Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a winch device, and in
particular to a winch device which may be portable or fixed.
The invention is based on the discovery that a
simple, readily available off-the-shelf brake slack adjuster
can be used in combination with a spool mounted in a frame to
provide a simple winch for relatively heavy loads. Brake
slack adjusters are well-known, relatively inexpensive,
commercially available structures. An example of such a
structure is described in U.S. Patent No. 2,156,154, which
issued to H.H. Hooker on April 25, 1939. Basically, such
structures include an elongated body containing an annular or
ring gear, which is driven by a worm, the gear having internal
alternating grooves and splines for engaging a splined shaft
to rotate the latter.
Winches or lifting devices of generally the type
proposed by applicant are described, for example in U.S.
Patents Nos. 2,~33,692, which issued to H.S. Geer on December
30, 1947 and 2,521,191, which issued to J.K. Stanland on
September 5, 1950. The Geer and Stanland structures are
manufactured from scratch, and consequently are relatively
expensive to produce, requiring molded or machine produced
components.
The object of the present invention is to provide a
relatively simple winch, which is easy to produce using
existing, off-the-shelf hardware.
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Accordingly, the present invention relates to a winch
device comerising casing means; spool means mounted for
rotation in said casing means; cable means on said spool
means for connection to the article to be raised or
lowered: and slack adjuster means mounted on sai~lcasing
means and connected to said spool means for rotating the
latter, whereby the cable means can be wound onto or off of
said spool means to tension said cable means or raise or
lower on article.
The invention will be dPscribed in greater detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate
preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:
Figure l is a perspective view from above of a winch
device in accordance with the peesent invention;
Figure 2 is a front view of the device of Fig. l;
Figure 3 iB a side view of the device of Figs. l and 2
Figure 4 is a schematic, per6pective view of a slack
adju~ter used in the device of the present invention;
Figure 5 iB a perspective view from above of a second
embodiment of the device of the pre6ent invention; and
Figure 6 is a front view of the device of Fig. 5.
Figure 7 i~ a perspective view from one end of a
trailer incorporating a third embodiment of the winch
device of the present invention;
Figure 8 i~ a per~pective view from one end of the
winch device of Fig. 7; and
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Figure 9 is a perspective view from the other end of
the winch device of Fig. 7.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, one
embodiment of the winch device of the present invention
includes a casing generally indicated at 1. The casing 1
defined by a top wall 2, pair of parallel, spaced apart side
walls 3, a bottom wall 4 and a crossbar 5. A spool 6 carrying
a cable 7 is rotatably mounted in bearings 9 (one shown) in
the side walls 3. A brake for the cable 7 on the spool 6 is
defined by a pair of plates 10 (one shown) connected to the
crossbar 5 by bolts 12. A swivel hook 13 is suspended from the
bottom wall 4 using an eye bolt 14 and a nut 16.
The spool 6 is rotated by a slack adjuster generally
indicated at 17. In the present case, the slack adjuster 17
(Fig. 4) is an off-the-shelf item obtained from Brunner-Fleet
Products, and includes an elongated body 19 with a row of
openings 20 in one end thereof. One of the openings 20 is
u~ed in conjunction with a bolt 22 and a nut 23 (Fig. 2) to
attach one end of the clack adjuster 17 to one side wall 3 of
the casing. The slack adjuster includes an annular gear 25
with internal alternating splines 26 and grooves 27 for
connecting the slack adjuster to a splined shaft 29 (Fig. 2)
for rotating the spool 6. The teeth 30 on the outer periphery
of the gear 25 are engaged by a worm 32, which is connected to
a bolt 33 by a coupler 35. Thus, the bolt 33 is in driving
connection with the worm 32. The gear 25, the worm 32, the
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bolt 33 and the coupler 35 are normally housed in the larger
end 36 of the slack adjuster body l9. ~he bolt 33 is rotated
by means of a simple crank 38 (Figs. 1 to 3), which includes
an elongated lever 39 and a handle 40. The outer end 42 of
the splined shaft 29 extends beyond the slack adjuster 17, so
that the splined portion of the shaft 29 can be moved
longitudinally into and out of engagement with the grooves 27
in the gear 25, i.e. the spool 6 can be rendered free
wheeling.
The second embodiment of the invention shown in
Figs. 5 and 6 is intended for raising and lowering an overhead
garage door (not shown). The second embodiment includes a
casing generally indicated at 45 of U-shaped cross section.
The casing is defined by a rear wall 46 and a pair of side
walls 48 integral with the rear wall 46 for mounting beside a
garage door in the location normally occupied by the cable,
~pring and pulley system. A spool 49 carrying a cable 50 is
rotatably mounted in bushings ~not shown) in the casing 45.
One end of the cable 50 is connected to a loop 51 on the top
end of the rear wall 46 of the casing 45. The cable 50 passes
around a pulley system (not shown) and returns to the spool
49, so that the door can be raised or lowered depending on the
direction of rotation of the spool 49. A shaft 53 extends
through a side wall 48 from one end of the spool 49 into the
slack adjuster 17. Because the slack adjuster 17 i8 the same
as the slack adjuster used in the first embodiment of the
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invention, no additional detailed description of such slack
adjuster is provided. The slack adjuster 17 is connected to
the side wali 48 of the casing 45 by a bolt 54 extending
through one of the holes 20 and the wall 48 into a nut 55.
With reference to Figs. 7 o 2, a third embodiment of
the device of the present invention which is generally
indicated at 60 is intended for use on a trailer 61 or other
vehicle for tightening straps 62 on a load 63. The device
includes a generally U-shaped casing 65 defined by a bottom or
rear wall 66 and a pair of side walls 68 and 69 integral with
the rear wall 66. A threaded hole 70 (Fig. 9) is provided in
the rear wall 66 for receiving a bolt 71 (Fig. 8) for mounting
the casing 65 on the trailer 61.
A spool (not shown) carrying a strap 62 is rotatably
mounted in the bushings 72 in the side walls 68 and 69. A
shaft (not shown) extends through the side wall 78 into a
slack adjuster 17 is shortened by cutting and the bottom free
end 73 thereof extends into a rectangular notch 75 in a flange
76 welded to the rear wall 66 of the casing 65.
During use the straps pass over the load 63 to a
fixed bracket or clasp (not shown) on the other side of the
trailer 61 from the device 60. By actuating the slack
adjuster 17 to rotate the spool, the strap 62 is tightened or
loosened.
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It will be appreciated that the bolt 37 of the slack
adjuster 17 can be rotated manually using the crank 38, or
mechanically using an electric drill and socket attachment or
a pneumatic wrench of the type used to remove and mount
vehicle wheels.
In the foregoing description of the preferred
embodiment the term "winch device" has been given a broad
definition. The basic combination proposed by the present
inventor and falling within the definition includes a casing,
a spool in the casing, a cable (which may be a strap) on the
spool) and a slack adjuster for rotating the spool.
