US2530586A - Anchor winch - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1950 s. w. SMITH 2,530,586

ANCHOR WINCH Filed June 18, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3| INVENTOR. STARR w. SMITH ATTORNEY Nqv. 21, 1950 s. w. SMITH 5 5 ANCHOR WINCH Filed June 18, 1947 3 sh t -sheet 2.

IS I5 25 INVENTOR. STA RR W. SM! T H 1 ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1950 s. w. SMITH 2,530,586

ANCHOR WINCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 18, 1947 IIIIII INVENTOR. STARR W. SMITH Patented Nov. 21, 950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANCHOR WINCH Starr W. Smith, Flint, Mich.

Application June 18, 1947, Serial No. 755,436

3 Claims.

This invention relates to anchor winches and particularly to one capable of being locked or of releasing the anchor cable under selectable tension.

Although many types of equipment for lowering and raising an anchor, particularly of the type designed to be used in small boats, have previously been developed, all of them have had a certain serious disadvantage.

This disadvantage has been the failure to provide a means whereby the reel could be unlocked and simultaneously braked in a single operation requiring the use of only one hand. The necessity of using two hands to operate the hoist requires the operator to lay down anything he may have in his hands. This is a particularly undesirable arrangement for a fisherman operating a boat alone as it forces him to dispose of his rod or other tackle in order to maneuver the boat. Heretofore, it has been necessary to use more than one hand in order to manipulate either the locking means or the braking means.

My invention eliminates this undesirable characteristic by providing, in the specific embodiment here illustrated and described, a locking mechanism and reel operating handle sufficiently closely associated that both may be operated by one hand plus a lock disengaging and reel braking means which may likewise be operated with one hand.

Accordingly a major object of my invention has been to provide a lock release and reel brake capable of operation with one hand.

A further object of my invention has been to provide a locking means sufficiently close to the :2

handle that both may be operated by one hand.

A further object has been to provide a reel braking means operated by the same handle as that used to rotate the reel.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the whole reel mechanism may be quickly jettisoned in an emergency.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a mechanism in a small compact unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sturdy unit capable of withstanding both long use and heavy shock loads due to accidental blows.

A further object of my invention'is to provide a design for such unit that will be both cheap and simple to manufacture.

Other objects and purposes of my invention will be apparent to those acquainted with equipment of this sort and the'disadvantages which it is intended to remedy, upon reference to the accompanying drawings specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sketch of a boat showing my anchor winch installed.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of my anchor Winch.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the longitudinal centerline of my invention cutting all parts lying along the centerline except the central shaft and parts directly associated therewith.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of my invention taken along the plane IV--IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail rear elevational View of the locking collar of my invention taken along the plane V-V of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of my invention taken along plane VIVI of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of my invention taken along plane VIIVII of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the reel portion of my invention showing the central opening.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the handle in braking position.

Figure 10 is a rear elevational view of the mounting mechanism for my invention.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing the locking mechanism of my invention in operative position.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view showing the locking mechanism of my invention in inoperative position.

and the following Description In providing means meeting the objects and purposes outlined above, I have provided a mechanism which includes a central shaft capable of axial movement, a reel rigidly attached to one end of the shaft and a handle in one position capable of rotating the shaft and in another of disengaging the shaft but simultaneously moving it longitudinally to force the reel against a braking mechanism.

The terms forward and rear are hereinafter used to designate the position of the machine in relation to the direction the operator is facing when the device is in use, that is, the handle is considered to be at the rear and the reel forward.

