JPH02275B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Claim 1: A winch device (8) comprising a shift control (10) including a shaft (66) rotatably supported in a housing (42) having a central axis (28), wherein the winch control (10) is fixed to the shaft (66) and is slidable in the housing (42) in the axial direction. first and second pistons 99 and 100 having first and second hollow chambers 138 and 142 disposed therein and having substantially the same volume at least partially within the housing 42; and the first hollow chamber 138. a first device 122 for pressing the first piston 99 and the shaft 66 toward a first position by applying pressure to the second hollow chamber 142 for pressing the first piston 99 and the shaft 66 toward a second position opposite the first position; A second device that presses the second piston 100 and the shaft 66 by applying pressure.
a device 124; the piston 99, 100 and the housing 4;
2. A winch device comprising a centering device 126 that centers the shaft 66 between the first and second positions when the two abut against each other.

2. The winch device 8 according to claim 1, wherein the centering device 126 includes a compression ring 144 and first and second annular spring seats 146 that abut the compression ring 146.

3. In the winch device 8 according to claim 2, the centering device 126 includes first and second bearings 1 located in the outer axial direction of the spring seat 146.
A winch device including 47.

4. In the winch device 8 according to claim 3, the housing 42 has shoulders 11 at both ends.
8 and 120, and the spring seat 146 seats at the center of the shaft on the shoulders 118 and 120, respectively.

5. The winch device 8 according to claim 4, wherein each of the pistons 99, 100 has a circular flange 104 and a bearing 147 that abuts the flange 104 individually.

6. In the winch device 8 according to claim 1, the pistons 99, 100 each have a tubular portion 102 and a circular flange portion 104 that overlap in a nesting manner.
and winch equipment.

7. In the winch device 8 according to claim 6, the centering device 126
A winching device operating against said flange portion 104 at the center of the flange.

8. A winch device (8) as claimed in claim 7, including a device (150) for housing the centering device (126) between the flange portions (104) when initially assembled.

9. In the winch device 8 according to claim 1, the shaft 66 has a shoulder 36, the second piston 100 abuts the shoulder 86, and the first piston 99
is a winch device that faces and abuts the second piston 100 while sandwiching the centering device 126;

10 In the winch device 8 according to claim 9, the centering device 126 includes one spring 1
44.

11 Winch device 8 according to claim 10
A winch device according to , having a device 80, 158, 160 for limiting separation of said first and second pistons 99, 100 in response to the loading of a spring 144.

12 Winch device 8 according to claim 10
In the winch apparatus, the shaft 66 includes a coupling portion 90 extending radially outwardly and having opposite teeth 92,94.

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates generally to winch systems and, more particularly, to winch systems having a switching control mechanism that compactly and effectively positions a drive shaft in one of three positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The winch structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,126 to JE Winzeller, dated July 17, 1979, provides an extremely useful package structure with two speed hoisting and safe lowering capabilities. This drive device includes three connected planetary gear sets, an input shaft, a hollow shaft surrounding the input shaft, and an axially displaceable shaft coupled to a winch housing via a one-way brake. It is equipped with In the first position of the displaceable shaft, the load is raised relatively slowly;
In the second position the load is raised relatively quickly and in the third central position the load is lowered.

Although the winch structure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,126 is generally very satisfactory, the structure of the axially displaceable shaft is not as robust as desired and the assembly of the whole and associated subassemblies is very difficult. It is. Also, different fluid working volumes are necessary, although not desirable, to displace the shaft.

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems described above.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, a winch includes a switching control mechanism having a shaft rotatably supported within a housing and first and second piston members located within the housing and mounted on the shaft. Equipment is provided. The first device is configured to fluidically urge the first piston member and the shaft to a first position, and the second device is configured to fluidically urge the second piston member and the shaft to a second position opposite the first position.
A centering device is provided to mechanically center the shaft between the first and second positions in response to abutment of the piston member and the housing.

Advantageously, the displaceable shaft of the winch device of the invention is more robust and is provided with a shoulder. One of the piston members abuts the shoulder and the other piston member is telescopically mounted to the first piston member, such that the centering device has a single coil compression spring and a pair of annular spring seats. may be captured between the piston members as a subassembly. A device is provided for releasably coupling and housing the piston member on the displaceable shaft.

Other features and advantages will become clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention and is a diagrammatic elevational view of a winch device shown in cross-section at the rear in order to better show details of its construction.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown, the winch device 8 includes a switching control mechanism 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The winch has an input shaft 14 driven by a reversible variable speed hydraulic motor 16. The driven input shaft is configured by rotating the winch drum 24 and the cable 26 wound around the drum clockwise around the shaft center 28, for example when viewing the winch from the right side of the drawing along the shaft center. a first, a second,
It is cooperatively associated with the third planetary gear set 18 , 20 , 22 and the switching control mechanism 10 .

