GB2255763A

GB2255763A - Improved rope winch.

Info

Publication number: GB2255763A
Application number: GB9105225A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Antonio Angelelli
Original assignee: CAMBRIL INVESTMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: CAMBRIL INVESTMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 1991-03-12
Filing date: 1991-03-12
Publication date: 1992-11-18
Also published as: GB9105225D0

Abstract

An improved winch, which is suitable for hauling ropes and is self-tailing, comprises a pulley (10) with an inwardly-tapering peripheral channel (19), ribs (20) extending outwardly within the channel, a drive (12) for the pulley, a stationary cover (17) which covers a significant proportion of the angular extent of the pulley, and a guide (22) projecting into the channel. <IMAGE>

Description

Improved RDpe Winch The present invention is an improved winch, which is suitable for use for hauling ropes, especially anchor ropes.

Anchors for marine use are conventionally mounted on chains or, where the intended duty permits, on ropes. When it is desired to apply a pull to the anchor, either to lift it fran the sea-bed or to manoeuvre the vessel with which it is linked, then the chain or rope must be retracted mechanically or by hand. When a chain is used, the normal method of hauling it is by means of a winch. However, when the anchor is mounted on a rope, mechanical hauling is less readily achieved, since the lighter character of a rope as opposed to a chain of comparable dimensions makes mechanical handling less easy.

Especially in circumstances wherein it is desired to operate a winch remotely, it is advantageous if the winch is "self-tailing", that is, the chain or rope can be loaded to the winch without manual assistance. This facility is relatively easy to provide for chain winches, in view of the relative ease of handling of the more weighty chains, but self-tailing winches for hauling relatively light ropes are not available, or not widely so.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved winch, which is suitable for hauling ropes and is self-tailing.

The rope winch according to the present invention canprises a pulley having a continuous peripheral channel which tapers inwardly towards the axis of rotation of the pulley, a plurality of ribs extending generally outwardly fran the radially inner zone of the channel, drive means to rotate the pulley, a stationary cover which extends along a significant proportion, but not all, of the periphery of the pulley, and a stationary guide which projects into said channel at a point not covered by said cover.

The winch is so devised that the rope is led into a space between the pulley and the cover in which the rope is closely confined as it passes around a significant proportion of the pulley periphery and wherein the winch is able to grip the rope effectively and haul it. The structure of the winch enables it to be self-tailing for ropes which otherwise would have to be fed to the winch manually. For best effect, the dimensions of the winch are preferably tailored fairly closely to the thickness of the rope with which it is intended to be used. For example, the winch may be designed to haul ropes of say 8 to 10 rtm or 8 to 12 itra thickness, or of say 14 to 18 nrn or 12 to 18 itin thickness.

Thus the channel around the periphery of the pulley will preferably taper fran a width at the periphery which is greater than the intended maximum thickness of the rope to be hauled, to a width at its radially inner end which is less than the intended minium rope thickness, so that the rope will always engage the tapered channel at a position within the depth of the channel. The taper is preferably such that the two sides of the channel together define an angle within the range fran 25 to 45 degrees, more preferably frcm 30 to 40 degrees, for example of the order of 35 degrees.

Within the channel, a plurality of ribs extend generally outwardly over the tapering side faces. The ribs assist in gripping the rope within the channel and may extend in a generally radial direction, that is such that they intersect the periphery of the pulley at right angles, or preferably at an angle to that direction, for example at an angle of the order of 30 to 40 degrees thereto. The ribs may be rectilinear but preferably are curved along their length.

The pulley is rotated by any suitable drive means but most conveniently by means of an electric motor. Less preferably, the winch may be driven by an internal ccmbustion engine, for example a diesel engine or other marine engine.

Extending along a significant proportion of the periphery of the pulley is a stationary cover. The cover may extend along at least 40 per cent, more preferably at least 50 per cent, for example of the order of 60 per cent, of the total periphery of the pulley. The cover is preferably supported in a position which is close to the periphery of the pulley, for example at a distance fran the pulley which is greatly less than the maximum width of the peripheral channel, say a distance of the order of one to five mn.

