Abstract:
An improved driving device ( 10 ) for the traction of cables or chains, in particular a device ( 1 ) for driving electric anchor winches ( 15 ), electric winches or windlasses ( 24 ), which are able to drive boat or ship anchors.

Description:
The present application claims priority to Italian Patent Application Serial No. MI2000A001105, filed May 18, 2000 and PCT/EP01/05703, filed May 16, 2001. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a improved driving device for the traction of cables or chains, usable in particular to drive electric anchor winches, electric winches or windlasses. 
     Anchor winches are used to operate the anchors of boats and ships; they may be of the vertical-axis (capstan) or horizontal-axis (windlass) type, and are usually driven by an electric or hydraulic motor. The chain or cable is wound for about half a turn round the “wildcat” of the winch and then descends into the chain locker; in addition to the wildcat, the motor activates a barrel designed to operate the cables, which is positioned on the same axis as the wildcat in the case of capstan winches and on an axis with equal or faster rotation in the case of windlasses. 
     The wildcat is connected to the drive shaft by a mechanical coupling, the insertion of which is facilitated by a clutch; in order to control the movement of the wildcat when it remains idle, a band brake is fitted to reduce the descent speed of the anchor and cut off the motor, if necessary. 
     In addition, the direction of rotation of the motor can always be reversed and, in the case of windlasses, the anchors can even be operated one at a time, by uncoupling the wildcat of the anchor which is not to be moved, and locking it with the brake. Winches are usually proportioned to weigh the two anchors simultaneously and break out (release from the sea bed, by reference to a conventional depth of two chain shackles) one anchor at a time. Anchor winches are usually driven by electric motors, commonly regulated by the Ward-Leonard system, electronic systems or the like, in order to reduce speed at the time of breaking out. 
     Alternatively, purely electric winches are used for traction which are fitted with a directly coupled electric motor that forms a single assembly with the winch. In this case, coupling for low powers is effected by mounting a sprocket wheel on the drive shaft, while for high powers, a flexible coupling is fitted, the outer band of which acts as a brake pulley; the direction is reversed by automatic control or remote controls using contactors. 
     The operating mechanism of each winch comprises a set of safety devices (ratchet gears, automatic brakes) which prevent spontaneous rotation and unwinding of cables or chains under the action of the load when the drive action ceases. 
     In any event, the electrical circuit which powers conventional winches is always complex, especially because the battery of the boat, which is normally located dozens of metres from the anchor winch, needs to be connected both to the winch motor (electric or hydraulic) and to its drive relays. 
     In addition, as ancillary drive controls (such as a lever or pedal control) are generally used, together with other service devices (length sensors and pushbutton panels with length counters) and emergency devices, the installation of the entire electrical operating circuit obviously becomes increasingly complicated due to the large number of connection cables and the special features of the various connections to be made. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of this invention is therefore to provide an improved driving device for the traction of cables or chains with eliminates the drawbacks mentioned above, i.e., provides a safe drive device which is easy to install at very low cost, compared with conventional drive devices. 
     Another object of this invention is to make a improved driving device for the traction of cables or chains, in particular for driving anchor winches, electric winches or windlasses, which does not need to be assembled by particularly skilled personnel. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a improved driving device for the traction of cables or chains which allows the use of shorter connections than conventional devices, thus reducing voltage drops along the route of the electric wiring. 
     Last but not least, the object of this invention is to provide a improved driving device for the traction of cables or chains, in particular to drive anchor winches, electric winches or windlasses, which is simple and cheap to make, using simple technologies and relatively inexpensive raw materials and components, while using the same accessories and emergency devices as known drive devices. 
     These and other purposes are achieved by a improved driving device for traction of cables or chains usable to drive electric anchor winches ( 15 ), electric winches ( 24 ) or windlasses, which are suitable to drive at least one boat or ship anchor, of the type comprising at least one power source ( 40 ) which supplies energy via first connection cables (P) to at least one motor ( 23 A,  23 B), and at least one control unit ( 52 ,  53 ) or display unit ( 54 ) which is connected to said motor ( 23 A,  23 B) via second connector cables (S), which said motor ( 23 A,  23 B) is also connected to at least one anchor drive unit ( 45 ,  46 ), wherein said drive units ( 45 ,  46 ) are located inside said motor ( 23 B) of said anchor winches ( 15 ), electric winches ( 24 ) or windlasses. 
     Advantageously, the device to which this invention relates produces a far higher winch descent speed than conventional devices, and an ascent speed which is independent of the weight of the anchor and the length of chain released. In particular, the “free-fall” effect, which is very dangerous for users, is eliminated, and there is no need for crew members to go to the bow to release the anchor quickly; in addition, better control during the operations makes the drive system highly reliable and eliminates the risk that the deck of the boat will be damaged by the anchor if it is weighed too fast. The simpler assembly, which is the main feature of this invention, also relates to ancillary units such as the length sensor of the anchor winch, which can be installed in a protected area rather than on the exterior, directly on the wildcat, as in the case of existing devices; as a result, this delicate electronic unit does not need to come into contact with the seawater normally raised by the winch chain. 
     Finally, this invention offers immediate operation and more precise measurement of the number of turns of the chain, as this parameter is measured prior to the reduction gear. 