The first to middle planetary gear set 18 includes a first ring gear member 30 of conventional type, a first sun gear member 32, a first planetary carrier member 34, and a plurality of similar planetary gear members 36. is rotatably mounted on the carrier member and meshes with the ring gear and sun gear. In this embodiment, ring gear 30 is integrally coupled to bell-shaped housing 38 and tubular shaft 40 for co-rotation. The tubular shaft 40 is connected to the winch housing 42 through a series-arranged one-way or overrunning clutch 44 and a conventional disc-type brake 46. The one-way clutch is of the conventional roller type and has an outer ring 48 connected to the permanently spring-loaded, hydraulically released brake. With this configuration, the tubular shaft 40 overruns the clutch when driven counterclockwise as viewed along the shaft from the right side of the drawing, but is braked to the extent of engagement when rotated clockwise. be done.

Similarly, the second planetary gear device 20 includes a second ring gear, a sun gear, and a planetary carrier member 50,
52, 54, and a plurality of planetary gear members 56 are rotatably mounted to the carrier member. As shown, the second ring gear has a bell shaped housing 38.
and the first ring gear 30 so as to rotate together. The second planetary carrier 54 is also inherently coupled to the winch drum 24 for rotation therewith.

The third planetary gear device 22 also includes a third ring gear, a sun gear, and a planetary carrier member 58,
60 and 62, a plurality of planetary gear members 64 are rotatably mounted on the carrier member and meshingly engage with the ring gear member and the sun gear member. The third ring gear 58 is coupled for co-rotation with the winch drum 24 and the third planetary carrier 62 is coupled to the winch housing 42 and thus remains stationary at all times. 3rd sun gear 6
0 is coupled to the tubular shaft 40, thus allowing the ring gears 30, 50 and sun gear 60 to rotate as a unit.

An axially displaceable shaft 66 is rotatably supported by a bush 68 to the winch housing 42 at the left end of the winch 8 as seen in the drawings and by a spline joint 70 to the rotatable first planetary carrier 34 at its right end. be done. winch drum 2
The left end of 4 is rotatably supported by the winch housing 42 with a ball bearing assembly 72, the right end is rotatably supported by the winch housing with a roller bearing assembly 73, and the second planetary carrier 54 is connected to the winch drum. Therefore, the second planet carrier rotatably supports the first planet carrier 34 via another ball bearing assembly 74. Yet another ball bearing assembly 76
rotatably supports the second sun gear 52 on the first planetary carrier 34.

In particular, the axially displaceable shaft 66 has a conventional spragg type one-way brake 78 located at its left end in the drawing and an intermediate connecting tubular sleeve member 8.
0 and is indirectly coupled to the winch housing 42. In this configuration, when the shaft 66 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the right end along the axis 28,
Overrun brake 78. When the shaft 66 is biased counterclockwise, the brake holds the shaft 66 from rotating. Sleeve member 80 has an outer spline joint 82 to the radially inner race of the spragg brake and an inner spline joint 84 to the left end of shaft 66.

The displaceable shaft 66 also has a leftward-facing annular shoulder 86 defined between a centrally located cylindrical surface 87 and a cylindrical mounting surface 88, and has toothed face gears 92, 94 on both sides and has a radial radius. A joint member 90 extending outward in the direction. Preferably, coupling member 90 is a separate member that is electron beam welded to the body of shaft 66 along a cylindrical mating surface 96 shown in phantom. Due to the slow rise of the load on the winch drum 24, the right face gear 94 is a face gear 97 limited to the side of the second sun gear 52.
is connected to the left face gear 9 for high-speed ascent.
2 is connected to a face gear 98 that is removably connected to the winch drum 24.

Advantageously, switching control mechanism 10 includes first and second piston members, indicated generally at 99,100. Each piston member has a tubular portion 102
and an annular flange portion 104. Second
or the tubular portion of the right piston portion 100 is the first
or longer than that of the left piston member 99,
It has stepped first and second cylindrical surfaces 105, 106 defining a leftward-facing annular shoulder 108 therebetween. The right piston member is mounted on the cylindrical surface 88 of the displaceable shaft 66, while the left piston member, when fully installed, abuts the shoulder 108 and rests against the first cylindrical surface 105 of the right piston member. Mounted in a nested manner. The left end of the winch housing 42 is the axis 2
8 defines a stepped bore 110 located concentrically along 8. The stepped bore consists in part of a centrally located enlarged cylindrical bore 112, a slightly smaller diameter cylindrical sealing surface 114, 116 at each end of the enlarged bore, and a pair of cylindrical sealing surfaces 114, 116, respectively located therebetween. and inwardly facing annular shoulders 118,120. Thus, the left piston member 99 is slidably and sealably positioned within the sealing surface 114 of the housing, and the right piston member 100 is slidably and sealably positioned within the sealing surface 116 of the housing.
Located inside as well.

