US2284532A - Portable winch - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1942. c. H. K. NAPIER PORTABLE WINCH 1 Filed April 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 26, 1942. c. H. K. NAPIER PORTABLE WINCH v Filed April 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 26, 1942 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,284,532

2 PORTABLE WINCH Clive Hastings Kingsley Napier, Cricklewood, England, assignor to Handley Page Limited, Cricklewood, Middlesex, England 7 Application April 3, 1940, Serial No. 327,701 In Great Britain April 20, 1939 6 Claims.

This invention relates'to winches,- and has for its object to provide a-portable winch which can not only be used for hoisting articles into positions to which access is difficult and where it W reaction dueto the load inthe cable to the portion of a structure, to which the winch is applied in use, in the vicinity of the hoisting point, and an articulated joint between the carrier and the reaction member which enables thewinch to rest on a curved or sloping surface supported on the carrier and the reaction member.

It is preferred to employ an articulatedjoint which permits of relative movement of the carrier and reaction member about two axes at right angles to one another, so as to enable the-carrier to adjust itself both to changes in level and changes in inclination relatively to the reaction member. The winch will then be able to seat it'- self anywhere on a curvedor sloping surfaceand will always take up a position such that the cable runs truly over the pulley. Adaptability of the carrier to changes of inclination is then achieved by reason of the articulatedjoint permitting of relative movement of the carrier 'and' reaction member about an axis coincident or nearly coincident with the axis of the portion of the cable extending between the winding device and the pulley, while adaptability of the carrier to changes in level is secured by the articulated joint permitting also of relative movement of the carrier, and reaction member about an'axisat right angles to the axis just mentioned.

It is however possible to employ an articulated joint having one pivotal axis only, which permits of change in the relative levels of the cate the sheave block in a lateral direction or curved surfaces while nevertheless ensuring that the cable will run freely through the pulley, the winch has further advantages. The concentration of the load on the reaction-transmitting portion of the reaction member has as a consequence that the structure to which the winch is applied requires local stiffening only, in the vicinity of the hoisting point, since the remainder of the structure is only called upon to take the Weight of the winch itself or of the Winch and the operator. Moreover the offsetting of the reaction member from the carrier renders it possible to employ the winch for hoisting loads at points to which access is difficult, as for instance when loading bombs on aircraft.

In the preferred form of the invention, the reaction member is-constituted by a sheave block having a projecting fitting, serving as a guide for the cable and intendedto engage a socket in the structure to which the winch is to be applied, so as to control. the position of the cable and enable it to run truly. through the socket.

Where bombs are to be loadedby hoisting them into aircraft, so that a fitting on the bomb carrier comes into exact register with a cooperating fitting on the-bomb supportingv structure, the cable can be positioned and guided by properly placing the structure socket mentioned above, which is to receive the reaction fitting, in such a way as to ensure that the fittings on the bomb carrier and bomb supporting structure come accurately into register with one another as the bomb is hoisted. i l

The reaction fitting may conveniently be constituted by a flanged spigot. This. spigot acts as a guide for the cable and helps to locate the sheave block in the socket, so that the cable runs truly through the pulley for all axial positions of the spigot in the boreof -the socket- The flange on the spigot also helps to locate the sheave block and transfers the load to the socket effected by the spigot alone and the flange can.

be omitted. Again in some instances the spigot can be dispensed with entirely, the lower end of the sheave block terminating simply in a flange which restson the surface, the cable passing through a hole in the surface and acting to lo- It will be understood that although we have referred to the use of a cable for hoisting the load, the cable can be replaced by an equivalent flexible load carrying member, such for example as a chain.

One particular form of portable winch suitable for loading bombs on aircraft will now be described in further detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the winch, and

Fig. 2 is a section through the aircraft wing, showing the winch applied for the purpose of loading bombs.

The winch comprises a winding device for the cable I0, which is constituted by a drum II fixed to a spindle I2, which is journalled in a carrier constituted by a housing I3 formed with two spaced feet I4. As the invention is not concerned with the details of the winding device, this will only be briefly described. For the purpose of bomb loading it is however desirable to provide an arrangement such that application of a detachable handle I5 to the one projecting end of the spindle l2 permits of turning of the drum II by a direct drive, while application of the handle I5 to the other end of the spindle I2 enables the drum to be turned through an indirect gearing system. provide an attachment on the housing I3 for enabling an electric motor to be coupled to the spindle I2 in place of the handle I5 for the purpose of power operation. A ratchet and pawl gear, indicated generallyby the reference I6,

I is provided for normally preventing rotation of the drum in the direction to unwind the cable, this device being releasable when desired to permit the cable to run out. It is also desirable to incorporate a brake to prevent uncontrolled rotation of the drum and also an over-load slipping clutch so that no care is necessary during power operation by means of an electric motor and excessive load on the. handle can do no harm.

From the housing I3 projects a tubular strut IT within which is rotatably mounted a tubular extension I8 of a swivel fork I9, a set screw 22 projecting through the wall of the strut I'I engages in a groove in the tubular extension I8. The 'set screw and groove prevent the extension I8 from being withdrawn axially from the tubular strut I1, while permitting of relative rotation of these two parts. The reaction member of the winch is constituted by a sheave block 20 carrying a pulley 2I serving to guide the cable and formed with a downwardly depending tubular reaction fitting, constituted by a spigot 23 having at its upper end an outwardly extending flange 24. The swivel fork I9 is capable of limited pivotal movement shown), and at one side of this hand hole is disposed a socket 3| defining the hoisting point and serving to receive the spigot 23. This socket 3| is rigidly, fixed to the aircraft structure, it being so placed that its bore is perpendicular to the ground when the aircraft is at rest, and, as will It is convenient also to release electrical connections on removal of the hand hole cover.

