US2855163A - Level wind attachment for winch - Google Patents

Description

Oct" 7, I s R. POWERS LEVEL WIND ATTACHMENT FOR WINCH Filed June 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

{ I am R. Powers qffa rngw s. R PowE s' 2,855,163

LEVEL wmn ATTACHMENT FOR WINCH Oct. 7,- 1958 Filed June 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, 5am R Powers BY United States Patent LEVEL WIND ATTACHMENT FOR WINCH Sam R. Powers, Clanton, Ala.

Application June 23, 1955, Serial No. 517,464

3 Claims. (Cl. 242-157.1)

This invention relates to winches and particularly to means to effect the level winding of a cable on the drum of a winch and has for an object the. provision of apparatus of the character designated which shall be simple of design and operation and one which may be readily applied to existing winches.

In particular, my invention comprises cooperating pulleys which are slidably mounted on parallel shafts in front of and parallel with the axis of the drum upon which the cable is being wound. The ends of the shaft for the pulley nearest the drum are yieldably mounted in their supports whereby as the cable is wound on the drum the strain on that pulley causes that end of its shaft to be lowered whereby the tendency of that pulley to move toward the ends of the drum upon which the turns of the cable are being wound is increased and a level winding of the cable on the drum is insured.

Another feature of my invention resides in the arrangement of the yielding supports for the shaft of the pulley nearest the drum whereby, as the cable is being wound on the drum under a light load, or no load, the downward movement of the shaft responsive to the winding of the cable on the drum near its ends is limited.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the level Winding apparatus removed from the frame supporting the drum;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III--III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation, with parts broken away and in section, showing the position which the shaft for the pulley nearest the drum assumes when the cable is being wound on the drum under load near one end;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the cable being wound under load on the drum near the opposite end;

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view showing one of the hollow tubular standards with its yielding supports for the ends of the shaft nearest the drum;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, taken along the line VIIVII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII- VIII of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Fig. 1 a base or frame 10 having mounted thereon a drum 11 having a shaft 12 supported in bearings at 13 and 14. The shaft 12 and drum 11 .are driven from any suitable source of power, not shown, through a gear reduction train indicated at 16. Being wound upon the drum is a cable 17.

Mounted in front of the drum 11 are two hollow vertical standards 18 and 19 which may be secured to the frame in any suitable manner or, as will later appear, may be provided with independent supports in front of the drum. The supports 18 and 19 are mounted, one opposite each end of the drum. Mounted on the standards 18 and 19 are forwardly extending brackets 21 and 22 which support a shaft 23 which is rigidly mounted thereon. Shaft 23 extends parallel to the shaft 12 and drum 11 and has slidingly mounted thereon a pulley 24 having a groove therein in which the cable 17 is adapted to run.

Each of the standards 18 and 19, near its upper end, is provided with diametrically opposed, elongated, vertical slots 27 and 28 which are adapted to receive the flattened ends 29 and 31 of a shaft 32 which, when under no load, extends parallel to the shaft 23. Slidingly mounted on the shaft 32 is a pulley 33, similar to the pulley 24 already described. The distance between the pulleys 24 and 33 should be such that there is a relatively close or narrow clearance between the two pulleys, but sufficient for the cable 17 to pass over the pulley 33 and then under the pulley 24 as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted in the lower end of each of the standards 18 and 19, as shown in detail in Fig. 6, is a relatively light, short spring 34. Resting on top of the spring 34 is an abutment 36 having a lower stem 37 extending downwardly into the spring and which under predetermined pressure strikes the bottom of the lower end of the standard and limits downward movement of the spring. Also mounted within each of the hollow standards 18 and 19, ontop of the abutment 36 is a relatively longer, heavier spring 38. The abutment 36 has an upper stem 39 extending upwardly into the spring 38 to hold its lower end in place, as is well understood. Resting on top of the spring 38 is an abutment 41 which fits slidingly within each of the standards 18 and 19 and which has a stem 42 at its lower end extending down into the spring 38 to guide its movements. The abutment 41 is provided with an elongated slot 43 which extends axially of the shaft 32 and a pin 44 extends through the flattened end 29 of the shaft 32 and rests in the slot 43 whereby to limit endwise movement of the shaft 32.

