EP2627601A1

EP2627601A1 - Line winch and a method relating thereto

Info

Publication number: EP2627601A1
Application number: EP11832843.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jan Karlsson
Original assignee: Selden Mast AB
Current assignee: Selden Mast AB
Priority date: 2010-10-15
Filing date: 2011-10-13
Publication date: 2013-08-21
Also published as: SE1051074A1; SE535253C2; WO2012050516A1; EP2627601A4

Abstract

The present invention relates to a line winch (1) and to a method to pull in and let out line. Line winch (1) has a rotatably mounted winch drum (2). Line (3) is wound up by means of a driving device, for example a crank (V) or a motor, by means of which the winch drum (2) can be rotated at different speed in a first direction in order to pull in the line (3), and in a second direction in order to let out line (3). Line (3) under load is pulled in on to the winch drum (2) in that a force or a torque is directed via a driving shaft (5) from the driving device in a first direction, whereby a to the driving shaft connected cone coupling (27, 29) provided with an internal trapezoid thread (16) is tightened, so that a gear wheel (33) mounted on a shaft (32) is actuated, and by meshing with a gear wheel (35), which is mounted on a shaft (A), rotates said wheel, so that the winch drum (2) is operated in a first direction directly or indirectly by means of the gear wheel (35) and another gear wheel (39), which is placed on the shaft (A), by means of a free wheel (35a) acting between the gear wheels (35, 39). Loaded line (3) is let out in that the driving device is actuated in a second driving direction, whereby the cone coupling (27, 29) 'is released and allows that line is let out until the load of the line again tightens the cone' coupling by means of the trapezoid thread when actuation of the driving device in the second driving direction is terminated.

Description

LINE WINCH AND A METHOD RELATING THERETO

Technical field

The present invention relates to a method to pull in and let out line by means of a line winch with a rotatably mounted winch drum, which method comprises bringing the winch drum to rotate with different gear in a first direction by means of a driving device, for example a crank or a motor, in order to wind up line around the winch drum with increased force by means of the driving device to pull in line, bringing the winch drum to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction in order to let out line. The invention also relates to a line winch for pulling in and letting out line.

State of the art

Line winches are above all used on sailing boats, among other things to adjust the sails by means of sheet lines, i.e. lines by means of which a sail is kept at a defined angle in relation to the prevailing wind, whereby you can determine, or trim, the desired sailing speed. Since the wind is not always blowing in a direction, which makes it possible to sail in the most comfortable way, it is necessary to tack to be able to sail with the wind in all directions in relation to the boat, from close rech to running before the wind. In that connection a number of phenomenons arise, which necessitate an accurate adjustment of the angle of the sail/sails in relation to the wind, and, consequently, there is a need for having the possibility of adjusting the effective length of lines, by means of which the sails are fixed and which determines this angle, in a neat and above all safe, but also

accurate way. Traditionally, the line is let out in that it is seized at its in relation to the winch loose, unloaded end, and by actuating this end the desired length of the line is let out, whereupon the line is locked around the winch drum again. However, it is easier said than done, especially on board a boat, which may be heeling and which is driven under difficult weather conditions. In order to solve this problem different solutions have been proposed, and one of them is disclosed in EP 1 125 885 Bl. Other examples are large, hydraulically driven winches, on which a hydraulic motor can hold back or let out, as required. Above all at average winches, which in most cases are controlled by means of a crank, but also at more advanced winches which are self-blockingly driven, there is since a long time a problem as far as the handling is concerned, and that is precisely to be able to let out line (haul out) in a controlled way at the same time as one perhaps has to use one or both hands to try to hold on. Further an example of a conceivable solution of the problem is disclosed in SE C2 532 278. In this publication a method and a device at a line winch for sailing boats are .described, which device comprises a rotatably mounted winch drum, around which a line with increased force can be wound up by force means, for example a crank or one or more motors . Either the winch drum is rotated in a first direction to pull in the line at a low speed or in a second direction to let the line out to a determined extent. When the line is pulled in on the drum an inner cone of a double cone coupling is driven by an outer cone thereof, which is set up by a back stop cone of a back stop wheel in such a way, that a trapezoid thread is tightened so that the tightening force between the inner and the outer cones overcomes the torque produced by the line via the winch drum and drives a transmission in the winch, so that line is pulled in. When letting out line said outer cone allows the inner cone to be lifted via the trapezoid thread, so that the tightening force between the back stop cone and the outer cone is reduced so much that the force of the line temporarily makes it possible for the transmission to let the line out to a determined extent in spite of the fact that the back stop is tightened against the back stop cone.