Referring now to the drawings (Figures 2, 3 and 10) in more detail, the numeral 6 indicates a support member, the lower end 2 of which is tapered as indicated at 3 and 4. On either side of the support are provided spacers, the forward spacer 5 and the rearward spacer 6. Each of these spacers is tubular in shape with a central cross-section of reduced diameter. A plurality of installation holes l are provided through the spacers 5 and 6 and the support I (Figure 3). A disk-shaped brake plate 8 and associated brake disk 9 abut the forward spacer 5. A plurality of equally spaced holes [ii are provided through the brake disk 9, the brake plate 8 and the spacer 5 (Figures 3 and '7). A group of holes I! spaced equidistant between the holes ll! pass through the brake disk 9 and the brake plate 8 only. The holes ii! are threaded in the spacer 5 only and the holes H are threaded in the brake plate 8 only and countersunk in the brake disk.-

The reel l2 abuts the brake disk 9. This reel may be made in any of several conventional designs slightly modified to accomplish the purposes of my invention. As illustrated, it consists of a spacer l3, walls l4 and bosses 55. A circular central opening i6 is provided through the forward wall and boss to accommodate a shaft to be described more fully hereafter. A substantially square opening ll is provided through the rear wall and boss, the purpose of which will appear hereafter (Figure 8). The slot H3 in the spacer l3 enters into a circular opening IS. The purposes of these openings will appear more fully later. The reel may be cast or made from individual parts and welded or otherwise fastened together. The method of fabricating the reel forms no part of this invention and therefore further detail concerning it need not be given.

Adjacent the rear end of the rearward spacer 5 is a locking collar 29 consisting of a radial flange 2i and a tubular member 22 (Figures 2, 3 and 5). The rearward portion of the collar is counterbored to a point 23 to accommodate the tubular boss 28 of the terminal collar 26, hereafter described. From the point 23 to the forward end of the tubular member 22 a keyway 24 is provided. The radial flange contains a plurality of locking holes 25 spaced equi-distant apart (Figure 5).

The terminal collar 26 consists of a terminal plate 2'! and a tubular boss 28. The external diameter of the tubular boss is such that it will fit into the counterbore of the locking collar 20 while permitting at least a running clearance therebetween. The rear face 29 of the terminal collar is bisected by a seating channel 30 for the handle 5|. The handle 3! consists of a rectangular body part 32 and a gripping means 33. The exact length and thickness of the handle is unimportant so long as the handle will seat in the channel 30 snugly but without binding and have ample structural rigidity. A pin 34 is rigidly affixed to the handle 35 and projects forward therefrom a sufficient distance to pass through the opening 35 in the terminal plate 21 of the terminal collar 26 and partially through the locking holes 25 when the handle is tightly seated in the channel 30. The openings 35 and 25 are of sufficient diameter that the pin may pass through them at a slight angle without binding, as shown in Figure 9.

A centrally located hole is provided through the braking disk 9, braking plate 8, forward spacer 5, support I, rearward spacer 6, locking collar 20, and terminal collar 26 to accommodate the shaft 36. A running clearance is provided between the shaft and each of these parts. The shaft is reduced in diameter at point 31 (Figure 3) and a square cross-section provided at this point to coordinate with the rear hole I! of the reel l2 (Figure 8). The hole I6 is of sufiicient diameter to provide a running clearance with the reduced diameter portion of the shaft.

The forward end of the shaft terminates in a thread to accommodate a nut 58. The rear end of the shaft terminates in a collar 38 which seats in a counterbore 39 in the rearward face of the terminal collar 26. The rearward end of the shaft is threaded to accommodate the screw 40. A clearance hole 4| through the handle 3| permits the screw 40 to pass through the handle without interference even though the handle is moved to theposition shown in Figure 9. The screw holds the bearing member 42 against the base of the spring 43.

The key 44 may be of any conventional shape but preferably is semi-circular and of such a thickness that it will pass between the walls of the keyway 24. A semi-circular opening 45 is provided in the shaft to seat the key.

The locking mechanism 51 (Figures 6, 11 and 12) consists of a locking shaft 46, nob 41, base 6! and set screw 48. The nob 41 is rigidly held to the shaft 46 by the set screw 48. Holes 49 and 50 are provided in the flanges of the rearward spacer 6 and the support I. These holes are axially aligned and are in radial register with 1e locking holes 25. A resilient member 52 is provided radially inward of the locking mechanism 5| (Figure 6).