In operation, as already explained, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, the cable 17 being wound on the drum 11 is passed over the pulley 33 and under the pulley 24, whereby whatever load, or strain is on the cable 17 is reflected in a downward force exerted upon the pulley 33 and its shaft 32. When the cable 17 is being wound on the drum under relatively light load, and as the turns of the cable pass the middle of the drum and approach one end thereof, the spring 34 may be compressed causing the shaft 32 to tilt downwardly toward that end thus enabling the pulley 33 to slide more freely toward that end and take with it the pulley 24. This insures an even, level Winding of the cable on the drum. With heavier loads, after the stem 37 of the abutment 36 has bottomed on the lower end of the standard 18 or 19, the spring 38 may be compressed, the amount of compression depending upon the amount of load upon the cable. Under greater loads, it will be apparent that the cable, as it approaches one end of the drum will cause that end of the shaft to tilt downwardly proportionately to the load. In all events it effects an even, more uniform movement of the pulleys on their shafts and an even level winding of the cable upon the drum.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised an improved level winding attachment for the drum upon which a cable is being wound which is simple and economical of design and reliable in operation.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a level wind attachment for a. winch including a drum and a cable: to be wound: on. the drum, a shaft fixedly mounted directly infront of the drum with its aXis- Parallel with.- the axis of the drum, a peripherally grooved pulley slidingly mounted on. said shaft, a second shaft mounted between and normally parallel to the first mentioned shaft and the drum and at a higher level, than the first mentioned shaft, spring means supporting the. second shaft at each end thereof, a second peripherally grooved pulley slidingly mounted on the second shaft in cooperative relation to the. first mentioned pulley, the cable passing under the. first mentioned pulley and over: the second mentioned pulley and thenceonto the. drum whereby as the turns of the cable pass. the middle of the drum and approach one end thereof, said second shaft is tilted downward at that end and the tendency of the second pulley to move toward the endof the drum upon. which the turns of the cable; are being wound is increased.

2. In a levelwind attachment for a winch including a drum and. a cable to be wound on the drum, shaft supporting means mounted directly in front. of the drum neareach end thereof, a shaft fixedly mounted in said shaft supporting means to extend parallel to the axis of the drum, a peripherally grooved pulley slidingly mounted, on the shaft, a second shaft mounted between and normally parallel to the first mentioned shaft and the drum and at ahigher level than the first mentioned shaft, spring; supports for the ends of the second shaft at each end thereof, a second peripherally grooved pulley slidingly mounted on the second shaft, the cable passing under the first mentioned pulley, over the second mentioned pulley and thence on to the drum whereby as the turns of the cable pass the middle of the. drum and approach one end thereof, said second shaft is tilted downward at that end and the tendency of said second 4 pulley to move toward the end of the drum upon which the turns of the cable are being wound is increased.

3. In a level wind attachment for a winch including a drum and a cable to be wound on the drum, a hollow vertical standard mounted in front of the drum near each end thereof, forwardly extending brackets rigidly mounted on each standard, a shaft mounted in said brackets to extend parallel with the axis of the drum, a pulley slidingly mounted on the shaft, a relatively light short spring mounted in the lower end of each hollow standard, an abutment member mounted on said spring, a relatively heavier longer spring mounted in each support on the abutment, a second abutment mounted in the support on top of the heavier longer spring, a second shaft disposed at a higher level than the first mentioned shaft at the rear of and extending generally paralled to the first mentioned shaft and having its ends extending through the hollow standards and resting, on the second abutments, there being elongated vertical slots in said standards to receive the. ends of said second shaft, and a second pulley slidingly mounted on said second shaft, the cable passing over said second pulley and under the first mentioned pulley whereby as the turns of the cable pass the middle of the drum and approach one end thereof, said second shaft is tilted downward at that end and the tendency of said second pulley to move toward the: end of the drum upon which the turns of the cable are being wound. is increased.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,570,116 Yount Jan. 19, 1926 2,150,322 Garnett' et al Mar. 14, 1939 2,493,026 Pointer Jan. 3', 1950 2,738,938 Bensonet a1 Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 812,710 Germany Sept. 3., 195. 1

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