Patent Publication Number: US-10315894-B2

Title: Winch fairlead guide

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to cable winches, and specifically to the fairlead guide through which the cable passes when winding the cable onto the winch drum. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Wire cables are used in many industries to apply tension to and move objects with the aid of a winch. The cable is wound onto a drum driven by a motor. The cable is fed through a fairlead guide, which aids to guide the cable onto the spooling drum, preventing damage to the cable. The cable may be wound onto the drum either with or without an object attached to the end. 
     To ensure that the cable winds evenly onto the drum when there is little tension on the cable during the winching operation, typically an operator holds the cable in his hand, providing manual tension to the cable between his hand and the drum, while also pivoting or moving his hand so as to direct the cable back and forth across the drum, which prevents binding and helps to ensure an even layout of cable on the drum. Disadvantageously, this method of winding the cable requires the operator to manually handle the moving cable through his hand, which increases the potential for operator injury. Additionally, the level of tension provided by the operator may be inconsistent and therefore result in an uneven spool, increasing the likelihood of damage to the cable. 
     Previous attempts have been made to provide a means for tensioning the cable while it is being wound onto the spool. Such devices have commonly included a clamp or other way of providing tension to the cable. Disadvantageously, such devices only clamp the cable and do not provide any means to guide the location of the cable around the spool which may result in an uneven distribution therealong. Examples of such devices may be found, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 9,440,825 to Xydias or US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0016766 to Ho. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for guiding a flexible elongate tension member onto a spool, the apparatus comprising a pivot located in front of the spool extending along a vertical axis and a head extending between proximate and distal ends wherein the proximate end is rotatably supported by the pivot along the vertical axis. The apparatus further includes a fairlead located in the distal end of the head, the fairlead defining an opening for passing the flexible elongate tension member therethrough, the opening extending along a plane which is parallel to and spaced apart from the vertical axis. 
     The plane of the opening may extend along a tangent of a radius defined by rotating the head about the vertical axis. The fairlead may include top and bottom rollers and first and second side rollers defining the opening therebetween. The bottom roller may be supported within slots in the head so as to be vertically translatable therein. The apparatus may further comprise at least one biasing spring adapted to selectably bias the bottom roller to a topmost position within the slots. The at least one biasing spring may comprise one biasing spring. The one biasing spring may extend between first and second ends of the bottom roller so as to be extendable over the head so as to bias the bottom roller to the topmost position within the slots. The at least one biasing spring may comprise two biasing springs. The two biasing springs may extend from first and second ends of the bottom roller so as to be extendable to and engageable with the head so as to bias the bottom roller to the topmost position within the slots. 
     The apparatus may further comprise a rear bracket supporting the pivot thereon. The rear bracket may be secured to the winch. The rear bracket further includes first and second end stops extending therefrom positioned to engage upon the head at corresponding first and second side ends of rotation about the vertical axis. 
     The head may further include a handle extending therefrom for a user to rotate the head about the vertical axis. The handle may comprise a bar extending substantially parallel from the head. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a winch comprising a spool extending along a horizontal axis adapted to wind an elongate flexible tension member therearound and a pivot located in front of the spool extending along a vertical axis. The winch further includes a head extending between proximate and distal ends wherein the proximate end is rotatably supported by the pivot along the vertical axis and a fairlead located in the distal end of the head, the fairlead defining an opening for passing the flexible elongate tension member therethrough, the opening extending along a plane which is parallel to and spaced apart from the axis. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a method for winding a flexible elongate tension member about a spool of a winch. The method comprises providing a pivot in front of the spool extending along a vertical axis and pivotally supporting a head extending between proximate and distal ends from the pivot, wherein the proximate end is rotatably supported by the pivot along the vertical axis. The method further comprises passing the flexible elongate tension member through a fairlead located in the distal end of the head, the fairlead defining an opening for passing the flexible elongate tension member therethrough, the opening extending along a plane which is parallel to and spaced apart from the axis and moving the head side to side while rotating the spool so as to adjust the position of the flexible elongate tension member upon the spool. 
     Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view, 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for guiding a flexible elongate member onto a spool, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with a cable passing therethrough. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a bottom released position. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a top engaged position. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a pivoted position. 
