U.S. patent number 3,697,049 [Application Number 05/136,324] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-10 for winch drum drive and control.
Invention is credited to David B. Wallace.
United States Patent |
3,697,049 |
Wallace |
October 10, 1972 |
WINCH DRUM DRIVE AND CONTROL
Abstract
There is provided in a winch structure, rotational speed
reduction gearing in a fixed housing supporting an hydraulic
actuator piston housed in an extension of the rotational speed
reduction gearing, the piston being centrally open through inner
and outer relatively rotatably connected members thereof, through
which central opening a power output shaft of a rotational speed
reduction worm gear extends and is connected to rotate with a power
input casing component of a selectively slip, normally non-slip
coupling, and a power output component of the casing is connected
relatively rotatably with the power input casing component and to
rotate with a drum of the winch, there being discs in the casing in
sets connected respectively to rotate with the casing components
and biased by spring-loaded means in the casing to maintain
non-slip conditions between the sets and be actuated by lugs on the
outer member of the hydraulic piston through apertures in the power
input casing component against the bias of the spring-loaded means
for slip to occur between the sets of discs when the piston is
hydraulically energized.
Inventors: |
Wallace; David B. (Birmingham,
AL) |
Family
ID: |
22472345 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/136,324 |
Filed: |
April 22, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
254/343; 254/349;
192/85.37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66D
1/16 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B66D
1/16 (20060101); B66D 1/02 (20060101); B66d
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;254/187,185
;192/85AA,91A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
|
16,155 |
|
Aug 1956 |
|
DT |
|
1,119,483 |
|
Dec 1961 |
|
DT |
|
Primary Examiner: Hornsby; Harvey C.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a winch equipped with a rotary drum, the combination which
includes, rotational speed reduction gearing and fixed housing
structure, said rotational speed reduction gearing comprising a
power input helical worm gear and a power output toothed annular
gear in said fixed housing structure, said power output toothed
annular gear having a power output shaft journaled in said fixed
housing structure and said power output shaft extending through
said fixed housing structure, and said power input helical worm
gear being journaled and meshing with said power output toothed
annular gear in said fixed housing structure and accessible through
said fixed housing structure for said power input helical gear to
be driven on drive of a rotary power output motor and said power
output toothed annular gear to have power output on said power
output shaft and interlock with said power input helical worm gear
against overdriving said worm gear and against backdriving said
worm gear; a selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling
comprising, a rotary casing having first and second relatively
rotatably interrelated casing components, said first casing
component being connected with said winch drum for rotating with
said drum, and said second casing component being connected with
said power output shaft for rotating with said power output shaft,
first and second sets of discs within said rotary casing and in
side by side alternating relationship with one another in said
sets, said first set of discs being connected to rotate with said
first casing component and to be moved toward and away from one
another longitudinally of said rotary casing, and said second set
of discs being connected to rotate with said second casing
component and to be moved toward and away from one another
longitudinally of said rotary casing, and thrust applicator means
including contact and presser structure and spring means, within
said rotary casing, said contact and presser structure being
connected with said second casing component for being moved in
either of opposite directions longitudinally of said rotary casing,
a presser member of said contact and presser structure being
disposed interposing said sets of discs between itself and said
first casing component, and a contact member of said contact and
presser structure being adjacent to apertures in said second casing
component for said contact and presser structure to be actuated
through said apertures in inward and outward directions
longitudinally of said rotary casing, and said spring means being
supported to said second casing component and biasing said contact
and presser structure to move longitudinally of said rotary casing
in said outward direction and force said presser member onto said
sets of discs having said discs opposed by said first casing
component and thereby retractibly establish an anti-slip condition
between said sets of discs and thus between said power output shaft
and said drum; and actuator structure including a piston comprising
inner and outer relatively rotatably interconnected piston members
each having a central aperture accommodating said power output
shaft, said outer piston member having lugs introduced into said
apertures in said second casing component and contacting said
contact member, and said inner piston member being slidably movably
sealed closing off a chamber in an extension of said fixed housing
structure, and being responsive to fluid under pressure through at
least one fluid port communicating with said chamber, for said
piston to be hydraulically controlled having said lugs acting upon
said contact member of said contact and presser structure against
bias of said spring means for said piston hydraulically energized
to move said contact and presser structure longitudinally of said
rotary casing in said inward direction and select slip between said
sets of discs and said spring means to select non-slip between said
sets of discs on said piston being hydraulically deenergized.
