US2270271A - Tape hoist and tensioning device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1942.

F. w. COFFING 70,271 TAPE HOIST AND TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1939 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4% iii? 55 54 mvmon 55 55 fZEDR/CK m (or/Wm: W/ BY 52 X I Meg Jan. 20, 1942. F. w. COFFING TAPE HOIST AND TENSIONING DEVICE I Filed Aug. 4, 1939 EH1. B

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -FII1.

Fmsm/m W, ('dFF/IYG'.

A ORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a device capable of operation as a hoist, cable or fence slack eliminator or the like. i

The chief object of this invention is to provide sucha device which is relatively simple in character, having but few parts and these of comparatively light weight but of sufficient strength, and which device is easily operable.

Broadly expressed, the device is a step-by-step ratchet operable device which is capable of being locked in the desired cable or fence tensioning or load sustaining position and which when released can be operated for tension release or load 10W- ering. v

The chief feature of the device consists in the tape type element and magazine therefor.

A further feature of the invention consistsin the provision of means for insuring a tru scroll type rewinding of the tape if of metal strip form and the non-conical, lateral or non-binding rewind actuation.

A further feature of the invention consists in the several support and handle features for facilitating the support and operation of the device.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood fromthe accompanying drawings and the followin description and claims:

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of a tape hoist, the movable anchor member bein shown in section.

Fig. 2 is substantially a central sectional view of such a hoist, thetape guide and throat and stationary ends being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an inside elevational view of the handle, a portion being shown in flever handle position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the handle, the dotted lines indicating a portion of the handle in crank handle position.

Fig. 5 is a central sectional view through the main shaft, spool and metal tape illustrating the anchorage connections therebetween.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a support addition for the hoist.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a brake structure associated with the spool.

.In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, l and H indicate half housings which together rotatably support shaft I! in aligned bearings l3 and (.4 respectively. These housings are secured together as at l and IS. The latter, see Fig. 2, in chamber I! in the housing provides a spindle upon which pivots the load holding pawl 18 normally constrained into load holding position by spring I9.

This pawl carries a pin 2|] that extends be.- yond chamber I! through arcuate slot 2| in the housing member ID. Adjacent said slot and pivoted at 22 on the housing member I0 is a latch member 23 having a cam face 24, seat 25 and lateral finger engageable portion 26, the operation and purpose of which will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

Within chamber H is a metal tape winding and storing spool having the hub portion 21 and side plates or flanges 28 oppositely relieved at their adjacent interior edges as at 29. This spool is secured to shaft l2 by rivet 30. To the exterior lefthand face, see Fig. 2, of the spool as by rivets 3| is secured a ratchet wheel 32, the toothed periphery being aligned with load holding pawl I8 as shown, the latter being constrained into engagement with said ratchet by spring I9 anchored at 19a.

When member 23 is positioned as shown in Fig, 1, the pawl, due to slot 2| being elongated, can pivot in the counterclockwise rotation of the ad jacent ratchet. When reverse movement of this ratchet is desired for rapid paying out of the tape, hereinafter to be described, the member 23 will be tilted counterclockwise. Cam 24 engages pin which tilts pawl 18 clockwise out of ratchet engagement position and the pawl is held in this position when the seat 25 engages the pin 20.

The teeth of the ratchet and face of the pawl may have cooperating faces of locking draft character, as shown, that is, to elevate the pawl from the root tooth seating, the ratchet must be advanced slightly-moved counterclockwise, see Fig. 1.

The extensible flexible member 33 is herein illustrated as a metallic tape, such as a strip of spring steel. The spool, reel or wheel is slotted as .at 34see Fig. 5. This slot in length is the width of the tape and the end 35 thereofsee Fig. 5- seated in the slot is apertured at 36. A reenforcement 35a in the form of a short length of tape metal is also apertured at 36a and is seatable in the slot 34. Its other end is curved as at thus tends to prevent tape breakage.

of the extensions.

tape member ends in abutting relation.

At one end of the housing is bearing 3'Isee Figs. 1 and 2in which is mounted portion 38 or stem of a snap hook 39 having the spring pressed retainer portion 49. The swivel axissee Fig. 1is offset from the plane of the axis of the shaft l2.

