Double drum traction winch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8973901-B2
Application number	US-201113704177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2011
Priority date	Jun 17, 2010
Publication date	Mar 10, 2015
Grant date	Mar 10, 2015

Abstract

A double drum traction winch supporting a first and second rotatable drum is provided. The circumferential surface of each drum is provided with circumferential grooves perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drum. The grooves of each drum are subdivided in a first set of grooves for guiding a first wire and a second set of grooves for guiding a second wire. The grooves of the first set alternate with grooves of the second set such that the circumferential surface of each drum is provided with multiple grooves of the first group, each interpositioned between two grooves of the second group. Therefore the traction winch is capable of cooperating with a first wire in the first set of grooves or with a second wire in the second set of grooves, wherein both wires differ in type of material and/or cross section and/or maximum tensile strength.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Double drum traction winch comprising a frame supporting a first and second rotatable drum such that a first wire or a second wire can be wound about the two drums, further comprising at least one drive for rotating both drums about their respective rotational axis, wherein a circumferential surface of each drum is provided with parallel circumferential grooves perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drum for engaging the first wire or the second wire which is wound about both drums, wherein the parallel circumferential grooves of each drum are subdivided in a first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves designed for guiding the first wire and a second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves designed for guiding the second wire, and wherein the rotational axis of the first drum is tilted relative to the rotational axis of the second drum such that a circumferential groove of the first set of multiple circumferential grooves on the second drum guides the first wire wound about both drums from a first guide groove of the first set of multiple circumferential grooves on the first drum to a second guide groove of the first set of multiple circumferential grooves on the first drum and a circumferential groove of the second set of multiple circumferential grooves on the second drum guides the second wire wound about both drums from a first guide groove of the second set of multiple circumferential grooves on the first drum to a second guide groove of the second set of multiple circumferential grooves on the first drum, wherein the grooves of the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves alternate with the grooves of the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves such that the circumferential surface of each drum is provided with multiple parallel circumferential grooves of both the first set and the second set, and wherein, for each drum, multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves are each interpositioned between two grooves of the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves, such that the traction winch is designed for cooperating with the first wire in the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves or with the second wire in the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves, and wherein the first wire differs from the second wire in type of material and/or cross section and/or maximum tensile strength.

2. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , wherein an angle between the rotational axis of the first drum and the rotational axis of the second drum is such that the second drum guides the first or the second wire which is wound about both drums in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the first drum over a distance which is essentially twice the distance between the centrelines of two adjacent grooves.

3. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , wherein the parallel circumferential grooves of the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves are wider than the parallel circumferential grooves of the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves such that the circumferential surface of each drum is provided with multiple narrow grooves which are each interpositioned inbetween two wide grooves.

4. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , wherein for each drum the diameter of the drum increases along the rotational axis such that each consecutive groove of the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves increases with a first factor, and with each consecutive groove of the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves the diameter of the drum increases with a second factor, for coping with the increase in length of the first and second wire during use, caused by elongation due to the increase of tensional load in the wire with each groove.

5. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , wherein the grooves of the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves are provided with a first cross section and the grooves of the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves are provided with a second cross section of which the shape and/or size differs from the shape and/or size of the first cross section.

6. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , wherein the grooves of the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves have a width which is at least 1.25 times the width of the grooves of the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves.

7. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , comprising a storage drum for holding the first wire for cooperating with the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch and for holding the second wire for cooperating with the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch, further comprising a guide system for guiding the first and second wire stored on the storage drum to respectively the first and second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch.

8. Double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , comprising a first storage drum for holding the first wire for cooperating with the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch and a first guiding system for feeding the first wire to the first set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch, and comprising a second storage drum for holding the second wire for cooperating with the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch and a second guiding system for feeding the second wire to the second set of multiple parallel circumferential grooves of the traction winch.

9. Double drum traction winch according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second storage drums are both movable relative to the traction winch between a feeding location for feeding the first and second wire respectively to the traction winch and a storage location at a distance from the feeding location.

10. Double drum traction winch according to claim 9 , wherein one feeding location is provided for use with both the first and the second storage drum.

11. Vessel provided with a double drum traction winch according to claim 1 .

12. Method for using a double drum traction winch according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
providing a first storage drum with the first wire for cooperating with the first set of multiple parallel grooves of the traction winch;
guiding the first wire from the first storage drum to the traction winch, winding the first wire about the two traction drums and inserting the first wire into the grooves of the first set of multiple parallel grooves;
guiding the first wire from the traction winch to a first load, and connecting the first wire with the first load;
lifting and/or lowering the first load using the traction winch and the first wire;
disconnecting the first wire form the first load and winding the first wire on the first storage drum, thus removing it from the traction winch;
providing a second storage drum with a second wire for cooperating with the second set of multiple parallel grooves of the traction winch;
guiding the second wire from the second storage drum to the traction winch, winding the second wire about the two traction drums and inserting the second wire into the grooves of the second set of multiple parallel grooves;
guiding the second wire from the traction winch to a second load, and connecting the second wire with the second load;
lifting and/or lowering the second load using the traction winch and the second wire.

Assignees

• Roodenburg Joop
• Sanderse Joost
• Itrec Bv

Inventors

• Roodenburg Joop
• Sanderse Joost

Classifications

• B66D1/76

  having auxiliary drums or barrels for storing the ropes or cables · CPC title

• B66D1/7405 Primary

  having two or more drums providing tractive force · CPC title

• B66D1/741

  and having rope storing means · CPC title

• B66D1/26

  having several drums or barrels · CPC title