Abstract:
The present device is a combination winch attachment and a winch winding shaft end wherein the winch attachment including a body for demountably attaching to the shaft end, the winch attachment further including a mechanism for releaseably securing the body to the shaft end thereby placing the winch attachment in an engaged position wherein the winch attachment and shaft end rotate in unison, and the winch attachment further including a coupling mechanism for receiving rotational forces to the body, such that the body in turn rotates the shaft end when the winch attachment is in the engaged position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention claims priority from previously filed provisional application filed on Sep. 13, 2007 application No. 60/971,948 inventor George Schmidt under the title; Winch Attachment. The present device relates to winches and in particular relates to a winch attachment. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently many winches have a winch pipe which is used to turn the winch mechanism of the winch. The winch pipe end usually contains an aperture which can either be a round hole or a slot configuration through which a crowbar and/or other type of bar is placed in order to turn the winch pipe, which in turn turns the winch mechanism. This type of winch is particularly prevalent on tractor trailers, wherein numerous winches are normally attached to the outer edges of the trailer for strapping down material which is being transported on the trailer. Flatbed truck trailers, in particular use winches for winching straps that are used to secure the load to the flatbed trailer. The present device is a winch attachment which fits onto the end of the winch pipe end of currently existing winches. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In combination a winch attachment and a winch winding shaft end comprising;
         a) the winch attachment including a body for demountably attaching to the shaft end;   b) the winch attachment including a means for releaseably securing the body to the shaft end thereby placing the winch attachment in an engaged position wherein the winch attachment and shaft end rotate in unison;   c) the winch attachment including a coupling means for receiving rotational forces to the body, such that the body in turn rotates the shaft end when the winch attachment is in the engaged position.       

     Preferably the body being cylindrical and the shaft end being cylindrical. 
     Preferably wherein the winch attachment dimensioned to slide onto the shaft end and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, such that in the disengaged position the winch attachment and shaft end are no longer secured together and are free to rotate independently. 
     Preferably wherein the securing means including a pivot arm pivoting between a closed position when the winch attachment in the engaged position and the pivot arm pivoting to an open position when the winch attachment in a disengaged position. 
     Preferably wherein the winch attachment including a longitudinally oriented slot defined in the body for receiving the pivot arm therein. 
     Preferably wherein pivot arm pivotally attached to the body with a transversely mounted pin mounted in a pin aperture defined in the body. 
     Preferably wherein the pivot arm including and a perpendicularly downwardly depending finger rigidly attached to the pivot arm such that in the closed position the finger engages with the shaft end thereby ensuring the body and shaft end rotate in unison. 
     Preferably wherein the shaft end including an aperture for receiving the finger therein thereby placing the winch attachment in the engaged position. 
     Preferably wherein in the open position the finger disengages from the shaft end allowing the body and shaft end to rotate independently. 
     Preferably wherein the winch attachment further including a magnet for maintaining the pivot arm in the open position. 
     Preferably wherein the pivot arm further including a magnet for maintaining the pivot arm in the open position. 
     Preferably wherein the magnet is mounted in the pivot arm such that in the open position the magnet is proximate magnetic material thereby maintaining the pivot arm in the open position, wherein in the closed position the magnet is pivoted away from nearby magnetically attractive material and does not affect the positioning of the pivot arm. 
     Preferably wherein the pivot arm including a bottom surface and the shaft end including a pipe end edge, wherein urging the body over the shaft end causes contact between the pipe end edge and pivot arm bottom surface thereby urging pivot arm to pivot from the open position to the closed position. 
     Preferably wherein the coupling means including a transversely mounted bracket attached to a rear face of the body, the bracket including an inner side which abuts against a portion of the pivot arm. 
     Preferably wherein the pivot arm including an open face with a magnet mounted flush there with such that the open face makes abutting contact with the inner side of the bracket when the pivot arm is in the open position thereby the magnetic attraction maintaining the pivot arm in the open position. 
     Preferably wherein the pivot arm including a closed face dimensioned to abut against the inner side of the bracket when the pivot arm is in the closed position. 
     Preferably wherein the coupling means including a transversely mounted bracket and including a centrally located opening dimensioned to receive a drive socket therein. 
     Preferably wherein the centrally located opening preferably being a square aperture dimensioned to receive a male square drive end. 
     Preferably wherein in the closed position the pivot arm is oriented such that the pivot arm cannot pivot to the open position unless the winch attachment is first urged longitudinally off of the shaft end. 
     Preferably wherein in the closed position the pivot arm bottom surface is oriented parallel along the shaft end outer diameter such that the pivot arm cannot pivot to the open position unless the winch attachment is first urged longitudinally off of the shaft end. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an end perspective view of the present device, a winch attachment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the winch attachment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of a winch pipe together with a winch attachment. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a winch pipe having a winch attachment partially mounted thereon. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial schematic perspective view of a winch pipe having a winch attachment mounted thereon. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial side cross sectional view of a winch pipe shown in the engaged position with a winch attachment mounted thereon. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic partial cut away perspective view of the winch attachment together with a winch pipe being shown assembled. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial schematic cross sectional view of a winch pipe together with the winch attachment mounted thereon in the engaged position. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic perspective view of a winch pipe together with a winch attachment mounted thereon together with a ratchet showing assembly of these components. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present device is a winch attachment  100  which is shown in the attached figures. 
     Referring specifically to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , first of all winch attachment shown generally as  100  includes body  102  which is shown as cylindrical having an inner diameter  104  and an outer diameter  106 , a front face  108  and a rear face  110 . Body  102  also includes a pin aperture  112  for receiving a pivot pin  114  therein using an interference fit. 