However, this construction is suitable for winches up to a certain size, since as far as larger winches are con^¬ cerned, which for obvious reasons relatively seen have larger gears, the friction in the inner friction elements will be multiplied by this gear, and since the friction in a larger winch is larger, this will have an effect imply- ing that the larger inner friction is multiplied by a higher factor, why the total effect will be considerable. This is something that might be experienced as if the function is not as smooth as it is as far as the smaller winches described above are concerned, and since larger winches substantially are connected with larger boats, it is in general people with great expectations that are to be satisfied. It should be obvious from this reasoning that the technical field has been considered as interesting for a long time, but that, up to now, no solutions have been found, which in a fully satisfactory way fulfil the demands which, very rightly, are made on a safety component, which a winch must be considered to be. Description of the invention

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a winch, respectively, as described above, whereby one or more of the problems mentioned above are solved. Especially, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device, by means of which a winch, above all a larger winch, which is irreversibly operated or operated by means of a crank, can make it possible to let out line without the higher gears typical of such winches having the effect described above, and this in spite of the fact that the transmission comprised therein is, in fact, originally constructed to make it impossible to let out line in such a way. One or more of these objects are reached by means of a method described above, which comprises the characteristics indicated in the characterizing part of Claim 1 and by means of a line winch described above, which comprises the characteristics indicated in the characterizing part of Claim 5.

The combination of at least one cone coupling and at least two one-way couplings gives a combination of mechanical components, which, in a comprehensive context, is unique in its application and which, furthermore, is easy to handle and functions smoothly under easier as well as more difficult conditions.

In a first embodiment of the invention an electric motor, in another a crank, is used as driving device for the winch. The flexibility of such a small motor, for example a DC-motor, as far as output and emitted torque together with reasonable mounting dimensions are concerned, makes such an embodiment to a very attractive alternative also for more simple winches. Of course, the motor may be a motor of another type. According to a special embodiment of the invention, with a crank as driving device, the lower end of the driving shaft, or the input shaft, has been provided with a part of a one-way coupling, which is adapted to co-operate with a second corresponding part of the one-way coupling of a gear wheel, which in its turn is floatingly arranged above the one-way coupling. In this way it becomes possible to obtain a winch, which comprises two gears, a low gear corresponding to the already existing, which provides a large force and a high torque, without the operator of the crank necessarily noticing this, at the same time as a high gear is made possible by means of the further gear wheel in order to allow the operator of the winch to pull in larger quantities of lower loaded line in a short time. According to a further embodiment of the invention the one-way coupling for engagement and disengagement of the high gear position has been replaced by a further cone coupling of a type, which substantially corresponds to the cone coupling being arranged further down in the winch. The reason for this is to make it possible to provide an embodiment, which to an even higher extent than the above described embodiments has a reliability and durability corresponding to the greatest expectations. In the following the invention will be described more in detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a winch for a sailing boat of the type, to which the invention relates,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a transmission for a sailing boat winch according to the invention in a first embodiment,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the transmission

according to Fig. 2 in a motor-driven alternative embodiment, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a transmission for a sailing boat winch according to a second embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a transmission for a sailing boat winch according to a third embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a driving device

constituted by a crank, by means of which all functions of the winches according to Figs. 2, 4 and 5 can be controlled, and

Figs. 7a and b, respectively, are on one hand a lateral view, on the other hand a cross section, in which the parts are separated, of a transmission of a winch drum of the embodiment according to Fig. 4. Detailed description