The cover must not extend the full length of the periphery of the pulley, of course, since there must be a sufficient angular distance, say of the order of 35 to 40 per cent of the peripheral length, to allow the rope to be led towards and away fran the pulley. Within this exposed angular length of the periphery, a fixed guide projects into the peripheral channel and thereby guides the rope into and frcm the channel.

To assist in that action, the guide is preferably snoothly contoured so that it neither has any surface feature which could snag the rope nor forms with the pulley a nip into which the rope could enter.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accanpanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example only, one preferred embodiment of the improved winch according to the present invention and wherein Fig. 1 is an exploded sectional view of the winch, fran the front; Fig. 2 is a corresponding elevation fran the front, with the winch assembled; and Fig. 3 is an elevation fran the side of the winch of Figs. 1 and 2, in the direction of the arrow III of Fig. 2 and partly cut away to show the guide.

The illustrated anchor winch comprises a pulley 10 keyed at 11 to a shaft 12 driven via reduction gearing by an electric motor (not shown), The pulley is secured upon the shaft between a nut 13 and a support cone 14. The shaft 12 extends through a solid fixed base 15, by means of which the winch may be mounted upon a suitable support, for example the wooden structural member 16 of Fig. 3.

A fixed cover 17, mounted upon screws 18 extending fran the base 15, extends around a major part of the periphery of the pulley 10, as shown in Fig. 3, and is positioned within one or two mm. of the pulley, as shown in Fig. 2.

A continuous tapered channel 19 extends around the periphery of the pulley 10. Curved ribs 20 project from the mutually tapering surfaces of the pulley and thereby enhance the grip of the pulley upon a rope 21 passed around a significant extent of the pulley within the channel 19. A fixed, smoothly-contoured guide 22, mounted by bolts 23 upon the base 15, projects into the channel 19 between the ends of the cover 17 and ensures that the rope 21 does not remain within the grip of the channel at that point.

The illustrated winch, which for example may be designed for use with ropes of 8 to 12 mn. diameter, is self-tailing by virtue of the combination of the tapered channel 19, the ribs 20, the cover 17 and the guide 22. Thus the winch may successfully be used upon ropes, including wet anchor ropes, without the need for manual feeding of the ropes to the winch.

Claims

1. An improved rope winch which comprises a pulley having a continuous peripheral channel which tapers inwardly towards the axis of rotation of the pulley, a plurality of ribs extending outwardly fram the radially inner zone of the channel, drive means to rotate the pulley, a stationary cover which extends along a significant proportion, but not all, of the periphery of the pulley, and a stationary guide which projects into said channel at a point not covered by said cover.

2. A rope winch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral channel tapers inwardly from a width greater than 12 itrn to a width less than 8 rrrn.

3. A rope winch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral channel tapers inwardly from a width greater than 18 rrrn to a width less than 12 itrn.

4. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the taper of said channel is such that the two sides of the channel together define an angle within the range frcm 25 to 45 degrees.

5. A rope winch as claimed in claim 4, wherein said two sides define an angle within the range from 30 to 40 degrees.

6. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said ribs are inclined at an angle to the radius of the pulley.

7. A rope winch as claimed in claim 6, wherein said angle of inclination of said ribs is of the order of 30 to 40 degrees.

8. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said ribs are curved along their length.

9. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said drive means comprises an electric motor.

10. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the stationary cover extends along at least 40 per cent of the total periphery of the pulley.

11. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the stationary cover is supported at a distance fran the periphery of the pulley which is greatly less than the maximum width of the peripheral channel.

12. A rope winch as claimed in claim 11, wherein said distance is of the order of one to five mm.

13. A rope winch as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said stationary guide is smoothly contoured.

14. An improved rope winch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.