ASTM F1106-87(2023)

Standard Specification for Warping Heads, Rope Handling (Gypsy Head, Capstan Head)

ABSTRACT
This specification covers warping heads used with windlass, winch, and capstan drive units to pull rope on board ships. Warping heads are primarily for use with fiber rope, natural, or synthetic. Warping heads with external ribs or whelps on the barrel, notched flanges, attached storage drums, unfinished drums, or non heat-treated fabrications, are considered special. The size of the warping head shall be identified by the nominal barrel diameter measured at the smallest point of the barrel. These warping heads are furnished in two types: Type I is with a cylindrical barrel which is generally used in but not restricted to horizontal shaft applications and Type II is with a conical barrel which is mounted with the large end of the barrel toward the drive machinery. It is generally used in but not restricted to vertical shaft applications. On the other hand, the warping heads are divided into four grades according to composition: Grade 1 is fabricated from any combination of structural steel plate, pipe, tubing, or steel castings and joined by electric welding; Grade 2 is made from mild to medium strength steel; Grade 3 is fabricated from any combination of steel plate or steel castings and joined by electric welding; and Grade 4 is cast from high strength steel castings. Principal dimensions, tolerances, and strength requirements are discussed.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers warping heads used with windlass, winch, and capstan drive units to pull rope on board ships. Warping heads are primarily for use with fiber rope, natural, or synthetic.  
1.2 Warping heads with external ribs or whelps on the barrel, notched flanges, attached storage drums, unfinished drums, or non heat-treated fabrications, are considered special and are permitted within the scope of this specification when fully described under special ordering information.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2023
• ICS: 47.020.40 - Lifting and cargo handling equipment
• Technical Committee: F25 - Ships and Marine Technology
• Drafting Committee: F25.03 - Outfitting and Deck Machinery

Relations

• Refers: ASTM A53/A53M-24 - Standard Specification for Pipe, Steel, Black and Hot-Dipped, Zinc-Coated, Welded and Seamless
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2024
• Refers: ASTM A724/A724M-09(2023) - Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon-Manganese-Silicon Steel, Quenched and Tempered, for Welded Pressure Vessels
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2023
• Refers: ASTM A27/A27M-20 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, for General Application
• Effective Date: 01-May-2020
• Refers: ASTM A148/A148M-20 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes
• Effective Date: 01-May-2020
• Refers: ASTM A148/A148M-20e1 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes
• Effective Date: 01-May-2020
• Refers: ASTM A27/A27M-19 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, for General Application
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2019
• Refers: ASTM A148/A148M-19 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2019
• Refers: ASTM A724/A724M-09(2018) - Standard Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon-Manganese-Silicon Steel, Quenched and Tempered, for Welded Pressure Vessels
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2018
• Refers: ASTM A27/A27M-17 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, for General Application
• Effective Date: 01-May-2017
• Refers: ASTM A27/A27M-13(2016) - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, for General Application
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2016
• Refers: ASTM A148/A148M-15a - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2015
• Refers: ASTM A148/A148M-15 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2015
• Refers: ASTM A148/A148M-14 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, High Strength, for Structural Purposes
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2014
• Refers: ASTM E10-14 - Standard Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials
• Effective Date: 01-May-2014
• Refers: ASTM A27/A27M-13 - Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, for General Application
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2013

Overview

ASTM F1106-87(2023): Standard Specification for Warping Heads, Rope Handling (Gypsy Head, Capstan Head) establishes the requirements for warping heads used with windlass, winch, and capstan drive units on ships. These components are critical for rope handling operations, enabling the efficient pulling and control of fiber ropes (both natural and synthetic) aboard marine vessels. This specification defines two main types of warping heads-Type I (cylindrical barrel) and Type II (conical barrel)-and classifies them by material grade, size, and structural requirements to ensure safety and performance in marine environments.