The base 53 is equipped with slide guides 54 which are tapered to match the taper on the lower portion of the support (Figure 10). Installation holes 55 are provided through the base to permit the utilization of bolts or screws as the situation requires. The slide guides may be made integral with or fastened to the base by any suitable means such as screws.

The various parts of my anchor hoist, except the brake disk 9, may be made from steel, aluminum, magnesium, brass or other suitable material. Preferably however, they should be corrosion resistant or plated to provide this characteristic. The brake disk 9 is made from brake lining or other heat-resistant composite material similar thereto.

Assembly To assemble the anchor hoist the first step is to sub-assemble the forward spacer 5, the brake plate 8 and the brake disk 9. The disk and plate are assembled by means of countersunk screws 56 in the holes ll (Figure '7). The plate-disk assembly is then attached to the forward spacer by the screws 51 inserted in the holes 10.

The next step is to pass the terminal collar 26 down the shaft 36 until it rests against the shaft collar 38. The key 44 is then inserted in the key opening in the shaft and the locking collar passed down the shaft with the key-way 24 in register with the key 44 until the locking collar rests against the terminal collar. Thereafter the rearward spacer 6, the support I, the forward spacer 5, the brake plate 8, the brake disk 9 and the reel l2 are passed down the shaft. A castle nut 58 is then installed on the shaft to retain the parts. The cotter pin 59 may be used to prevent the nut from loosening.

The spacers 5 and 6 and the support I are rigidly held together by screws 60 utilizing the installation holes 1. Other suitable fastening means may, if desired, be substituted for the screws, such as bolts or even welding.

The locking mechanism 5| may then be installed by bringing the holes 49 and it in the rearward spacer and any one of the locking holes 25 and the pin opening 35'into register and passing the locking shaft 46 through them and. also through the base bl. The spring 52 is installed between the base iii and the spacer 5 before the shaft 46 is put into place. When the shaft has been inserted a distance such that no part of it remains in the hole 25 and the base is hearing against the forward flange of the spacer 6, the set screw as is tightened to lock the shaft, nob and base together against further variation in relative position.

The handle 3! may now be assembled by seating it in the channel 36 with the pin 36 passing through the opening 35. The bearing member 2 with the spring t3 interposed between it and the surface of the handle is then tightened into place by means of the screw 46. The screw should be tightened sufficiently to cause the spring to hold the handle in place in the channel. This point may be predetermined by the depth of the threading in the shaft 35 or by a step (not shown) in the diameter of the screw 46.

The base may be installed to the gunwale of a boat as ":own in Figiue l by any sui .hle means such as screws or bolts. The-lower end of the support will then be inserted between the slide guides 5 3. The downward movement of the assembly will be halted by the interference of the tapered sides.

Operation With the handle 3! in the normal position (Figures 2 and 3) and the locking mechanism in the inactive position (Figure 12) the pin 35' en gages both the terminal collar 26 and the locking collar 23. Rotary motion imparted to the handle will thereby be transmitted to the locking collar 20. The locking collar will transmit the motion to the shaft 35 by means of the key M, rotating the shaft. The positive engagement between the square opening H in the reel [2 and the square portion 3'1 of the shaft delivers this motion to the reel.

The anchor chain or rope is fastened to the reel by passing an enlarged end, such as a knot or backsplice, through the circular opening is and then passing it down the slot 18 so that it cannot thereafter disengage.

To lock the reel in any desired position, the handle is turned so that any one of the holes 25 in the locking collar 29 is in register with the hole .9 in the rearward spacer 6. The locking shaft 48 may then be moved into the hole 25 by the operator's application of pressure to the nob 41. Inasmuch as the reel and the locking collar are at all times held stationary in relation to each other, the locking shaft, by preventing rotation of the locking collar prevents rotation of the reel. The active or locked position of the locking mechanism is shown in Figure 11. To unlock the reel it is only necessary to slide the locking mechanism back to the position shown in Figure 12. The locking mechanism is frictionally held against motion by the spring 52. This spring forces the shaft 48 against the walls of the holes 49 and &3.

