US2483688A - Level winding drum - Google Patents

Description

et. 4, 1949. w. M. BROWN LEVEL WINDING DRUM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 24, 1945 l ll H Il bw Dm um. mw

INVENTR. WU//Ufe M @row/2 A TTO/:P/VEY.

W. M. BROWN Oct 4, 1949.

LEVEL WINDING DRUM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1945 INVENTOR. f/M. @rma/n @CL 4, 1949. W. M. BROWN www@ LEVEL WINDING DRUM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 24, 1945 t INVENTOR. Wwf/ase JW. @fawn A TTOfP/VX Patented Oct. 4, 1949 IJEVEL `W'INDIN.G DRUM Wallace M. Brown, Seattle, Wash., assignor to Kenworth Motor Truck -Corporation, Seattle, Wash., a `corporation of Washington Application July-24, 1945, SerialNo. 06,738

This invention relates to certain-new .and useful improvements ,in .a Alevel winding reel -or drum.

In the layering of :a cable strand on a `winding reel or drum, it has heretofore been customary in accomplishing the level winding of the cable .to move the cable between -a pair of guide rollers `on a reciprocating carriage l.that was lactivated by a screw vfeed device embodying crossed `spiral threads with a vfinger on the carriage tracking in such grooves, the latter being so :arranged as to effect reciprocatory :movements of lthe carriage when said carriage reaches 7its limitl `of movement in opposite directions as vdetermined by the carriage finger reaching the -end of 4the groove in the feed screw.

In apparatus .of the foregoing character, :it has been found that when the .basic .principal `of the nger andspiral groove feed is :embodied in relatively light constructions, such as fishing line reels, highly efficient rresults .are obtainable in the operation thereof, but whensuch devicesare employed in heavier apparatus, .as in .cable winding drums, resistant drag on the nger working in the feed screw produces .excessive wear on the finger.

It is therefore the primary object of .the present invention to overcome the foregoing difficulties in the operation of a level windingdrum or reel, and in lieu of the linger .and .grooved rod feedfor the carriage which carries vtheguide rollers there is provided a structure of ,the .jack-screw feed type with a clutch mechanism render-edoperable by reciprocatory movements of the carriage .for effecting reverse rotational directions of the feed screw.

A further object of the inventionis to ,provide a .level winding reel or .drum of .the Jforegoing character and one that is well .adapted for mounting on a truck .and embodying .a jackscrew type of feed for effecting ,reciprocatory movements of the carriage, andfurther providing spring devices and coacting trigger or latch Larms associated therewithand with the .clutch mechanism vfor driving the .feed screw, with .the loading of the spring devices .occasioned by reverse movements of the .carriage being operative upon release of .a trigger arm for shifting the clutch and reversing the direction of rotation `of `the feed screw.

With the above andother objects in view and which will become apparent `as .the :nature .of .the invention is better under-stood, thesame .consists inthe novel form, .combination and arrangement of ,parts hereinafter .more fully described, .shown in 'the accompanying drawings, vand claimed.

.5 .Claims. (C1. 242-158) In the :accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a 'vertical cross-sectional uiewtaken on line I--I of Figure 2, showing the level-.winding structure constructed .in .accordance with .the present invention, the same :being mounted :upon Yan automotive :truck that iis fragrnerrtarily illustrated,

Figure 2 is .a vertical Ilongitudinalsectional yiew .taken lon line .2-.2 -of .Figure il, the drum shaft broken away at oneiend,

Figure v3 is an enlarged fragmentary :tront elevational view of the trip-.actuated 'clutch :control with ithe spring devices and .spring loading varm-omitted,

Figure 4 isla verticalacross-sectional .viewztaken on line 4--4 of Figure-:3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top fplan'viewof the clutch 'control with fparts omitted, the 'better to illustrate the kick-springs -and the spring-loading arms and illustrating one of :the springs under .compression or loaded,

Figure 6 is an enlarged :sectional view illustrating `.the rotation Iof the jack screw in ia clockwise-direction, and

Figure T1 `.is ea view similar Ato Figure `6 showing .the drive chain ,passing over idlers `for -feffecting counter-clockwise direction of rotation of the jack screw.

Referring more in detail to athe accompanying drawings and particularly to lEigures -1 and 2,., the level winding drum is :illustrated asmounted upon an automotive truck, a part of which `is indicated-by the reference-character I0, `The frame structure carrying `the cable drum includes asubframe having spaced side walls -I I .and I2 secured to @the truck andan upper vframe structure comprising spaced side walls I3 :between which lthe cable V.drum I4 is rotatably mounted by mea-ns ofa shaft I5 `journaledinbearings Hi.

A mechanism supporting wall I1 rises from ithe sub-.frame and extends in /a direction :longitudinal :to the-drum shaft I5, being odset .laterally With'respect thereto Aas shown in Figure 1, and has .at each vertical edge end thereof a right angularly directed .relatively short vertical wall I8 and I9, respectively.

