AU729831B2 - A winch - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

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0 Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: JAMES JOSEPH AUGUSTINE CAILLERI As Above CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

A WINCH Details of Associated Provisional Application: No. PN6285

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0 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: This invention relates to a winch which aids in the fastening of freight for transportation. The invention is primarily concerned with fastening loads onto a vehicle and the invention will therefore be described in this context. However, the invention is not limited to this particular use and the broader usages should be borne in mind.

Tying down freight onto vehicles is a necessary task which must be conducted before the vehicle can commence its journey. Ropes, chains or cables are usually used to fasten the freight to the vehicle.

However, using conventional methods for tying down of

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freight is a lengthy and time-consuming process. For example, when using a rope, the rope must be tied to one 15 side of the vehicle. The rope must then be thrown over the freight and tied to the opposite side of the vehicle.

Special knots must be tied and the rope tensioned. This can be both a time-consuming and strenuous process for the driver of the vehicle. Further, due to the difficulty of tensioning a chain, rope of cable using conventional means there is a danger that the load may *000 fall from the vehicle during transport.

It is an object of the invention to provide a winch with may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in a winch, able to aid in fastening a load to a vehicle, comprising: a body able to be attached to a vehicle; a rotatable catch mounted for rotation within the body, the catch able to retain a chain, rope, cable, or the like under tension; a tensioning means linked to the catch, enabling the catch to be rotated; and a stop means to enable the catch to be held in a desired position.

The winch may be permanently attached to the vehicle. However, it is preferable that the winch is removable from the vehicle when the winch is not in use.

It is also preferable not to have any fixtures fixed onto the vehicle to enable the winch to be attached to the vehicle. The winch may be positioned between the combining rail and tie-off bar. The winch may be attached to the combining rail and tie-off bar by providing at least one recess within the body of the winch. The winch may be positioned such that the tie-off bar fits within the recess. The body may also provide for a recess or projection which extends outwardly adjacent the top of the winch body. This recess or projection may abut against the combining rail when the winch is placed onto the vehicle. The surfaces which contact the combining rail and tie-off bar may contact 0** 15 the opposite side of the combining rail compared to the S: tie-off bar. When the chain, rope or cable is placed under tension, the above arrangement may allow the winch to be held firmly in position. This arrangement may therefore allow the winch to be positioned on the vehicle according to the position of the freight as well as to allow for greater or fewer winches to be used according specific requirements of the load.

The catch may be of a different configuration depending on whether a chain, rope, cable, or the like is used. The catch may be mounted on a shaft. Suitably, the catch is made from materials which are harder and g*•..more resilient than either the chain, rope or cable. The catch for a rope or a cable may be a spaced apart S diverging pair of discs. This may form a V-shaped slot where the rope or cable may be placed. When tension is increased upon the rope or cable, the rope or cable may be forced closer to the converging end of the discs, holding the rope or cable in the catch. Alternatively, for a chain, the discs may be parallel and spaced apart.

Along the edges of the discs, apertures may be located such that they engage individual links of the chain.

The tensioning means may be linked to the catch via a number of gears so that the rope, chain, cable, or 0O *0* *0 0 00 6O *0 0 0* *0 0e 0 0S *0 8 000 S -5 0 0@e0 0@*0 0O 0S

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0 0*S S b 0 the like, can be tightened more easily. However, usually the tensioning means is linked to the catch directly via the shaft. The tensioning means may be a handle which is attached adjacent the end of the shaft. However, usually the tensioning means takes the form of a hole placed through the shaft. A steel bar or crowbar may be inserted into this hole to rotate the shaft. Further, due to the length of the crowbar or the steel bar, large amounts of leverage may be able to be obtained relatively easily allowing greater tension to be achieved.

The stop means may be in any suitable form such that it allows the catch to remain in a desired position when the rope, chain or cable has reached the necessary tension. The stop means may be in the form of a pin 15 which is inserted in the shaft and abuts against a stop.

However, preferably the stop means is a ratchet mechanism. This may be advantageous due to once tension is increased, the catch is automatically held in position. The ratchet mechanism may be in the form of a cog and a pawl. The cog may be attached to adjacent one end of the shaft. The pawl may be pivotally mounted on the body of the winch. The pawl and cog may be positioned adjacent one an other such that upon rotation of the shaft (causing the rope, chain or cable to become tensioned), the pawl engages the cog preventing loss of tension in the rope, chain or cable.

A safety means may be provided such that the chain, rope or cable will not easily be able, to be disengaged from the catch. The safety means may also aid in the placement of the chain, rope or cable onto the catch. It is preferable that the safety means is relatively quick and easy to place in position. The safety means may be a bar which is pivotally mounted onto the body. The bar when in an in-use position may be positioned adjacent the catch. The rope, chain or cable may be looped around the catch and over the bar. The weight of the rope, chain or cable may hold the cable against the catch over a substantial amount of the peripheral edge of the catch. The bar also may prevent accidental disengagement of the chain, cable or rope from the catch.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following figures: Figure 1 is a front view of a winch according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the winch according to Figure 1; Figure 3 is a rear view of a winch according to Figure 1.

Referring to the Figures, it can be seen that the winch 10 comprises a body 11, a shaft 12, a catch 13, Sa tensioning means 14 and safety means 15. The winch has been specifically designed for use with a chain.

SHowever, the winch 10 will have similar components if a rope or cable or the like is used.

The body 11 comprises two spaced apart plates 16 which are substantially parallel to one another.

