FIXED SPOOL WINCH MECHANISM

• US 3,782,692 A
• Filed: 02/07/1973
• Issued: 01/01/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernest L. Casco, Ralph F. Kosic
• Original Assignee: Ernest L. Casco, Ralph F. Kosic
• Inventors: Casco, Ernest L., Kosic, Ralph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blunk, Evon C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lane, H. S.
• Application Number:
  US05/330,372
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 242/54R,84.2G,84.21R 254/139,168
• US Class Current: 242/387
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/02 Driving gear
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/39 by means of axially-movable drums or barrels pivotably mounted drums or barrel B66D1/365
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 2700/0125 Motor operated winches

Abstract

A winch having a spool on which a line or cable is wound for subsequent free-fall deployment of a payload such as a profiling oceanographic sensor. The line secures at one end to the sensor, passing through the hollow center of the spool shaft, level winding onto the spool, and attaches at its opposite end to surface electronics aboard a data station buoy. Upon activation, a motor rotates a bail platform about the spool shaft axis. A bail carried on the rotating platform engages a striker, pivoting the bail to to one side of the line whereby the weight of the sensor tensions the line to unwind it from the spool in a freefall manner. When deployed, the sensor is supported by structure above the winch with the line passing freely through the spool shaft. Retrieval of the sensor is effected by reversing the direction of rotation of the bail platform and shifting the striker linkage to pivot the bail for rewind of the line onto the spool. The bail is thus pivoted through an arc intersecting the vertical axis of the spool shaft, to pick up the deployed line for winding onto the spool as the bail rotates. Level wind of the line is accomplished by reciprocal up and down movement of the spool as the line traverses the sheave of the rotating bail.

Claims

1. A winch comprising:

a frame, a spool having a substantially vertical axis supported by said frame, means defining a vertical passage through said spool, a line secured to structure above said spool projecting through said passage, a plate journaled for rotation about the axis of said spool, a bail pivotally mounted on said plate, said bail being pivotal through an arc intersecting said vertical axis, striker means mounted on said frame, said striker means pivoting said bail to pick up said line upon rotation of said plate in one direction, and said striker means pivoting said bail to release said line upon rotation of said plate in an opposite direction.

2. The winch of claim 1 wherein:

said spool is provided with protrusions to snag said line for winding onto the body of said spool.

3. The winch of claim 1 wherein:

drive and transmission means are coupled to said spool and said bail to reciprocate said spool vertically and rotate said bail about said vertical axis.

4. The winch of claim 3 wherein:

a clutch connects said bail to said drive means.

5. The winch of claim 4 wherein:

biasing means maintains said bail in line pick-up and line release positions.

6. The winch of claim 5 wherein:

a rotatable sheave is journaled on said bail to receive said line for winding onto said spool.

7. The winch of claim 6 wherein:

said bail in its line pick-up position, forming a ramp to direct said line onto said sheave.

8. A winch comprising:

a frame, a shaft mounted for vertical reciprocal movement on said frame, a spool secured to the lower end of said shaft, means defining a vertically disposed opening through said shaft and spool, a line passing through said vertical opening, a bail shaft telescopically journaled for rotation about said spool shaft, a plate secured to said bail shaft above said spool, a bail pivotally mounted on said frame, said bail being pivoted by engagement with said striker means to pick up said line for winding onto said spool by rotation of said bail shaft in one dIrection, and said bail being pivoted by engagement with said striker means to release said line by rotation of said bail shaft in an opposite direction.

9. The winch of claim 8 wherein:

protrusions on the lower flange of said spool snag said line for winding onto the body thereof.

10. The winch of claim 8 wherein:

drive and transmission means are coupled to said spool shaft and said bail shaft to reciprocate said spool and concommittently rotate said bail.

11. The winch of claim 8 wherein:

a clutch couples coextensive sections of said bail shaft together to provide for differential rotation of one section relative to an adjacent section thereof.

12. The winch of claim 8 wherein:

an actuator linked to said striker means pivots striker plates thereof into and out of engagement with said bail.

13. The winch of claim 8 wherein:

overcenter biasing means maintains said bail in pick-up and line release positions.

14. The winch of claim 8 wherein:

said bail comprises a substantially C-shaped member of tapering cross-section, a guard plate secured to the larger in cross-section end of said C-shaped member, said guard plate linking said C-shaped member to said pivotal mounting on said plate, and said C-shaped member declining in its line pick-up position from its smaller in cross-section end to its larger in cross-section end.

15. The winch of claim 14 wherein:

a sheave is rotatably journaled on said larger in cross-section end of said bail adjacent said guard plate to receive said line for winding onto said spool.

16. The winch of claim 15 wherein:

the cross-sectional configuration of said sheave is commensurate and coextensive with said decline of said C-shaped bail member.