The .drum vshaft I5 is powered from a `suitable source and rotary motion thereof is communicated to a shaft -2IJ, hereinafter lreferred toas the .clutch shaft, which is 'journaled inthe walls I8 fand I9. Aligned sprocket .wheels .2i and 22 respectively carried by the drum `shaft fI'5 Yand clutch shaft-20 -are traversed by asprocketfchain 23.

.A jpair -of :horizontally aligned shafts 2?! is journaled in the side walls II and I2 of the sub-frame, and the jack screw is likewise journaled in said walls in a plane above the shafts 24 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Freely mounted on the shafts 24 is a reciprocating carriage comprising a pair of spaced side Walls 26 with shaft bearings 21 interposed therebetween and said walls 26 are connected together adjacent the upper ends by a pair of cross walls 28 and 29. A pair of cable-guiding rollers 30 is journaled on the carriage below the cable drum I4.

The operating mechanism for the jack screw 25 comprises a pair of sprocket wheels 3| and 32 loosely journaled on the clutch shaft 2D and respectively aligned with sprocket wheels 33 and 34 on the jack screw 25. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 6, a sprocket chain 35 traverses the sprocket wheels 3| and 33, while the sprocket chain 36 that traverses the sprocket wheels 32 and 34 also passes over idler sprockets 31 on the shafts 24 as shown in Figure 7 to effect reverse rotation of' the jack screw 25.

The opposed spaced sides of the sprocket wheels 3| and 32 are provided with clutch teeth 38 and 39, respectively, and the clutch member that is splined on the clutch shaft 26 between said sprocket wheels 3| and 32 is selectively engageable with these clutch teeth 38 and 39, with movement of the clutch member 40 in splined relation to the shaft 20 being effected by the forked operator 4| carried by a shaft 42 slidable at one end in the wall I9 of the frame and slidably supported adjacent its other end by a bearing 43 mounted on the wall I1 of the frame, the other end of the shaft 42 being in communication with a clutch control device.

As shown more clearly in Figures 1 to 5, the clutch control device comprises a plate structure having a horizontal arm portion 44 provided with end lugs 45 that are slidable upon a rod 46 secured at its ends in upstanding relatively short walls 41 rising from the side walls II and I2. A triangular plate 48 rises from the arm portion 44 with the upper end thereof having an adjustable turnbuckle connection 49 with the adjacent end of the shaft 42 that carries the forked operator for the clutch. A second pair of end lugs 50 is carried by the horizontal arm portion 44 of the clutch control, while the shaft 5| mounted at its ends in said walls 41 extends through said lugs 50.

The connection between the jack screw 25 and the clutch control device includes a box-like frame 52 extending between the side walls 26 of the carriage and within which box-like structure the nut 53 is non-rotatably mounted, said nut having threaded engagement with the jack screw 25. An upstanding arm 54 is secured to the cross wall 28 of the carriage and has a sliding bearing head mounting 56 at its upper end upon the shaft 5|, a pair of compression coil springs 56 and 51 being respectively mounted on the shaft 5| at opposite sides of the bearing head and engaging at their outer ends with the end lugs 50 on the clutch control device. As illustrated in Figure 2, a latch arm 5B is associated with each lug 56, being pivotally mounted as at 59 on the adjacent wall 41 in overlying relation to the shaft 5I. Each latch arm 58 has a linger projection 60 for selective reception in a cross notch 6I on the adjacent lug 56.

