US3456891A

US3456891A - Ski rope retriever

Info

Publication number: US3456891A
Application number: US644350A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eddie D Parr
Original assignee: EDDIE D PARR
Current assignee: EDDIE D PARR
Priority date: 1967-06-07
Filing date: 1967-06-07
Publication date: 1969-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 1986-07-22

Description

Jul 22, 1969 a. 5. FARR 3,456,891

SKI ROPE RETRIEVER Filed June 7. 19s? v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR FF 2 [an/z a. PAPA July 22, 1969 E. D. PARR 3,456,891

SKI ROPE RETRIEVER Filed June 7. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I i .2 4/ {E 40 1' :2 I/

as E

9 Mn 42 43 5 INVENTOR United States Patent M US. Cl. 242-54 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention consists of a metal box-like housing in which is located 'a rope retriever containing a reel that is mounted on a shaft. The reel is rotated by means of an endless belt that also passes over the pulley of a torque converter. The torque converter embodies circular weights that are housed in a small drum which is provided with an internally mounted friction lining against which the aforesaid weights press when the torque converter is activated by means of a small electric motor. The motor is also located within the same aforesaid housing in which the torque converter is rotated by an endless belt.

It is the principal obect of this invention to provide a ski rope retriever of the character described that contains a minimum number of parts; the retriever being compact in size and light in weight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ski rope retriever that can be mounted on any place in a power boat that is to tow a water skier.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a ski rope retriever of the character herein described that embodies a torque converter that will permit the tow rope to reel out again when the operator releases the operating push button.

Further objects of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of this invention, taken substantially along line 22 of FIGURE 1, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of this invention, taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of this invention, taken substantially along line 44 of FIGURE 2, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. The view is rotated ninety degrees.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of this invention, taken substantially along line 55 of FIGURE 2, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In the several views of the accompanying drawings, like parts are indicated by like reference numbers.

Looking first at FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that this invention consists of a boxlike housing in which is located the reel 11 that is freely mounted on the shaft 12, that has each end supported by a bearing 13 which is mounted on the

walls

14 and 15 of the aforesaid housing 10. Only one of the aforesaid bearings, 13 and the aforesaid walls, 14, is visible in FIGURE 1 which also shows in phantom lines the torque converter 16 and the electric motor 17 as well as two endless belts which are not numbered at this time.

Directing ones attention now to FIGURES 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, it is noted that the aforesaid reel 11 is made up of a drum 20 having two

side plates

21 and 22. The last mentioned side plate 22 has an outwardly projecting peripherally located member 23 that 3,456,891 Patented July 22, 1969 is at right angle to the aforesaid plate 22, thereby providing a unique type of trouble-free pulley. On this pulley is located the endless belt 24 that also encompasses the small pulley 25 of the torque converter 16 which is mounted on the shaft 26 that in turn is supported at each end by the bearing 27 which, like the aforesaid bearing 13, is mounted on the inside of the

wall

14 and 15. It should be noted at this time that FIGURE 2 clearly shows that the two

side plates

21 and 22 of the reel 11 are firmly held in place on the ends of the aforesaid drum 20 by means of a plurality of bolts 28. The aforesaid drum 20 encompasses the hub 29 in the center of which is located the bronze bushing 30, as one can well see by examination of FIIGURE 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Looking now at the aforesaid torque converter 16, which is shown in section in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that this part of the invention consists of a hollow circular member 31 that is integral with, and part of, the aforesaid pulley 25. A pair of circular ring weight sectors 32 are located within the just mentioned hollow circular member 31. The weight sectors are swingably pinned at one end to the wall 33 of the pulley 34 by the pin 35, thereby permitting the periphery of each sector to press against the inside of the friction lining 36 that is bonded to the inside of the aforesaid member 31, as one can see by examining both FIGURES 2 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. The aforesaid small pulley 25, that is part of the torque converter 16, is free to rotate about shaft 26 but is limited in movement longitudinally of said shaft 26 by a collar and set screw 37, shown only in FIGURE 2 of the accompanying drawings. Here it is likewise seen that the aforesaid pulley 34 is also secured to the same shaft 26 by the set screw 38. Each of the aforesaid circular ring sectors 32 is prevented from having its free end drop too far inward from the aforesaid friction lining 36 by means of the stop pin 38' that is located under the free moving end of each ring sector 32.

Looking now at FIGURES l, 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that the aforesaid pulley 34 is encompassed in part by the endless belt 39 that also encompasses in part the pulley 40 that is secured to the outer end of the shaft 41 of the aforesaid electric motor 17.

The only major part of this invention that has not so far been mentioned in any detail is the tow rope 42 that is wound around the aforesaid reel 11 to which one end of the rope is firmly secured. The other end of the rope 42 passes through the rope guide 43 that is secured to the floor 44 of the aforesaid box-like housing 10, and the tubular thimble guide 45 that is both secured to, and projects through, the end 46 of the housing 10.

It will be understood by those experienced in the art, after they have examined the accompanying drawings and read this specification, that the torque converter 16 will begin rotating the aforesaid reel 11 by means of the already mentioned belt 24. An electric push button 47, that is shown in FIGURE 4 of the accompanying drawings, is mounted in any convenient place on the boat which is also not shown in the drawings, the push button being connected to both a source of electric power 48, such as a storage battery, and to the aforesaid electric motor 17 which the push button will energize when pushed inward by the operator of the device which usually means the operator of the boat. When the push button is released, the torque converter 16 disengages from the electric motor 17 and the reel 11 is then free to reel out the rope 42 again. The aforesaid torque converter 16 will also slip or spin if its operator holds the push button after the rope 42 has been wound in.

provided a new and novel ski rope retriever that fullfills all of the aforesaid objects of this inveniton and others.

What -I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ski rope retriever of the character described, comprising a box like housing, a reel rotatably mounted within the housing, a ski towing rope wound upon the reel, which rope passes through an opening in the housing, a torque converter having two pulleys, each pulley rotatably mounted within the housing, an electric motor mounted within the housing, a driving connection between the motor and one of these pulleys, a second driving connection between the other pulley and the reel, the torque converter also including centrifugal means to directly connect the two pulleys when the motor is operating and to disconnect these pulleys when the motor is deenergized and a manually operated switch and a source of electric power connected to the motor.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein both the said reel and the said torque converter are mounted on separate but parallel shafts that have their ends supported by bearings that are located on the inside of two parallel and spaced walls of the said box-like housing.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the first mentioned driving connection is an endless belt.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the second mentioned driving connection is an endless belt.

5. The invention ,,of claim 4, wherein the said pulleys are aligned, the said other pulley is integral with a hollow cylindrical member extending toward the first mentioned pulley, a friction lining periphery bonded to the inside of the hollow member, a plurality of circular ring weight sectors located within said hollow member adjacent to said lining, pins extending through one end of each weight sector, each pin secured to the adjacent wall of said first mentioned pulley.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,196,015 8/1916 Nelson 192-103 X 2,749,696 6/1956 Innes 192103 X 3,000,587 9/1961 Goode 24286.5 3,029,041 4/1962 Child. 3,034,742 5/ 1962 Reynolds. 3,043,259 7/1962 'Sadler. 3,162,395 12/1964 Bray. 3,195,831 7/1965 Shriner et al. 3,197,004 7/ 1965 Salbury 192-103 X 3,315,914 4/1967 Turner. 3,333,662 8/1967 King et al 192-103 X WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 1l4235; 242-86.5