Device for weighing lines and/or ropes

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device (1) for hauling in lines and/or ropes comprising a motive wheel (2), coupled with a hub (5) for the connection with driving means, a driven wheel (3), coaxially placed with respect to said motive wheel (2), thrust ring means (11), provided on said connection hub (5), coupled with said driven wheel (3) in such a way to be movable with respect to the motive wheel (2), and position adjustment means (6), for regulating the position of said thrust ring means (11) with respect to the motive wheel (2).

Description: The present invention relates to a device for weighing lines and/or ropes. More specifically, the invention concerns a device of the above kind which allows a valid use both in the mercantile navy field and in the recreation marine field. All the device of this kind presently known have a very complicated structure, said structure negatively influencing the intervention speed when it is necessary, for example when the boat run aground. In fact, the known solutions do not allow to recover the lines and/or ropes without their damaging. As already said, said systems do not allow the recovery of lines and ropes without the consequent damaging since the line is inserted within the cone-shaped groove and removed by a crawling body without ensuring a good grip in case the tension is reduced. Further, said systems are not useful in case of anchorage in deep depth since warping bells are used, upon which the lines are wound by some turns and manually maintained under tension until the final recovery, such a solution requiring very high physical energies. It is well known that all the boat users are helped by devices of this kind that allows to avoid the physical work and to remarkably reduce the time necessary for recovering the lines and or ropes. The solution proposed according to the present invention allows to optimise the already existing devices, overcoming their drawbacks and therefore allowing a much more fast recovery and far more reduced work for the user. These devices are used for the recovery of anchors, anchor logs, ecc. EP-A-0 172 975 describes a device according to the precharacterizing part of claim 1 of the present application. The solution proposed according to the invention does not make modifications, slipping or breakage of the lines and/or ropes, with all the deriving advantages. Furthermore, the device according to the invention allows a very fast recovery of many hundred meters of line and/or rope having any diameter since it can immediately conform to any diameter with the maximum safety conditions, without the risk that the line can be damaged. Another object of the present invention is that of providing a device that can be employed with the existing winches, either electrically or hydraulically powered winches, having any power or of any model, or with autonomously powered winches. It is therefore a specific object of the present invention a device for weighing lines and/or ropes comprising a motive wheel coupled with a hub for the connection with driving means, a driven wheel, coaxially placed with respect to said motive wheel thrust ring means, provided on said connection hub, coupled with said driven wheel in such a way to be movable with respect to the motive wheel, and position adjustment means, for regulating the position of said thrust means with respect to the motive wheel, characterized in that the coupling between said thrust ring means and said driven wheel is realized by a plurality of pins on each of said pins an outer spring being coaxially provided and acting on one end on the thrust means and on the other end on the motive wheel in order to keep the upper part of the motive wheel driven wheel assembly and opening the lower part of the same. Preferably, according to the invention, said driving means can be comprised of the motor of a pre-existing winch, or of a specific motor for the device according to the invention. Further, the coupling between said motive wheel and said driven wheel is preferably realised by a step provided on said motive wheel, said step coupling in said driven wheel and having such sizes to always provide a support for the line or rope in any position of the motive wheel with respect to the driven wheel. Still according to the invention, said thrust ring means are coupled with said driven wheel by a plurality of pins, preferably between 4 and 12, passing through corresponding seats realised through said motive wheel, on each one of said pins an outer spring being coaxially provided, and said seats having a substantially conical shape, said conical shape widening toward the ring means. Furthermore, according to the invention, said adjustment means provide an element provided on said hub, said element having on one side a contrastinging roll acting on said ring means and mounted idle on said element, and on the other side means for fixing the position. The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to one of its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figure of the enclosed drawing showing a section view of the device for weighing lines and/or ropes according to the invention. Observing the figure, it can be noted that the device 1 comprises a motive wheel 2 and a driven wheel 