MANUAL MARINE WINCH WITH SAFETY LOADING HANDLE AND INTEGRATED LOCKING DOG RELEASE

Abstract

A manual marine winch includes a safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release. The winch includes a handle for selectively tensioning and selectively releasing tension on winch; a tensioning ratchet gear coupled to the drum assembly for selectively tensioning the winch; a tensioning ratchet pawl mounted on the handle and selectively engaged with the tensioning ratchet gear for tensioning of the winch; at least one tension holding ratchet gear coupled to the drum assembly for holding tension on the winch; at least one locking dog pawl selectively engaged with each tension holding ratchet gear to hold tension on the winch; and a knockout member carried on the handle and configured to selectively disengage the locking dog pawls from the tension holding ratchet gears to allow for release of tension on the winch.

Claims

1. A manual marine winch comprising: a winch housing; a rotating drum assembly supported on the winch housing; and a manually actuated control assembly engaged with the drum assembly for spooling and un-spooling a winch line on the drum assembly, wherein the manually actuated control includes i) a handle for selectively tensioning the drum assembly and moveable between a position engaged with the drum assembly through the control assembly for tensioning of the winch line on the drum assembly and at least one stowed position wherein the handle is not engaged with the drum assembly for tensioning the drum assembly; ii) a tension holding mechanism on the winch comprising at least one tension holding ratchet gear coupled to the drum assembly and at least one locking dog pawl selectively engaged with said at least one tension holding ratchet gear to hold tension on the winch line on the drum assembly, and iii) a knockout member carried on the handle and configured to selectively disengage each of said at least one locking dog pawl from the tension ratchet gears to allow for release of tension on the winch, wherein the knockout member is positioned on the handle to disengage each of said at least one locking dog pawl from the tension holding ratchet gears only when the handle is disengaged from the drum assembly.

2. The marine winch of claim 1 wherein the handle is pivoted between respective positions.

3. The marine winch of claim 2 wherein the handle includes a tensioning ratchet pawl mounted on a pivot on the handle and selectively engaged with a tensioning ratchet gear that is coupled to the drum assembly.

4. The marine winch of claim 3 wherein the ratchet pawl is configured to engage the tensioning ratchet gear when tensioning the winch line on the drum assembly with the handle.

5. The marine winch of claim 4 wherein the tensioning ratchet pawl is configured to pivot out of engagement with the tensioning ratchet gear as the handle is moved to a first stored position.

6. The marine winch of claim 5 wherein the knockout member carried on the handle is configured to selectively disengage each of said at least one locking dog pawl from the tension holding ratchet gears after the handle is moved past the first stored position away from the engaged position in which the handle may selectively tension the winch line on the drum assembly.

7. The marine winch of claim 6 further including at least two of the locking dog pawls selectively engaged with at least two of the tension holding ratchet gears.

8. The marine winch of claim 7 wherein the tension holding ratchet gears engaged by the locking dog pawls are circumferentially offset from each other.

9. The marine winch of claim 7 wherein the locking dog pawls are on opposed sides of the handle.

10. The marine winch of claim 9 wherein the tensioning ratchet gear engaged by the tensioning ratchet pawl for selective tensioning is distinct from the tension holding ratchet gears engaged by the locking dog pawls.

11. A manual marine winch comprising: a winch housing; a rotating drum assembly supported on the winch housing; and a handle for selectively tensioning a winch line on the drum assembly and selectively releasing tension on the winch line on the drum assembly; a tensioning ratchet gear coupled to the drum assembly and configured for selectively tensioning the winch line on the drum assembly; a tensioning ratchet pawl mounted on the handle and selectively engaged with the tensioning ratchet gear for tensioning of the winch line on the drum assembly; at least one tension holding ratchet gear coupled to the drum assembly for holding tension on the winch line on the drum assembly; at least one locking dog pawl selectively engaged with said at least one tension holding ratchet gear to hold tension on the winch line on the drum assembly; and a knockout member carried on the handle and configured to selectively disengage each of said at least one locking dog pawl from the tension holding ratchet gears to allow for release of tension on the winch.

12. The marine winch of claim 11 wherein the handle is pivoted between respective positions.

13. The marine winch of claim 12 wherein the tensioning ratchet pawl is mounted on a pivot on the handle.

14. The marine winch of claim 13 wherein the tensioning ratchet pawl is configured to engage the tensioning ratchet gear when tensioning the winch line on the drum assembly with the handle.

15. The marine winch of claim 14 wherein the tensioning ratchet pawl is configured to pivot out of engagement with the associated ratchet gear as the handle is moved to a first stored position.

16. The marine winch of claim 15 wherein the knockout member carried on the handle is configured to selectively disengage each of said at least one locking dog pawl from the ratchet gears after the handle is moved past the first stored position away from the engaged position in which the handle may selectively tension the winch line on the drum assembly.