According to a principal aspect of the invention, a first device 122 is provided for fluidically biasing the left piston member 99 and shaft 66 to a first or right positioning position corresponding to a slow rate of load rise; Second device 124
moves the right piston member 100 and shaft 66 to the second or left positioning position corresponding to a high rate of load rise.
A centering device 126 is provided for mechanically centering the shaft in response to abutment between the piston member and the housing 42.

The first device 122 is a manually operable control lever 1
28 and an associated control system 130 of the spool valve type, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. The control system may e.g.
The fluid source under pressure is configured to selectively communicate with the conduit and associated passageway 132 having liquid up to a level of 3000 psi. Second device 1
24 may have a similar control system, such that placing the control lever 128 in the second position can act to alternately pressurize the conduit and associated passageway 134. Additionally, in the third position of the control lever, the source of pressurized fluid is connected to the control system by communicating both the pressurized conduits and the conduits back to a drain passage (not shown) in the control system. It is possible to shut off from both.
Conduit and passageway 132 leads to a first annular chamber 138 located to the left of first piston member 99 . In a similar manner, conduit and passageway 134 is in fluid communication with second annular chamber 142. Therefore, the first and second devices 122 and 124 are connected to chamber 1.
38 or chamber 142, which chamber is at least partially defined by the housing and the piston member.

Centering device 126 preferably includes a single coil compression spring 144 located substantially between a pair of annular spring seats or races 146. As shown, the spring seat is attached to the winch housing 4
It is located against the flange portion 104 of the piston member 99, 100 via an intermediate needle thrust bearing 147 at the central position of the displaceable shaft 66.

a piston member 99, 100 in the shaft 66;
Upon initial assembly with the centering device 126, a first holding device 148 is provided to hold the piston members at a predetermined distance apart by means of a spring 144 that is loadably received between the piston members. In this example, the retaining device 148 is attached to the second piston member 1
00 has an interrupted circular snap ring 150 located in an annular recess defined by the cylindrical surface 105. As a subassembly, the snap spring 150 is attached to the annular bore 1 of the first piston member 99.
54. However, when using the snap spring, the hole 154
rather than being radially located within another juxtaposed bore 156 that is confined within the right end of the annular sleeve member 80. In operation, the sleeve member 80 has piston members 99, 100 attached to the end plate 15.
8, they are fully biased to the right so that they are strongly pressed together. The end plate is loadably engaged with a removable fastener 160 that threadably engages the shaft 66.

Industrial Applicability For example, when it is desired to raise the load slowly by winding the cable 26 onto the winch drum 24, the coupling member 90 is displaced to the right. This includes a control system 130 and conduits and passageways 13.
This is accomplished by directing hydraulic fluid under pressure into the first chamber 138 through the first chamber 138 and the first chamber 138 . As a result of the pressurization, first piston member 99 is forced to the right as viewed in the drawings, compressing centering device 126 toward right shoulder 120 . The first piston member is the second piston member 1
00 continuously abuts, therefore, the face gear 9
The member 100 and the displaceable shaft 66 are biased to the right so that the members 4 and 97 are meshingly engaged with each other.
Thus, the sun gear 52 of the second planetary gear set 20 is coupled to the displaceable shaft and the first planetary carrier 34 for rotation together before the input shaft 14 is rotated by the motor 16 . When the input shaft is driven clockwise, the drum is likewise driven clockwise at a reduced speed determined by the gear ratios of the first, second and third planetary gear sets 18, 20, 22. .
Tubular shaft 40 is driven counterclockwise during this mode of operation, overrunning one-way clutch 44. If a lack of power occurs while the load is being raised, the force of gravity acting on the load will tend to unwind the cable 26 from the drum and rotate the drum counterclockwise. However, the permanently engaged brake 46 and one-way clutch 44 positively prevent corresponding clockwise rotation of the tubular shaft, stopping rotation of the drum in an undesired direction.

The increase in load at high speeds is handled by the second device 124.
By directing fluid into chamber 142,
This is carried out by displacing the coupling member 90 to the left as viewed in the figure. This couples winch drum 24 to second planet carrier 54 and first planet carrier 34 for rotation together. The input shaft 14 is driven clockwise again, and the drum is moved to the first and third positions.
It is similarly driven clockwise at a speed ratio determined by the gear ratio of the planetary gear units 18 and 20. Reverse rotation of the drum is prevented in the case of power shortages in the same manner as in the case of slow ramp-up of the load.

To lower the load in a controllable manner, the coupling member 90
an annular chamber 138,1 for discharging fluid;
42 is placed in its neutral or central position as shown, allowing centering device 126 to center shaft 66. Release the brake to the desired extent to allow the load on the winch drum 24 to rotate the drum 24 counterclockwise and to allow the tubular shaft 40 to controllably rotate clockwise. , hydraulic pressure is applied to the brake 46 in a known manner.

