Hydraulically operated winch

Claim 2

A power-operated winch assembly comprising a winch drum, a drive gear joined to the drum to rotate the drum, and multiple power-driven pinion gears meshing with the drive gear at points distributed about the periphery of the drive gear, each of said power-driven pinion gears having a separate hydraulic motor coupled thereto which, on actuation of the motor, rotates the pinion gear, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means connecting said source and said hydraulic motors supplying fluid to tHe motor, said conduit means including valve mechanism for placing said motors in series with each other to obtain high speed operation and in parallel with each other to obtain high torque operation, and a fluid pressure-operated locking dog for locking the winch drum, said valve mechanism including one valve for placing said motors in series with each other or parallel to each other, and another valve for actuating the motor and changing the direction of the motor operation, said conduit means further including a connection with said locking dog producing hydraulic release of the dog with said other valve producing actuation of said motors in either direction.

Claim 3

A power-operated winch assembly comprising a frame including a pair of opposed, vertically disposed and laterally spaced-apart bracket plates, a winch drum and a bull gear for the drum disposed with the axis of the gear aligned with the axis of the drum, said bull gear being joined to one end of the drum, said bull gear and drum being positioned between said bracket plates with the bull gear and said one end of the drum adjacent and rotatably supported on one bracket plate and the opposite end of the drum rotatably supported on the opposing bracket plate, multiple pinion gears located in the space between said bracket plates and journaled on said one bracket plate, said pinion gears being circumferentially distribued about said bull gear and meshing therewith, a separate reversible hydraulic motor for each of said pinion gears, each including a casing mounted as a cantilever on said one bracket plate on the opposite side of the bracket plate from said one end of the drum and said bull gear, each hydraulic motor having an output shaft axially aligned with its associated pinion gear which extends through said one bracket plate and is keyed to its associated pinion gear, a pump having an outlet supplying fluid under pressure, and conduit means connecting said outlet of the pump and said hydraulic motor for supplying fluid under pressure to the motors, said conduit means including valve mechanism adjustable to connect said motors to said pump outlet with the motors in series with each other whereby the pinion gears which are driven by the motors conjointly rotate the bull gear at a relatively high speed, said valve mechanism also being adjustable to connect the motor to said pump outlet with the motors parallel to each other whereby the pinion gears which are driven by the motors conjointly rotate the bull gear at a lower speed and with high torque.

Claim 4

A power-operated winch assembly comprising a frame including a pair of opposed, vertically disposed and laterally spaced-apart bracket plates, a winch drum and a bull gear for the drum disposed with the axis of the gear aligned with the axis of the drum, said bull gear being joined to one end of the drum, said bull gear and drum being positioned between said bracket plates with the bull gear and said one end of the drum adjacent and rotatably supported on one bracket plate and the opposite end of the drum rotatably supported on the opposing bracket plate, multiple pinion gears located in the space between said bracket plates and journaled on said one bracket plate, said pinion gears being circumferentially distribued about said bull gear and meshing therewith, a separate reversible hydraulic motor for each of said pinion gears, each including a casing mounted as a cantilever on said one bracket plate on the opposite side of the bracket plate from said one end of the drum and said bull gear, each hydraulic motor having an output shaft axially aligned with its associated pinion gear which extends through said one bracket plate and is keyed to its associated pinion gear, a pump having an outlet supplying fluid under pressure, and conduit means connecting said outlet of the pump and said hydraulic motor for supplying fluid under pressure to the motors, said conduit means including valve mechanism adjustable to connect said motors to said pump outlet with the motors in series with each other whereby the pinion gears which are driven by the motors conjointly rotate the bull gear at a relatively high speed, said valve mechanism also being adjustable to connect the motor to said pump outlet with the motors parallel to each other whereby the pinion gears which are driven by the motors conjointly rotate the bull gear at a lower speed and with high torque.