Cable sample preparation - antique version

I was at the Roebling Museum in NJ today and they have various long length samples of antique bridge wire of relatively large diameter. The gentleman there (who used to work for Roebling years ago)seemed to believe that there used to be a machine which would hold the end of the cable and then cut and apply a wire band around the ends so it would not untwist and they could thus prepare short length samples. Does anyone out there have any idea about this type of machine or where one might be found? Even schematics or photos of something would be useful.


Erik Macs
VP North American Machinery Sales

Eric,
I have seen sample of cable that were about a foot long and they had an aluminum band around each end. the Band looked to be a strip of aluminum, or a tube, that was about 1" wide and about 3/16" thick that had been slid over the cable and then clamped tight.