Portable winch
AssigneeWilliam L. Watson
InventorsWilliam L. Watson, Kenneth E. Watson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved portable winch is described including a reversing drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a drive bearing which is movable between two positions. In one position the bearing is able to transmit the rotational motion of the input shaft directly to an output shaft. In another position the bearing is able to reverse the rotational motion of the input shaft and transmit it to the output shaft to drive it in a direction opposite to the input shaft. The reversing drive mechanism enables the drum to be rotated in either direction, as desired.
Claims10
In a portable winch system of the type including an engine and a rotatable drum, the improvement which comprises a reversing drive mechanism comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) an input shaft having first and second ends;
- said first end extending into and being rotatably supported in said housing;
- (c) an output shaft having first and second ends;
- said first end extending into and being rotatably supported in said housing;
- (d) disk means secured to said input shaft adjacent said first end;
- (e) a bearing carried by said first end of said output shaft;
- said bearing including an inner race member and an outer race member;
- wherein said inner race member is rotationally fixed to said output shaft;
- wherein said bearing is axially movable thereon between first and second positions;
- wherein said bearing includes a plurality of spherical ball members disposed between said inner and outer race members;
- (f) thrust means for moving said bearing axially on said output shaft between said first and second positions;
- wherein said thrust means includes a pressure plate and a plurality of pin members extending axially away from said plate and into said bearing in a manner such that each of said pin members separates adjacent ball members;
- and wherein said pressure plate is attached to said bearing;
- wherein said thrust means further comprises control means for selectively moving said bearing between said first and second positions on said output shaft;
- wherein when said bearing is in said first position, said input shaft is adapted to drive said output shaft rotationally in the same direction as said input shaft;
- wherein when said bearing is in said second position, said disk means is adapted to drive said outer race member rotationally in a manner such that said inner race member and said output shaft are driven rotationally in a direction opposite to said input shaft;
- and wherein said output shaft is adapted to rotatably drive said drum.
In a portable winch system of the type including an engine, a rotatable drum, and a gearbox operatively connected between said engine and said drum, the improvement which comprises a reversing drive mechanism comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) an input shaft having first and second ends;
- said first end extending into and being rotatably supported in said housing;
- (c) an output shaft having first and second ends;
- said first end extending into and being rotatably supported in said housing;
- (d) clutch means secured to said input shaft adjacent said first end;
- (e) a bearing carried by said first end of said output shaft;
- said bearing including an inner race member and an outer race member;
- wherein said inner race member is rotationally fixed to said output shaft;
- wherein said bearing is axially movable thereon between first and second positions;
- wherein said bearing includes a plurality of spherical ball members disposed between said inner and outer race members;
- (f) thrust means for moving said bearing axially on said output shaft between said first and second positions;
- wherein said thrust means includes a pressure plate and a plurality of pin members extending axially away from said plate and into said bearing in a manner such that each of said pin members separates adjacent ball members;
- and wherein said pressure plate is attached to said bearing;
- wherein said thrust means further comprises control means for selectively moving said bearing between said first and second positions on said output shaft;
- wherein when said bearing is in said first position, said input shaft is adapted to drive said output shaft rotationally in the same direction as said input shaft;
- wherein when said bearing is in said second position, said clutch means is adapted to drive said outer race member rotationally in a manner such that said inner race member and said output shaft are driven rotationally in a direction opposite to said input shaft;
- and wherein said output shaft extends into said gearbox and is adapted to rotatably drive said drum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.