         FIG. 5  is a further embodiment top view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a further embodiment front view in both the bottom release position and the top engaged position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an apparatus for guiding a flexible elongate tension member  8  or cable onto a horizontal spool  6  according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at  10 . The apparatus  10  comprises a head  12  including a fairlead  30  which is pivotably supported by a bracket  70  proximate to the spool  6 . The flexible elongate tension member  8  passes through the fairlead  8  to the spool  6 , as will be set out further below. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the head  12  extends between proximate and distal ends,  16  and  18 , respectively, with a pivot tube  20  having a vertical pivot axis  22  at the proximate end  16  and a fairlead  30  at the distal end  18 . A rigid elongate member  24 , having a top surface  26 , extends horizontally between the pivot  20  and the fairlead  30 , with a handle  28  extending vertically therefrom the top surface  26  proximate to the fairlead  30 . As best seen in  FIG. 1 , the handle  28  comprises a rigid bar extending substantially parallel to the pivot axis  22  therefrom the head  12 . As will be set out further below, the handle  28  may be used to rotate the head  12  about the pivot axis  22  so as to guide the flexible elongate tension member  8  to different locations along the spool  6  as desired by a user. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fairlead  30  extends between a top support  32  and a bottom edge  34 , and between first and second side plates,  36  and  38 , respectively. The fairlead  30  includes horizontal top and bottom rollers,  40  and  42 , respectively, and vertical first and second side rollers,  44  and  46 , respectively, defining an opening  48  therebetween. The opening  48  extends along an opening plane  50  which is parallel to and spaced apart from the pivot axis  22 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . The opening plane  50  extends along a tangent of the pivot radius  52  about the vertical pivot axis  22  as the head  12  is rotated about the pivot axis  22 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 1 , the bottom roller  42  is supported within vertical slots  52  extending through the first and second side plates,  36  and  38 , respectively, of the fairlead  30 . The bottom roller  42 , extends between first and second ends,  56  and  58 , respectively and is vertically translatable within the slots  52  between a bottom released position as illustrated in  FIG. 2  and a top engaged position as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , such that the opening  48  may be reduced in size, the purpose of which will be set out below. 
     A biasing spring  54  extends between the first and second ends  56  and  58  of the bottom roller  42 . The biasing spring  54  is adapted to selectively bias the bottom roller  42  to a topmost engaged position, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The biasing spring  54  is extended over the top support  32  and the rigid elongate member  24 , vertically translating the bottom roller  42  within the slots  52 , and biasing the bottom roller  42  to the topmost engaged position. It will be appreciated that although the present embodiment of the invention illustrates one biasing spring  54 , two biasing springs may be useful as well. In this embodiment, one spring is attached to each end,  56  and  58 , of the bottom roller  42 , each spring extending to the top roller  40  or to the top support  32 , without extending horizontally across the head  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a further embodiment includes a pair of spring toggle latches  60 , as is commonly known, secured to each end,  56  and  58 , of the bottom roller  42 . A pair of hooks  62 , each operable to be engaged upon by the corresponding spring toggle latch  60 , is secured to the top support  32  on each side,  56  and  58 . When the spring toggle latch  60  is engaged upon the hook  62 , the bottom roller  42  is raised to the second engaged position. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the bracket  70 , is secured to the winch  4  by any known means, such as, by way of non-limiting example, welding or fasteners, such as bolts. The bracket  70  includes a first and second end stops,  72  and  74 , respectively, extending perpendicularly therefrom, with a pivot support  72  centered therebetween. The position and size of the end stops  72  and  74  will be selected to limit the rotation of the head  12  so as ensure the flexible elongate tension member  8  is wound along the full length of the spool  6  and is not moved outside thereof. It will be appreciated therefore that the size and location of the end stops  72  and  74  will vary depending upon the winch model and size. As illustrated in  FIG. 4  the end stops  72  and  74  may comprise rigid members extending from the bracket  70  to a distal end which is engageable upon the elongate rigid member  24 . Optionally, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , an arcuate plate  80  may extend from the bracket. The arcuate plate  80  may include a plurality of bores  82  therethrough adapted to receive a pin or bar  84 . The pin will thereafter provide an end stop for the rotation of the head  12  and may be adjustable by locating the pins  84  in different bores  82 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the bracket  70  supports a bottom receptacle  76  along the pivot axis  22 . A bolt  78  is passed through the pivot tube  20  into engagement with the bottom receptacle so as to secure the pivot tube  20  along the pivot axis. 
     In operation, the spring  54  is initially in a relaxed position as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In such position, the bottom roller  42  will be at a lowered position and the end of the cable  8  may be passed between the bottom and top rollers  42  and  40 . Thereafter, the spring  54  is lifted over the top support  32  so as to bias the bottom roller  42  into engagement on the cable thereby clamping the cable  8  between the top and bottom rollers  40  and  42 . Thereafter, the top and bottom rollers  40  and  42  will apply a tensioning force to the cable as it is wound in about the spool  6 . During such winding, a user may grasp the handle  28  to rotate the head  12  back and forth to evenly distribute the cable on the spool. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.