How is braided rope made?

Factual Questions
1

How is modern braided rope manufactured? How has it changed from 100 yrs ago (or whenever the first rope braiding machines appeared)?

Ignoring rope material advances, what advances in braid patterns have been made in recent times?

I’ve found lots of info about materials, but very little on why particular braids are used and how they are created.

And no, this isn’t homework :slight_smile: I’ve just gotten real curious on the subject, because braids are so simple looking, yet figuring out how to make one by machine (and not by hand) seems rather complex.

The best info I’ve found so far is this picture: http://www.steamengine.com.au/events/reports/tulare_usa_2001/pics/braider.jpg
Which is still hard to visualize how it works in motion. And it looks fairly old so I want to know what’s new since it was made.

2

Mystic Seaport in Connecticut has an exhibit showing how rope was made see here . If you’re ever there you should visit. Their exhibits are very interactive – I remember holding the end of a long rope and helping twist it around (I don’t remember it well enough to decribe, unfortunately).

3

Braided may not be the correct way to describe it as opposed to woven. To the best of my knowledge it works something like a maypole dance. The spools are divided every onther one with one set going in one direction the other in the opposite. Everytime they pass they swap inside vs outside.