     Other ancillary and emergency units allow the anchor to be weighed even in the event of malfunction of the ascent contactor, provide additional controls, signal critical situations of the motor and allow the connection of remote controls to the motor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The characteristics and advantages of a improved driving device for the traction of cables and chains, in particular for driving anchor winches, electric winches or windlasses, in accordance with this invention, will become even clearer from the following description, which relates to a form of embodiment illustrated by way of example but not of limitation by reference to the schematic drawings annexed, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a windlass of known type. 
         FIGS. 1A-1F  schematically represent the front and side views of three electric winches now in production. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the wiring diagram of an improved driving device for the traction of cables and chains, of known type. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the wiring diagram of an improved driving device for the traction of cables and chains, in particular for driving anchor winches, electric winches or windlasses, designed to operate boat or ship anchors, in accordance with this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With particular reference to FIGS.  1  and  1 A- 1 F, no.  12  generically indicates a chain designed to wind for about half a turn around the wildcat  14  and then descend into the chain locker, while  16  indicates a barrel which serves to drive the cables, which is positioned on the same axis as wildcat  14  and driven by the same (electric or hydraulic) motor that drives winch  15 . No.  18  indicates a series of cable fixing rings,  20  a gear casing,  22  a drum,  23  a directly coupled electric motor which forms a single assembly with electric winch  24 ,  26  a rear gear casing,  28  a connector casing,  30  a brake and  32  a speed changer designed to rotate wildcat  14  around which is wound chain  13 , which is attached to the anchors. 
     With special reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bold lines marked P generically indicate power cables, while the thinner lines marked S generically indicate cables destined to connect service units; these figures refer specifically to anchor winch drives of the type shown in FIGS.  1 A- 1 F and indicated as no.  15 , in which the (electric or hydraulic) motor is usually located outside the anchor-weighing unit as described above; however, this invention is equally applicable to electric winches  24  ( FIG. 1 ) in which electric motor  23  is directly connected to the anchor-weighing unit. In particular, in  FIG. 2 , no.  40  indicates a storage battery which powers the drive device, the positive and negative poles of which are indicated as  41  and  42  respectively, while  23 A indicates an electric motor,  43  and  44  the positive and negative terminals of the electric motor,  45  and  46  the up and down anchor drive relays respectively, and  47  and  48  the connector terminals of power lines P and service lines S respectively. Finally, no.  49  indicates a length sensor device,  50  an emergency relay,  51  a thermomagnetic switch which indicates overheating of the system,  52  generically indicates a lever control of anchor winch  15 ,  53  a pedal control, and  54  a service pushbutton panel with built-in length-counter device  55 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a drive device in accordance with this invention, generically indicated as no.  10 , in which the reference numbers equal to those shown in  FIG. 2  indicate the same components, as those shown in  FIG. 2 , which perform the same functions. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , storage battery  40  is connected to terminals  43 ,  44  of motor  23 B, which may be electric or hydraulic, solely via power cables P, which extend for a length ranging between 10 and 50 meters, while drive relays or contactors  45 ,  46  are wholly incorporated in motor  23 B, so that further units  52 ,  53  and  54  can be connected to motor  23 B merely by connecting them to the corresponding predefined outputs of terminal  60 . 
     For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned, by way of example but not of limitation, that the drive units used in the device may consist of relays, contactors, MOS units or “four-quadrant” units. 
     The fact that the drive devices are incorporated inside motor  23 B is particularly advantageous for installers, because it is sufficient to insert the terminals of the various control units  52 ,  53  and ancillary units  54 ,  55  in the predefined positions of terminal  60 , with no need to make numerous connections or to devote great attention to the wiring. 
     In this case, to ensure correct installation, it is sufficient to power the device by connecting terminals  41 ,  42  of battery  40  with power cables P to terminals  43 ,  44  of motor  23 B in the correct polarity, and then connect service cables S to common terminal  60  which is designed for the connection of remote controls; as a result, the entire wiring system is greatly simplified, and can therefore be performed by the boat manufacturer with no need for highly skilled personnel. 
     All this also means a considerable, advantageous reduction in manufacturing and running costs (because wiring costs are eliminated), immediate operation, and an equally advantageous reduction in the voltage drops (amounting to some  3 - 4  volts out of the available total of 12 volts) which can occur in the connector cables, since the wires are much shorter than in conventional drive devices. 
     Another highly advantageous technical feature of the drive device in accordance with the invention is that length sensor  49  is incorporated inside motor  23 B; this again means a substantial reduction in the assembly costs of sensor  49  and the associated wiring compared with known devices, and simpler assembly of sensor  49  which, in the case of this invention, is installed in a very safe position, unlike the prior art, according to which sensor  49  is usually positioned outside motor  23 A, directly on wildcat  14  of anchor winch  15 , and therefore exposed to the seawater usually raised by chain  12 . As a result, immediate operation is obtained, together with more precise measurement by sensor  49 , which is based on the number of revolutions prior to reduction gear  32 . 
     In addition, an emergency device  50 A is installed inside motor  23 B instead of the conventional external relay, indicated as no.  50  in FIG.  2 . This emergency device  50 A compensates for any breakdowns of device  10 , and in particular possible malfunctions of ascent contactor  45 , so as to constitute an additional anchor-weighing control if such malfunctions should occur. As already mentioned, in addition to anchor winch  15 , the device to which this invention relates can be applied to an electric winch  24 ; in this case, as the anchor-weighing device is directly connected to electric operating motor  23 , the same advantages as provided by this invention will be obtained, obviously in the same way, by incorporating the drives directly inside the anchor-weighing device and installing minimal connecting wiring between the drives and electric motor  23  of winch  24 .