17. The marine winch of claim 16 further including at least two of the locking dog pawls which are coaxially mounted and selectively engaged with at least two of the ratchet gears which are coaxially mounted.

18. The marine winch of claim 17 wherein the ratchet gears engaged by the locking dog pawls are circumferentially offset from each other.

19. The marine winch of claim 18 wherein the locking dog pawls are on opposed sides of the handle.

20. The marine winch of claim 19 wherein the ratchet gear engaged by the tensioning ratchet pawl for selective tensioning is distinct from the ratchet gears engaged by the locking dog pawls and is coaxially mounted there with.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is perspective view of a manual marine winch with a safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release according to the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the manual marine winch of FIG. 1 with the safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release in a drum tensioning position;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the manual marine winch of FIG. 1 with the safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release in the drum tensioning position shown in FIG. 2;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the manual marine winch of FIG. 1 with the safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release in a stowed tension holding position;

[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the manual marine winch of FIG. 1 with the safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release in the stowed tension holding position shown in FIG. 4;

[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the manual marine winch of FIG. 1 with the safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release in a payout tension releasing position; and

[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the manual marine winch of FIG. 1 with the safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release in the payout tension releasing position shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 1 is perspective view of a manual marine winch 10 with a safety loading handle and integrated locking dog release (referenced collectively as the handle) 50 according to the present invention

[0034] The manual marine winch 10 includes a pair of spaced side plates 12 with coupling bolt containing tubular spacers 14 and swivel link coupling 16 spacing the side plates 12 apart. Collectively the side plates 12, spacers 14 and even the coupling 16 may be considered to form the winch housing, together with guards and shrouds added for protecting elements.

[0035] The side plates 12 encompass a rotatable spool or drum assembly 18. The rotatable spool assembly 18 is rotationally supported between the side plates 12 and includes a drum with a drum gear. The drum of assembly 18 may be formed as a single stack as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,543,800 or a back and forth spooling drum as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,450.

[0036] A control assembly 20 is supported by the side plates 12 with gearing that engages with the drum gear to rotate the drum assembly 18 for spooling of a cable (not shown) or wire rope or winch line thereon. The control assembly 20 includes a hand wheel 22 on shaft 24, with the gearing on the shaft 24, for manually rotating the drum assembly and operating the winch 10. The side plates 12, spacers 14, coupling 16, drum assembly 18 and control assembly 20 are generally conventional elements and may be formed as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,947,450 and 7,543,800, except for the elements of the control assembly 20 described below relating to the safety loading handle 50 and integrated locking dog release 58. Additionally a conventional foot brake (not shown) may be, if desired, attached to the side plate 12 through which the control assembly 20 extends to be adapted to frictionally engage the hand wheel 22.

[0037] The unique aspects of the manually actuated control assembly 20 which engages with the drum assembly 18 for spooling and un-spooling a winch line on the drum assembly 18 is centered on the handle 50. The handle 50 is pivotably coupled to shaft 24 and moveable between a forward position shown in FIGS. 2-3 for selectively tensioning the drum assembly 18. In this tensioning position the handle 18 is engaged with the drum assembly 18 through a ratchet pawl 62 engaging a ratchet gear 52 of the control assembly 20 for tensioning of the winch line on the drum assembly 18 as detailed below. The handle 50 is moved to a stowed position shown in FIGS. 4-5 wherein the handle 50 is not engaged with the drum assembly 18 for tensioning the drum assembly 18. Although the mechanism coupling the handle 50 to the drum assembly 18 is slightly different, the tensioning position and motion of the handle is similar to the prior art operations and will be familiar to those in the art.

[0038] The winch 10 includes three ratchet wheels 52 on the shaft 24 which are coupled through associated gearing with the drum assembly 18 for rotation of the drum. As mentioned above, one ratchet gear 52, a center tensioning ratchet gear 52, is selectively engaged with a ratchet pawl 62 on the handle 50 for tensioning of the winch line on the drum assembly 18 of the winch 10. Two ratchet wheels 52, tension holding ratchet wheels 52, form part of a tension holding mechanism on the winch 10. Each tension holding ratchet wheel 52 is selectively engaged by a tension holding locking dog pawl 54 pivotably mounted on a shaft 56. One locking dog pawl 54 is selectively engaged with one tension holding ratchet gear 52 to hold tension on the winch line on the drum assembly 18 in a generally conventional fashion. With the locking dog pawl 54 engaged the drum assembly 18 may be further tensioned via wheel 22 or handle 50, but the winch line cannot be payed-out. As shown, the tension holding ratchet gears 52 engaged by the locking dog pawls 54 are circumferentially offset from each other, thus with two tension holding gears 52 offset, then the amount of tensioning movement (of handle 50 or wheel 22) needed to reach the next tension holding level is effectively ½ of the gear spacing of one tension holding ratchet gear 52, which is helpful when reaching high tensions.

