Hoisting apparatus employing unitary clutch and brake assembly

Claim 2

In combination with a hoisting assembly including a rigid frame, a drum securely mounted upon a drum shaft journeled on the rigid frame, a cable wound about the drum one end thereof being secured to the drum, a drum clutch coupled to the drum shaft for transferring in-haul and over-haul rotational power from a power source to the drum shaft, a unitary clutch and brake apparatus comprising: a. a continuously slipping clutch assembly having an inner hub and outer housing adapted to frictionally rotate with respect to each other and fluid means for dissipating the frictionally generated heat therein, and a clutch shaft being secured to said inner hub; b. a drive ring coupled to said outer housing; c. braking means for securing said drive ring and said coupled housing to the rigid frame, said braking means adapted to engage said drive ring; d. power means for rotating said drive ring and said coupled housing; and e. a one-way clutch interposed and axially coupled between said clutch shaft and said drum shaft and having means for disengaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said hoisting assembly is reeling in said cable, and means for engaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said cable is being payed out.

Claim 3

A combined clutch and brake assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive ring has a substantially circular annular projection and gear teeth uniformly disposed about the circumference thereof, and said braking means includes gear teeth stops adapted to engage the gear teeth of said drive ring.

Claim 4

A combined clutch and brake assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said continuously slipping clutch includes a friction disk secured to said inner hub, friction elements adapted to slidably engage and rotate with said outer housing, said fluid means for dissipating heat adjacent said friction elements, and air actuated, expandable elements secured to said housing and adjacent said friction elements whereby said friction elements frictionally engage said friction disk upon actuating said expandable elements.

Claim 5

A combined clutch and brake assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said power means comprises a rotating power source, a sprocket coupled to and parallel with said drive ring and a chain drive coupling said rotating power source and said sprocket.

Claim 6

A hoisting apparatus comprising: a. drawworks including a rigid frame, a drum securely mounted on a drum shaft rotatably supported on the rigid frame, a cable disposed about said drum, one end thereof being secured to said drum, at least one clutch having an engageable hub and housing, the hub of said one clutch being securely coupled to said drum shaft, a power source coupled to the housing of said clutch whereby said cable is reeled in or payed out when said clutch is engaged or disengaged respectively; b. a continuously slipping clutch and brake assembly having an inner hub and outer housing adapted to frictionally rotate with respect to each other and liquid means for dissipating the frictionally generated heat therein, and a clutch shaft being secured to said inner hub and journeled on said rigid frame; c. a drive ring having an inner cylindrical hub journeled on said clutch shaft and a radially projecting gear having uniformly disposed gear teeth on the outer circumferential surface thereof, said ring being coupled to the housing of said continuously slipping clutch; d. braking means for securing said drive ring and said coupled housing to said rigid frame, said braking means adapted to be engaged by said drive ring; e. power means for rotating said drive ring and said coupled housing; and f. a one-way clutch interposed and axially coupled between said clutch shaft and said drum shaft and having means for disengaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said drawworks is reeling in said cable, and means for engaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said cable is being payed out.

Claim 7

A hoisting apparatus comprising: a. drawworks including a rigid frame, a drum securely mounted on a drum shaft rotatably supported on the rigid frame, a cable disposed about said drum, one end thereof being secured to said drum, at least one clutch having an engageable hub and housing, the hub of said one clutch being securely coupled to said drum shaft, a power source coupled to the housing of said clutch whereby said cable is reeled in or payed out when said clutch is engaged or disengaged respectively; b. a continuously slipping clutch and brake assembly having an inner hub and outer housing adapted to frictionally rotate with respect to each other and liquid means for dissipating the frictionally generated heat therein, and a clutch shaft being secured to said inner hub and journeled on said rigid frame; c. a drive ring having an inner cylindrical hub journeled on said clutch shaft and a radially projecting gear having uniformly disposed gear teeth on the outer circumferential surface thereof, said ring being coupled to the housing of said continuously slipping clutch; d. braking means for securing said drive ring and said coupled housing to said rigid frame, said braking means adapted to be engaged by said drive ring; e. power means for rotating said drive ring and said coupled housing; and f. a one-way clutch interposed and axially coupled between said clutch shaft and said drum shaft and having means for disengaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said drawworks is reeling in said cable, and means for engaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said cable is being payed out.