     Rigidly attached to body  102  is a transversely mounted bracket  120  which includes an inner side  122  and an outer side  124  and an opening  126  which is a square opening designed to accept the typical square end  902  of a ratchet  900  which is shown in  FIG. 9  or any other suitable type drive socket. The bracket  120  couples a rotating drive to the body  102  which in turn rotates the winch pipe  200 . 
     Body  102  also includes a slot  130  which is dimensioned and adapted to receive pivot arm  140  therein as shown in the drawings and described below. Pivot arm  140  includes a top surface  142 , a bottom surface  144 , an open face  146 , a closed face  148 , a magnet  150  and a finger  152 . Pivot arm  140  also includes a rear portion  154 , a forward portion  156  and a lip  158  including a stop surface  160  approximate the forward portion  156 . 
     Pivot arm  140  is shown in the open position  170  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and in the closed position  172  in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Referring now to  FIGS. 3 through 9 , these figures typically also show a winch pipe  200  having a winch end  202  and an aperture  204 . Winch pipe  200  is a typical winch pipe which is found on existing winches to which the current apparatus namely winch attachment  100  will demountably attach to winch pipe  200  which may be a solid shaft rather than a hollow pipe for example or may take on other configurations having similar functionality. Winch pipe  200  is more generally referred to as the winch winding shaft which is turned or rotated in order to effect the winching action. Winch winding shaft end or simply shaft end is depicted as winch pipe end  202  in the figures. Shaft end may be as depicted as winch pipe end  202  or take on any other form known in the art of winching. 
     In  FIG. 3  for example, winch attachment  100  is shown in a disengaged position  210 , not having winch attachment  100  mounted on winch pipe  200 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show for example, winch pipe  200  having winch attachment  100  mounted thereon to the winch pipe end  202 . Winch attachment  100  is in the engaged position  220  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and pivot arm  140  is in the closed position  172 . 
     In use, the present apparatus, namely winch attachment  100  can be demountably attached to a winch pipe  200 , having a winch pipe end  202  and an aperture  204 . This winch pipe  200  arrangement is typical of existing winches, wherein the number of apertures  204  can vary significantly between manufacturers. In addition, the shape and size of the aperture can also vary from a round hole as shown in  FIG. 3  and/or a slot not shown in the diagrams. 
     In order to assemble winch attachment  100  onto winch pipe end  202 , winch attachment  100  is urged onto the outer diameter  250  of winch pipe end  202 . The inner diameter  104  of winch attachment is dimensioned to receive therein outer diameter  250  of winch pipe  200 . Pipe end edge  252  will make contact with bottom surface  144  of pivot arm  140  as winch attachment  100  is forcibly urged over top of winch pipe  200  in the longitudinal direction shown by arrow  290 . This causes pivot arm  140  to pivot about pivot pin  114 , thereby forcibly urging finger  152  of pivot arm  140  into aperture  204  of winch pipe end  202 . Pivot arm  140  is shown in the open position  170  in  FIG. 4  and is held there by a magnet  150  which is imbedded into open face  146 . By continuing to urge winch attachment  100  over winch pipe end  202 , eventually pivot arm  140  will pivot into a closed position  172  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  wherein Finger  152  passes through aperture  204  in winch pipe end  202  as best shown in cross sectional view in  FIG. 6 . 
     Pivot arm  140  will come to a closed position  172  wherein stop surface  160  makes contact with a portion of the outer diameter  106  of body  102  and as well closed face  148  will make contact with an inner side  122  of bracket  120 . In addition, bottom surface  144  may also make contact with the outer diameter  250  of winch pipe  200 . In any event, pivot arm  140  is prevented from pivoting past the closed position  172  as shown in  FIG. 6  by one or more of these factors. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , winch pipe  200  is now in the engaged position  220 , such that forcibly rotating winch attachment  100  in the rotational direction shown as  300  in  FIG. 8  will cause finger  152  to make contact with pipe end  202  thereby forcibly urging winch pipe  200  to rotate in the same direction as the winch attachment  100  is rotated. In other words, winch attachment  100  will now rotate in unison with winch pipe  200 , wherein the rotational forces of the winch attachment are transferred to the pipe by finger  152  making contact with winch pipe  200 . 
     In order to rotate winch attachment  100 , one could use a ratchet  900  shown in  FIG. 9  which has a square end  902  which is dimensioned to be accepted within opening  126  of bracket  120 . Opening  126  preferably is a female square aperture dimensioned to receive a standard male square drive end known in the art. Ratchet  900  is of the type well known in the art and which are readily commercially available. It may me a manual ratchet as depicted or a power driven device such as a drill with a male square drive end. The benefits of winch attachment  100  are apparent to those skilled in the art and include quick mounting and dismounting of winch attachment  100  from the disengaged position  210 , wherein the pivot arm  140  is in the open position  170  to the engaged position  220 , wherein the pivot arm  140  is in the closed position  172 . 
     In order to remove winch attachment  100  from winch pipe  200 , one simply pulls on winch attachment  100 , by pulling winch attachment  100  away from winch pipe end  202 , the edge of aperture  204  defined within winch pipe end  202  will urge finger  152  upwardly and back into the open position  170  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Therefore, engagement and disengagement of winch attachment  100  is simply accomplished by urging winch attachment  100  either onto winch pipe end  202  or off of winch pipe end  202  in a linear sliding motion as shown in  FIGS. 3 through 6 . 
     The present embodiment depicts winch attachment  100  mounting over top of winch pipe  200 . It could also be designed to mount within the hollow interior of winch pipe  200  and operate in similar fashion. 
     It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.