Line or net hauling apparatus

• US 4,580,766 A
• Filed: 05/17/1984
• Issued: 04/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian F. Woodgate
• Original Assignee: Brian F. Woodgate
• Inventors: Woodgate, Brian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaekel, Katherine
• Application Number:
  US06/611,097
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 254/371, 254/382, 254/389, 254/372, 254/390, 254/279, 254/280, 254/281, 254/266, 43/8, 242/117, 226/193, 226/196
• US Class Current: 254/371
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 73/06 Hauling devices for the headlines

Abstract

Line or net hauling apparatus is disclosed comprising a drum having a cylindrical surface from which project a plurality of generally radially extending engagement members each having a first surface element at the cylindrical surface on the opposite side of a circumferential center line from that of the adjacent members to define a sinuous path for a flexible line or net wound on the drum; edge surface elements of the engagement members being inclined with respect to the diametral axial plane in which lies the said first surface element of the engagement member, the inclination of adjacent edge surface elements being in opposite directions from one another.

Claims

1. A line or net hauling apparatus comprising:

a rotatable member,

a generally cylindrical surface on said rotatable member,

a plurality of generally radially projecting arms spaced around the periphery of said cylindrical surface, each said arm comprising a first part which extends substantially normal to said cylindrical surface and a second part which is joined to said first part at an elbow, the said first parts of the arms defining a sinuous path on the said cylindrical surface for a flexible member placed between them, and each said second part being inclined with respect to an axial diametral plane of said cylindrical surface in which the associated said first part lies, said second parts of adjacent arms lying on opposite sides of a central radial plane and at an angle thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said arm further has a third part lying at an angle to said central radial plane which is greater than the angle between said second part and said central radial plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first parts of adjacent arms are spaced axially alternately on either side of a central radial plane passing through the cylindrical surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the axial spacing of each first part of adjacent pairs of arms is approximately equal to the thickness of said first part of the arm itself.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each said arm is positioned such that its first part lies on the opposite side of said central radial plane from that on which its second part lies.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radially outer end of each said arm is supported against movement with respect to said cylindrical surface by a rigid support element of said rotatable member projecting radially therefrom.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the said rigid support element is a generally disc-like support element extending radially from said cylindrical surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said disc-like support element is substantially frusto-conical in form, with the wider end spaced axially from a central radial plane of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said cylindrical surface and said disc-like support elements are secured together to constitute said rotatable member.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is further provided a net guide loop attached to said cradle in a position along the path followed by a net when it is being hauled by said apparatus and in advance of the region of contact between the net being hauled and said arms, said net guide loop having a smooth net guide surface with no projections and no moving parts capable of wear, whereby no surface discontinuites are presented to a net to be snagged thereby in passing through said loop.

11. The net hauling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the space between each said arm and said cylindrical surfaces is filled with a fin panel.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said first and second part of a given arm defines a plane, and planes defined by said first and second parts of adjacent said arms lie substantially perpendicular to one another.

13. A line or net hauling apparatus comprising:

a rotatable member,

a generally cylindrical surface of said rotatable member,

a plurality of generally radially extending engagement members on said rotatable member, said engagement members having first surface elements projecting normally to said generally cylindrical surface and defining between them a sinuous path on said cylindrical surface for a flexible member placed between them, and

second surface elements defining two coaxial frustoconical surfaces having a wide end and a narrow end, said coaxial frustoconical surfaces being positioned with said narrow ends directed towards one another, said engagement members being in the form of a plurality of fins each lying in a respective plane inclined with respect to both radial and axial planes of said cylindrical surfaces, said first and second surface elements being constituted by edge faces of said fins lying between two parallel major faces defining the plane of said fin, said edge faces constituting said second surface elements lying at an angle inclined to a diametral axial plane of said cylindrical surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said rotatable member includes a shaft borne in plain bearings in a cradle which is turnable about an upright axis.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein there is further provided a net guide loop attached to said cradle in a position such that a net being hauled by said apparatus passes through said loop before contacting said rotatable member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said net guide loop includes an opening closable by a closure member.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said net guide loop includes a generally linear portion and a curved portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, whrein said opening in said net guide loop is formed in said linear portion thereof and said closure is a cylindrical, at least partly resilient, sleeve over the loop.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein there are further provided rear guard means lying in a plane generally parallel to the axis of said cylindrical surface and laterally displaced from the plane of said loop.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein there is further provided a net guide loop attached to said cradle in a position along the path followed by a net when it is being hauled by said apparatus and in advance of the region of contact between the net being hauled and the said first and second surface elements, said net guide loop having a smooth net guide surface with no projections and no moving parts capable of wear, whereby no surface discontinuities are presented to a net to be snagged thereby in passing through said loop.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each said fin lies in a plane extending at generally 45°

to a radial plane passing orthogonally through the axis of said cylindrical member.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said cylindrical surface is formed as part of a drum having generally radially extending end flanges formed as frusto-conical surfaces with their narrow ends directed towards one another and their wide ends remote from one another.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said drum is made as a unitary casting and said cylindrical surface is supported by a single radial web from a central shaft borne at its ends in plain bearings.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said frusto-conical end flanges of said drum are supported by generally radially extended reinforcement webs extending from said shaft to said frusto-conical surface itself.

25. The net hauling apparatus of claim 13, wherein said fins are reinforced at the free edges thereof with metal rod reinforcing elements.