Apparatus for moving loads

Claim 1

A HOIST APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: AN ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE FRICTION-DRIVABLE TAPE HAVING OPPOSED SURFACES WHICH PROVIDE GRIPPING THEREON, A FIRST ROTATABLE MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER PREIPHERY OVER WHICH SAID TAPE IS PASSED TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL PERIPHERAL WRAP EFFECTING A DRIVING ACTION BETWEEN SAID TAPE AND FIRST ROTATABLE MEMBER, A SECOND ROTATABLE MEMBER OPPOSING SAID FIRST ROTATABLE MEMBER AND ALSO HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL WRAP OVER ITS OUTER PERIPHERY BY SAID TAPE AND FORMING, TOGETHER WITH SAID FIRST ROTATABLE MEMBER, A DRIVING NIP WHICH GRIPS SAID TAPE THEREBETWEEN AND PRODUCES A FRICTIONAL DRIVING FORCE CONTROLLING THE TENSILE FORCE EFFORT COMMUNICATED THROUGH SAID TAPE, MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY CONTROLLING THE SIZE OF SAID NIP TO REGULATE THE CLAMPING EFFORT ON SAID TAPE AND THEREBY DETERMINE THE FORCE COMMUNICABLE THROUGH SAID TAPE. MOTOR MEANS FOR DRIVING ONE OF SAID ROTATABLE MEMBERS, AND A TAKE-UP MEMBER FOR RECEIVING THE TAPE AS IT IS DRAWN INTO SAID APPARATUS, THEREBY MAINTAINING THE WRAP AROUND SAID SECOND ROTATABLE MEMBER.