Of Fig. 1 it is clear that the present invention in general relates to a method and a device at a sailing boat winch 1 of the illustrated type. Such a winch 1 comprises 5 a rotatably mounted winch drum 2, around which a line 3 is to be wound. From a driving opening 4 arranged for a driving device 12 (see Fig. 6), a driving shaft 5 (see Figs. 2 to 5) extends from an eccentric position at the : upper part 6 of the winch into the winch drum 2 and drives0 a transmission, which is contained in the inner, lower part 7 of the winch drum 2. The transmission can either, if it is driven in a first direction by a driving device, drive the driving shaft 5 to rotate the drum 2 in a first direction, the pulling-in direction 8 for the line 3, or5 be actuated to let out line 3 carefully when the line is loaded, if the driving device is slightly actuated in a second direction 9, or block the winch completely if the driving device is not actuated at all. U Fig. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of a winch transmission according to the invention in its simplest embodiment. From the driving opening 4 for the driving device 12, in this case a crank (not shown) of conventional type without any other functionality except that it can be rotated, the driving shaft 5 extends downwards to an in relation to the driving shaft transversally driving tooth wheel 20 with teeth 20a. The tooth wheel 20 drives, no matter in which direction the shaft is rotated, a first wheel 27 of a cone coupling comprising two wheels, anin external conical wheel 27 and an internal conical wheel 29, which first wheel fits to the tooth wheel and is provided with corresponding notches 28. The circumferential surface of the wheel 29 is provided with recesses 29a, which are adapted to co-operate, with ratchets 29b to together form a first back stop 60- The wheel 27 has an internal trapezoid thread 16, which is screwed on a shaft 32 in the figure, the upper end of which has a fitting

5 external trapezoid thread 16a. In addition to the trape- ' zoid thread 16a the shaft 32 has a straightly cut gear wheel 33 at its in the figure lower end. The gear wheel 33 is in teeth engagement with a further gear wheel 35 on a shaft A located beside the shaft 32. A further gear wheel 10 39 meshes with the gear wheel 35 and can be driven via a freewheel coupling 35a. Forward gear in counter clockwise direction is illustraded in Fig. 2 by an arrow designated FA_C r reverse gear in clockwise direction is illustrated with an arrow designated RXc«

15

Fig. 3 illustrates a figure analogous to Fig. 2 apart from the fact that the winch transmission according to this embodiment is adapted to be driven and actuated by a driving device 12 constituted by an electric motor 51

Ζ which is driving the shaft 5. High gear and low gear,

rotation in counter clockwise direction, is illustrated in Fig. 3 by an arrow designated XHL_AC-

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, in which the parts are

3 separated, of a second embodiment of the winch transmission, which compared to the embodiment according to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, is further developed, and which embodiment comprises two forward gears, a low gear (XL) and a high gear (XH) , and, as previously, a ssibly bility of letting out line by reversing the force of the driving device 12, a crank v (see Fig. 6) . XL_AC designates low gear in counter clockwise direction, XL_H designates high gear in clockwise direction, RX_C designates reverse gear in clockwise direction. From the driving opening 4 for the crank V the driving shaft 5, which is hollow, extends downwards to a separation constituted by splined coupling 13, 13a, and further to an in relation to the 5 driving shaft transversally driving tooth wheel 20 with ! teeth 20a, in the way described above. The driving shaft is divided in the described way in order to make it possible to insert a push rod 14 in the shaft 5 and by means of the push rod 14 via means in the crank provide an

10 operating element 15a, which can be forcibly actuated.

1 Around the, seen in the normal way of looking at the

figure, lower end of the driving shaft 5, on the opposite side of the teeth 20a of the tooth wheel 20, there are teeth 46 belonging to a freewheel coupling 59. The teeth

15 46 are adapted to co-operate with corresponding teeth 45 on the underside, seen in the normal way of looking at the figure, of a gear wheel 19, which constitutes a high gear, and form together the freewheel coupling 59, so that the gear wheel 19 only can be driven in one direction when zo actuated by the crank V. In the way described above in

connection with the description of Figs. 2 and 3,

respectively, the tooth wheel 20 is, no matter in which direction the shaft 5 is rotated, drivably connected to a first wheel 27 of a cone coupling comprising two wheels, o an external conical wheel 27 and an internal conical wheel 29, which first wheel fits to said tooth wheel and is provided with corresponding notches 28, The periphery of the wheel 29 is provided with recesses 29a, which are adapted to co-operate with ratchets 29b in order to ju together form a first back stop 60 analogous to the back stop according to the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively. The wheel 27 has an internal trapezoid thread 16, which is screwed on an external trapezoid thread 16a, which is arranged on the according to the figure upper end of a shaft 32 and fits to the internal trapezoid thread. The shaft 32 comprises a straightly cut gear wheel 33 at its according to the figure lower end. The gear wheel 33 is in teeth engagement with a further gear wheel 35 on a shaft located beside the shaft 32. A further gear wheel 39 is drivably connected to the gear wheel 35 via a freewheel coupling 35a. Fig. 5 illustrates the transmission T of the line winch 1 in a third, further developed embodiment, as a perspective view in which the parts are separated. The transmission T comprises a first part of a driving shaft 5, which is hollow in the longitudinal direction and with one of its ends, which exhibits a mechanical hold, for example a spline 11, is adapted to constitute a hold for the crank V mentioned above. The first part of the driving shaft 5 exhibits at its other end a further hold, a spline 13, which is adapted to mesh with splines 13a in a second part of the driving shaft 5, located further down in the transmission T. The second part of the driving shaft 5, which is also hollow, comprises in one piece, seen from its in relation to the spine 13a opposite end, a tooth wheel 20 provided with driving teeth 20a and an external trapezoid thread 17b adapted to co-operate with an internal thread 17a in an upper part of an upper cone coupling 15, 19A. Thus, the cone coupling element 15 is arranged on the trapezoid thread 17b through the internal trapezoid thread 17a. Inside the lower part of the driving shaft 5 a carrier part 15a is so fixed, that it in a flexible way can move a pin 15b in an oblong hole 15c in the driving shaft 5. The carrier part 15a is pre-loaded by means of springs 15d in the direction towards the driving opening 4 in the shaft 5, and abuts with its upper end against a push rod 14, which along most of its length is displace- ably arranged inside the upper part of the hollow shaft 5. The driving teeth 20a mentioned above are in permanent 5 engagement with notches 28 in an upper part 27 of a lower ; cone coupling 27/29, which also comprises a lower part 29.

The cone part 29, which with its lower end is abutting against a gear wheel 33, has along its periphery recesses . 30 adapted to co-operate with back stop ratchets 29b

0 arranged and articulated in the winch drum 2. A bushing 24, which also constitutes a spring seat, is resting in the centre of the gear wheel 33 and constitutes a support for one of the two springs 15d. In the lower part of the cone coupling 27/29 the upper part 27 is acting, where it5 is placed on a trapezoid thread 37a, in an internal trapezoid thread 37b arranged in said upper part 27 at the opposite upper end of a second driving shaft 32. At the lower end of the driving shaft 32 a straightly cut gear wheel 33 is located. Said gear wheel 33 is adapted toQ establish an engagement of teeth with a further gear wheel 35, which is arranged on a shaft parallel to the driving shaft 32. Said gear wheel 35 co-operates via an intermediate free wheel 35a with a further gear wheel 39. XL_AC designates low gear, counter clockwise rotation, XH_Ac high5 gear, counter clockwise rotation, and RX_Ac reverse gear, counter clockwise rotation.

Fig. 6 is a cross section through an embodiment of a crank V, which is intended to be used to actuate the trans-0 mission T of the winch 1 via a driving opening 4, which for example is provided with inner splines, (see Figs. 3, 4, 5) at the upper part of the winch shaft 5. The crank V has a handle H, and according to this embodiment the actuation is achieved by a plunger 40, which can be pushed into and out of the engagement part 41 of the crank. In this case this is achieved by means of a button 42, which by means of a spring 45 is pre-loaded in the direction towards a position, in which it is not actuated upon. When the button 42 is pushed down, it actuates a lever 43 and thereby lifts up an operating means 4 .

For the sake of clarity Figs. 7a and b illustrate on one hand a lateral view and on the other hand a cross section through the transmission according to the invention.

In the following the functioning of the invention is described with reference to Fig. 2 on one hand and Figs. 4 and 5 on the other hand. Depending on whether it is a question of the embodiment according to Fig. 2 or any of the embodiments according to Figs. 4 or 5, the present line winch may be in three or four different states.