3. Said motive wheel 2 is connected by bearings 5 to a hub 5, said hub 5 being coupled with the motor (not shown), that can be the motor of a pre-existing winch or a specific motor for the device 1 according to the invention. An adjustment support is mounted on said hub 5, toward the motive wheel 2, said support 6 having a contrasting roll 7 mounted in such a way to be able to rotate idle with respect to the support 6 by the coupling pin 8 and the bearings 9. The position of the adjustment support 6 on the hub 5 is adjusted by the fixing pin 10. Always on said hub 5 a thrust ring 11 is provided, said contrasting roll 7 acting by rolling from below on said ring, said ring 11 being coupled with said driven wheel 3 by a plurality of pins 12 upon which it is coaxially provided a contrasting spring 13. Said coupling pins between the driven wheel 12 and the thrust ring 11 pass through conical seats 14 realised in said motive wheel 2. The motive wheel 2 has a step 15 in correspondence of its coupling with said driven wheel 3, having such sizes and shape to always provide a support for the line or rope to be weighed. Acting on the adjustment support the position and the opening of the driven wheel to free the line are determined. The particular shape of the conical seats 14 allows that the thrust ring 11 is movable with respect to the motive wheel 2, so that during the working of the device 1 according to the invention, it will tend, by said springs, to keep the upper part of the motive wheel 2 - driven wheel 3 assembly. instead opening the lower part. In this way the above mentioned results are obtained, being it possible to rapidly recover a line, without any damaging of the same. As it can be easily understood from the above, the device according to the present invention allows to make the recovery at high speed without damaging the lines and/or ropes, with extremely safe conditions during the recovery. Furthermore, a reduction of the accidents for the worker is obtained, the worker even working without any physical effort. The device described is furthermore extremely cheap and easy to be mounted, and can also be provided, as already said, also on pre-existing winches having any kind of powering system. Its structure allows a high assembly flexibility on the basis of the sizes and the features of the boat since the wheel can be provided in a vertical position, in a horizontal position or inclined. Furthermore, it allows a high easy of manoeuvring in case of running aground and reduction of the average costs of the fishing in view of the lower hands necessary and higher execution speed. The present invention has been described for illustrative, but not limitative purposes according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims: Device (1) for weighing lines and/or ropes comprising a motive wheel (2) coupled with a hub (5) for the connection with driving means, a driven wheel (3), coaxially placed with respect to said motive wheel (2), thrust ring means (11), provided on said connection hub (5), coupled with said driven wheel (3) in such a way to be movable with respect to the motive wheel (2), and position adjustment means (6), for regulating the position of said thrust means (11) with respect to the motive wheel (2), characterized in that the coupling between said thrust ring means (11) and said driven wheel (3) is realized by a plurality of pins (12), on each of said pins an outer spring (13) being coaxially provided and acting on one end on the thrust ring means and on the other end on the motive wheel in order to keep the upper part of the motive wheel (2) driven wheel (3) assembly and opening the lower part of the same. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said driving means are comprised of the motor of a pre-existing winch. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said driving means are comprised of a specific motor for the device. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling between said motive wheel (2) and said driven wheel (3) is realized by a step (15) provided on said motive wheel (2), said step (15) coupling in said driven wheel (3) and having such sizes to always provide a support for the line or rope in any position of the motive wheel (2) with respect to the driven wheel (3). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said thrust ring means (11) are coupled with said driven wheel (3) by a plurality of pins (12) passing through corresponding seats (14) realized through said motive wheel (2), on each one of said pins (12) an outer spring (13) being coaxially provided, and said seats (14) having a substantially conical shape, said conical shape widening toward the ring means. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said pins (12) are between 4 and 12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said adjustment means (6) provide an element provided on said hub (5), said element having on side a contrasting roll acting on said ring means and mounted idle on said element, and on the other side means for fixing the position.

Inventors: MANCA DOMENICO, VADO GIOVANNI ANTONIO, MANCA, DOMENICO, VADO, GIOVANNI ANTONIO
Applicants: MANCA DOMENICO, VADO GIOVANNI ANTONIO, MANCA, DOMENICO, VADO, GIOVANNI ANTONIO
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B66D1
IPC codes: B66D1