Drag Ropes: How are they used??

[rob love]

I have to ask if anyone has reference in any of the British artillery manuals as to the proper use of the drag ropes. I have seen two sizes of the ropes; a smaller diameter rope for use with the 6 pounder, and a larger diameter hemp rope for the 25 pounder. There are rings and links on one end of the end of the rope, and a hook on the other.

I am assuming that the different design of the rims, with the little claws on the edges, have something to do with the drag ropes, but I cannot figure out what the correct drills are. Checking my 25 pounder manuals I can find nothing. Also, the 6 pounder claws seem better suited to adapting to the ropes...the 25 poundr claws are not the same.

Can someone enlighten me? Surely there is more to it than in the illustration below?

Also, why did the guns use the 3 piece rims (rim with ring and locking ring) when the other CMPs simply used the 2 piece rims. Surely the little claws could have been welded to the 2 piece CMP rim. The 2 piece is certainly a much safer design. I always have a healthy fear working with the 3 piece rims, and have had to scrap a couple of the rings at work due to unsafe distortion.