollo
to
over­know our
round.)

Use the
your
pair. And
strap
rear
the

Also, you
line or a
transferring
assembly
dropped.
than

Avoid
drop

Keep your

Protect
any

Avoid

3.0

3.1

The

●

●

● big

●

●

your work site with

to

warn

traffic and

lasher

sure it is in good

are

intact

and in good

risk to both you and the

lasher

our

Lasher Department

haul.

(In case you are c

Department

proper safety equipment!

climbing

securely attached

verti

lasher

that of the

abuse

your

your

other foreign matter.

placing

Description

General

following features make
parallel
lightweight

bundle capacity
constant tension
rotation section rotates

and

safety equipment

while you are aloft,

cal cable

on the side of a

should always raise

truck

as a

Doing this lets you

lasher.

lasher

pull

rollers

lift. Use the bridle

your

lasher around

tether

machine.

or

rough handling

in its

lasher

the Apollo on the

capability

advance signaling devices

pedestrians

first! Before

repair,

it

is set up to give you the

to

protective

from

in the

and all of the

might

property

ever

needs attention,

so it can get a

oncerned about downtime,

ALWAYS

to help

are set to their

bucket.

prevent damage

concentrate

unnecessary exposure

your Apollo

lashing wire

in a

of any

using

working order.

be

unsafe

and

Before

to

make certain

wear a

prevent

and lower the Apollo

of the Apollo

ground whenever possible.

single direction

you from

widest opening before placing

assembly

a pole or

on your own

case

when

4

at

strategic

obstructions

your

machine,

parts

and

If your

to use and pose an

personnel

you

professional repair and/or

fastest possible

working

safety

falling. Ensure

at pole

obstruction,

to the

machine

lashers

not in

to dirt, grit and

lasher

an

in the

area.

check

mechanical

machine

in your work

should forward

you

aloft,

inspect

it is in good

belt with a

lasher

transfers! When

use the

in case it

safety rather

and never

use.

outstanding

unneces-

should

safety

with a

is

area.

turna-

all

hand-

bridle

value:

to

as-

the

not

it

re-

is

Figure 2

Figure 3

The

machine weighs approximately

and

provides

exceptionally

Note: Please see

3.2 Cable

You can use the Apollo to lash a
ing

telephone
The Apollo has the
any

assortment
The strand sizes range
or

6 mm

3.3

Lashing wire

The Apollo
hold a

5.38

use

either

(365

m) of

dia.

(0,97

requirement, however,

an

outstanding strength/weight

long

service life.

figures 31, 32, 33,

capacities

and

fiberoptic

capability

of

innerduct,

through

of the

mm)

10

lasher
in.

.045

has two

(137

mm) dia. by

standard

in.

(1,14

annealed stainless

from .25 to .38 inch

mm.

magazines

wire coil

mm) dia. and

oiled wire is not

Look at your Apollo
ment.

You will see it

rotating section supported

-

tionary carriage:

cable

pass through
carriage
tion.

As you look at the
see it has cable and
front and rear
and an
the

The
variety
to
of

the

-

minum alloys, magnesium, car­bon
neered
bearings or needle bearings
drive
Sintered metal
other mov

single

cables up to 3.5 in. (89 mm) in

to lash up to a 4 in.

fiber, copper and

1.81
sizes

steel wire.

during

gates, towing bracket

anti-backroll strand

front.

components

of

materials,

provide

46 lbs

and

cable of

for

in. (46 mm) high wire coil. You

specific

materials

and tool steel as well as

polymers.

shafts

recommended.

and

ing

(20.9 kgs.) without

ratio while

34.

almost

coaxial

diameter (6.6M,

loading lashing

in the

magazines: 1,200

1600

ft.

Wax-coated

lasher

consists

the

this

the

lashing opera-

carriage

strand rollers,

are

made

properties.

are

heat-treated alu

There are ball

rotating sections.

bearings

parts.

any type,

(100

mm)

cables as

(488

m) of

for a mo-

on a

strand

stationary

you

roller on

from

each

selected

engi-

are

used

providing

includ-

diameter

bundle of

well.

6M,

wire, each

.038

wire is not

of

a

sta

and

will

a

Some

on the

wire

an

.

10M)

can
can

ft.

in.

a

on

5

Apollo Lasher

Your lasher can use a single wire or two wires simultaneously (also known as
“double lashing”). Like other GMP lashing machines, the balance of the Apol­lo is not affected by the amount of wire loaded in either magazine.

Each magazine has two rollers for guiding and tensioning wire during lashing.
The wire tension is developed by the routing of lashing wire and not the ten­sion on the spool. The wire coils mount on a reel attached to the rotating drum.
There is a non-adjustable tension on the reel to prevent overspinning. The
lashing wire exits the tensioning rollers and enters the drive mechanism.

