Automatic take-up winch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automatic take-up winch comprising:
- a reel element mounted for rotation about an axis and about which an elongated flexible member is to be wound;
a ratchet mechanism permitting rotation of said reel element in a take-up direction through a series of different positions and adapted to releasably prevent rotation of said element in a reverse unwinding direction from said different positions; and
a power unit including a power actuated part operable upon movement in one direction to turn said reel element in said take-up direction from one of said positions to another;
said part then being retractable in an opposite direction relative to said reel element in preparation for another take-up step, while the reel element is retained by said ratchet mechanism against rotation in said unwinding direction;
said power actuated part being automatically operated to wind said flexible member to a desired tension when said part senses a slack condition in said flexible member.
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Abstract
A winch for automatically taking up slack or looseness in a chain or the like and including a reel element having a ratchet mechanism for normally permitting rotation of the reel in only one direction, together with a power operated actuating unit which advances the reel and ratchet mechanism rotatively through successive steps in a take-up direction and is retractable in an opposite direction relative to the reel after each advancement step and in preparation for the next successive advancement. Automatic control means, desirably an automatic valve arrangement, cause such retraction of the power actuated unit in response to its arrival at a predetermined advanced position.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An automatic take-up winch comprising:
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a reel element mounted for rotation about an axis and about which an elongated flexible member is to be wound; a ratchet mechanism permitting rotation of said reel element in a take-up direction through a series of different positions and adapted to releasably prevent rotation of said element in a reverse unwinding direction from said different positions; and a power unit including a power actuated part operable upon movement in one direction to turn said reel element in said take-up direction from one of said positions to another; said part then being retractable in an opposite direction relative to said reel element in preparation for another take-up step, while the reel element is retained by said ratchet mechanism against rotation in said unwinding direction;
said power actuated part being automatically operated to wind said flexible member to a desired tension when said part senses a slack condition in said flexible member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An automatic take-up winch comprising:
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a reel element mounted for rotation about an axis and about which an elongated flexible member is to be wound; a ratchet wheel having a series of ratchet teeth and operatively connected to said reel element for rotation in correspondence with the rotation thereof; a pawl yieldingly urged against said teeth and engageable therewith in a relation permitting rotation of said reel element in a predetermined take-up direction through a series of different positions but releasably blocking rotation of the reel element in a reverse unwinding direction from said different positions; a power unit including a power actuated part operable upon movement in one direction to turn said reel element in said take-up direction from one of said positions to another; said part then being retractable in an opposite direction relative to said reel element in preparation for another take-up step, while the reel element is retained by said pawl and ratchet wheel against rotation in said unwinding direction; and means for retracting said pawl to released position permitting rotation of the ratchet wheel and reel element in said unwinding direction;
said power actuated part being automatically operated to wind said flexible member to a desired tension when said part senses a slack condition in said flexible member. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification