Winch with free-wheeling drum
AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorsLyle F. Yates, Ray Shipman, Charles E. Elgin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A winch embodied as a logging or towing winch for vehicles such as a log skidder, the winch including a rotatable drum and a power train having an input member coupled to an engine of the vehicle, a normally disengaged clutch providing a selective coupling between the input member and an intermediate drive assembly, a normally engaged friction brake being selectively disengageable to permit rotation of the intermediate drive assembly and a jaw-type clutch normally providing a positive coupling between the intermediate drive assembly and the winch drum, the jaw clutch being selectively disengageable to permit free-wheeling of the drum.
Claims8
In a machine having engine means, a winch comprising a rotatable winch drum and a power train including a rotatable power input member coupled to the engine means, an intermediate drive means, a normally disengaged input friction clutch which is selectively engageable to provide a coupling between the input member and intermediate drive means, a friction brake being normally engaged to secure the intermediate drive means against rotation and being selectively disengageable to permit rotation of the intermediate drive means, a jaw-type clutch being normally engaged to provide a positive coupling between the intermediate drive means and the winch drum, the jaw clutch being selectively disengageable to permit free-wheeling of the winch drum free of drag from the intermediate drive means, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means connecting said source of fluid pressure to said normally disengaged input friction clutch and to said friction brake and to said jaw-type clutch, means controlling said fluid pressure to said input friction clutch for engaging the same and simultaneously disengaging said friction brake whereby said winch is driven from said engine means, and means controlling said fluid pressure to said jaw-type clutch independent of said means controlling fluid pressure to said input friction clutch and said friction brake for disengaging the same to effect free wheeling of said winch drum.
In a machine comprising engine means, a winch comprising a rotatable winch drum, a rotatable power input member coupled to the engine means, an input clutch, a brake, a winch engaging clutch, pressurized fluid for operating said input clutch, said friction brake and said winch engaging clutch, and pressurized fluid control means controlling application of said pressurized fluid to said input clutch, said friction brake and said winch engaging clutch, an improvement comprising:
- 1. utilizing as said input clutch a friction clutch which is normally disengaged when said pressurized fluid is not applied thereto and is selectively engageable on application of fluid pressure thereto to provide coupling between said input member and an intermediate drive means located between said input clutch and said winch engaging clutch;
- 2. utilizing as said brake a friction brake which is normally engaged when said pressurized fluid is not applied thereto and is selectively disengageable on application of fluid pressure thereto to release said intermediate drive means and permit rotation thereof;
- 3. utilizing as said pressurized control means, first fluid control means controlling application of fluid pressure to said friction brake and said friction clutch and second fluid control means operating independently of said first fluid control means, said second fluid control means controlling application of fluid pressure to said winch engaging clutch;
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- 4. utilizing as said winch engaging clutch a jaw type clutch which is normally engaged when said pressurized fluid is not applied thereto to provide a positive coupling between said intermediate drive means and the winch drum and is selectively disengageable to permit free-wheeling of the winch drum free of drag from the intermediate drive means on application of pressurized fluid to said jaw-type clutch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.