Claim 8

A hoisting apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said one-way clutch further includes means for engaging said clutch shaft and said drum shaft when said continuously slipping clutch drives said clutch shaft and maintains the cable in a controlled tension mode.

Claim 9

A hoisting apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said continuously slipping clutch includes a friction disk secured to said inner hub, friction elements adapted to slidably engage and rotate with said outer housing, annular channels disposed adjacent said friction elements, and air actuated, expandable elements secured to said housing and adjacent said friction elements whereby said friction elements frictionally engage said friction disk upon actuating said expandable elements.

Claim 10

A hoisting apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said power means comprises a rotating power source, a sprocket coupled to and parallel with said drive ring and a chain drive coupling said rotating power source and said sprocket.

Claim 11

A hoisting apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said continuously slipping clutch is a water cooled, air actuated continuously slipping disk clutch.

Claim 12

In combination with a drawworks assembly including a rigid frame, a drum securely mounted on a drum shaft journeled on the rigid frame, a cable wound about the drum, one end thereof being secured tO the drum, at least one drum clutch having a first engaging portion thereof secured to the drum shaft, a power source cooperatively coupled to the second engaging portion of the drum clutch, a combined clutch and brake assembly comprising: a. a liquid cooled, continuously slipping clutch assembly, having an inner hub and outer housing adapted to frictionally rotate with respect to each other, and a clutch shaft being secured to said inner hub and journeled on the rigid frame; b. a drive ring having an inner cylindrical hub journeled on said clutch shaft and a radially projecting ring having a first and second set of uniformly distributed gear teeth on the outer circumferential surface thereof, said ring being coupled to the housing of said continuously slipping clutch; c. brake stops adapted to engage the first set of gear teeth disposed upon said drive ring and secure said drive ring and said coupled housing to the rigid frame; d. means for coupling the secured set of gear teeth of said drive ring to the power source; and e. an overrunning clutch interposed and axially coupled between said clutch shaft and said drum shaft whereby said clutch shaft and said drum shaft are disengaged when the drawworks assembly is reeling in the cable, said clutch shaft and said drum shaft are engaged when the drawworks cable is being payed out, and said clutch shaft and said drum shaft are engaged when said continuously slipping clutch drives the clutch shaft to maintain the cable in a controlled tension mode.

Claim 13

In combination with a drawworks assembly including a rigid frame, a drum securely mounted on a drum shaft journeled on the rigid frame, a cable wound about the drum, one end thereof being secured tO the drum, at least one drum clutch having a first engaging portion thereof secured to the drum shaft, a power source cooperatively coupled to the second engaging portion of the drum clutch, a combined clutch and brake assembly comprising: a. a liquid cooled, continuously slipping clutch assembly, having an inner hub and outer housing adapted to frictionally rotate with respect to each other, and a clutch shaft being secured to said inner hub and journeled on the rigid frame; b. a drive ring having an inner cylindrical hub journeled on said clutch shaft and a radially projecting ring having a first and second set of uniformly distributed gear teeth on the outer circumferential surface thereof, said ring being coupled to the housing of said continuously slipping clutch; c. brake stops adapted to engage the first set of gear teeth disposed upon said drive ring and secure said drive ring and said coupled housing to the rigid frame; d. means for coupling the secured set of gear teeth of said drive ring to the power source; and e. an overrunning clutch interposed and axially coupled between said clutch shaft and said drum shaft whereby said clutch shaft and said drum shaft are disengaged when the drawworks assembly is reeling in the cable, said clutch shaft and said drum shaft are engaged when the drawworks cable is being payed out, and said clutch shaft and said drum shaft are engaged when said continuously slipping clutch drives the clutch shaft to maintain the cable in a controlled tension mode.

Claim 14

A combined clutch and brake apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said continuously slipping clutch includes a friction disk secured to said inner hub, friction elements adapted to slidably engage and rotate with said outer housing and air actuated, expandable elements secured to said housing and adjacent said friction elements whereby said friction elements frictionally engage said friction disk upon actuating said expandable elements.