According to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 these states are a first state, in which the pulling-in speed is low, to be used when the sail is to be sheeted in to be trimmed during sailing, a second state which allows letting the line out, and a third state, in which the crank is not actuated, whereby the winch is locked. As far as the embodiments according to Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, are concerned, said states are anyone of one or two pulling-in states, one in which the pulling-in speed is higher, for example for the pulling-in of large slack or line under low or moderate load, and another in which the pulling-in speed is comparatively considerably lower, for example for the sheeting in of the sail in connection with trimming of the sail. Another third such state is a state, which allows controlled letting out of line, while the fourth state according to said embodiments is a state, in which the crank is not actuated and the winch is locked. Concerning the embodiment according to Fig. 3 it can be mentioned that, with the exception of the driving device 12 being used, it is completely analogous to the embodiment according to Fig. 2. According to Fig. 3 an electric motor 51 is used as driving device, and therefore the speed, at which the shaft 5 can be driven, is continuously variable and, thus, no gears except the gear comprised in the embodiment are required.

To start with the functioning of the embodiment according to Fig. 2 will be described. The two states, which first of all must be described in this connection, are sheeting the sail in on one hand, and letting sheet line out on the other hand. The sheeting in is performed in that a crank V of conventional type is inserted into the driving opening 4 of the winch. The crank is actuated in counter clockwise direction, whereby the tooth wheel 20 of the driving shaft 5 drives the wheel 27 of the cone coupling in counter clockwise direction. The wheel 27 tightens the trapezoid thread 16, 16a, so that the cone coupling 27/29 is tightened together, whereby the driving of the wheel 27 is transferred to the gear wheel 33. The gear wheel 33 in its turn drives the gear wheel 35, which, as a result of the engagement of the free wheel 35a, transfers its rotation to the gear wheel 39, which drives a gear ring on the inside of the winch drum 2. In this _.way line is sheeted in.

Letting out line can only be performed as long as there is a load at the end of the line, which for example is con- nected to a sail. Thus, provided that there is such a load, the gear wheel 39, actuated by said load, will be forced in counter clockwise direction, when the winch is seen in direction from the driving opening 4. This causes 5 that the freewheel coupling 35a locks and transfers the force to the wheel 35, which in its turn transfers the force to the wheel 33. Provided that the operator of the winch at the same time carefully rotates the crank clockwise, said rotation will actuate the upper wheel 27 of the

ID cone coupling, so that said wheel will tend to rotate the cone coupling 27/29 out of engagement, whereby, during part of the clockwise rotation of the crank V, line will be let out at the same time as the crank is rotated, as a result of the fact that the winch "loses its grip" in a

1|5 way that might be compared to the appearance of a hysteresis function in a continuous process, until the operator of the winch no longer wishes to let the line out and therefore stops the clockwise rotation of the crank. Then, the winch will engage immediately in that the cone

2D coupling 27, 29 and the back stop 29, 29a, 29b, 30 will lock, and the line will be held in a tight grip.

As mentioned above, the embodiment according to Fig. 3 is analogous to the embodiment according to Fig. 2, with the 25 exception of the fact that an electric motor instead of a crank is used as driving device, and for that reason said embodiment will not be described further here.

As far as the functioning is concerned, the embodiment 3b according to Fig, 4 comprises four different conceivable states, low gear for sheeting the sail in, high gear for pulling in large amounts of line/sheet, reverse gear for letting sheet line out, and a locking position, in which the winch is not actuated and, consequently, does not perform any work with the exception of being locked..

