History

The first continuous rubber tubing extrusion machine marked the beginning of a completely new process, and the birth of an entire industry. When Vernon Royle developed the tuber (shown here) back in 1880, he had no idea that he was laying the groundwork for today's sophisticated wire and cable insulation techniques. This first machine, which performed successfully for many years, marked the entry of Royle into the new extruding equipment business. Until that time the company, which had been founded in 1855 by John Royle, had manufactured a wide variety of machines for local craftsmen.

During its first hundred years in extrusion the company has grown to become one of the largest manufacturers of extrusion equipment for wire insulating and cable jacketing in the world. It has installed manufacturing lines in almost every part of the globe. Royle machines produce insulated conductors for countless applications from very fine computer hookup wire to heavy power transmission cable as thick as a man's arm.

In the early years, the firm made extruders for the rubber tubing industry but the designers were greatly hampered by the fact that they were not allowed to enter a rubber manufacturing plant and observe the machine in operation. “It was harder to get inside a rubber factory than to break out of jail,” observed Vernon Royle in the company history he wrote in 1934.

Despite the difficulties, progress continued. Vernon Royle received his first patent for an extruder on September 1, 1885. Royle's marketing of the tubing extruder constituted a real advance in the art of rubber processing. The continuous extrusion process soon replaced the conventional method of making tubing by hand over a mandrel in short lengths.

A few of those early machines are still in existence; one was reportedly still in operation as late as 1977. Another was unearthed by J. Harry DuBois Co. of Morris Plains a few years ago and is scheduled to become part of a Smithsonian Institution exhibit of early industrial polymer processing equipment. This machine has been completely reconditioned by Royle including the manufacture of some replacement parts according to the original blueprints, and is in working order.

As time went on, line shaft drives were replaced by electric motors when electrical power became reliably available in the early 1900's. Enclosed worm- and- gear reducers replaced the open spur gears in 1923. Machines for straining rubber and right- angle heads for insulating wire and cable were developed. And, as plastics became commercially available just prior to and during World War II, machines to handle these materials were developed.

The first machinery for continuous extrusion and vulcanization of insulated wire was developed in 1929 in conjunction with Western Electric Company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T. In this apparatus, bare conductor passes from a payoff reel through the insulating head of the extruder and directly into a long curing chamber where vulcanization takes place. After cooling, the finished product emerges through a seal and is wound on a take-up reel. In a single continuous pass, wire is insulated, cured, and rewound in finished condition. Such equipment is called CV for continuous vulcanization and is used for all types of wire insulated with thermosetting materials.

After the end of World War II, technology in all fields developed rapidly and companies became more specialized. Because of its early entry into the CV business, Royle found itself concentrating in that segment of the extrusion industry.

Justin H. Ramsey, chairman of the executive committee, recalls the evolution of the business during his tenure as president (1945-1972). “There was considerable interest in the use of plastic insulation for wire during World War II, because rubber was in short supply. However, the thermoplastics available presented a number of problems because of their physical limitations and relatively poor dielectric properties.” Thermoplastics soften markedly when they became too warm and are brittle at the low winter temperatures that prevail in many areas of the world. Since it is not as sensitive to these extremes, vulcanized rubber was still in demand for insulation, especially for rigorous duty installations. Thus, John Royle & Sons extruders found a market in both plastic and rubber materials.

The invention of vulcanizable polyethylene during the 1950's resulted in an insulation which has physical and electrical properties suitable for high voltage cables. It was relatively inexpensive, proved to be readily made by the conventional CV process and was easily handled during installation to service. It quickly replaced butyl rubber and oil-filled paper insulated power cables up to 35,000 volts rating. Royle quickly moved into this new market area.

Conventional CV equipment had to be modified for this new material. The original CV process involved a horizontal curing chamber for the coated wire. However, the large, heavy constructions used for many power cables could not be protected from damage to the fresh, still unvulcanized insulation as it contacted the bottom of the vulcanizing tube in these horizontal machines. At first a vertical CV machine was used, but this proved too slow to meet most industry needs. The solution to high- volume production of heavy cables came with the development of the catenary shaped curing chamber. With a catenary shaped curing chamber, the wire, with proper control, could be held in the same catenary shape as it traveled through the vulcanizing portion of the apparatus. This prevented any damaging contact with the tube surface. At the same time, Royle developed large components (payoffs, takeups, capstans, etc.) to handle the heavier cables.

Royle has set the pace for the extruding equipment industry during the past 100 years. And while some of the early machines are still working, new developments and techniques are being realized to meet the challenges of the future.

Today Royle Systems Group offers an array of sophisticated extruders and associated components and controls which are marketed worldwide. There are continuous extruding machines for the plastics, chemical, and rubber industries, continuous vulcanizing machines for cables with thermosetting insulation, and continuous machines for wires insulated with thermoplastic. Single machines or complete production lines are available. Applications in the wire and cable industry include power cable (high and low voltage), industrial and resident building wire, telephone cables and wires, coaxial and antenna cables, automotive wires, portable cords, machine tool wires, mining and welding cables, signal and control wires, military and aviation cables, specialty wires for high temperature, flame resistant, and such applications as computer cables and optical fiber cables.

Over the past several years, Royle's experienced and diverse team of fiber product specialists has developed a very broad range of fiber and fiber cable products. The product line now consists of Fire Polishing Lathes, Single or Dual Draw Towers, Prooftesters, UV Color Machines, Ribbon Machines, Tight Buffered & Loose Tube Secondary Coating Lines, Ribbon in Tube Lines, Stranders for Assembling Tight Buffered, Loose Tube and Ribbon Cable Constructions, Sheathing Lines, and Cable Design & Process Technology. Royle has even taken their direction a step further by background integrating into the world of preform production. The Company's commitment to continuous improvement, significant investment in R&D, and global vision assures the continued growth of the fiber product line.

From small, rented quarters on Railroad Avenue in Paterson, New Jersey, and a staff of three, the company moved years ago to a new factory in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. The Royles have been succeeded by their cousins the Ramseys. Justin's son Jack is the CEO, and Jack's sons Greg and Pete are President and Senior VP, respectively. The executive team also includes Greg Perry, VP of Fiber Optic Products; Jim Carbone, VP of Operations; and Vinod Sareen, VP of Finance/ Controller.

Looking toward a vigorous second hundred years in the extruder business, Jack Ramsey foresees continued expansion for the company with major growth coming from export sales. While the company is still a family owned business, it has augmented its management with highly qualified people to meet this future challenge. Ramsey feels the real development will come in the area of process control, enhanced customer service capability, and the ability to provide the customer with a totally integrated system for the start-to-finish production of insulated wire and cable.

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