GB2183588A - Improvements relating to powered winches - Google Patents

Abstract

An axially compact winch especially suitable for use on free steer mining vehicles comprises a winding drum (2) which extends between first and second spaced supports (5 and 6), and a powered drive mechanism (3) comprising a stationary part (16) and a rotary part (17). The first support (5) rotatably locates one end of the winding drum, and the stationary part (16) is fixed to the second support (6). The rotary part is connected through gearing to the stationary part and is housed inside the winding drum, being rotatable with it. The stationary part supports the rotatable part which in turn supports the drum. The first support may be located within the length of the drum and the stationary part may project for only a small distance beyond the other end of the drum. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to powered winches This invention relates to powered winches and has particular, though not exclusive, reference to winches intended for use on free steer vehicles for mining and other underground applications which owing to limitations of space require winches of compact construction.

It is usual forthe winding drum of a powered winch to be mounted on a supporting frame byan axle or stub axles projecting from opposite ends of the winding drum. Power is transmitted to the winding drum from a prime moverthrough a geartrain or worm drive directly to the drum itself or to the axle or one of the stub axles. The supporting of the drum at the axle or stub axles beyond the ends ofthe drum substantia I Iy increases the space required to accommodate the winch for use.

The present invention seeks to provide a powered winch which may be of more compact construction than the known construction described.

According to the present invention a powered winch is provided which comprises a frame having two spaced supports, a winding drum extending between the supports and rotatably located at one end by a first one of the supports, and powered driving means whereby the winding drum is rotated comprising a stationary part at which the power input is provided and which is fixed to the second one ofthe supports adjacent to the opposite end of the winding drum and a rotary part connected through gearing to the stationary part being housed inside the winding drum which is rotatable with the rotary part.

Preferably the first support is disposed about the said one end ofthewinding drum so that it lies within the length of the drum. Having this one support contained within the length ofthe winding drum enables the overall dimension ofthewinch axially of the drum to be reduced thereby reducing the space required to accommodate the winch for use. Furthermore the stationary part of the driving means, whilst it may extend beyond the opposite end of the drum, may do so for a relatively short distance and a portion at least of the stationary part which extends beyond the drum may be contained within the second support.

The winding drum may be supported by, or be substantially supported by, the rotary part which is in turn supported by the stationary part fixed to the second support. The first support may serve primarilyto locate the said one end ofthe drum against radial movement when the drum is rotated. Preferably an annular bearing is provided on the first support in which the said end ofthe drum is engaged.

The driving means may be hydraulically powered, the hydraulic power source being connected to the stationary part.

The winch according to the present invention may be made sufficiently compact and robustto meet the requirements for use on a free steer vehicle to be used in mining and other underground applications, and be able to be fitted without undue difficulty on such a vehicle in the limited space usually available to accommodate the winch. For such use the driving means would be selected to be suitable for use with thewaterloil emulsions normally required to be used in mining and other underground equipment.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a simplified side view of a powered winch in accordance with the present invention.

The winch comprises a frame 1,awinding drum 2 and a hydraulically powered gear unit 3.

The frame 1 has spaced bearers 4, by which the winch is fixed in position for use, extending transversely between the horizontally spaced support plates 5,6 upstanding on and rigid with the bearers.

One support plate 5 istallerthan the othersupport place 6. Each support plate 5,6 is formed with a circular locating hole 7,8 respectively. The locating holes7,Bareco-axial although the hole inthetaller support plate 5 is of largerdiameterthan the hole8 in the shorter support plate 6. Bolted onto the outer face ofthe taller support plate 5, that is the face remote from the shorter support plate 6, is a cover plate 9 which closes offthe locating hole 7 in that support plate and carries an annulus 10 which fits into and is of complementary external diameter to the locating hole 7. A bearing ring 11 of lowfriction material is retained inside the annulus 10.

Winding drum 2 comprises a tubular body 12 and two rings secured to the body to serve as rope retaining flanges 13, l4ofthe drum. One flange 13 is inset from the adjacent end 15 of the body which is of reduced external diameter and rotatably located in the bearing ring 11 atthetallersupportplate 5. The ringwhichformstheotherflangel4is boltedtothe opposite end ofthe body.