Key Topics

• Types of Warping Heads:

  • Type I: Cylindrical barrel, typically for horizontal shafts. Also known as gypsy heads.
  • Type II: Conical barrel with the large end facing the drive mechanism; generally used for vertical shafts, also referred to as capstan heads.

• Grades and Construction:

  • Grade 1: Fabricated from structural steel plate, pipe, tubing, or steel castings, joined by electric welding.
  • Grade 2: Manufactured from cast mild to medium strength steel.
  • Grade 3: Combination of steel plate or steel castings, electric welded, and heat-treated for specified surface hardness.
  • Grade 4: Cast from high-strength steel castings, heat-treated for enhanced surface hardness.

• Size Identification:

  • Warping head size is determined by the nominal barrel diameter at its smallest point.
  • Dimensional tolerances and strength requirements are established for standardized performance.

• Special Designs:

  • Warping heads with external ribs, notched flanges, attached storage drums, unfinished or non-heat-treated fabrications are recognized as special features and must be specified upon ordering.

• Surface and Structural Requirements:

  • Rope contact surfaces are finished to reduce rope wear and ensure safe handling.
  • Robust construction standards help prevent structural failures during high-load marine operations.

Applications

This standard is essential for shipbuilders, marine equipment manufacturers, and maintenance professionals involved in deck machinery and outfitting. Typical applications include:

• Mooring and Berthing Operations: Warping heads serve as central components for controlling fiber ropes during mooring, providing the friction and strength required to maneuver and secure vessels.
• Windlass and Winch Integration: Designed to fit seamlessly with powered windlass and winch systems to handle varying rope diameters and loads.
• Versatility for Rope Types: Suitable for both natural (manila) and synthetic (nylon) fiber ropes, as outlined in referenced federal and military specifications.
• Custom and Specialized Orders: Accommodates bespoke configurations for vessels with specific operational needs, including unique shapes or enhanced features.

Related Standards

ASTM F1106-87(2023) references a range of important related standards for manufacturing and testing:

• ASTM A27/A27M - Carbon steel castings for general application
• ASTM A36/A36M - Carbon structural steel
• ASTM A53/A53M - Pipe, steel, black and hot-dipped, zinc-coated, welded and seamless
• ASTM A148/A148M - High-strength steel castings
• ASTM A501 - Hot-formed welded and seamless carbon steel structural tubing
• E10 - Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials
• AWS D1.1 - Structural Welding Code
• ASA B46.1 - Surface Texture
• Fed-Spec T-R-605 - Manila, three strand rope
• MIL-R-24050 - Nylon, double-braided rope

Practical Value

Adhering to ASTM F1106-87(2023) ensures that warping heads are safe, reliable, and compatible with a broad spectrum of marine deck equipment, supporting efficient mooring, winching, and capstan operations. The specification provides clarity for buyers and manufacturers, streamlines procurement processes, and contributes to the overall safety and performance of vessel deck machinery systems.

Keywords: warping heads, gypsy head, capstan head, rope handling, marine deck machinery, windlass, winch, mooring, ASTM F1106, ship outfitting, marine standards.