The operator may permit the reel to rotate without turning the handle by first holding the handle 3i in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, disengaging the locking mechanism 5|, then moving the handle outward to the position shown in Figure 9. This withdraws the pin 34 from the hole in the locking collar 20 thereby allowing the shaft, reel and locking collar to ro- The greater the movement of the handle the greater the braking action so that the braking action is under direct and continuous manual control.

The shaft collar 38 is caused to bear upon the handle 3i by the action of the spring 43. This collar acts as a stop against axial movement of the shaft 36 and reel 12 preventing engagement between the reel [2 and the braking disk 9 when the handle is in normal operating position (Figure 3). When the handle is moved outwardly (Figure 9) the shaft is permitted to follow causing the reel and braking disk to engage.

The base 53 may be permanently installed upon the side of the boat and the remainder of the unit attached or removed by simply passing the lower part of the support I between the slide guides 54 (Figure 10). A simple and rapid method for installation and removal is thus provided.

It may, to meet differing requirements in either use or fabrication, or both, become desirable to consolidate some of the parts into single units. This may easily be accomplished without departing in any way from the scope of my invention.

Various other modifications in the specific examples herein described will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but it is to be under stood that the invention hereby disclosed is to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an anchor winch having a locking and braking means, the combination comprising: a support member; a tubular spacer on each side of said support member and rigidly affixed thereto in axial alignment; a braking disk rigidly affixed to one of said spacers on the end removed from said support; a shaft mounted through said spacers, support member, and braking disk and capable of rotary and axial movement relative thereto; a reel fixedly mounted on said shaft with one side adjacent said braking disk; a looking collar having a flange mounted on and for rotary motion with said shaft adjacent the other of said spacers at the end removed from said support; a plurality of openings circumferentially spaced around said flange; a slidable looking shaft mounted upon said other spacer in radial register with said openings in the said flange of said locking collar and capable of axial movement only for selective engagement with one of said openings; a handle moveable in a direction parallel with and rotatable around the axis of said shaft, said handle being associated with said shaft and having a pin selectively engageable in one position of said handle with one of said openings in said locking collar to effect rotary motion of said locking collar upon crankwise motion of said handle; a spring and stop associated with said handle and shaft effecting in another position of said handle axial movement of said shaft and resultant engagement of said reel and braking disk.

2. In an anchor winch having a locking and braking means, the improvement in said means comprising: a shaft and means supporting same for both rotary andaxial movement; areel fixedly mounted upon one end of said shaft; a stationary braking disk mounted uponsaid supporting means adjacent to and engageable by one side of said reel; a handle movable toward and away from said supporting meansin adirection parallel With the axis of .said shaft and rotatably supported thereon remote from said reel for .effecting axial movement of said shaft; flan ed means :rotatable with said shaft adjacent to said handle; means on said handle releasablyenga-ged with said flanged means when said handle is in one axial position with respect to said supporting means, and disengaged fromrsaid flanged means when said handle is in another axial position with respect to said supporting means thereby permitting rotationtof said reel and-effecting-engagement thereof with said stationary braking means; and locking means for securing said flanged means with respect to said supporting means.

3. In an anchor winch having a locking and braking means, the improvement comprising: a shaft and meanssupportingsame for bothirotary and axial movement; a reelfixedly mounted upon :said shaft; a stationary. bra ing disk mounted upon said supporting means adjacent to oneside of said reel; a handle rotatablYsupported upon said shaft and movable in .a direction parallel with the axis thereof toward andsaway from said supporting means; shaft means enga eable by the handle for effecting axial movement of, said shaft; actuating means secured to said-shaft,.and means on said handle vreleasalol y engaging said actuating means .for .efiecting rotation of said shaft in response to rotation -.of said handle when said handleis disposed in one axial position with re? spect to said supporting means.

STARR W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number .Name Date 1,453,227 Murray V Apr. 24, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,085 Great Britain 1906

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