3.4 Drive mechanism

The Apollo is driven by the lashing wire exiting the machine so the lasher can
be pulled from any direction. The lashing wire rotates drive wheels that are
interconnected by a shaft so either single lashing or double lashing will rotate
the lasher. A set of pinion gears drive a segmented ring gear and this configu­ration is the time-tested design found on other GMP lashers. The direct drive
design eliminates the possibility of slippage.

A one-way clutch in the drive wheel of the gearbox assembly enables the rota­tion section to rotate in a single direction while lashing. This configuration
allows the lashing wire to remain tensioned when forward motion of the lasher
has ceased. The rotation section of the lasher can be manually rotated in the
opposite direction by actuating the handle to de-clutch and disengage the drive
wheel.

3.5 Adjustable rear gate and cable lifter

The rear gate is adjustable by the use of a D shaft and locking collar. The rear
gate is easy and fast to use and the locking collar provides a positive lock to
keep the rear gate in place. To open the rear gate, push the button and the rear
gate rotates to its open position. When the rear gate is open, the rotating drum
will automatically lock in its detented position when the pin registers with the
receptacle in the rotating housing. The pin is retracted from the receptacle in
the rotating housing when the rear gate is closed.

3.6 Front gate

The front of the Apollo is designed to provide the maximum in cable protec­tion. There are 4 rollers to help prevent cable damage regardless of cable ori­entation. The top roller has two one-way clutches that ensure the lasher only
moves in the forward direction, providing anti-backroll capability. The bottom
roller pivots out of the way for easy cable installation into the lashing machine,
and locks positively in place for the cable lashing operation. There are two sets
of towing eyes for the Apollo for pulling in any direction. The top set of holes
is most suited for parallel pulling and normal operation and the bottom set is
most suited for situations requiring more sideward or downward pull.

3.7 Bridle assembly

The Apollo lasher is supplied with a bridle assembly that resists rot. The 5 foot
long rope assembly is equipped with a forged snap hook at each end and a
floating forged steel ring between the snap hooks for the attachment of a suita­ble towing line. The bridle assembly also provides a safe and easy method to
tether the Apollo while moving it around a pole or obstruction.

6

4.0 Operating instructions

4.1 General

As mentioned at the beginning of this manual, you should never operate a
lasher unless you’ve been properly trained in advance or are being directed by
a properly trained linesperson who is responsible for your work. However,
you should find this section of the book helpful in outlining the correct se­quence of steps to take in using your Apollo lasher.

4.2

Preparing a lashing

Figure 4

2. Do not cut all of the cable ties! Leave the cable tie
looped end of the
on

the

lashing

wire

3. Cut the looped end of the wire on the
coil.

This step will help in the

subse

quent steps.

wire

lashing

coil.

coil

The first step in any
a

tion is to

wire

coil. Note: It is

that the
properly to
operation.

1. If the
with

wire ties,

wire

tie

attached

the

lashing
coil (see
the

figure

cutting
step and help
plete

wire tie is

wire, and cut the

inside diameter

loading

of the coil onto the hub and

prepare

lashing

ensure

lashing

rotate

wire to the

4). This

of the wire

ensure

remaining

lashing oper-

the

lashing

important

wire is loaded

proper lasher

wire is

the

wrapped

head

to the looped

center

will

tie

in a later

that

the

removed.

attached

3 cable ties

of the wire

of

the

end

of

of

the

facilitate

com-

to

the

4.3

Install

The

proper installation
lashing.
preparation

the

prepared

Many of the

of the

lashing

wire

coil

of the wire coil is a

problems

wire

in

lashing

coil.

must

for

hassle-free

can be

traced

to

improper

1. Open the cover with a
or

7/16

in.

socket
216C tool, or any tool
the

bugnut.

turn

(counter-clock wise)
fastener
cover

should

ing

wire

Turn

unseats.

open to

reel.

screw- driver

as

found

on the

used

to

the fastener

until the

The

spring loaded

expose

tighten

1/4

the

lash-

Figure 5

7

Apollo Lasher

Figure 6

3.

Depress
cutout
screw
reel cover
ing
onto the reel
that it spools out to the rear
of the lasher as shown by
arrow.

the reel

on rear

and

wire coil over

flange. Un-

remove

and

slide the

making sure

brake

the

into

the wire

lash-

hub and

2.

Verify that the
sion

roller is in the correct
position for
ing.

The
the

lower- most position
normal lashing wire tension,
including lashing
coaxial cables. The
should
position
wire

tension.

adjustable ten-

the type of

roller should

be in the

for

upper- most

higher lashing

broadband

lash-

be in

for

roller

Figure 8

Figure 7

4.

8

Install
and
onto the
against
important
the
against
vent
“snagging”

the wire reel cover

thread completely

reel

until snug

the wire coil.

to

reel

cover is tight

the wire

the

lashing

on

ensure

coil

wire

itself.

It

that

to

from

is

pre-