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F1106 − 87 (Reapproved 2023) An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
Warping Heads, Rope Handling (Gypsy Head, Capstan
Head)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1106; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope A148/A148M Specification for Steel Castings, High
Strength, for Structural Purposes
1.1 This specification covers warping heads used with
A501 Specification for Hot-Formed Welded and Seamless
windlass, winch, and capstan drive units to pull rope on board
Carbon Steel Structural Tubing
ships. Warping heads are primarily for use with fiber rope,
A724/A724M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates,
natural, or synthetic.
Carbon-Manganese-Silicon Steel, Quenched and
1.2 Warping heads with external ribs or whelps on the
Tempered, for Welded Pressure Vessels
barrel, notched flanges, attached storage drums, unfinished
A735/A735M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Low-
drums, or non heat-treated fabrications, are considered special
Carbon Manganese-Molybdenum-Columbium Alloy
and are permitted within the scope of this specification when
Steel, for Moderate and Lower Temperature Service
fully described under special ordering information.
(Withdrawn 2017)
E10 Test Method for Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical 2.2 AWS Standard:
D1.1 Structural Welding Code
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
and are not considered standard. 2.3 ANSI Standard:
ASA B46.1 Surface Texture
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
2.4 Military Standards:
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
Fed-Spec T-R-605 Manila, Three Strand
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
MIL-R-24050 Nylon, Double Braided
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
3. Terminology
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.1 barrel—cylindrical or conical midbody portion of a
2 warping head.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.1.1 Discussion—The barrel may have a uniform diam-
A27/A27M Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, for
eter through the length or may be tapered from one end to the
General Application
other.
A36/A36M Specification for Carbon Structural Steel
3.1.2 flanges—circumferential rims at the ends of the barrel
A53/A53M Specification for Pipe, Steel, Black and Hot-
used to retain wraps of rope on the barrel portion of the
Dipped, Zinc-Coated, Welded and Seamless
warping head.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F25 on Ships
and Marine Technology and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F25.03 on The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
Outfitting and Deck Machinery. www.astm.org.
Current edition approved July 1, 2023. Published July 2023. Originally approved Available from American Welding Society (AWS), 8669 NW 36 St., #130,
in 1987. Last previous edition approved in 2018 as F1106 – 87 (2018). DOI: Miami, FL 33166-6672, http://www.aws.org.
10.1520/F1106-87R23. Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Documents, 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Washington, DC 20401-0001, http://
the ASTM website. www.access.gpo.gov.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F1106 − 87 (2023)
3.1.3 rope contact surfaces—portions of the barrel, flanges, 4.3.3 Grade 3—Fabricated from any combination of steel
and connecting fillets that a rope will contact when led in plate or steel castings and joined by electric welding. Heat
tangent to the barrel and normal to the shaft centerline, treated to provide a surface hardness ( ⁄8 in. (3 mm) deep) of
wrapped around the barrel, and led away tangent to the barrel 200 to 250 Brinell on rope contact surface. Rope contact
