Power driven winch winding tool

• US 6,467,755 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Winch Winder Company
• Original Assignee: Winch Winder Company
• Inventors: Ruck, James C., Ruck, Phillip D., Reilly, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, EMMANUEL MONSAYAC
• Application Number:
  US09/773,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20010045550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 254/199, 254/222, 254/223, 254/247, 254/376, 410/12, 410/96, 410/100, 410/103, 410/156
• US Class Current: 254/223
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/0846 winding up or storing of straps
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/585 Reels for rolling tape-like material, e.g. flat hose or strap, into flat spiral form; Means for retaining the roll after removal of the reel
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/305 Arrangements to facilitate driving by a portable drill
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 3/18 Power-operated hoists

Abstract

A power driven tool is provided for winding a strap or other flexible component onto a winch. The tool is inserted into the axial opening of the winch spindle and includes a longitudinal slot that receives the inner end of the strap. The tool also includes a head portion that is lockably interengagable with a drive component of a rotary power apparatus. The rotary power apparatus is interengaged with the tool and rotatably driven such that the tool turns the spindle to wind the strap thereon.

Claims

1. An adapter tool that is operably engagable with a rotary driven power apparatus for winding a winch, which winch includes a yoke and a generally tubular spindle mounted rotatably in the yoke, the spindle including a central opening, the winch also including an elongate strap, an inner portion of which is attached to the spindle and extends across the opening thereof, at least one end of the spindle being open such that the central opening of the spindle is exposed, said adapter tool comprising:

a head portion carrying means that are releasably and lockably interengagable with the rotary driven power apparatus; and

an elongate body portion connected to and extending from said head portion for axially rotating in response to operation of the rotary driven power apparatus, said elongate body being introducable into the central opening of the winch spindle and having a slot formed longitudinally therein for receiving the portion of the flexible strap extending across the central opening, said elongate body portion being axially rotatable by the rotary power apparatus for engaging the inner portion of the flexible strap and driving the spindle axially rotatably such that the strap is windable onto the spindle.

2. The tool of claim 1 in which said elongate body portion has a generally tubular shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said means for lockably and releasably interengaging include a receptacle formed in said head portion for receiving and interengaging said rotary driven power tool, said receptacle communicating with said axial opening in said body portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said longitudinal slot and said body portion includes a generally parallel pair of slotted sections that communicate with an axial opening formed through said body portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for lockably and releasably interengaging include a receptacle formed in the head portion for receiving and operably interengaging the rotary driven power tool.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said receptacle has a square shape.

7. The tool of claim 1 in which the head portion is unitarily connected to said elongate body.

8. The tool of claim 1 in which said head portion and said body portion are axially rotatable in response to operation of the rotary power apparatus when the apparatus is operably attached to said tool.