US 2006/0049009 A1Published application

Wrap spring brake

AssigneeReell Precision Manufacturing Corporation

InventorsJoseph Arnold, Ted Perron

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Abstract

A winch with a wrap spring brake is provided. The winch includes a rotatable drum configured to wind and unwind a cable. The cable may be connected to a load to be moved. A shaft is coupled to the drum such that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the drum, thereby winding or unwinding the cable about the drum. The winch also includes an input hub capable of rotating and coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the input hub causes rotation of the shaft. The winch also includes a grounding hub. Finally, the winch includes a wrap spring wound about the grounding hub. The wrap spring has a first end and a second end. The first end of the wrap spring is coupled to the shaft such that the first end rotates with the shaft. The wrap spring is configured to be wrapped down on the grounding hub when the input hub is not rotated, thereby automatically locking the winch.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A wrap spring brake comprising:

an input source that is alternatively rotated in a first direction, in a second direction and held stationary;
a cylindrical sleeve coupled to the input source, the cylndrical sleeve having a mating slot and a notch;
a rotatable output shaft;
a rotatable spring hub fixed to the output shaft, the spring hub having a dog connection configured to engage the mating slot;
a grounding hub through which the output shaft extends;
a wrap spring wound over the grounding hub, the wrap spring having a first end and a second end, the first end of the wrap spring coupled to the spring hub and the second end forming a spring toe;
and
wherein when the input source rotates in the first direction the mating slot engages the dog connection thereby rotating the output shaft in the first direction and causing the wrap spring to overrun the grounding hub, when the input source rotates in the second direction the notch engages the toe of the wrap spring thereby releasing the wrap spring from the grounding hub and the output shaft is caused to rotate in the second direction, and when the input source is stationary the wrap spring is wrapped down on the grounding hub thereby preventing any rotation of the output shaft.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.