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US 4,974,814 AGranted
Multispeed winch
AssigneeMaxwell Marine Limited
InventorGraeme M. Cundy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multispeed winch or gear box wherein an axially-movable gear located on a shaft parallel to the drive shaft is movable by operation of a lift mechanism to be in a first position in engagement with a specific gear train or in a second position out of engagement with the gear train. Further, the winch or gear box can have a gear on the drive shaft with a lip or shoulder which can retain the axially-movable gear in the upper or first position after the lift mechanism has moved the axially movable gear to the first position, and the lift mechanism has been withdrawn. This arrangement will permit the gear box or winch to automatically shift from first speed to second speed to third speed upon reversal of the drive shaft rotation.
Claims15
A winch comprising:
- a base;
- a winch drum rotatably supported on the base;
- a rotatable drive shaft, extending centrally in the winch, having mounted thereon a first speed drive gear, a second speed unidirectional gear capable of transferring power in only one direction of drive shaft rotation;
- and a third speed gear capable of transferring power in either direction of drive shaft rotation;
- an output shaft having mounted thereon an output gear which drives the drum, a first speed gear which is integrally attached to the output gear, and a second and third speed gear which is connected to the output gear and the first speed gear through a unidirectional mechanism whereby said second and third speed gear is only capable of transferring power to the output gear if it is rotating faster than said first speed gear;
- a speed reduction shaft having mounted thereon two gears which are connected by a unidirectional mechanism;
- and
- a traveler gear shaft parallel to the drive shaft having mounted thereon a gear which is axially movable from a first position wherein it is engageable with the first speed drive gear on the output shaft, to a second position where it has no engagement with the output shaft,
- said winch being operable between successively differing gear ratios upon reversing the direction of rotation of the drive shaft.
6 more elements
A multispeed winch comprising:
- a base;
- a winch drum rotatably supported on the base;
- a rotatable primary drive shaft extending coaxially to and centrally in the winch drum having a gear mounted thereon for rotation with the drive shaft;
- and
- a second shaft parallel to the drive shaft having an axially movable gear mounted thereon which is movable from a first position wherein it is engaged with said drive shaft gear for engagement with a first speed gear train, and a second position wherein it is not engaged with said first speed gear train.
2 more elements
A multispeed winch comprising:
- a base;
- a winch drum rotatably supported on the base;
- a rotatable primary drive shaft extending centrally in the winch and coaxially with the winch drum;
- a gear train driven by the rotation of the drive shaft;
- and
- a second shaft parallel to the drive shaft having an axially movable gear mounted thereon which is movable between a first and second axial position, one in which the gear is in engagement with the said gear train and one in which it is out of engagement with the gear train.
3 more elements
A multispeed winch having at least three gear trains to provide at least three speeds comprising:
- a winch drum
- a rotatable primary drive shaft extending centrally in the winch and coaxially with the winch drum;
- a second shaft parallel to the drive shaft having an axially movable gear mounted thereon which is movable between two positions;
- means for retaining the axially movable gear in a first position during first speed rotation of the drive shaft;
- means for moving the axially movable gear from a first position to a second position upon a first reversal of drive shaft rotation to second speed operation;
- and
- whereby upon a second reversal of drive shaft rotation the winch operates in a third speed.
4 more elements
A gear box for receiving input power to
- a drive shaft and delivering power to an output comprising:
- a rotatable drive shaft having mounted thereon a first speed drive gear, a second speed unidirectional gear capable of transferring power in only one direction of drive shaft rotation;
- and a third speed gear capable of transferring power in either direction of drive shaft rotation;
- an output shaft having mounted thereon an output gear which drives the output, a first speed gear which is integrally attached to the output gear, and a second and third speed gear which is connected to the output gear and the first speed gear through a unidirectional mechanism whereby said second and third speed gear is only capable of transferring power to the output gear if it is rotating faster than said first speed gear;
- a speed reduction shaft having mounted thereon two gears which are connected by a unidirectional mechanism;
- and
- a traveler gear shaft parallel to the drive shaft having mounted thereon a traveler gear which is axially movable from a first position wherein it is engageable with the first speed drive gear on the drive shaft and the first speed gear on the output shaft, to a second position where it has no engagement with the output shaft,
- said traveler gear being operable in three differing gear ratios upon reversing the direction of rotation of the drive shaft twice.
5 more elements
A multispeed winch comprising:
- a base;
- a winch drum rotatably supported on the base;
- a rotatable drive shaft extending axially and centrally
- in the winch having a gear mounted thereon for rotation with the drive shaft;
- a second shaft parallel to the drive shaft having an axially movable gear mounted thereon which is movable from a first position wherein it is engaged with said drive shaft gear for engagement with a first speed gear train, and a second position wherein it is not engaged with said first speed gear train;
- and
- wherein the drive shaft gear includes an upwardlyfacing shoulder located at the bottom of each gear tooth face which faces in the direction of said gear's driving rotation to retain the axially movable gear in the first position during operation of the winch in one direction of rotation.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.