2. In a winch equipped with a rotary drum, the combination as set
forth in claim 1 wherein said discs in said first set are
characterized by being exteriorly annularly toothed disc rings and
said discs in said second set by being interiorly annularly toothed
disc rings, this with said first casing component including an
annular wall interiorly provided with splines leading
longitudinally of said rotary casing in engagement with said
exterior teeth of said first set of discs, and there being a dished
member interiorly of said rotary casing and comprising a generally
cylindrical wall member connected at an outer end portion with said
second casing component and integrally having exteriorly a set of
splines leading longitudinally of said rotary casing in engagement
with said interior teeth of said second set of discs, and a
transverse wall leading from an inner end portion of said generally
cylindrical wall and provided with a plurality of annularly spaced
apart openings, said contact and presser structure having studs
extending slidably through said openings in said transverse wall
and said studs interconnecting said contact member and said presser
member, and said spring means including springs helically
convoluted around said studs and compressed against said transverse
wall and said contact member.
3. In a winch equipped with a rotary drum, the combination as set
forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary casing is formed having an
annular reservoir therein for containing a liquid lubricant having
said sets of discs partially immersed in the lubricant.
4. In a winch equipped with a rotary drum, the combination as set
forth in claim 3 wherein said first casing component has a hollow
hub accommodating within said hollow the end of a power input shaft
of said drum and connected to rotate with said drum shaft.
5. In a winch equipped with a rotary drum, the combination as set
forth in claim 2 wherein said discs in said sets are metallic and
said rotary casing is formed having an annular reservoir therein
for containing a liquid lubricant having said sets of metallic
discs partially immersed in the lubricant.
Description
The present invention relates to improvements in power operated
winches and is more particularly concerned with rotary power
transmission and control toward controlling winch drum
operations.
Among the objects of this invention is to provide compact, durable
and reliable mechanism which equips a winch drum, and through which
mechanism the drum may be driven rotationally through self-locking
speed reduction gearing on power supplied from a source of rotary
power represented by a motor and yet be counteracted by the gearing
against effecting back drive through the gearing while holding a
load suspended on a cable having convolutions wound on the drum and
furthermore be prevented from overdriving the motor while the
gearing is being motor operated having the drum paying out cable
lowering a load, all with the mechanism moreover having a
selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling serving controllably
between the gearing and the drum for braking or clutching the drum
to an extent based upon amount of slip desired to be introduced
ranging from substantially zero slip up to substantially full slip,
the latter condition being useful for such purposes as for enabling
free fall of a load on the drum to occur with the load being on a
cable paying out from the drum.
Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and
in part pointed out more fully hereinafter.
In accordance with the present invention, a winch drum power
transmission is provided having a selectively slip, normally
non-slip coupling between rotational speed reduction gearing and
the winch drum, which gearing is characterized by being
self-locking against torque supplied back from the winch drum
through the selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling such as
under non-slip conditions in the coupling. The self-locking
rotational speed reduction gearing nevertheless is available for
being operated to have rotary power output in either rotary
direction to the selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling and
the coupling may be controlled to transmit normally rotary full
power in either rotary direction through itself, accordingly
received, for operating the winch drum, or be controlled to achieve
power operation of the winch drum under conditions of slip either
for delivering power to the winch drum or for absorbing backdrive
from the winch drum on slip up to being controllable for
accomplishing substantially full slip and free fall of a load
backdriving.
The foregoing features, moreover, ally with the fact that the
selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling includes first and
relatively rotatably connected second casing components, the first
casing component being connected for rotating with the winch drum,
and the second casing component being connected for rotating with
the power output shaft of the self-locking rotational speed
reduction gearing. The coupling has first and second sets of discs,
and thrust application means, all within the rotary casing, the
discs in the sets being in a side by side alternating relationship
with one another, this with the thrust applicator means being
constructed having contact and presser structure and spring biasing
means. In the contact and presser structure there are contact and
presser members carried on the second casing component of the
coupling for the presser member to be moved forward longitudinally
of the rotary casing against the sets of discs, which for abutment
are opposed by the first casing component, and the contact and
presser structure as mounted carrying the presser member forward
against the sets of discs is adapted to carry the contact member
forward simultaneously toward apertures in the second housing
component, thus for the contact and presser structure eventually,
as may be desired, to be reversely actuated by force applied to the
contact member through those apertures.