Both housing members at the end opposite bearing 31 and in alignment therewith, are extended as at Illa and I la to form an extension for feeding tape onto spool 21. This guide and extension is very important as the tape cannot be used without this guide to balance the hoist when pulling on the lever or winding on the crank.

The mouth of the throat structure is of peculiar formation, which mouth in addition to relief 29 on the spool insures true scroll winding of the tape, that is, prevents twisting thereof as well as plate riding. The mouth serves a a tape cleaner.

45 which is substantially in alignment with the axis of bearing 31. An angular member 46 closes as at 41 the lower ends of the shorter portions The face 48 of member 46 abuts face 45 and the parts are secured together at opposite ends as at 49. This face 48 is slotted or recessed a at 50 to provide a tape slide and guide with portion 44, or more particularly, face 45 thereof. This elongated mouth structure not only serves as a tape cleaner but a guide for the tape in the winding and unwinding thereof.

The housings may be made of aluminum alloy and the angle mouth of steel, suitably treated to resist rusting. The tape as shown is of spring steel approximately wide and 0.012 more or less in thickness and having a tensile strength of 2,500 lbs.

To further insure proper tape action and also prevent tape breaking at its spool anchorage, there is provided one or more spool friction springs-see Figs. and '7. Herein, two diametrically positioned springs are illustratedsee Figs. 2, 5 and 7. Herein, the numeral I38 indicates a housing supported unit or the like, which anchors one end l3l of a spring strip, olfset intermediate its ends as at I32 toposition portion I33 adjacent and in contact with the adjacent face 28 of the spool. The free end may be relieved as at I34, if desired.

The free end of the tape is connected to a suitable anchoring member such as a snap hook similar or identical to that illustrated in the upper portions of Figs. 1 and 2. The swivel portion thereof is swivably supported in a bearingnot shown-in a socket structure, only the upper portion of which is illustrated in the lower portion of Fig. 1. It is of two-piece character suitably secured together by means not shown. This socket structure 51 at its up er end is apertured a at 52 to form a cylindrical portion 53.

The free end of the tape 33 passes through aperture 52 and laps the adjacent portion of the tape as shown. A short section 54 of tape material, or the like, U-shaped in section, embraces the aperture received and cylindrical mounted tape end. Two chain link or the like side plates 55, having apertures 56-see Fig. 2at opposite ends and tape width apart, are riveted together as at 51 with the tape end, tape, and U-shaped This constitutes the connection at the lower end of the tape.

It is apparent that each of the hooks may swivel and that the socket and tape have a rotational connection. Hence, the hoist body may be held stationary, a it were, upon its longitudinal axis even though the hook, or hooks, are required to turn, et cetera.

Reference now will be had to Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, for an explanation of the tape winding, load tensioning, or load elevating mechanism.

Shaft I 2 projects beyond housing member H and on the extended end l2a is keyed or otherwise suitably secured thereto as at 62, a ratchet 60. The number of teeth in ratchets l8 and 68 are the same as herein illustrated. A sleeve portion 6| constitutes a hub on said ratchet and forms a bearing, for the handle structure.

The handle structure includes a cup-like chamber forming portion 63-see Fig. 2from which coaxially extends portion 64 which rides on bearing 6|. A washer 65 pinned or otherwise secured as at 66 to shaft end l2a, retains the handle structure onto lifting ratchet bearing hub and in operative position.

The cup-like chamber forming portion 63 includes a channel sectioned elongated extension 6'! having a slight offset at Elev-see Fig. 2. An angular member 68 secured as at 69-see Fig. 3- to this extension forms an offset housing. Portion 68a is apertured at T0 to slidably support rod H.

Pivoted on rivet and shaft 12 in this offset housing is pawl 13 arranged for engagement with ratchet wheel 60, being normally constrained towards such engagement by spring 14. The adjacent end 15 of rod H is ofisetsee Fig. 4and is pivotally connected to the pawl as at 16, the latter being relieved as at H to accommodate same and the rod and thus permit shaft length to be kept to a minimum.

Near the free end of the handle, there is provided spaced ears 88 which carry pin 89 pivotally supporting angle shaped lever 90 to which, as at 9|, rod II is connected. The handle extension 81 is apertured as at 92 between the ears and therethrough extends the lever 90,- the offset portion 93 lying adjacent the extension 61 and constituting a thumb actuatable portion. When portion 93 is depressed from portion 61, pawl 13 is withdrawn from engagement with the teeth of ratchet 60 and the handle structure is freed relative to the previou shaft connection through said pawl.

