TRANSPORTABLE WINCH
The present invention concerns a transportable winch that is primarily intended for use in the fish-farming industry for lifting dead-fish nets and containment nets, but which can also be utilized for various other purposes. More specifically, the invention concerns a motorized winch with a drum mounted to a transport member.
A fish-farming facility comprises a plurality of nets encircled by narrow, fenced walkways. Dead-fish nets are large nets that collect dead fish in the bottom of the containment nets. These must be lifted up from a depth of 15 to 25 m and emptied every day. This work has previously been difficult because the nets must be lifted up and over the fences that enclose the walkways. There is therefore a need for a winch which can be wheeled to the nets, adjusted to the same height as the fences, which can easily be anchored in place, and thereby allow the user to have both hands free.
Transportable winches are known from the prior art, as for example the winch from Norwegian patent 177,185. Winches of this type have the problem that they must be carried to the place where they are to be used. Since a fish-farming facility can have up to 50 nets that must be serviced every day, this is an unacceptable solution. Likewise, such winches do not have a height-adjusting means and must therefore be lifted up and attached to the top of the fence every time they are to be used.
Winches mounted to a transport member are previously known. United States patent 4,068,827 discloses a winch mounted to a four-wheeled wagon. This known winch has a tower-and-
boom arrangement that in principle can lift a net over a fence. This known winch is too large and cumbersome, however, to be used on the walkways of a fish-farming facility.
Other known winches include the devices shown in United
States patents 5,803,694 and 5,017,080, AU 1,509,494 and EP
241,096. None of the winches shown in these publications, however, disclose a winch mounted to a transport member, where the motor and drum are attached to a vertically movable coupling that can be adjusted to various heights.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a winch as described above, and which eliminates the above described disadvantages as well as other disadvantages associated with known winches. The novel aspects of the winch according to the invention are specified by the distinguishing characteristics found in the claims.
The invention will be described in more detail below in reference to the drawings, wherein:
Fig 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig 3 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig 4 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig 5 is a schematic drawing of the electrical components.
As shown in fig 1,2,3 and 4, the winch according to the invention comprises a drum 10 connected to an electrical
motor 12 by a worm gear. Drum 10 and motor 12 are mounted in a vertically movable relationship to a transport member
14. Transport member 14 comprises a vertical pole 16 perpendicularly attached to the surface of a triangular baseplate 18 near one of the baseplate's outer edges. An axle 20 with two wheels 22 and 22A is attached along the same edge of baseplate 18 near which pole 16 is mounted.
Pole 16 is terminated by a handle 24, which is used to wheel transport member 14 to the desired location. An elongated positioning handle 26, which projects upwardly from baseplate 18, is used to position the winch in against the fence on the walkway.
Drum 10 and motor 12 are attached, with the help of two mounting plates 28 and 28A, to a pipe-shaped coupling 30 having a slightly larger diameter than pole 16. Coupling 30 is mounted on pole 16 such that coupling 30 (with the attached drum 10 and motor 12) can freely move up and down along pole 16. A handle 32 attached to coupling 30 makes it easier to move the coupling up and down, and a locking screw 34 on coupling 30 is used to lock the coupling at a specific height. As shown in fig 1, coupling 30 is mounted such that drum 10 and motor 12 are in vertical alignment with the surface of baseplate 18. A stop flange 40 is welded to the lower end of pole 16 to prevent motor 12 from coming into contact with baseplate 18 when coupling 30 is in its lowest position.
As shown in fig 2, a hook 36 and a rectangular instrument panel 38 are attached to coupling 30 on the opposite side of pole 16 as drum 10 and motor 12. As shown in the drawings, one can, with the help of positioning handle 26, maneuver pole 16 in against the fence. Thereafter, handle
32 is used to raise coupling 30 (together with the attached drum 10, motor 12, instrument panel 38 and hook 36) and place hook 36 over the fence rail. Locking screw 34 is used to lock coupling 30 in place. In order to anchor transport member 14 in place, the winch is equipped with an elongated locking pin 42 mounted parallel to positioning handle 26. Locking pin 42 slides down into one of the openings in the perforated steel plates that cover the walkways .
As shown in fig 1,3 and 5, a plurality of electrical components are mounted on instrument panel 38, including an electrical outlet 44, a direction switch 46, and a motor- protection breaker 48 having a reset switch. As shown in fig 2, instrument panel 38 extends in front of drum 10. The upper edge of instrument panel 38 functions as a support member for the rope that is wound around drum 10. A leader post 50 is welded to the end of instrument panel 38 in order to direct the rope onto the drum.
In order to free the user's hands, the winch is operated by a foot pedal 54. As shown in fig 1, a main switch 52 with accompanying foot pedal 54 is mounted on the side of baseplate 18. The winch is started by pressing down foot pedal 54. For safety's sake, foot pedal 54 is spring- loaded, such that the winch stops when the operator's foot is removed from the pedal. For additional safety, the winch includes a stop switch 56.