The forward movement of the contact and presser structure is urged,
and reversely is opposed, by the aforementioned spring means, the
latter being supported to the second casing component and against
the contact member so as compressively to maintain non-slip
conditions between the sets of discs at least up to a rated maximum
load under which the winch drum is to operate.
The foregoing features also are allied with introduction of fixed
housing structure wherein the self-locking rotational speed
reduction gearing is housed, and with introduction of an extension
of the fixed housing structure having that extension provide a
chamber closed off by an hydraulically controllable piston for
hydraulic control of the thrust applicator means in the selectively
slip, normally non-slip coupling to produce slip ranging up to
substantially full slip in the coupling while the actuator piston
acts against bias of the aforementioned spring biasing means in the
thrust applicator means. The piston includes relatively rotatably
connected inner and outer piston members each having a central
aperture therein accommodating the power output shaft of the
self-locking rotational speed reduction gearing. There is at least
one port communicating with the piston chamber within the fixed
housing extension and the inner piston member is slidably movably
sealed closing off that chamber for the piston to respond slidably
to the pressure of hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber
through the port. The outer piston member is provided with lugs at
the outer end thereof and the lugs extend through the
aforementioned apertures in the second casing component of the
selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling, accordingly locking
the outer piston member and the second casing component together
rotationally and relatively movably longitudinally of the rotary
casing. Reach of the lugs is sufficient for the piston to maintain
contact with the contact member of the thrust applicator means in
the selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling and shuttle
according to bias of the thrust applicator means and the pressure
of fluid admitted into the piston chamber, the amount of slip
between the discs in the coupling thus being prescribably according
to pressure of the fluid in the chamber and the normally non-slip
conditions being arrived at by demand of the spring means in the
thrust applicator means, with hydraulic pressure in the chamber
being sufficiently reduced.
In the accompanying drawings there is represented for purposes of
illustration a form which the invention may assume in practice; in
which drawings:
FIG. l represents in a winch, a winch drum, and as further
components of the winch, in longitudinal central vertical section,
a selectively slip, normally non-slip rotary coupling in
association with the drum, and self-locking rotary speed reduction
gearing housed along with an hydraulic piston for operating the
selectively slip, normally non-slip rotary coupling;
FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken in the apparatus
through the selectively slip, normally non-slip rotary coupling in
the plane of line 2--2 in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 also is a transverse vertical section taken in the apparatus
through the selectively slip, normally non-slip rotary coupling,
but is in the plane of line 3--3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 represents details of the hydraulic actuator piston as
viewed in vertical transverse cross section in the plane of line
4--4 in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 5 is a view in transverse vertical cross section in the plane
of line 5--5 in FIG. 1, representing further details concerning the
actuator piston, particularly in relation to the actuator housing
member which extends from the housing of the rotational speed
reduction gearing.
Like reference characters are intended to have like designation
throughout the several figures of the drawing.
Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, a
power operated winch designated in general by reference numeral 10
is represented in FIG. 1 to the extent that in the mechanism of the
winch a rotary drum 11 is provided such as for hoisting or lowering
a load by cable 12 attached to the winch drum and to the load. Drum
11 is secured for rotating unitarily with the drum shaft 13 having
the latter journaled in uprights 14 of a supporting framework which
further comprises a base 15 securely mounted upon a support 16
which, for example, is offered either on a vehicle or in a static
location, and in either instance such as in a warehouse, a factory,
or at a site of engineering construction. For transmitting power to
the winch drum 11 and controlling the same, in the present
embodiment, a unit comprising a selectively slip, normally non-slip
coupling 17 is attached to the winch drum shaft 13, and the unit
referred to further has an hydraulically controllable power
actuator 18 for controlling the selectively slip, normally non-slip
coupling 17, and also has rotational speed reduction worm gearing
19 connected with the selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling
for supplying power to the coupling. The unit as installed is
fixedly connected to the support 16 by suitable fasteners through
apertures in an external flange 21 of the housing 20, the latter
accommodating therein the rotational speed reduction worm gearing
19.
