Abstract:
A winch operated hoist has a first elongated vertical member is operatively attached at a lower end thereof to a frame. A second elongated vertical member telescopically disposed in the first elongated member. A third elongated member operatively attached to a top end of the second elongated member, the third elongated member being perpendicular to the second elongated member, the third elongated member being operatively pivotally disposed with respect to the first elongated member about a substantially vertical axis. Using a series of idler pulleys, over which a cable of the winch is trained, the second elongated member telescopes up to raise a load higher than it could be lifted using prior art technology.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to hoists and more particularly to a winch operated hoist. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Hoists of various kinds are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,675 to Compton shows a winch operated hoist of a type designed to attach to a vehicle receiver hitch. The distance that a load to be lifted in this type of a device is limited by the length of a vertical post that extends upwardly, though Compton uses a two piece vertical post that permits the length of the vertical post to be adjustable by manually telescoping the inside post up and pinning it to a desired height using holes in the two piece post and using a pin through aligned holes in the adjusting process. This manual adjusting process is manageable but with one person may be difficult to lift the inside post to align the holes in the inner and outer tubes and then placing a pin through the aligned holes. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, there is a need for a more automatic way to provide a hoist of the Compton type which does not require manual adjusting of the main vertical post in order to lift a load higher than the length of the main vertical post of the hoist. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the method and apparatus described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a hoist constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in preparation for lifting a load; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view, like  FIG. 1 , but showing the hoist having lifted the load through a first stage; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view, like  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but showing a second stage of lifting from  FIG. 2  wherein a second elongated tube member is caused to move up due to a winch and idler pulley system, showing partial movement upwardly of the inner elongated tube in solid lines and even more movement upwardly of the inner elongated is shown in dashed lines as the winch is used to wrap more cable onto the reel thereof and also shows in dashed lines pivoting a horizontal beam by one hundred and eighty degrees; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken at the circle  4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken at the circle  5  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken at the circle  6  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view like  FIG. 3  in the raised and pivoted position in dashed lines, and showing the load being lowered by letting the cable unwind off of the reel of the winch. 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is an exploded cross sectional view similar to the cross sectional view of  FIG. 6  to show the details of how a bushing is used to allow the horizontal third beam to pivot about a vertical axis; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8A  is a view taken along line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 8B  is a view taken along line  8 B- 8 B of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Elements in the Figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the Figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a hoist  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. A frame  11  is shown telescoping into a receiver hitch tube  12  of a vehicle  13  in the conventional way a ball hitch would be attached to the receiver  12  of a vehicle  13 , using a pin  12   a  that passes through aligned holes in the receiver  12  and frame  11  to hold the frame  11  securely attached to the vehicle  13 . 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , a first elongated steel tube member  14  is rigidly attached to the frame  11  and has a second elongated steel tube member  15  telescopingly disposed inside of the first elongated steel tube member  14 . A third elongated steel member  16 , which is preferably a U-shaped member but can be of other configurations, is pivotally mounted to the top of the second elongated steel tube member  15  via a bushing  17  as can best be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . This allows the elongated steel U-shaped member  16  to pivot about a vertical axis between the two positions shown in  FIG. 3  in dashed lines and can in fact pivot three hundred sixty five degrees about the vertical axis of tube  15 . 
         [0018]    An electric winch  20  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and  7  is operatively attached to the frame  11 , or to the first elongated steel tube member  14 , or both. This winch  20  does not need to be electrically operated, but could be operated with a hand crank or hydraulically, for example. The winch  20  has a reel  21  shown in dashed lines. The reel  21  is shown rotatable about a horizontal axis. One end of a cable  22  is attached to the reel  22  of the winch  20 . The other end of the cable  22  has a hook  23  attached thereto. 