This handle structure may be of dual character, as illustrated. It may be of lever type, or crank type, as desired. When the device can be readily actuated as for initial tensioning of a fence, or taking up the tape immediately prior thereto, the parts may be positioned as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4 and the handle. used as a crank and rapidly rotated until the crank operation has a tendency to be resisted or to twist the device upon its longitudinal axis. Then the handle end of the structure is positioned as shown by the full lines in Figs. 3 and 4 and it is used as a lever. Of course, the lever arrangement can be rotated when desired, just as the crank arrangement can be oscillated. In other words, the handle structure may be oscillated or rotated as desired and when the handle end is lever arranged or crank arranged, although when lever arranged (aligned) an increase in lever arm results.

Briefly, this changeable end structure of the handle includes portion 94 providing two tubular portions 95 and 96 at right angles and opening outwardly. Adjacent inner walls thereof are slotted as at .91. These may be provided with extensionsremote from the outer ends and angular, if desired, for bayonet seat formation.

A tubular hand grip portion 08- is reduced as at 99 providing shoulder I which when portion 99 is seated in portion 95 or 98-see Figs. 3 and i -bears against the end IOI thereof. The reduced portion 99 carries pin I02 that seats in the slot 91 of the socket in which the grip portion is mounted.

A pin I03 extends through the hand grip portion near its outer end. A pin I04 extends through the socketed portions 95 and 98 where same communicate with each other and registers with the axial intersection thereof. A spring I05 is secured at opposite ends to pins I03 and" I04. Thus, when pin' I02 is seated in slots 91, spring I05 holds pin I02 in slots S'I and prevents the hand grip 98 from turning to prevent twisting spring I05 in two. I

Reference now will be had to Fig. 6. In this figure shaft H2" is extended beyond housing IIO and is annularly grooved as at IIZb intermediate its end and the housing. A hand grip or knob I06 includes hub portion I08a that is rotatable on said shaft extension and carries a c'apscrew I01 or the likeseatable in thegroove I I2b. A projecting pin I08 is carried thereby sothat when this hand grip is used for device steadying purpose, rotation o'f'the grip in one direction relative to hoist body will cause pin I08 to engage the finger piece portion I26 and lock pin I20" for pawl lockout purposes. When the grip is'reversely rotated, pin I08 will unlock said pin I20 from the member I23 and return the latter to the released position permitting th inside pawl to reengagethe ginside ratchet.

When the inside pawl I8--see Fig, 1--is held out of inside ratchet engagement by cam 24 and the handle pawl I3 isheld out of outside ratchet engagement, the tape may be freely extended the desired length. Also, if desired, and in some instances when a tape tension device is properly provided or an automatic rewind be provided, such pawl release then will permit the tape to automatically rewind upon the spool if the tape then be under no load or tension. Such automatic rewind mechanism is for simplicity, not illustrated herein.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrativeand not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a hoist, the combination of a magazine type housing, a unitary shaft extending across the magazine and projecting through one side thereof, an anchoring member at one end of the housing, a tubular extension directed oppositely therefrom, the anchoring member and extension having a common alignment offset from the axis of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape secured at one end to said reel and windable thereon and unwindable therefrom, throat means at the end of said tubular extension and operatively associated with the tape for guidance,

alignment and clearance purposes, a ratchetrigid with the shaft, a pawl, yielding means normally constraining the pawl toward ratchet engagement for tape tensioning, means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, housing exposed means overcoming, when manually operable, the constraint imposed by the yielding means for removing the pawl from ratchet engagement for permitting paying-out of the tape from the magazine, the means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, including a ratchet carried by the shaft externally of the magazine and on the projecting end of said shaft, a handle rotatably mounted on said projecting end of said shaft and in juxtaposition to said ratchet and including a pawl constrained to last mentioned ratchet engagement, and means terminating adjacent the outer end of the handle and arranged for handle pawl ratchet disengagement in opposition to the constraint upon the handle pawl, the free end of said handle terminating in a tubular structure including transversely arranged tubular sockets and a single member selectively seatable in either of said sockets and normally constrained toward seating engagement therein and having an interlocking connection therewith when in either of the sockets for forming a crank structure or a lever extension structure.