A power input helical worm gear 23 of the speed reduction gearing
19 is connected driven with a power input drive shaft 22 of the
speed reduction gearing, having the power input drive shaft
suitably journaled within housing 20 and introduced in a manner
through an aperture in the housing and driven by any suitable motor
not shown, for operating the winch 10. A power output toothed
annular gear 24 meshing with the power input helical worm gear 23
is splined at 26 to the speed reduction gearing power output shaft
25 which in supporting the annular gear is journaled in the housing
20 and extends through aperture 27 in the housing.
The selectively slip, normally non-slip coupling 17 in the present
embodiment is characterized by having a rotary casing formed
including a hollow annular first casing component 28 providing a
generally cylindrical wall 29 closed off at one end by a first end
wall 30 integral centrally with a hub 31 which is splined at 36 to
shaft 13 of the winch drum 11. At opposite end, the cylindrical
side wall 29 is closed off by a second end wall 32, the latter
centrally having an aperture 34 therein. A circular second casing
component 35 coaxial with the power output shaft 25 of the speed
reduction worm gearing 19 is splined to that shaft and is joined
relatively rotatably with the first casing component 28 through an
anti-friction bearing and seal 37, the bearing and seal joint being
annularly between the generally cylindrical side wall 39 of a
dished member 38 secured to rotate with the second casing component
35 and be interiorly of the rotary casing formed including the
aforementioned first and second casing components 28 and 35 with
which components the cylindrical side wall 39 is coaxial. At inner
end, the dished member 38 is provided with a transverse end wall 40
integral with the dished member cylindrical wall 39.
A first set of discs 41, and a second set of discs 42, are in side
by side alternating relationship with one another in the sets, and
each of the discs is in the form of a flat ring preferably
metallic, such as of steel. The discs 41 in the first set are
annularly exteriorly toothed and the discs 42 in the second set are
annularly interiorly toothed. Further, the generally cylindrical
side wall 29 of the first casing component 28 integrally has
splines 43 interiorly with the splines leading longitudinally of
the rotary casing and engaging with the exterior teeth of the first
set of discs 41, and the generally cylindrical side wall 39 of the
dished member 38 integrally has exterior splines 44 with the
splines leading longitudinally of the rotary casing and engaging
with the second set of discs 42. Advantageously, the annular trough
formed in the first casing component 28 by the cylindrical side
wall 29 and the opposite side walls 30 and 32 contains oil in which
the lower portions of the sets of discs 41 and 42 are immersed.
Thrust applicator means generally designated by the reference
numeral 45 receives support and guidance slidably on the transverse
end wall 40 of the dished member 38. In the thrust applicator
means, there is an outer or forward circular contact plate 46, and
an inner or rearward presser plate 47 wherein an annular presser
foot 48 is provided for transmitting force to the discs 41 and 42.
An inner face of the contact plate 46 carries bosses 49 which are
uniformly annularly spaced apart and are threadly engaged with ends
of headed studs 50 which are inserted through openings in the
pressure plate 47 and in transverse end wall 40 of the dished
member 38, having these openings aligned with the bosses and the
stud heads disposed rearwardly of the inner face of the presser
plate. Thrust applicator means 45 further includes on each of the
shanks of the studs 50 a helical spring 51 convoluted around the
shank and compressed through having opposite ends bearing upon the
forward face of the presser plate 47 and the rearward face of the
contact plate 46. The springs 51 accordingly urge the contact plate
46 into a forward position and concurrently apply force through the
studs 50 which act slidably through the openings in transverse end
wall 39 of the dished member 38 and apply their heads forcefully
upon the presser plate which in turn applies its force through the
annular presser foot 48 to the discs 41 and 42. The thrust on the
discs 41 and 42 is opposed by the forward end wall 32 of the first
housing component 28. Springs 51 are of a strength for the discs 41
and 42 to maintain non-slip conditions with reference to each other
at least up to a rated maximum load under which the winch drum 11
is to operate when the discs are receiving full force of the
springs 51 from the annular presser foot 48. Accordingly, power
delivered from the power output shaft 25 in either of opposite
directions of rotation to the second casing component 35 causes
that component to rotate with the dished member 38, and with the
discs 41 and 42 under non-slip, and with the first housing
component 28 as well, having the hub 31 rotate the winch drum 11
with shaft 13. Otherwise, any slip introduced between the sets of
discs 41 and 42 enables relative rotation between the first and
second housing components 28 and 35 to occur as tolerated by the
anti-friction bearing and seal 37.
