Self-tailing winch with free-fall capacity
AssigneeMuir Engineering Pty. Limited
InventorRobert J. Muir
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A which winch can permit free-fall is disclosed, which includes a shaft adapted to be driven by a source of power, a first cone connected about the shaft to be driven therewith, and a second cone co-axial with the first cone and movable axially relative thereto. The second cone can be caused to assume one of two axial positions relative to the first cone, the arrangement being such that a rope or chain passing between the two cones can be driven by the winch when the second cone is in one of its two positions and can free-fall when the second cone is in the other of its two positions.
Claims7
A self-tailing winch which can permit free-fall, comprising:
- a shaft adapted to, and capable of being, driven;
- a first cone connected about and fixed to said shaft to be driven therewith;
- a second cone co-axial with said first cone and movable axially relative thereto along a threaded portion of said shaft, said first cone and said second cone each have a truncated conical surface, the apexes of which are inwardly directed;
- means for causing said second cone to assume either of two stable axial positions relative to said first cone so that when said second cone is in a first position of said two stable axial positions, a rope or chain passing between said first cone and said second cone will be gripped firmly when rotation of said shaft in one direction occurs, rotation of said shaft in an opposite direction resulting in said second cone being held against rotation so that said first cone and said second cone move axially apart to a second position thereby permitting said rope or chain to free-fall;
- and,
- a pawl mounted adjacent said second cone, wherein said pawl enters a detent in said second cone for preventing rotation of said second cone in one direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.