Abstract:
A winch driven by a rotatable cassette. The cassette can be rotated into multiple different positions. Each of the addition positions produces a different speed up the output for a cable.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/256,587, filed Oct. 30, 2009, the entire contents of which are herewith incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Winches can be used to move various objects and scenery, especially in a stage environment. 
         [0003]    When used in a stage environment, the conditions of the stage may dictate the conditions under which the device can be used. Therefore, it can be useful to have a device which can be easily configured between different speeds and forms of operation. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An embodiment describes a reconfigurable winch which has a number of different features. 
         [0005]    One embodiment uses a reconfigurable or replaceable drive cassette which has different characteristics. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a front on view of the winch; 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show respectively side and top views of the winch showing the different parts within the winch; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A-4D  show the different winch configurations. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5A-5C  shows a close-up detail of the chain driving cassette. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    The “workhouse” deck winch as described herein has aspects making it operational specifically for the live entertainment “Broadway” market. This winch has a unique feature of a configurable chain cassette transmission that allows multiple different speeds and, e.g., seven varied speeds and line pulls to be changed quickly in the field. 
         [0011]    In  FIG. 1 , a removable cassette  99  is provided. More generally, the cassette can be any kind of configurable device with multiple different movable items, that are connected rotatably together, and where any of those movable items can be driven and any of those movable items can drive a load. Here the load is the cable holder. In this embodiment, the cassette is chain driven, with four different rotational roller chain sprockets  161 ,  162 ,  163  and  164 , and with a roller chain  181  extending between the roller chain sprockets. Rotating any of the roller chain sprockets causes the others to rotate through the action of the roller chain that is coupled therebetween. 
         [0012]    Each of the four different movable items, here sprockets for the chain, has a different radius. The radius of the sprocket  164  is smaller than the radius of the sprocket  161  which is smaller than sprocket  163  which is correspondingly smaller than sprocket  162 . Each of the movable items has a same format connection, here shown as a square that mates with a square shank. In the embodiment, the motor/gear assembly has an output piece that is a square shank, and the cable spool  100  also has a square shank, so that any of the items can mate with any of the spockets. 
         [0013]    A motor brake can also mate with the shanks, allowing a braking function. 
         [0014]    The cassette is also movable into a number of different positions. The cassette has four “edges”; any of which can be attached to the motor and drive assembly to receive rotational force therefrom. For example, in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , the sprocket  164  receives the rotational force. However, the cassette can be rotated counterclockwise by 90° in order to place the sprocket  161  in the location where it receives the rotational force. The cassette  99  also has two different sides which can be differently geared. By removing the cassette and rotating it (90/180/270) and rotating it to the two different sides, the speed and hence line pull of the winch can be changed through these different sprocket combinations. 
         [0015]    There are eight possible positions for the cassette, but one repeat due to the one-to-one chain drive, so there are seven possible speed and pull combinations. 
         [0016]    The cable itself which can be extended and retracted is held on a cable spool  100  that is coupled to the sprocket  163 . A cable keeper  102  provides a variable amount of pressure against the cable  101  that is wound on the cable spool  100 . A motor  110  is connected to a gearbox  115  which may be a 44.5 to 1 gearbox that provides driving power to the cassette  99 . 
         [0017]    The sprocket  162  is connected to the shaft  120  that itself is connected via a belt  125  to a feedback subassembly roller  130  that monitors the amount of movement of the chain  181 . 
         [0018]    The winch includes one tensioning sheave  141 , and a reconfigurable outrigger sheave subassembly  140 . 
         [0019]    The outrigger sheave subassembly includes three different locations where the sheave can be located. This includes an upper location  150 , a lower location  152  which is directly opposite to the upper location and can hold a second sheave beyond the one in the upper location, and a central rear location  151 . 
         [0020]    The tensioner sheave is mounted on one or more Acme screws shown as  142  that control the speed and operation of tensioning. The Acme screws are connected to rotate in synchronism with the driving of the cable device. The Acme screws operate to move the tensioner sheave by an amount that is synchronized to the degree of payout of the cable off of the cable holder  100 . As more cable pays off of the cable holder  100 , the tensioner sheave appropriately moves to compensate for the different location of the cable payout. The sheaves on the acme screw thus become walking sheaves which move in synchronism with the amount of payout of the cable. 