It will be recalled that under non-slip conditions between the sets
of discs 41 and 42, the contact plate 46 occupies a forward
position within the rotary casing of the selectively slip, normally
non-slip coupling 17. There are annularly uniformly spaced apart
apertures 54 in the second casing component 35 at equal distances
out from shaft 25 for the contact plate 35 to be actuated by the
hydraulically controllable actuator 18, to which reference in
further detail now will be had.
Housing 20 fixed on the support 16 and containing the rotational
speed reduction worm gearing 19 carries securely projecting
outwardly from a side thereof a housing extension 56 which is a
component of the hydraulically controllable actuator 18. Leading
coaxially with the power output shaft 25, the housing extension 56
is cylindrically hollow from outer end to inner end, first being
cylindrical on a relatively large diameter on the interior surface
for a distance inwardly from the outer end and then being annularly
stepped and thence cylindrical on a relatively small diameter on
the interior surface leading to the inner end, so as to receive
slidably in the hollow a companion, similarly externally shaped
male inner end member 60 of a piston 58 of the hydraulically
controllable actuator 18. Accordingly, there are annular seals 63
and 64 in the hollow of the housing extension respectively between
the surfaces of the relatively large and small diameter portions of
the piston member 60 and housing extension 56 and the relatively
small diameter portions of the piston member and the housing
extension and closing off a chamber 65 for hydraulic fluid to be
contained in the chamber under control through a port 66 leading
from the outside through the wall of the housing extension. An
outer member 59 of the piston 58 is relatively rotatably connected
through annular anti-friction bearing 70 with the inner piston
member 60 and for being moved longitudinally in either of opposite
directions with the inner piston member. Outer piston member 59 is
idle on the power output shaft 25 having a central opening
accommodating that shaft and the outer piston member has lugs 62 on
the outer end thereof inserted through the apertures 54 in the
second casing component 35 of the selectively slip, normally
non-slip coupling 17 for the outer piston member to rotate on the
annular anti-friction bearing 70 interlocked by the lugs with the
second casing component on power received by the second casing
component from the power output shaft 25 and to move the lugs 62
longitudinally in either of opposite directions through the
apertures 54, pressing against the contact plate 46 according to
pressure of hydraulic fluid in chamber 65 and the oppositely
directed pressure of springs 51.
Thus it will be appreciated that as the hydraulic pressure of fluid
admitted into chamber 65 through port 66 is increased beyond the
normally non-slip force produced upon the discs 41 and 42 in the
sets from the springs 51, the springs will be further compressed
under thrust transmitted to the contact plate 46 from the lugs 62,
thereby causing the presser plate 47 commensurately to relieve
thrust upon the sets of discs 41 and 42 for the sets to slip
rotationally relatively to each other. As this amount of slip is
increased with increase in hydraulic pressure in the chamber 65,
the amount of rotary power transmitted from shaft 25 through the
second housing component 35, the dished member 38, the sets of
discs 41 and 42 and the first casing component 28 to the winch drum
shaft 13 is diminished and accordingly slip may be increased up to
and including substantially full slip under which latter conditions
a load suspended from cable 12 having convolutions wound on the
drum will back drive the drum and fall freely. On diminishing the
hydraulic pressure in chamber 65 gradually, or otherwise, springs
51 take over, forcefully driving the contact plate 46 and the
piston 58 through lugs 62, and for the presser plate 47 to increase
pressure upon the discs 41 and 42 and reduce slip between the discs
by an amount ranging back to the normally non-slip condition. Any
suitable hydraulic fluid supply and control system 69 is connected
with the chamber port 66 for accomplishing the foregoing
functions.
As the invention lends itself to many possible embodiments and as
many possible changes may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore
set forth it will be distinctly understood that all matter
described herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not as a
limitation.
* * * * *