One-way winch brake
AssigneeSuperwinch, LLC
InventorsCharles H. Perry, Robert G. Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power operated drive shaft and brake assembly are coaxially mounted for rotation inside a cable drum which is coupled to the drive shaft through gearing. The brake assembly has an adapter housing and one-way clutch for drivingly connecting the drive shaft and adapter housing during a "cable out" operation. A plurality of brake pads are mounted for movement relative to the brake adapter housing. The brake pads are angularly offset in a non-radial orientation to negate undesired brake drag caused by centrifugal forces while the pads are spring loaded to provide a predetermined braking force to hold a load in place after completion of a winching operation.
Claims19
A winch brake for maintaining a cabled load in place after completion of a winching operation and comprising
- (a) a drum having a cylindrical interior wall,
- (b) a drive shaft, and
- (c) a brake assembly mounted for rotation inside the drum and selectively drivingly coupled to the drive shaft, the brake assembly including
- (i) brake pad means for effecting a drag on the drum interior wall,
- (ii) spring means for continuously urging the brake pad means into engagement with the drum interior wall, and
- (iii) an adapter housing mounting the brake pad means relative to the drum interior wall, the housing having guide means therein including an exit opening on an outer surface of the housing for maintaining the brake pad means in a predetermined angularly offset relation to a radial projection extending from a major rotational axis of the housing.
A winch brake for stopping and holding a load in place after completion of a winching operation and comprising
- (a) a cable drum having a cylindrical interior wall,
- (b) a drive shaft coaxially mounted inside the drum,
- (c) a brake assembly including
- (i) a plurality of brake pads for effecting a drag on the drum interior wall,
- (ii) spring means for continuously urging the brake pads into engagement with the drum interior wall, and
- (iii) a generally cylindrical housing having a plurality of slots therein for receiving and orienting the brake pads, the slots each terminating in an exit opening on an outer surface of the housing, the exit opening extending in parallel relation to a major rotational axis of the housing, each of the slots being formed in a predetermined angularly offset relation to a radial plane extending between the exit opening and the major rotational axis of the housing, and
- (e) a one-way clutch between the brake housing and the drive shaft for drivingly connecting the brake assembly and the drive shaft in a "cable out" mode of operation while permitting relative rotation therebetween in a "cable in" mode of operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.