Winch mounting system having winch translating portion
OwnerChristopher C. Schuchinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A winch mounting system includes a stationary mounting member and a winch supporting member slideably mounted thereon. Bearings permit the winch supporting member to move in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the winch drum but restrain motion in all other directions. A fairlead or cable guide assembly, secured to the stationary mounting member, guides the cable to the drum. The tension on the cable forces the winch and drum to continually move to a position that maintains the shortest length of cable between the fairlead and the drum. As a result, the cable winds neatly and evenly on the drum without binding or bunching.
Claims18
A winch mounting system comprising:
- a stationary mounting means for mounting said winch mounting system on an object,
- a winch support means for supporting a winch having a drum rotatable about a winch axis,
- cable guide means, fixedly coupled to said stationary mounting means, for guiding a cable substantially toward or away from said winch support means, and
- bearing means for movably supporting said winch support means on said stationary mounting means and for permitting movement of said winch support means with respect to said stationary mounting means along a path parallel to said winch axis, wherein said winch support means is free to move passively along said path in response to external forces applied to said winch support means.
A winch mounting system comprising
- a winch support assembly including means for supporting a winch having a cylindrical drum rotatable about a winch axis,
- a base member,
- a cable guide assembly fixedly positioned with respect to said base member for guiding a cable toward or away from said winch support assembly, and
- means for coupling said winch support assembly to said base member whereby said winch support assembly is free to move passively with respect to said base member along a system axis in response to external forces applied to said winch support assembly, said system axis being substantially parallel to said winch axis.
A winch mounting system in combination with a winch comprising:
- a winch support assembly including means for supporting a winch,
- a winch having a cylindrical drum rotatable about a winch axis, said winch being fixedly coupled to said means for supporting said winch, said winch including a cable
- a base member,
- a cable guide assembly fixedly positioned with respect to said base member for guiding said cable substantially toward or away from said drum, and
- means for coupling said winch support assembly to said base member whereby said winch support assembly is free to move passively with respect to said base member along a system axis in response to an external force applied to said winch support assembly, said system axis being substantially parallel to said winch axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.