Anchor windlass for a marine vessel

Claim 2

An anchor windlass comprising a winding drum, a main shaft secured to said drum, a windlass housing including a brake housing portion aNd a gearing housing portion, means for journaling rotatably said main shaft in said housing, a plurality of driving motors secured to said housing, a ring gear journaled for rotation about an axis coinciding with the axis of said main shaft for driving said main shaft, a plurality of driving pinions, each driving pinion being connected drivably to one of said driving motors, each pinion meshing with said ring gear, brake discs coaxially mounted with respect to said main shaft and drivably connected thereto, a plurality of brake bars situated in interdigital relationship with respect to said brake discs, an intermediate portion of each brake bar having a friction surface thereon, brake actuator shafts extending through the ends of said brake bars in a direction parallel to the axis of said main shaft, a crossbar on one side of said brake bars, said crossbar being connected to and joining together corresponding ends of said brake shafts, and a brake servo having relatively displaceable parts, one part being joined to and connecting together the other ends of said brake shafts and other part being substantially aligned with the friction surfaces formed on said brake bars whereby the braking force applied to said brake discs is opposed and balanced by a reaction force on said other displaceably part.

Claim 3

An anchor windlass comprising a winding drum, a main shaft secured to said drum, a windlass housing including a brake housing portion and a gearing housing portion, means for journaling rotatably said main shaft in said housing, a plurality of driving motors secured to said housing, a ring gear journaled for rotation about an axis coinciding with the axis of said main shaft, a plurality of driving pinions, each driving pinion being connected drivably to one of said driving motors, each pinion meshing with said ring gear, brake discs coaxially mounted with respect to said main shaft and drivably connected thereto, a plurality of brake bars situated in interdigital relationship with respect to said brake discs, an intermediate portion of each brake bar having a friction surface thereon, brake actuator shafts extending through the ends of said brake bars in a direction parallel to the axis of said main shaft, a crossbar on one side of said brake bars, said crossbar being connected to and joining together corresponding ends of said brake shafts, a brake servo having relatively displaceably parts, one part being joined to and connecting together the other end of said brake shafts and the other part being substantially aligned with the friction surfaces formed on said brake bars whereby the braking force applied to said brake discs is opposed and balanced by a reaction force on said other displaceably part, clutch means for connecting together said main shaft and said ring gear including a clutch ring surrounding said main shaft with clutch elements formed thereon, cooperating clutch elements formed on said ring gear, a locking head in said main shaft connected to said clutch ring, and means for moving said locking head in the direction of the axis of said main shaft to engage and disengage said clutch means.

Claim 4

An anchor windlass comprising a winding drum, a main shaft secured to said drum, a windlass housing including a brake housing portion and a gearing housing portion, means for journaling rotatably said main shaft in said housing, a plurality of driving motors secured to said housing, a ring gear journaled for rotation about an axis coinciding with the axis of said main shaft, a plurality of driving pinions, each driving pinion being connected drivably to one of said driving motors, each pinion meshing with said ring gear, brake discs coaxially mounted with respect to said main shaft and drivably connected thereto, a plurality of brake bars situated in interdigital relationship with respect to said brake discs, an intermediate portion of each brake bar having a friction surface thereon, brake actuator shafts extending through the ends of said brake bars in a direction parallel to the axis of said main shaft, a crossbar on one side of said brake bars, said crossbar being connected to and joining together corresponding ends of said brake shafts, a brake servo having relatively displaceably parts, one part being joined to and connecting together the other end of said brake shafts and the other part being substantially aligned with the friction surfaces formed on said brake bars whereby the braking force applied to said brake discs is opposed and balanced by a reaction force on said other displaceably part, clutch means for connecting together said main shaft and said ring gear including a clutch ring surrounding said main shaft with clutch elements formed thereon, cooperating clutch elements formed on said ring gear, a locking head in said main shaft connected to said clutch ring, and means for moving said locking head in the direction of the axis of said main shaft to engage and disengage said clutch means.

Claim 5

An anchor windlass as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said brake servo comprises a cylinder, said cylinder being defined in part by said brake servo part, a piston in said cylinder cooperating therewith to define a pressure cavity, said piston engaging said brake housing portion at a location substantially in alignment with the friction material formed on said brake bars whereby the braking force applied to said brake discs is opposed and substantially balanced by a reaction force on said piston.

Claim 6

An anchor windlass as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said brake servo comprises a cylinder, said cylinder being defined in part by said servo brake part, a piston in said cylinder cooperating therewith to define a pressure cavity, said piston engaging said brake housing portion at a location substantially in alignment with the friction material formed on said brake bars whereby the braking force applied to said brake discs is opposed and substantially balanced by a reaction force on said piston.

Claim 7

An anchor windlass as set forth in claim 3, wherein: said brake servo comprises a mechanical force transmitting element between said piston and said cylinder whereby said piston can be moved with respect to said servo brake part in a direction that develops a braking effort as mechanical brake actuating forces separate said piston from said servo brake part.

Claim 8

An anchor windlass as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said brake servo comprises a mechanical force transmitting element between said piston and said cylinder whereby said piston can be moved with respect to said servo brake part in a direction that develops a braking effort as mechanical brake actuating force separate said piston from said servo brake part.

Claim 9

An anchor windlass as described in claim 3, wherein: said driving motors are hydrostatic motors, said motors being spaced equidistantly around the axis of said main shaft whereby driving torque is delivered to said ring gear at multiple locations as the torque reaction forces are substantially balanced.

Claim 10

An anchor windlass as described in claim 4, wherein: said driving motors are hydrostatic motors, said motors being spaced equidistantly around the axis of said main shaft whereby driving torque is delivered to said ring gear at multiple locations as the torque reaction forces are substantially balanced.