In the operation of the level winding drum, it being understood that the drum shaft I5 is powered and rotation of this drum shaft is communicated to the clutch shaft 20, and assuming that the drum I4 is being driven in the direction indicated by the arrow lines in Figures 6 and 7 to wind the cable thereon, the drive for the jack screw 25 with the clutch member 40 in the position illustrated is through the sprocket chain 36, and with the latter traversing the idlers 31 the jack screw 25 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. This direction of rotation of the jack screw causes the carriage to move from the position shown in Figure 2 toward the left and during this movement the bearing head 55 carried by the carriage moves over the rod 5I to compress or load the spring 56, the clutch control being restrained from movement toward the left by means of the latch arm 58 having its finger projection engaged in the cross notch of the lug 50. The cable 62 travels over a pulley 63 that is selectively attached by means of the clevis 64 to a shackle 65, two such shackles being illustrated and being selectively employed, depending upon the direction of travel of the cable 62. The guide rollers on the carriage direct the cable 62 onto the drum I4 and the level winding of the cable on the drum as illustrated in Figure 2 is accomplished by reciprocatory movements of the carriage. With the bearing head 55 shifted by the carriage to the left, as viewed in Figure 2, and with the spring 56 properly compressed, the bearing head at this time engages the angular extension of the latch arm 58 to displace the finger projection 60 from the notch 6| on the lug and permit the compressed spring to shift the clutch control comprising the released lug 56, the arm 44, and the plate 481 connected to the shaft 42, this movement shifting the clutch member 40 to disengage the same from the clutch 39 of the sprocket wheel 32 and bring the clutch into engagement with the clutch 38 of the sprocket wheel 3| whereupon the sprocket wheel 2| becomes active for driving the jack screw 25 through the medium of the sprocket chain 35 in a clockwise direction as illustrated in Figure 6. During this movement the linger projection 60 on the latch arm 58 will fall into the notch 6I of the lug 50 at the right hand side of Figure 2. The drive for the jack screw 25 now being clockwise, the carriage moves to the right for the compression and loading of the spring 51, similar operations taking effect when the bearing head 55 engages the latch arm 58 at the right hand side of Figure 2 for the release of the clutch control device.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a level-winding drum, the combination with a cable-receiving drum: a clutch shaft driven with the drum; a reversely rotating jackscrew mounted with its axis paralleling that of the drum; a clutch splined on the clutch shaft; driving wheels loose on the clutch shaft and coupled selectively to the clutch by oppositely directed end-Wise movements of the latter; a pair of dead shafts disposed to occupy positions adjacent and parallel to the jack-screw; a driving connection, including idler wheels which are carried by each of the dead shafts, drive-coupling one of the driving wheels to the jack-screw for driving the jack-screw in one direction of rotation; a driving connection drive-coupling the other driving wheel to the jack-screw for driving the jack-screw in the other rotary direction; a carriage having means thereon for guiding the cable to the drum and itself guidably supported for reciprocatory sliding movement by the two dead shafts; connection between the jack-screw and the carriage for reciprocating said carriage; and tension devices controlled in their operation by movements of the reciprocating carriage and operable when the carriage has been moved by clutch-driven action of one driving wheel to the carriages limit of movement in one direction to then shift the clutch and bring the same into engagement with the other driving wheel.

2. In a level-winding drum, the combination with a cable-receiving drum: a clutch shaft driven with the drum; a reversely rotating jackscrew mounted with its axis paralleling that of the drum; a clutch splined on the clutch shaft; driving wheels loose on the clutch shaft and coupled selectively to the clutch by oppositely directed endwise movements of the latter; a pair of dead shafts disposed to occupy positions adjacent and parallel to the jack-screw; a driving connection, including idler wheels which are carried by each of the dead shafts, drive-coupling one of the driving wheels to the jack-screw for driving the jack-screw in one direction of rotation; a driving connection drive-coupling the other driving wheel to the jack-screw for driving the jack-screw in the other rotary direction; a carriage having means thereon for guiding the cable to the drum and itself guidably supported for reciprocatory sliding movement by the two dead shafts, said carriage comprising spacedapart plates having bearings extending therebetween to accommodate the slide reception of the dead shafts; connection between the jack-screw and the carriage for reciprocating said carriage; and tension devices controlled in their operation by movements of the reciprocating carriage and operable when the carriage has been moved by clutch-driven action of one driving wheel to the carriages limit of movement in one direction to then shift the clutch and bring the same into engagement with the other driving wheel.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein the connection between the jack-screw and the carriage comprises a mating nut held against rotation between the plates of the carriage.

4. Structure according to claim 1 in which the connection between the jack-screw and the carriage comprises a mating nut, and wherein the carriage provides a box-like frame accommodating removable insertion of the nut thereto and holding the nut stationary in relation to the carriage.

5. In a, level-winding drum, the combination with a cable-receiving drum: a clutch shaft driven with the drum; a reversely rotating jackscrew mounted with its axis paralleling that of the drum; a clutch member mounted on and driven by the clutch shaft; driving wheels loose on the clutch shaft, the mounting of the driving wheels and the clutch admitting to relative endwise movement and said parts being so formed as to couple the clutch to one said wheel by said relative movement in one endwise direction and to couple the clutch to the other said wheel by said relative movement in the other endwise direction; a pair of dead shafts disposed to occupy positions adjacent and parallel to the jackscrew; a driving connection, including idler wheels which are carried by each of the dead shafts, drive-coupling one of the driving wheels to the jack-screw for driving the jack-screw in one direction of rotation; a driving connection drive-coupling the other driving wheel to the jack-screw for driving the jack-screw in the other rotary direction; a carriage having means thereon for guiding the cable to the drum and itself guidably supported for reciprocatory sliding movementl by the two dead shafts; connection between the jack-screw and the carriage for reciprocating said carriages; and tension devices controlled in their operation by movements of the reciprocating carriage and operable when the carriage has been moved by clutch-driven action of one driving wheel to the carriages limit of movement in one direction to then shift the clutch and bring the same into engagement with the other driving wheel.

WALLACE M. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 674,670 Chamberlin et al. May 21, 1901 762,838 Norton June 14, 1904 1,057,008 Phillips Mar. 25, 1913 1,447,033 Osborne Feb. 27, 1923 1,485,425 Myette Mar. 4, 1924 1,867,688 Van Hook July 19, 1932 2,021,377 Poland Nov. 19, 1935 2,356,861 Link Aug. 29, 1944 2,365,654 White 1 Dec. 19, 1944

Images