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US 4,588,167 AGranted
Portable power driven winch
AssigneePortable Power Tools, Inc.
InventorJack E. Finzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A small, light, portable winch having a small gasoline engine, a centrifugal clutch connecting the engine through reduction gears, sprockets, and a chain to a spool having a cable which can be wound on the spool. A positive clutch can be disengaged to permit cable to be withdrawn safely from the spool while the engine is running. A brake permits cable to be controllably unwound from the spool under load. A two-legged bridle attached to the spool-supporting frame and handles on the winch facilitate smoothly spooling cable on the drum. A lever connected to a throttle control cable is conveniently located within reach from one of the handles, while the brake is controlled by a lever conveniently within reach from the other of the handles, and is adjustable.
Claims7
A portable winch, comprising:
- (a) a gearcase having opposite first and second ends, opposite front and rear sides, and a final driven shaft extending from said first end;
- (b) a spool-supporting frame extending from said first end;
- (c) a spool carried on said frame and defining a spool axis of rotation extending directly toward said gearcase;
- (d) an engine fixedly attached to said second end of said gearcase;
- (e) a first winch-supporting handle extending from said second end of said gearcase and located above said engine and forward of and generally parallel with said spool axis of rotation;
- (f) a second winch-supporting handle extending generally perpendicular to and rearwardly from said rear side of said gearcase;
- (g) a throttle control lever mounted on said second end of said gearcase and rotatable about a throttle control lever axis extending substantially parallel with said first handle;
- (h) a finger contact bar attached fixedly to said throttle control lever, extending generally parallel with and located below said first handle and spaced apart therefrom, but within reach of a hand holding said first handle, and moveable toward said first handle so as to rotate said throttle control lever about said throttle control lever axis;
- (i) means connecting said throttle control lever to said engine for accelerating said engine in response to movement of said finger contact bar toward said first handle;
- (j) a brake drum mounted on said final driven shaft;
- (k) a brake band encircling said brake drum;
- and
- (l) brake lever means pivotably mounted on said first end of said gearcase and extending rearwardly alongside said second handle, within reach of a finger of a hand while said hand holds said second handle, for selectively tightening said brake band about said brake drum.
10 more elements
A portable winch, comprising:
- (a) a gearcase having opposite first and second ends and front and rear sides;
- (b) a spool-supporting frame extending from said first end;
- (c) a spool carried on said frame and defining a spool axis of rotation extending directly toward said gearcase;
- (d) an engine fixedly attached to said second end of said gearcase;
- (e) a first winch-supporting handle extending from said second end of said gearcase and located above said engine and forward of and generally parallel with said spool axis of rotation;
- (f) a second winch-supporting handle extending generally horizontally rearward from said rear side of said gearcase;
- (g) a set of speed reduction gears including a final driven gear located in said gearcase;
- (h) a positive engagement clutch for selectively connecting said reduction gears drivingly to said spool, said positive engagement clutch including a final driven shaft, a slidable member disposed axially slidably on said shaft and keyed thereto for rotation therewith, and mating means for coupling said slidable member to said final driven gear so as to prevent said slidable member from rotating with respect to said final driven gear;
- (i) lever-operated means for controlling said positive engagement clutch, said lever-operated means including a lever located adjacent said second end of said gearcase;
- (j) a throttle control lever mounted on said second end of said gearcase and rotatable about a throttle control lever axis extending substantially parallel with said first handle;
- (k) a finger contact bar attached fixedly to said throttle control lever, extending generally parallel with and located below said first handle and spaced apart therefrom, but within reach of a hand holding said first handle, and moveable toward said first handle so as to rotate said throttle control lever about said throttle control lever axis;
- (l) means connecting said throttle control lever to said engine for accelerating said engine in response to movement of said finger contact bar toward said first handle;
- (m) a brake drum mounted on said final driven shaft;
- (n) a brake band encircling said brake drum;
- and
- (o) brake lever means pivotably mounted on said first end of said gearcase and extending rearwardly alongside said second handle, within reach of a finger of a hand while said hand holds said second handle, for selectively tightening said brake band about said brake drum.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.