When it is desired to apply power to cable 26 for payout from winch drum 24, coupling member 90 is placed in its neutral position and brake 46 is hydraulically released. The input shaft 14 is rotated in the opposite direction or counterclockwise by reversing the motor 16,
A spragg brake 78 prevents counterclockwise rotation of the displaceable shaft 66 and the first planetary carrier 34. The brake 78, which holds the first planetary carrier 34 stationary under these conditions, forces the first ring gear 30 to rotate clockwise with the third sun gear 60, which causes the winch drum to rotate counterclockwise. drive to. If the weight of the load on the cable 26 accelerates the rotational speed of the drum at a rate faster than that given by the relative speed of the input shaft 14, the rate of rotation of the first ring gear 30 will increase as the first planetary carrier 34 is spraggated. The brake 78 is increased to the point where it is driven into overrun condition. This is the first sun gear 32 and motor 1
6 from the winch drum 24 and thus the motor is advantageously not driven as a pump.

Assembly of the working or left side of winch 12 is relatively simple and is accomplished after putting together several basic subassemblies. The first subassembly has a first planetary carrier 34 and its associated planetary gear 36, and the second subassembly has a second planetary carrier 34 and its associated planetary gear 36.
It has a planetary carrier 54 and its associated planetary gear 56. The first and second subassemblies are then joined together to define a third subassembly spaced from winch drum 24. Bearing assembly 74 and its associated retaining ring, bearing assembly 76 and its retaining ring, and second sun gear 52 together with mounting flange 162 form part of the third subassembly. The wearing flange 1
Reference numeral 62 designates a plurality of fasteners 1 which are advantageously screwably mounted on the second planetary carrier 54 from the left or outer portion of the winch for easier maintenance.
It is removably fixed to the carrier at 64. The inner retaining ring 166 located on the right side is installed on the mounting flange 162 and the third subassembly is then inserted into the drum 24 and the plurality of fixing bolts 16
8 to be attached to the drum.

Bearing housing 170 with bearing assembly 72 and seal 172 then essentially forms a fourth assembly;
These are installed, for example, by securing the box to the outer housing wall 174 of the winch housing 42, for example with a plurality of fixing bolts 176. A retaining ring 178 secures the inner ring of the bearing assembly in place on the mounting flange 162 to allow the winch drum 24 to be essentially fully rotatably supported within the winch housing.

The displaceable shaft 66 is then connected to the first planetary carrier 3
It is inserted into the spline joint 70 in 4. The face gear 98 may be splined axially into the retaining ring 166 in position within the mounting flange 162, and then another retaining ring 180 is inserted to secure the face gear in place. It is advantageous that it can be installed. Next, the annular housing member 182 includes a plurality of fixing bolts 1, for example.
At 83, it can be fixed to the bearing box 170 at a predetermined position.

The fifth subassembly is defined by the first and second piston members 99, 100, the spring 144, the spring seat 146, the bearing 147, and the snap spring 150 located relative to the first piston member, and includes a substantially compressed spring load. do. This subassembly is mounted on a displaceable shaft 66 and fixed in position by the action of fixing bolts 160. The bolt 160 is screwed into the shaft and thus the end plate 1
58 and the internally and externally splined sleeve member 80 are biased toward the first piston member 99 and the compressed spring.

Finally, the outer end member associated with the spragg brake 78 is connected to the support assembly 184 and the inner race 18.
6 and an outer ring 188 , a drag spring 190 , and a cover 192 , which is installed, for example, by a plurality of fixing bolts 194 threadably coupled to the housing member 182 .

It is therefore recognized that the winch 8 can be assembled or disassembled in a relatively convenient manner. The displaceable shaft 66 may be installed at the mounting flange 162 or released for access and maintained in its installed position to continue rotatably supporting the winch drum 24. It also has good points. For example, by removing housing member 182 and other outer parts to the left in the drawing,
Face gear 98 and displaceable shaft and joint member 90
can also be removed from within the sufficiently large inner diameter or bore of mounting flange 162. This is US Patent No.
This was not possible with the structure of No. 4161126.

Moreover, the first and second piston members 99, 100
and centering device 126 can be installed or removed as independent subassemblies on the displaceable shaft, and the piston member and winch housing 42 have working chambers 138,1 with equal working volumes.
42 is almost limited. The latter feature is advantageous from the standpoint that the operably associated control system 130 readily obtains similar response speeds for both high speed and low speed operations. In contrast, the prior art winch of US Pat. No. 4,161,126 does not have positively cooperating first and second piston members or working chambers 138, 142 of equal volume.

Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the drawings, this disclosure, and the claims.