as in normal use. (See Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.) surface finished to an average 125 μin. to 160 μin. (3175 μmm
to 4064 μmm) finish.
3.1.4 warping head (also known as a gypsy head or capstan
4.3.4 Grade 4—Cast from high strength steel castings and
head)—cylindrical or conical rotating member to receive
heat treated to provide a surface hardness ( ⁄8 in. (3 mm) deep)
multiple wraps of rope around the circumference of the
of 200 to 250 Brinell on rope contact surface. Rope contact
member and of suitable strength to impart a pulling motion to
surface finished to an average 125 μin. to 160 μin. (3175 μmm
the rope by friction contact when the member is rotated.
to 4064 μmm) finish.
4. Classification
4.4 When required by ordering information, an accessory
4.1 The size of the warping head shall be identified by the
cover will be provided to cover the open end of the warping
nominal barrel diameter measured at the smallest point of the
head.
barrel.
5. Ordering Information
4.2 Warping heads under this specification are furnished in
two types as follows:
5.1 Orders for warping heads under this specification shall
4.2.1 Type I Warping Head With Cylindrical Barrel—
include the following:
Generally used in but not restricted to horizontal shaft appli-
5.1.1 Quantity (number),
cations. Also known as a gypsy head (see Fig. 1).
5.1.2 ASTM designation and year of issue,
4.2.2 Type II Warping Head With a Conical Barrel—
5.1.3 Size (barrel diameter),
Mounted with the large end of the barrel toward the drive
5.1.4 Type (I or II),
machinery. Generally used in but not restricted to vertical shaft
applications. Also known as a capstan head (see Fig. 2). 5.1.5 Grade (1, 2, 3, or 4),
5.1.6 As-cast or machined dimensions for warping head
4.3 Warping heads are divided into four grades as follows:
bore, hub length and location, hub puller holes, and shaft
4.3.1 Grade 1—Fabricated from any combination of struc-
keying,
tural steel plate, pipe, tubing, or steel castings and joined by
electric welding. 5.1.7 Requirement for optional accessory cover on open end
4.3.2 Grade 2—Cast from mild to medium strength steel. of warping head (see 4.4),
A B C D E
A B
Rope Pull, 1000 lb Tolerance, in. ± Concentricity, in.
Diameter, in. Diameter, in. Diameter, in. Length, in. Length, in.
1 3 15 1 1
6 12.5 8 9 ⁄16 2 ⁄4 5 ⁄32 ⁄4 ⁄8
5 1 3
9 25.0 12 13 ⁄8 4 ⁄16 8 ⁄16
3 3
⁄8 ⁄16
3 7 31 J J
12 37.5 16 18 ⁄16 5 ⁄16 10 ⁄32
3 3 11
15 50.0 20 22 ⁄4 6 ⁄4 13 ⁄16
1 1
⁄2 ⁄4
5 1 13 J J
18 75.0 24 27 ⁄16 8 ⁄16 16 ⁄32
7 7 3
21 100.0 28 31 ⁄8 9 ⁄16 19 ⁄16
5 5
⁄8 ⁄16
J J
3 13 7
24 125.0 32 36 ⁄8 10 ⁄16 21 ⁄8
15 3 31
27 150.0 36 41 ⁄16 12 ⁄16 24 ⁄32
3 3
⁄4 ⁄8
J J
1 1 3
30 175.0 40 45 ⁄2 13 ⁄2 27 ⁄8
1 13 3
33 200.0 44 50 ⁄16 14 ⁄16 30 ⁄32
7 7
⁄8 ⁄16
J J
5 3 7
36 225.0 48 54 ⁄8 16 ⁄16 32 ⁄8
A
Tolerance for dimensions A, B, C, D, and E.
B
Concentricity of rope contact surface and flanges relative to bore.
NOTE 1—1 in. = 25.4 mm.
FIG. 1 Type I Warping Head
F1106 − 87 (2023)
A B C D E
A B
Rope Pull, 1000 lb Tolerance, in. ± Concentricity, in.
Diameter, in. Diameter, in. Diameter, in. Length, in. Length, in.
1 3 15 1 1
6 12.5 8 9 ⁄4 2 ⁄4 5 ⁄32 ⁄4 ⁄8
15 1 3
9 25.0 12 13 ⁄16 4 ⁄16 8 ⁄16
3 3
⁄8 ⁄16
J J
5 7 31
12 37.5 16 18 ⁄8 5 ⁄16 10 ⁄32
1 3 11
15 50.0 20 23 ⁄4 6 ⁄4 13 ⁄16
1 1
⁄2 ⁄4
J J
7 1 13
18 75.0 24 27 ⁄8 8 ⁄16 16 ⁄32
9 7 3
21 100.0 28 32 ⁄16 9 ⁄16 19 ⁄16
5 5
⁄8 ⁄16
J J
3 13 7
24 125.0 32 37 ⁄16 10 ⁄16 21 ⁄8
7 3 31
27 150.0 36 41 ⁄8 12 ⁄16 24 ⁄32
3 3
⁄4 ⁄8
J J
1 1 3
30 175.0 40 46 ⁄2 13 ⁄2 27 ⁄8
1 13 3
33 200.0 44 51 ⁄8 14 ⁄16 30 ⁄32
7 7
⁄8 ⁄16
13 3 7 J J
36 225.0 48 55 ⁄16 16 ⁄16 32 ⁄8
A
Tolerance for dimensions A, B, C, D, and E.
B
Concentricity of rope contact surface and flanges relative to bore.
NOTE 1—1 in. = 25.4 mm.
FIG. 2 Type II Warping Head
5.1.8 Special features required (ribs or whelps on barrel, 6.5
...