[0039] The marine winch 10 of the present invention includes a knockout member 58 carried on/integrated with the handle 50. The knockout member 58 is configured to selectively disengage each of the locking dog pawls 54 from the tension holding ratchet gears 52 after the handle 50 is moved past the first stored position shown in FIGS. 4-5 in a direction away from the engaged position of FIGS. 2-3 in which the handle 50 may selectively tension the winch line on the drum assembly 18. The knock out member 58 engages with rear ears of the locking dog pawls 54 to move them out of engagement with the tension holding ratchet gears 52 as shown in FIGS. 6-7. The use of a knock out member 58 in general is known to those in the art and the direction of movement is also known. The integration of this aspect with the tensioning handle 50 is novel, but the familiarity of the general action makes this easily understood to the operators.

[0040] The handle 50 includes the tensioning ratchet pawl 62 mounted on a pivot 64 on the handle 50 and will swing down and selectively engage with the tensioning ratchet gear 52 that is coupled to the drum assembly 18 for tensioning of the winch as described above. As the handle 50 is moved forward from the locking dog released position or pay-out position of FIGS. 6-7 (second stored position) to the first stored position of FIGS. 4-5, or further to the tensioning position of FIGS. 2-3, the member 58 will move the locking dog pawls 54 on either side of the handle 50 into engagement with the tension holding ratchets 52 to hold tension. Thus the locking dog pawls 54 will be in engagement during tensioning operation of the handle 50.

[0041] As the handle is moved from the tensioning position of FIGS. 2-3 to the first stored position of FIGS. 4-5, the tensioning ratchet pawl 62 is configured to pivot out of engagement with the tensioning ratchet gear 52. A rear surface 66 of the tensioning ratchet pawl 62 engages with shaft 56 to pivot the tensioning ratchet pawl 62 as the handle 50 is moved to a first stored position. This assures the tensioning handle 50 is disconnected from the drum assembly 18 when the handle 50 is in the stored position, and, more significantly, when the handle 50 is moved further to disengage the locking dog pawls 54 and release the tension on the winch 10 for pay-out.

[0042] The handle 50 of the above describe marine winch 10 thus has a proper stowed position shown in FIGS. 4-5, generally a rearward position, in which it is disengaged from the gearing associated with the drum assembly 18. The stowed position may have a detent member secured to the sidewall or side plate 12 acting as a rest for the handle 50 when in the stowed position, but the handle 50 must be able to be moved rearward past the stowed position of FIGS. 4-5 to disengage the locking dog pawls 54 in the position of FIGS. 6-7 (a second stowed position or a pay-out position). As the handle 50 is rotated forward away from the stowed position of FIGS. 4-5 the tensioning ratchet pawl 62 will engage the tensioning ratchet gear 52 that is coupled to the drum assembly 18 as shown in FIGS. 2-3 to allow for tensioning of the winch line, in a conventional fashion known in the art.

[0043] The tension is held on ratchet gears 52 that are engaged with locking dog pawls 54. In conventional tensioning operation for the winch 10, the pawls 54 are engaged with the ratchet gears 52 and the operator will rapidly wind up the winch line, and increase the tension, initially through the operation of the hand wheel 22. Once the tension reaches a relatively high amount on the winch line, the operator will continue the tensioning through the repeated use of the ratchet handle 50 in the tensioning position, often with the use of a handle extension or a “cheater bar” to add increased leverage. Once the final tension is achieved it is intended for the operator to move the handle 50 to the disengaged or stowed position of FIGS. 3-4, typically the rearward position, to prepare the winch for tension release when desired.

[0044] The integration of the handle 50 and knockout 58 prevents release of winch tension without the handle 50 in or past the stowed position disengaging the handle 50 from the drum tension according to the present invention. The release of winch tension can be also referenced as “paying out”, “unspooling”, “unwinding” of the winch line, and is used herein to reference the act of actuating the knock-out member 58 to disengage the locking dog pawls 54 from the gears 52. The drum tension in this release of winch tension may actually be maintained by a foot brake or hand brake or via a secure gripping of the hand wheel by the operator.

[0045] The integrated tensioning handle 50 with locking dog knockout member 58 of the present invention can be incorporated into many existing winches. In general the existing tensioning handle, tensioning gear, locking dogs and tension holding gears are replaced with the integrated handle 50, knockout member 58, ratchet gears 52, locking dog pawls 54 and tensioning ratchet pawl 62 of the present invention. The existing shaft 24 of the hand wheel 24 may need to be replaced to accommodate the current structure and a new shaft 56 added to properly position the elements of the invention relative to each other. As a safety consideration it may be desirable to retrofit older winches with these aspects of the present invention.

[0046] Although the present invention has been described with particularity herein, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined in the appended claims and equivalents thereto.