         [0019]    The cable  22  of the winch  20  is trained over an idler pulley  30  that is rotatably attached to the top of the first elongated steel tube member  14 , then under a second idler pulley  31  that is rotatably attached to the bottom of the second elongated steel tube member  15 . The cable  22  is then trained over the top of a third idler pulley  32 , the third idler pulley  32  being rotatably attached to the third elongated member  16  and then over a second idler pulley  33  that is also rotatably attached to the third elongated steel member  16 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 6 ,  8  and  8 B show an outer bushing  35  welded or otherwise fastened rigidly to the inner steel tube  15 . An inner bushing  36  has an intermediate annular flange  36   f  between a top cylindrical part  36   t  and a bottom cylindrical part  36   b.  The bottom cylindrical part  36   b  of the inner bushing  36  slides into the outer bushing  35  so it can rotate with respect to the outer bushing The upper part of the inner bushing  36   t  slides into a notch formed in the horizontal arm  16  and the flange  36   f  is welded or otherwise fastened to the horizontal arm  16  as can be seen by weld  36   w  in  FIG. 6  so that the inner bushing is fixed with respect to arm  16  and can pivot with respect to the outer bushing  35  to allow the horizontal arm  16  to pivot about a vertical axis coincident with the vertical axis of in inner bushing  36  and the outer bushing  35 . 
         [0021]    In operation the winch  20  would be used to attach to a load  40  by letting out enough cable  22  so the hoist  10  would be in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1  with the third elongated steel member/arm  16  effectively in abutment with the top of the first elongated steel tube member  14  though the actual structure at this joint is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . 
         [0022]    Then the winch  20  is used to wind the cable  22  onto the reel  21  as shown in  FIG. 2  to lift the load  40  until the hook  23  hits the idler pulley  33  at the free end of the elongated steel member/arm  16 . 
         [0023]    Continuing to use the winch  20  by using the electronic switch controller  24  shown in  FIG. 3  to wind cable  22  onto the reel from the position shown in  FIG. 2  will cause the load  40  to continue to move upwardly as shown in  FIG. 3  because the cable  22  will force the lower idler pulley  31  to move upwardly as the cable  22  is shortened, thereby forcing the inner tube  15  and elongated steel member/arm  16  upwardly first to the intermediate position shown in solid lines in  FIG. 3 , and, with continued reeling in of the cable  22  will cause the load  40  to move upwardly to the dashed lined position shown in  FIG. 3 , on the left side of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0024]    It is noted that a stop block  39  rigidly attached to the inner tube  15  will abut the upper idler pulley  30  as the inner tube  15  moves upwardly and the inner tube  15  will stop moving upwardly once the stop block hits the idler pulley  30  corresponding to the extreme upper position of the inner tube  15  and horizontal arm  16  shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 3 . Once the load  40  is at that extreme top position shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 3 , the elongated steel member/arm  16  can be pivoted by hand to the right side position shown in  FIG. 3  if desired to drop the load  40  on the right side of the inner and outer tubes  15  and  14  respectively, or at any pivoted position 360 degrees around the vertical axis of the bushings  35  and  36  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 .) 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  shows that slowly unwinding the cable  22  from the winch  20  will allow the load  40  to be lowered as much as is desired, for example to a top of the vehicle, not shown. The entire operation can then be repeated with a second load  40  by reversing and then repeating the process just explained above, i.e. raise the hook  23 , manually pivoting the elongated steel member/arm  16  to the  FIG. 3  position, lowering the elongated steel member/arm  16  to the  FIG. 1  position, hooking on the new load  40 , etc. 
         [0026]      FIG. 8B  shows how member  35  is welded to tubular member  15  at weld  35   w.    
         [0027]    It is to be understood that the present invention  10  can be used in other places than just attached to the receiver hitch  12  of a vehicle  13 . For example the invention  10  is quite useful at construction sites where materials need to be moved to one or more higher levels or stories of a building and is extremely useful for constructing log homes where the logs need to be lifted from a truck to the elevated locations where needed. The hoist  10  can be moved from one level of a log home under construction to the next higher level as the home is being built until it is at the roof level where roofing materials can also be elevated until all of the parts of the building or home have been lifted to the height needed for such construction project. 
         [0028]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept. As one illustrative example in these regards, the aforementioned substrate  200  can be molded to include some or all of the aforementioned channels. As another illustrative example in these regards, the aforementioned algorithm can be normalized as desired over a given length or total range and can be customized for essentially any angle, frequency, or line spacing as may be desired.