US2445972A - Measuring device for towing winches - Google Patents

Description

Juiy 27, 1948. e. w. ROYSTER MEASURING DEVICE FOR TOW'iNG WINCHES Filed March 8, 1945 INVENTOR.

Patente d July 27, 1948 PATENT OFFICE MEASURING DEVICE FOR TOWING WINCHES George William Royster, Portsmouth, Va. Application March 8, 1945, Serial No. 581,616

1 Claim.

This invention relates to towing winches of the ordinary type such as shown, for example, in Patent No. 1,946,145, although it is to be understood that the improvements can be associated with ordinary winches of other construction.

While means have been employed thus far for the purpose of automatically paying out the tow line as necessary for the purpose of relieving the line from excessive and sudden tensile strains, it has been found in practically all of these devices that the point is sometimes reached when no further relief can be given and, as a result, the tow line has broken, frequently with disastrous results.

To overcome these objections it has been the practice to station a man by the winch for the purpose of observing its action. It has happened, however, that the man has not been on duty or has had some distraction at the time when sudden relief other than that afforded automatically, has been necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indicating means which does not require the presence of an attendant at the winch but, instead, the tensile strain to which the tow line is being subjected can be indicated constantly at a convenient point in the pilot house so that as the strain is increased ample notice will be had whereby orders can be given to release the tow line.

Another object is to provide an indicating mechanism of this type which can also be observed by a person located at the winch.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a view showing, more or less in diagram, the complete indicating mechanism as applying to a winch mechanism, a portion of which has been shown.

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, of the indicator attachment located at the winch.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a portion of a winch mechanism of the Johnson type to which the present improvements have been applied in the present case.

Referrin to the figures by characters of reference A designates the drum shaft of a winch mechanism which is journaled in a suitable supporting structure, such as frame 13 and this shaft is adapted to be rotated by a gear C receiving motion through suitable driving mechanism, a portion of which has been indicated at D, from a prime mover which can be an electric motor not shown. A brake wheel member E is loosely mounted on the shaft A and can be operatively connected through planetary gears, not shown, with the shaft A and with the drum member not shown. This brake member is engaged by a brake band F the end portions of which are normally pressed toward each other by a spring G mounted on a rod I-I one end of which is anchored. to one end of the brake band while the other end of the brake band is mounted to slide on the rod. The spring is held under restraint by an abutment I fixed to the rod so that said spring thus exerts a constant pressure on the brake band which serves to hold said band normally compressed about the wheel member E.

Rod H is also mounted for sliding movement in a post J but this movement is resisted by a spring K thrustin against the post and also against a head L on the rod, The rod is connected to a control means indicated generally at M such as shown, for example, in the patent mentioned, by means of which the gripping action of the brake band can be varied to increase or reduce the resistance offered to the movement of rod H.

The mechanism thus far described is not new but has been shown in the patent hereinbefore referred to. The present improvements are adaptable to that structure and include an elongated housing I which enclose-s rod H and the parts cooperating therewith This housing has a longitudinal slot 2 in which is slidably mounted an arm 3 which is joined to and extended laterally from one end portion of the brake band. Extended from the arm 3 is a rack 4 which is parallel with the housing I and has an index or pointer 5 projecting therefrom and overlying and movable along a series of graduations ti on the housing and designed to indicate definite degrees of tensile strain. Normally this index is located adjacent to one end of the series of graduations.

Rack 4 is in constant engagement with a gear 1 secured to the shaft of a Selsyn generator indicated generally at 8. This generator is wired to a Selsyn motor receiver 9 located in the pilot house N or at any other convenient point on the ship carrying the winch mechanism, The electrical connection between the two dynamo-electric machines includes a suitable connector box H].

In practice the tensile strain to which the tow line leading from the winch is subjected will at all times be indicated by the index 5 and graduations 6 and changes in the position of the index due to rotary motion of the brake band caused by excesssive pulls upon the winch by the tow line, will result in transmission of motion from rack to the Selsyn generator and this will set up a duplicate operation of the Selsyn motor receiver. Thus persons in the vicinity of the receiver 9 can always ascertain what'tensilestrains are being applied to the tow line and should a danger point be reached a signal can immediately be given to release the line at the winch. Of course the same information is always available to any person standing adjacent to the winch because of the provision of the indicating means 5 and 6.

What is claimed is:

The combination 'With winch mechanism jincluding a brake wheel, and wheel restraining means including Ia brake band embracing the wheel, and a spring positioned normally to hold the band and wheel in tight engagement and yieldingly against movement, of a longitudinally slotted housing for the spring, said housing being graduated, a rack mounted for movement longitudinally of and outside the housing, an indicator integral with the rack and overlying the graduations, a rigid connection between the rack and restraining means movable'in the slot, '2, gear actuated by the rack, and a'n'electri'c indicator circuit including a Selsyn generator actuated by the gear.

GEORGE WILLIAM ROYSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hansen .-Au;g. 6, 194'!)

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