2. In a hoist, the combination of a magazine type housing, a unitary shaft extendingacross the magazine and. projecting through one side thereof, an anchoring member at one end of the housing, a tubular extension directed oppositely therefrom, the anchoring member and extension having a common alignment offset from the axis of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape secured at one end to said reel and windable thereon and unwindable therefrom, throat means at the end of said. tubular extension and operatively associated with the tape for guidance, alignment and clearance purposes, a ratchet rigid with the shaft, a pawl, yielding means normally constraining the pawl toward ratchet engagement for tape tensioning, means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, housing exposed means overcoming, when manually operable, the constraint imposed by the yielding means for removing the pawl from ratchet engagement for permitting paying-out of the tape from the magazine, and a hand grip portion operatively carried by the shaft, the latter portion being rotatable relative to the shaft and including means for cooperation with the manually operable means in the rotation of the hand grip and for hoist control through the first mentioned pawl.

3. In a hoist, the combination of a magazine type housing, a unitary shaft extending across the magazine and projecting through one side thereof, an anchoring member at one end of the housing, a tubular extension directed oppositely therefrom, the anchoring member and extension having a common alignment offset from the axis of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape secured at one end to said reel and windab-le thereon and unwindable therefrom, throat means at the end of said tubular extension and operatively associated with the tape for guidance, alignment and clearance purposes, a ratchet rigid with the shaft, a pawl, yielding means normally constraining the pawl toward ratchet engagement for tape tensioning, means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, housing exposed means overcoming, when manually operable, the constraint imposed by the yielding means for removing the pawl from ratchet engagement for permitting paying-out of the tap from the magazine, and a hand grip portion operatively carried by the shaft, the shaft being rotatable relativeto the hand grip portion, and hand grip actuatedmeans for cooperation with the manually operable means in the rotation of the hand grip for hoist control, the manually operable means having an exposed portion eccentric of the shaft axis and a latch pivotally mounted adjacent the shaft axis and in juxtaposition to the exposed portion of the'manually operable means and the hand grip actuated means for operation of the latch by the hand grip actuated means. Y

4. In a hoist, the combination of a magazine type housing, a unitary shaft extending across the magazine and projecting through one side thereof, an anchoring member at one end of the housing, a tubular extension directed oppositely therefrom, the anchoring member and extension having a common alignment offset from the axis of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft a tape secured at one end to said reel and windable thereon and unwindable therefrom, throat means at the end of said tubular extension and operatively associated with the tape for guidance, alignment and clearance purposes, a

ratchet rigid with the shaft, a pawl, yielding means normally constraining the pawl toward ratchet engagement for tape tensioning, means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, housing exposed means overcoming, when manually.

operable, the constraint imposed by the yielding means for removing the pawl from ratchet engagement for permitting paying-out of the tape from the magazine, a hand grip portion operatively carried by the shaft, the latter portion proper unwinding of the tape from the reel and tension winding of the tape upon the reel.

5. In a hoist, the combination of a magazine type housing, a unitary shaft extending across the magazine and projecting through one side thereof, an anchoring member at one end of the housing, a tubular extension directed oppositely therefrom, the anchoring member and extension having a common alignment offset from the axis of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape secured at one end to said reel and windable thereon and unwindable therefrom, throat means at the end of said tubular extension and operatively associated with the tape for guidance, alignment and clearance purposes, a ratchet rigid with the shaft, a pawl, yielding means normally constraining the pawl toward ratchet engagement for tape tensioning, means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, housing exposed means overcoming, when manually operable, the constraint imposed by the yielding means for removing the pawl from ratchet engagement for permitting paying-out of the tape from the magazine, a hand gripportion operatively carried by the shaft, the shaft being rotatable relative to the hand grip portion, hand grip actuated means for cooperation with the manually operable means in the rotation of the hand grip for hoist control, the manually operable means having an exposed portion eccentric of the shaft axis and a latch pivotally mounted adjacent the shaft axis and in juxtaposition to the exposed portion of the manually operable means and the hand grip actuated means for operation of the latch by the hand grip actuated means, and friction means interposed between the magazine type housing and the reel to insure proper unwinding of the tape from the reel and the tension winding of the tape upon the reel.

FREDRICK W. COFFING.

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