WINCH WITH LEVEL-WIND REGULATOR

摘要

INVENTION: WINCH WITH LEVEL WIND REGULATOR INVENTOR : DEREK FOSTER A winch and level-wind regulator basically of the swinging arm type mounted on a single support frame and suitable for spooling wire rope under loads in excess of 200 tons is described. The winch includes a conventional wire rope drum and drive which serve to haul in and pay out the wire rope. Movement of the wire rope to and from the rope drum is directed by a sheave assembly which includes an elongate sheave support frame, a first sheave rotatably mounted adjacent a first end of the support frame, and a second sheave rotatably mounted inset from a second end of the support frame, the sheaves being generally coplanar and rotating about parallel sheave axes. The first end of the sheave support is hinged to the support frame for hinged movement about a first hinge axis which is perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drum thereby permitting the second end of the sheave frame to pivot back and forth along an arcuate path close to the wire rope drum. The support frame includes a connecting arm coaxially mounted with the first sheave about a common axle to permit the second end of the sheave support frame to pivot relative the first end. The second end of the sheave support frame is driven back and forth along the arcuate path by a drive mechanism which includes a diamond-threaded rotatable shaft parallel to the drum rotational axis, a drive member which travels longitudinally on the guide shaft when the guide shaft is rotated, a floating connection joining the second end of the sheave frame to the drive member for movement therewith while permitting the second end of the sheave assembly to follow the arcuate path, and a synchronizing mechanism which synchronizes movement of the drive member with drum rotation to provide for proper spooling. Severe forces which might otherwise act on the drive mechanism, particularly the guide shaft, are avoided by a stop which engages the second end of the sheave support. The stop has a planar bronze surface plate which contacts a fluorocarbon surface plate on the second end portion of the sheave support thereby providing a low-friction stop which does not impede operation of the drive mechanism. The hinge provided between the sheave support frame ends ensures that severe bending moments are not applied to the hinge joint between the sheave assembly and the winch support frame.