When the winch is used to pull in for example sheet line at a low speed, the shaft 5 is actuated by the crank in counter clockwise direction. In this way the tooth wheel 20 is actuated to drive the upper part 27 of the cone coupling 27, 29, which, as a consequence of the direction of rotation, is tightened as a result of the pitch orien- tation of the trapezoid thread 16a. The wheel 19 located higher up in the transmission rotates at the same time only as a result of the friction between the shaft and its inner bearing surface, because the ratchet free wheel 45, 46 disengages. The back stop 29, 29a, 29b, 30 disengages as a consequence of the counter clockwise direction of rotation, which results in that the rotation in counter clockwise direction is transferred to the gear wheel 33, which is in teeth engagement with the gear wheel 35 and via the back stop 35a transfers the rotation to the gear wheel 39, which in its turn meshes with a gear ring (not shown) on the inside of the winch drum 2 and, thus, rotates the drum in clockwise direction, so that sheet line can be pulled in. When the winch is used to pull in for example sheet line at a high speed, the crank V is rotated in clockwise direction in order to drive the shaft 5 of the winch in clockwise direction. This results in that the tooth wheel 20 by its engagement with the wheel 27 makes the cone coupling 27, 29 to actuate the trapezoid thread connection 16, 16a, as previously,' so that it now lifts the cone coupling 27, 29 out of engagement and, thus, does not transfer the force further in the transmission. At the same time the gear wheel 19 is driven by the ratchet freewheel 45, 46 and gives the drum a high pulling-in speed in clockwise direction as a consequence of the engagement of the gear wheel 19 with a gear ring (not · shown) on the inside of the drum.

When for example sheet line is to be let out under load in a controlled way, the winch must, to start with, be in a locked position, i.e. the position which arises when none of the possible driving devices of the winch, viz. the crank V or the motor 51 (see Fig. 3) is actuated. In that condition the line will put load on the winch in exactly the same way and in the same direction as, for example, when the sail is sheeted in, i.e. the gear wheel 39 is actuated by the drum 2 to rotate, however now in counter clockwise direction. The force in the line is transferred via the gear wheel 39, the free wheel 35a, the gear wheels 35 and 33, respectively, whereby the back stop 29, 29a, 29b prevents that rotation arises. If the driving device (crank V). is now actuated to carefully be rotated in counter clockwise direction (the crank must be of the type illustrated in Fig. 6) at the same time as the button 42 of the crank V is pushed down, the pushing down of the button 42 induces that the gear wheel 19 is lifted by means of the spring-loaded push rod 14 located in the shaft 5 and the carrier part 15a and its pin 15b (which is in engagement with an internal circumferential groove, not shown, in the gear wheel 19) from its engagement with the teeth of the ratchet free wheel 45, 46 and, consequently, a continued slow rotation of the shaft 5 induces that the cone coupling 27, 29 is disengaged, because the trapezoid thread 16a lifts the wheel 27 from its driving engagement with the wheel 29. However, the lifting up of the wheel 27 from the wheel 29 ceases nearly immediately if the crank is no longer rotated in counter clockwise direction at the same time as the button 42 of the crank is pushed down. With reference to Fig. 5 the functioning of the third alternative embodiment of the invention will be described in the following. Similar to the embodiment according to Fig. 4 the embodiment described below comprises, as far as the functioning is concerned, four different conceivable states, low gear for sheeting the sail in, high gear for pulling in large amounts of line/sheet, reverse gear for letting sheet line out, and a locking position, in which the winch is not actuated and, consequently, does not perform any work with the exception of being locked. When the winch is used to pull in line at a relatively low speed, for example to sheet the sail in, the crank is actuated in counter clockwise direction to rotate the shaft 5. The shaft 5, which is divided by a splined coupling 13, 13a, transfers its rotation to the tooth wheel 20 and to the upper cone coupling 15, 15d, which is located closest to the driving opening 4. As a result of the pitch direction of the trapezoid thread 17a, 17b, with which the wheel 15 of the cone coupling 15, 19 is in engagement, the wheel 15 is lifted out of engagement with the wheel 19 which, consequently, is disengaged and prevented from driving the winch 2 as a consequence of it being effected by the crank V. Instead the force is transferred to the tooth wheel 20, which drives the upper wheel 27 of the cone coupling 27, 29. The trapezoid thread inside the wheel 27 is tightened as a consequence of the counter clockwise rotation and, thus, transfers the rotation to the shaft 32 when, also as a consequence of the counter clockwise rotation of the wheel 29 of the cone coupling, the freewheel clutch 29a, 29b, 30 has started to freewheel. Consequently, the wheel 33 is rotated in counter clockwise direction, which results in that the wheel 35 by means of the freewheel 35a located therein is actuated to drive the wheel 39 in counter clockwise direction. The wheel 39 drives the winch drum at a low speed. ^; If you instead want to pull in^' line at a high speed, you . proceed in the following way. The crank is rotated in the ^! other direction instead, i.e. clockwise. In that way the0 force of the crank v will be transferred downwards to the ! trapezoid thread 17a, 17b in the previously described way, however in the opposite direction, which results in that the cone coupling 15, 15 is tightened, and the force or the moment is transferred to the gear wheel 19. Since the gear wheel is in engagement with a gear ring on the inside ' of the winch drum 2, the drum is driven at a high speed.