         [0021]    Note that all of the motor  110 , the cable cassette  100 , and the drum  120  include substantially square slots such as  121  at a location of an axis of rotation. This allows connecting these two corresponding slots to the motor so that any of these can become the driven sprocket, as described herein. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a side view of the unit, from the left side as shown in  FIG. 1 . Note that this shows the motor and the different sheaves  140 ,  141  along a central axis of the housing of the winch. The cassette  99  is in the very front of the winch, connected to the motor and gear assembly, and also connected to the drum  120  and cable keeper  100 .  FIG. 2B  shows a view from the top, also showing all of these parts. 
         [0023]    One advantage of this device is the large number of configurations in which it can be used.  FIGS. 3A-4B  show a number of these different configurations. In each of these figures, the cable “cassette”  99  has been removed so that the path of the different cables can be more easily seen. 
         [0024]    In a first configuration shown in  FIG. 3A , the cable  301  travels around the drum  120  then at  302  around a second side of the outrigger sheave  140 , past the tensioning sheave  141 . The cable finally emerges from the right side relative to the figure as  301 . This uses two different sheaves, with the outrigger sheave mounted in the central most location  151  and the tensioning sheave mounted as conventional. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3B  shows use of a single sheave, where the cable  305  travels only around the tensioner sheave  141 , and no outrigger sheave at all is provided. The cables still emerges in the same location as in  FIG. 3B  as  306 , but this time without an outrigger sheave. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3   c  also shows use of two sheaves, with the cable  310  traveling around the tensioner sheave  141  first then traveling around the outrigger sheave  140  finally emerging as  311  facing down in the direction of the figure.  FIG. 3D  shows the cable being wound around only the single outrigger sheave  140 . In this embodiment, the outrigger sheave is in the bottom shift holding location. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4A  shows a configuration where the cable  401  travels around the tensioning sheave,  141  then around the outrigger sheave, and emerges at the side of the winch shown as  410 .  FIG. 4B  shows a three sheave assembly, where the cable which uses dual cables, one cable emerging in the upper direction as  420  and the other going in the downward direction as  421 . In this embodiment, there are two sheaves in the top and bottom holders.  FIG. 4C  shows cable going around the one tensioning sheave  141  then pass the outrigger sheave and emerging upward.  FIG. 4C  shows the cable emerging upward as  430 .  FIG. 4D  shows the cable also going upward as  440  with only the single outrigger sheave being used. 
         [0028]    More generally, the sheaves can be either inside the winch or stick out as needed. Whe shaft detents into notches depending on which way the cable is pulling on the sheaves. 
         [0029]    The chain drive assembly shown as  99  in  FIG. 1 , and is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C.  FIG. 5A  shows the front on view of the chain drive cassette. The cassette has for different rollers  520 ,  530 ,  550  and  560 . Each of the rollers is connected by the chain  540 . The roller  530  receives the power from the gearbox of the motor assembly attaches to the driven element  530 , based on the attachment to the motor gear assembly. This can be connected, for example, using a square shaft placed through the shaft hole  531  and correspondingly placed into the motors gear assembly  115 . This drives the chain  540  that extends past the tensioner assembly  521  which has a pulley wheel  522  attached to a tensioning connector  523  that can be selectively tightened and loosened to extend the pulley wheel to tighten or loosen the chain. The chain itself can be number  60  roller link chain  104  links, and in the embodiment the roller chain is 78.75 inches long. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5A  illustrates how the cassette unit  99  includes a perimeter area  545  with a number of mounting holes  546 . This enables the cassette to be quickly mounted and replaced on the winch unit. The cassette is mounted towards an outer periphery of the device so that it can be easily removed and rotated 
         [0031]    Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example other configurations for other applications are possible. 
         [0032]    Also, the inventor intends that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. 
         [0033]    Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed. 
         [0034]    The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.