US2229110A - Ship winch control - Google Patents

Description

1811- 1941- H. s. McKlNNON SHIP WINCH CONTROL Filed Aug. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iz/1 II.

INVENTOR.

w H E w M 7% m 1A i fl aw m. a

Jan. 21, 1941. H, s, McKINNON 2,229,110

SHIP WINCH CONTROL Filed Aug. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '00, war

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

1 Claim.

My invention relates to controls for the engines used in operating the winches used in handling the hawsers by which a vessel is docked. Large vessels customarily have two such winches,

with their operating engines, forward, and two aft. Since the hawsers are sometimes used over the port side and sometimes over the starboard, the winches and their engines are placed mid-way therebetween. However, an operator standing beside these winches for operation of the engines is unable, by reason of the side of the vessel, from getting a view of the dock and the men thereupon, and it has therefore been the custom to station a member of the crew at the side of the vessel next the dock, that the winch operator may be instructed in the operation of such winches by Signals transmitted by such crew member. Due to the element of human frailty and to the lag in such a means of control, accidents have frequently resulted.

An object of my invention is to provide means by which winches forward may be operated from either side of the vessel, as well as from a station beside such winches, and similarly the winches aft may be so operated. A preferred form in which I have installed my invention will be described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sketch of a vessel deck indicating the 3-1) relative position of my apparatus as installed at one end of a vessel; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional sketch of the same; Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in cross-section showing the connected controls for the throttling of one engine; Fig. 4 is 1.5 an elevational View partly in cross-section showing the connected controls for reversing one engine; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an end of the below deck structure of Fig. 3 on the line 55; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion 4 1) of the below deck structure of Fig. 3 on the line 6$; Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of Fig. 4 on the line I'l; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of Fig. 4 on the line 8-il; Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of Fig. 4

. 3 on the line 99; and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional View of a portion of Fig. 4 on the line Ill-40.

A vessel, having two winches with operating engines forward and two aft for the handling of docking hawsers, will require a starboard station 5:) and a port station forward, and the same aft. Such an arrangement is pictured generally in the Figs. 1 and 2 which shows a station I at each rail of the vessel and two winches 2 midway between said rails. There will be such an arrange- 55 ment at each end of the vessel. In addition to the usual throttle and reversing controls, operable from a point adjacent the said winches, there will be at each station a throttle control and a reversing control for each winch engine, whereby both hawsers forward may be controlled from 5 either the starboard or port rails, and similarly both hawsers aft may be controlled from similar stations at the rails there.

In providing these controls, it is desirable to use means which are simple and rugged and 10 positive in their action. These means also should be of reasonable cost as to installation and maintenance, and shouid be unaffected by weather conditions. Also it is desirable that such means have no part so positioned as to materially ob- 15 struct clear passageways on the deck. I have provided means, having the desired characteristics, comprising, in connection with each winch engine, two rods so mounted in housings that they are longitudinally shiftable. At each end, each rod 20 connects with means operable at one of the said stations whereby it may be reciprocated, and at the middle each rod connects with the engine which operates the associated winch. By these two rods the throttle and reversing mechanisms of 25 such engine are controlled from either side of the vessel.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 3 shows an elevational view, partly cut away, of my preferred embodiment for controlling the steam throttle of a winch engine, and Fig. 4 shows an elevational view, partly cut away, of my preferred embodiment for controlling the reversing mechanism of such an engine. One of each of these controls will be required for each winch engine. In each of said embodiments, a housing indicated generally by 3 is suspended below the deck l from side to side of the vessel. As shown these housing are formed in the main of pipe and fittings and are supported below the deck 4 by pipe elements 5, 6 and 6', extending vertically to connections with the deck structure. Within each housing 3 a shaft 1 is so mounted that it may be reciprocated longitudinally, and through each vertical element 5 of each housing rods 8 are so mounted that they may be rotated. These rods 8 terminate above deck in wheels 9, or levers I0, by which rotation is effected. On the lower end of rods 8 are mounted pinions I I which engage racks l2 carried on the shaft 7.

Connection with a winch engine for its control, by means of a shaft 1 as it is reciprocated, is made through rods l4 and I! mounted respectively through the housings 6 and 6', which rods above deck are suitably connected with said engine. The throttle control shown in Figs. 3 and 6 connects with the engine by means of a fork l3 which may be placed in engagement with a throttle on said engine as will be readily understood by one familiar with the art. The fork I3 is mounted on the upper end of rod l4 which is so mounted in the housing 6 that it is rotatable. The lower end of rod [4 has a pinion I5 mounted thereon, which pinion is in operative engagement with a rack l6 mounted on the shaft 1.

The connection between the reciprocated shaft 1 and the winch engine for reversing said engine is shown in Figs. 4, 8, 9 and 10. A rod I! is so mounted through the housing 6' that it may be reciprocated longitudinally. The upper end of rod I1 is operatively connected by a link [8 with the reversing mechanism IQ of the said engine, as will be readily understood. The lower end of the rod l1 extends past the shaft 1, and carries a rack 29 on one of its side faces. Mounted at the intersection of element 6' with the housing 3 and normal to shaft 1 and rod I! is a double pinion 2| which engages said rack 28 carried on rod I I and a rack 22 on the upper face of the shaft 1. The said pinion 2| is keyed on a shaft 23 which is journaled in the walls of the coupling element 24 of the housing 3. Mounted on one end of said shaft 23, which extends beyond the wall of the coupling element 24, is a counterweight 25 which urges the rod I! to extreme up or down positions.

For convenience in mounting and assembling the shaft 1 and its connections, coupling boxes 26 are inserted in the housing 3 near the ends thereof, the use of which will be readily understood. Also it is desirable that the housing 3 be filled with oil, or be so filled at least in those sections in which rack and pinions are located.

In the throttle control device, a vertical rod 8 in the vertical support element 5 has an operating wheel 9 at its upper end and a pinion II on its lower end, which pinion engages a rack carried of the shaft 1 about its mid-point. The provision of this throttle control permits winch control from a position beside the engines. The reversing control of the engine from this station will be direct in the usual manner of reversing control.

In operation the winch engines forward may be controlled either from a station on the starboard rail or a station on the port rail. Similarly, the engines aft may be operated from. either rail. At each station there is a throttle control and a reversing control for each engine. In operating a particular engine from a particular station, the throttle thereof will be controlled by rotating its associated rod 8 at the station by means of the wheel 9. The shaft 1 connected therewith will be reciprocated and, through the rack [6, the pinion I 5 and shaft I4 will be rotated whereby the throttle control on the engine will be rotated, opening or closing the steam valve. Similarly, the reversing mechanism is operated by rotation of the lever l0 and its associated rod 8 and pinion H. This will reciprocate the shaft 1 causing the rack 22 to rotate the pinion 2| which in turn will reciprocate the rack 20 and its associated rod I! whereby the reversing mechanism of the engine is operated.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

In a vessel having side rails and a winch stationed amidship and adapted to actuate the docking hawser of said vessel; means disposed adjacent said winch for controlling the reversing mechanism of the winch engine, counterweight means for maintaining said control means in its extreme positions, and means for actuating said control means and counterwieght means, said actuating means comprising a reciprocable shaft below the deck of the vessel and extending transverseiy of said deck, means at each end of said shaft for reciprocating said shaft, and means above the deck and adjacent said rails for actuating said shaft reciprocating means.

HARLAND S. MCKINNON.

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