The part of the force or the moment, which is transferred to the tooth wheel 20, is transferred further to the upper wheel 27 of the lower cone coupling. As a consequence of0 the pitch direction of the trapezoid thread in the inner of the wheel 27, the thread will separate the cone coupling and disengage the rest of the transmission. Certainly, the rest of the transmission will rotate, but thanks to the free wheels 35a and 30, 31, respectively, nop locking arises. Finally, reversing, i.e. when you wish to let out line, which is loaded for example by a sail. In order to achieve this the crank V is rotated in counter clockwise direction at the same time as the button 42 of the crank V is pushed down. In that way the trapezoid0 thread 17a, 17b is prevented from tightening the cone

coupling between the wheels 15, 19 in that the wheel 15 by means of the pin 15b is lifted as a consequence of this spring-loading, in order to prevent said tightening. As a result thereof the force or the moment of the movement in counter clockwise direction of the crank is transferred via the tooth wheel 20, and a progress corresponding to this functioning of .the embodiment according to Fig. 4 is |5 brought about.

The invention is not to be considered as limited by the embodiments described above, but only by the accompanying patent claims, whereby support for the interpretation of i;0 the claims may be found in the description.

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S

1. Method to pull in and let out line (3) by means of a line winch (1) with a rotatably mounted winch drum (2), which method comprises to:

bring the winch drum (2) to rotate with different gear in a first direction by means of a driving device, for example a crank (V) or a motor, in order to wind up line (3) around the winch drum (2) with increased force by means of the driving device to pull in line, bring the winch drum (2) to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction in order to let out line (3 ) ,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

I

that it comprises:

to pull in line (3) under load on the winch drum (2) by means of the driving device in that input force or a torque from the driving device is transferred via a driving shaft (5) in a first driving direction, whereby a cone coupling (27, 29), which is integrated with or connected to the driving shaft (5) and provided with an internal trapezoid thread (16), is brought to be tightened so that a gear wheel (33), which is mounted on a shaft (32), is driven, the driving of which, as a consequence of meshing with a gear wheel (35) which is mounted on a shaft (A), actuates also that wheel to rotate, so that the winch drum (2) is driven in a first direction directly or indirectly by the gear wheel (35) and another gear0 wheel (39) , which is placed on the shaft (A) , by means of free wheel (35), which acts between the gear wheels (35, 39) forming a first one-way coupling, to let out loaded line (3) from the winch drum (2) by means of the driving device in that an input force or a torque from the driving device is transferred via the driving shaft (5) in a second driving direction, whereby, as a consequence of the internal trapezoid thread (16) in the cone coupling (27, 29) and its pitch, the cone coupling is disengaged through said application of force or torque and allows the letting out of line until the load of the line tightens the cone^' coupling (27, 29) again via the internal trapezoid thread (16) in co-operation with an external trapezoid thread (16a) on the shaft (32) in connection with that the actuation of the driving device in the second driving direction is terminated -

2. Method according to Claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that it, for pulling in comparatively large amounts of line, comprises:

to arrange a high gear, which is realized in that the force or torque applied by means of the driving device is directed from outside in the second driving direction from the force means via the driving shaft (5) , whereby an around the driving shaft (5) floatingly arranged gear wheel (19) is driven by a second one-way coupling, which consists of a freewheel coupling (59), to actuate the winch drum in said first direction with a higher gear than the gear, by means of which the gear wheel (35) can drive the winch drum (2) directly or indirectly, whereby the force or the torque, by which the gear wheel (35) in spite of this is driven is released by means of one or more one-way couplings including one/the first one-way coupling (35a) and/or a first back stop (60).