Interconnecting the two plates 16 is a web 17 located adjacent the top of the two plates 16. Also interconnecting the two plates 16 is an L-shaped 900 angle 18 which is attached to the top edge of the two "plates 16. Located in each of two plates 16 is a recess eel 19. The recess 19 is large enough to accommodate the diameter of a tie-off bar. The body 11 is shaped in this particular manner so that the winch 10 can be attached to a truck between a combining rail and the tie-off bar.

The winch 10 is positioned on the truck such that the tie-off bar is placed within the recess 19 and the combining rail abuts against the inner side of the Lshaped 900 angle 18. The reasoning behind this configuration shall be explained later in the specification.

A shaft 12 extends through the plates 16 adjacent the lower ends of the plates 16. The shaft 12 is mounted for rotation between the plates 16. Adjacent the middle of the shaft 12 is the catch 13. The catch 13 comprises two substantially parallel spaced apart discs which are substantially circular. In each disc spaced equally circumferentially around the peripheral edge of the disc 20 are a number of semi-circular shaped apertures 21. The apertures 21 on each disc 20 are in alignment with the apertures 21 on the opposite disc.

The apertures 20 are sized and spaced such that they are able to engage an individual link of a chain.

Located adjacent one end of the shaft 12 is the tensioning means 14. The tensioning means 14 is a block with a hole 22 which extends through the block. The hole 22 typically is large enough such that a steel bar or crow bar can be adequately inserted into the hole. 22.

The tensioning means 14 and the shaft 12 are typically 15 integrally formed.

o. A cog 23 is attached to the adjacent the opposite end of the shaft 12 to that of the tensioning ai.

means 14. A pawl 24 is pivotally attached to a face of one of the plates 16. The pawl 24 is positioned such that it is able to engage the cog 23. The pawl 24 and "cog 23 form a ratchet mechanism. That is, the pawl 24 c allows the cog 23 to rotate in one direction but not the other.

The safety means 15 is a U-shaped bar 26 which is pivoted at one end. The bar 26 is pivotally mounted to the plates 16 of the body 11. Two bosses 27 are "provided such that the bar 26 only has a limited amount of lateral motion. The opposite end of the bar 26 can be pivoted between an in use position and a not in use position. In the Figures, the bar 26 is in the in use position. The bar 26 is provided to enable the chain to contact the catch 13 without risking injury to one's hands. Further, the bar 26 does not allow the chain to be accidentally removed from the catch 13.

The winch 10 is positioned and used in the following manner. The winch 10 is positioned between the combining rail and the tie-off bar as previously stated.

A chain is connected to one side of the vehicle passed over the freight, down the other side of the vehicle past the front face of the winch 10. The front face of the winch 10 is the opposite side to the positioning of the safety means 15. The chain is taken and looped in the catch 13 and placed over the safety means 15. The chain is then dropped by the user. The weight of the chain is sufficient to allow the chain to contact the apertures in the discs of the catch 13. A crow bar is then placed in the hole 22 of the tensioning means 14 and rotated in a downward direction. The catch 13 is rotated and causes the chain to become tensioned. Simultaneously, the cog 23 rotates in a clockwise direction. The pawl 24 SCprevents rotation of the cog 23 in the anti-clockwise direction. The safety means 15 ensures that accidental disengagement of the chain in the catch 13 cannot occur.

,Upon tensioning of the chain, the winch becomes fixed to the combining rail and the tie-off bar.

When tension is increased, the rear surface 28 of the recess 19 is forced against the tie-off bar and the top inner surface 29 of the L-shaped angle 18 is forced against the combining rail.

0CC) .g To release the chain when the freight is to be *0 unloaded, a crow bar is inserted into the hole 22 of the tensioning means 14 and forced downwardly. The pawl 24 of the ratchet mechanism can then be pivoted upwardly disengaging the pawl 24 from the cog 23. The catch 13 is •••then able to rotate allowing the chain to be released Sform the catch 13. Alternatively, the bar 26 can be pivoted upwardly and the chain removed from the bar 26.

The chain is then allowed to fall to the ground. With minimal effort, the chain can be pulled from the catch 13.

Once the chain is released from the catch 13, the winch 10 can be removed from the combining rail and tie-off bar easily and stored when no in use.

Any number of winches can be used and can be positioned along various positions along the side of a truck. This is very advantageous due to differing loads 8 and tying down requirements of transportation vehicles.

It should be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims (11)

1. A winch, able to aid in fastening a load to a vehicle, the winch comprising: a body able to be attached to the vehicle; a rotatable catch mounted for rotation within the body, the catch able to retain a chain, rope, cable or the like under tension; a tensioning means linked to the catch, enabling the catch to be rotated; a stop means to enable the catch to be held in a desired position; and a safety means to prevent the chain, rope, cable or the like from disengaging from the catch, wherein the safety means is a member which is separate from the catch and which extends across the catch holding the chain, rope or cable in engagement with the catch. 15

2. The winch of claim 1, wherein the member is a bar.

3. The winch of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tensioning means is a rotatable handle.

4. The winch of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tensioning means is a shaft with a hole adapted for placement of an object.

5. The winch of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the winch can be removably attached to the vehicle.

6. The winch of claim 5, wherein the winch can be attached using both the combining rail and tie off bar without fixtures.

7. The winch of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stop means is a ratchet mechanism.

8. The winch of claim 7, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a cog and a pawl.

9. The winch of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the catch retains only a chain.

10. The winch of claim 9, wherein the catch has two parallel spaced- apart disks with apertures located along each disk edge.

11. A winch substantially as hereinbefore described. with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 13th day of May 1996 JA~MES jOeSPI AUCUSTIN2 CAMILLP C\ By his Patent Attorneys S CULLEN CO. 113 of 41