To the lower end of the cable is fixed a ball 32 which can be engaged on the ground with a fitting 33 on the bomb carrier 28. After the bomb has been hoisted into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the carrier 28 can be secured to the supporting structure 21, the ball 32 is released from the fitting 33 and drawn up through the socket 3|, whereupon the winch can be removed and transferred to a fresh socket to hoist another bomb into position.

It will be appreciated that the articulated joint between the housing I3 and sheave block 20, constituted by the horizontal pivot 25 and the rotatable connection between the members I'I, I8, enables the housing I3 to accommodate itself to any changes in level or inclination necessitated by the use of a winch-on a curved or' sloping surface. Thus, when the winch is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 its feet I4 rest at a higher level than the reaction fitting 23, this change in level being secured by the pivotal axis 25, while when the housing occupies thev position shown in chain-dotted lines its inclination has also been changed, this movement being permitted by relative rotation of the members I1, I8.

In every case the flange 24 on the reaction fitting 23 transmits the reaction due to the load on the cable to the socket 3| and the drum rests on a three-point support constituted by the flange 24 and the two feet I4. The feet are preferably rubber covered so as to prevent slipping and damage to the wing covering.

Due to the fact that the load is concentrated on the socket 3|, it is only necessary to strengthen the wing structure in the vicinity of this socket, no additional strengthening being required elsewhere seeing that the remaing portion of the wing covering need only take the weight of the winch and operator. The use of adaptors, location wedges, jigged holes and the like is unnecessary thus facilitating the design of a smooth wing surface. The drum housing can be of the same radius as the swing of the handle I5, thus economising in space. As mentioned above, the handle can be made removable so that it can be stored when not in use. 150" J The mouth 34 of the spigot 23 is preferably made of bell-form so as to enable the cable to bepulled in and out at any angle.

Owing to the offset characteristics of the winch the hand hole 33 is very much more accessible than is possible with the conventional form of winch placed more or less directly over the load.

The offsetting of the drum from the reaction fitting enables equipment and the like to be positioned right up against the location socket 3I without making bomb loading difficult. The

winch is suitable for use with light and heavy aeroplanes and, owing to the fact that the tubular strut I! and swivel fork I9 are raised above the level of the feet I4 and reaction fitting 23, it will clear obstacles which would otherwise interfere with access to the location socket.

Although we have hitherto referred to the winch being applied to the surface of a structure to hoist a load by a cable passing through a hole in that structure, it will be understood that its usefulness is in no wise restricted to this particular application. Thus the carrier of the winch need not of necessity rest on a continuous supporting surface, nor need the reaction membe seen, it is accessible together with the bomb her be supported on the same structure as the carrier, nor need the cable necessarily pass through a hole in the structure. Thus the winch can be used in cases where the socket, or other member for cooperating with the reaction member to take the reaction load of the winch, is carried by a structure separate from that on which the carrier rests, and it will be understood that the cable can pass down over the edge of the structure supporting the reaction member instead of through a hole in that structure.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable hoisting winch, comprising a winding device for the winch cable, a carrier for supporting the winding device, a foot connected to the carrier and serving as a support therefor, an arm connected to and extending outwardly from the carrier, a hollow guide member projecting downwardly from the arm and serving both as a fair lead for the cable and as a support for transferring the reaction due to the load in the cable to a localized area of the surface on which the winch rests, and an articulated joint connecting said arm and fair lead which permits of relative movement of the carrier and the fair lead about a transverse axis at right angles to the axis of the fair lead, and allows the winch to rest in any position on any supporting surface, including a curved and sloping surface, supported only on the foot and the fair lead and with the cable running truly through the fair lead.

2. A portable hoisting winch, comprising a winding device for the winch cable, a carrier for supporting the winding device, an arm connected to and extending outwardly from the carrier, a hollow guide member projecting downwardly from the arm and serving both as a fair lead for the cable and as a supporting foot for transferring the reaction due to the load in the cable to a localized area of the surface on which the winch rests, and an articulated joint connecting said arm and fair lead which permits relative movement of the carrier and fair lead about the longitudinal axis of the arm and about a transverse axis at right angles to the length of the fair lead.

3. A portable hoisting winch, comprising a winding device for the winch cable, a carrier for supporting the winding device, an arm connected to and extending outwardly from the carrier, a sheave block carried by the arm, a tubular fair lead on the sheave block for the cable projecting downwardly from the sheave block and serving as a supporting foot for transferring the reaction due to the load in the cable to a localized area of the surface on which the winch rests, and an articulated joint connecting said arm and sheave block for permitting changes in the relative level and inclination of the carrier and sheave block.

4. A portable hoisting winch, comprising a winding device for the winch cable, a carrier for supporting the winding device, an arm extending outwardly from the carrier, a sheave block carried by the arm, a downwardly projecting spigot mounted on the sheave block below the arm and serving both as a fair lead for the cable and as a supporting foot for transferring the reaction due to the load in the cable to a localized area of the surface on which the winch rests, and an articulated joint connecting said arm and sheave block for permitting changes in the relative level and inclination of the carrier and sheave block.

5. A portable winch as claimed in claim 4, in which the spigot is formed with an outwardly projecting flange which acts to transfer the reaction due to the load in the cable to the supporting surface. v

6. A portable winch as claimed in claim 4, in which, for the purpose specified, the spigot has a mouth of bell form.

CLIVE HASTINGS KINGSLEY NAPIER.

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