The hydraulically powered gear unit 3 has3-stage epicyclic reduction gearing and incorporates a multidisc brake. It has a stationary part 16 and a rotary part 17 connected through the reduction gearing. The stationary part 16 provides supportforthe rotary part 17. Hydraulic supplies forthe driveto the gear unit and forthe brake are connected to the stationary part 16 at an attachment 18 on an outer end portion 19 of the stationary part. The outer end portion 19 locates in the locating hole 8 ofthe shorter support plate 6 with the attachment 18 disposed at the outer side of the support plate. Bo Its, not shown, fix the stationary part to the shorter support plate around the locating hole 8.The rotary part 17 extends from the stationary part towards the taller support plate 5 and is completely contained in the winding drum 2. It will be seen that all that is exposed of the gear unit is merely the section of the stationary part which is fixed to the shorter support plate 6. The rotary part supports the drum and iscoupledtothedrumforthe latter two rotate with the rotary part. An annulus 20 on the rotary part provides the support and the connec tion, being secured between the one flange 14 ofthe drum and the adjacent end of the body 12 by means ofthe bolts which secure the ring forming that flange 14to the body.

As mentioned, the reduced diameter end 15 of the body 12 ofthe drum is located in the bearing ring 11 at the taller support plate 5. Support is afforded to the drum bythat location although the bearing ring 11 is primarily intended to position the drum and prevent radial movement ofthat end of the drum when it is rotated.

A channel-shaped trough 21 extends between the support plates and is secured to the support plates and to the bearers of the frame 1. The lower half of the drum is contained within the trough 21. The trough has provision, not shown, for draining fluid from it.

Itwill be realisedthatthewinch described and illustrated is of particularly compact construction. As an example only ofthe size which a winch ofthis construction may be in practice, in one form designed to give a line pull of4000 Kg on a rope wound on the winding drum the overall length of the winch axially ofthe drum from the outerface of the cover plate 9to the outer extremity of the attachment 18 on the stationary part of the gear unit is 470 mm, and the overall dimension oftheframe 1 transverselyofthe drum is of 465 mm.In this example the external diameter of the body 12 ofthe drum is 350 mm, the external diameter ofthe rope-retaining flanges 13, 14 is 400 mm and the axial length of the body between the flanges to receive rope is 180 mm. The gear unit can give a variety of ratios up to 160:1 and the hydraulic supply, pressure and flow to the drive can readily be accommodated by the ratios selected.

Such a winch may be used on a free steer vehicle. It is readily secured in position bythe bearers of its frame. The hydraulic supply can be taken from that of the vehicle and that will usually determine the speed and line pull requirements of the winch. By selection ofthe hydraulic drive and the gear ratio the winch can be readily adapted to meet the varying hydraulic flow and pressure characteristics of different types of freesteervehicles used in mining and otherunderground applications.

The winch may, of course, be of various sizes and capacities as required.

Claims (11)

1. A powered winch comprising a frame having two spaced supports, a winding drum extending between the supports and rotatably located at one end by a first one of the supports, and powered driving means whereby the winding drum is rotated comprising a stationary part at which the power input is provided and which is fixedto the second one ofthe supports adjacent to the opposite end ofthewinding drum and a rotary part connected through gearing to thestationarypartbeing housedinsidethewinding drum which is rotatable with the rotary part.

2. Apoweredwinch accordingtoclaim 1 in which thefirst support is disposed aboutthe said one end of the winding drum so that it lies within the axial length of the drum.

3. A powered winch according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which at least a portion of the stationary part of the drive means is contained within the second support.

4. A powered winch according to any preceding claim in which the winding drum is substantially supported by the rotary part ofthe driving means.

5. Apoweredwinch accordingtoclaimtin which the rotary part is supported by the stationary part ofthe driving means.

6. A powered winch according to any preceding claim in which the first support locates the drum against radial movement when the drum is rotated.

7. A powered winch according to any preceding claim in which an annular bearing is provided on the firstsupport in which the said one end ofthedrum is engaged.

8. A powered winch according to any preceding claim in which the driving means is hydraulically powered, provision being made in the stationary part ofthe driving means for connection ofthe winch to a hydraulic power source.

9. Afreesteervehicle incorporating a powered winch according to any preceding claim.

10. Afree steer vehicle accordingto claim 9 which is adapted for mining or other underground applications.

11. A powered winch substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.