3. Method according to Claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that it, for pulling in comparatively large amounts of line, where the driving shaft (5) is divided in a first part and a second part, comprises:

to arrange a high gear, which is realized in that the force or torque applied by means of the pulling device from outside is directed in the second driving direction from the driving device via the driving shaft (5), and whereby an around the second part of the driving shaft (5) floatingly arranged gear wheel (19A) of a second cone coupling (15, 19A) , which exhibits an internal trapezoid thread (17a) adapted to be able to come into engagement with an external trapezoid thread (17b) on the second part of the driving shaft (5), is driving the winch drum (2) in said first direction with a higher gear than the gear, by means of which the wheel (35) directly or indirectly can drive the which drum (2), whereby the force or the torque, by which the gear wheel (35) in spite of this is driven, is released by means of one or more one-way couplings including one or the first one-way coupling (35a) and/or a first back stop (60) .

4. Method according to Claim 2 or 3,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that it comprises to provide a low gear for pulling in line by applying the force or the torque from outside in the first driving direction, whereby the driving by means of the gear (35) is prevented in that a second one-way coupling, or the second one way coupling (59) , disengages the gear wheel (35) in that direction.

5. Line winch (1) comprising a rotatably mounted winch drum (2), around which a line (3) can be wound up with increased force as a result of a gear by means of a driving device, for example a crank (V) or a motor (51), acting on an input driving shaft (5), by means of which and the gear the winch drum (2) can be rotated with different gear in a first direction in order to pull in the line (3) , and can be rotated in a second direction in order to let out line (3),

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that it comprises a cone coupling (27, 29), which is integrated with or connected to the driving shaft (5) , and which comprises an outer wheel (29) and an inner wheel

(27), which has an internal trapezoid thread (16) adapted to co-operate with an external trapezoid thread (16a) on a driving shaft (32), the lower outer end of which comprises a gear wheel (33), whereby the outer wheel (29) of the cone coupling (27, 29) comprises a freewheel coupling (59) forming a second one-way coupling, whereby the gear wheel

(33) is arranged to mesh with a gear wheel (35) on another shaft (A) close by the shaft (32), on which shaft (A) there is also a further gear wheel (39) and a free wheel, which acts between these gear wheels (35 39) forming a first one-way coupling (35a) .

6. Line winch according to Claim 5,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that it also comprises a high gear for pulling in, compared with hauling, large amounts of line, whereby the input driving shaft (5) or a shaft, to which it is directly connected, has a gear wheel (19) adapted to mesh with a gear ring on the inside of the winch drum (2), which gear wheel (19) , if it is rotated in a direction opposite to the sheeting direction, is arranged to drive the winch in the same direction as at low gear, but with higher exchange and lower output, as a consequence of the fact that it is located directly on the input shaft which constitutes the driving shaft (5), whereby the second oneway coupling (59) is arranged in connection with the gear wheel (19), so that it can co-operate with the winch when it is operated in low gear position.

7, Line winch according to Claim 5,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that the driving shaft is divided in a first part and a second part, that it also comprises a high gear for pulling in comparatively large amounts of line, which is realized in that the force or torque applied by means of the driving device is directed from outside in the second driving direction from the force means via the driving shaft (5), whereby an around the driving shaft (5) float- ingly arranged gear wheel (19A) , which is comprised in a second cone coupling (15, 19A) with an internal trapezoid thread (17a) , is arranged to, when being in engagement with an external trapezoid thread (17b) on the second part of the driving shaft, be able to drive the winch drum in said first direction with a higher gear than the gear, by which the gear wheel (35) can drive the winch drum (2) directly or indirectly, whereby the force or the torque, by which the gear wheel (35) in spite of this is driven, is released by means of one or more one-way couplings including one or the first one-way coupling (35a) and a first back stop (60) .

8. Line winch according to Claim 1,

c h a r a c t e i z e d i n

that the driving element (15) comprised in the second cone coupling (15, 19A) can be released by means of an inside the shaft (5) arranged carrier device (15a, 15b, 15c), which can be operated by means of a pin (44) arranged in the crank (V) .

9. Line winch according to Claim 8,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that the trapezoid thread (16, 16a) of the first cone coupling (27, 29) has a pitch angle which is larger than the angle, at which it is self-blocking .

10. Line winch according to Claim 8,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n

that the trapezoid thread (17a, 17b) of the second cone coupling (15, 19A) has a pitch angle which is larger than the angle, at which it is self-blocking.