Patent US3801071A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3801071A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Towing winch control system
Assignee: BYRAN JACKSON Inc
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Filing: 1972-10-06
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Granted: 1974-04-02
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Expires: 1992-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A towing winch control system in which the winch for the towing cable is driven through a slipping clutch to apply a substantially constant tension to the towing cable, and a position sensor and a tensiometer are operated to control the length of the tow cable between the towing winch and the object being towed and to limit the load on the cable to prevent parting of the cable.
Inventors
- 👤 C Barron
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 01:48
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66D; B66D1/00; B66D1/02; B66D1/14; B63; B63B; B63B21/00; B63B21/56; B66D1/28; B66D1/40; B66D1/48; B66D2700/00; B66D2700/01; B66D2700/0108; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S254/00; Y10S254/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
In a winch system including a winch drum having a line thereon connectable to a load, drive means for driving said drum to wind said line on said drum, to hold said line, and to allow said line to be stripped away from said drum, said drive means including a continuously operable slip clutch having continuously variable actuator means operable to adjust the torque transmitted to said drum by said drive means, settable control means for establishing a predetermined line position at a preselected line tension, said control means comprising: line position sensing means responsive to the deviation of said line away from said predetermined line position for producing an output signal proportional to said deviation, line tension sensing means responsive to the tension in aid line for producing an output signal proportional to the deviation of said tension from said preselected tension, said control means including computer means comprising means for receiving both said output signals and producing a continuously variable clutch control signal which is a function of the integration of said output signals, and means for varying said actuator means as a function of said clutch control signal to adjust said actuator means for causing said line to be stripped away from, held on, or returned to said drum in response to said clutch control signal to continuously control the deviation of said line from said predetermined line position in proportion to said deviation of the tension in said line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
In a winch system including a winch drum having a line thereon connectable to a load, drive means for driving said drum to wind said line on said drum, to hold said line, and to allow said line to be stripped away from said drum, said drive means including a continuously operable slip clutch having continuously variable actuator means operable to adjust the torque transmitted to said drum by said drive means, settable control means for establishing a predetermined line position at a preselected line tension, said control means comprising: line position sensing means responsive to the deviation of said line away from said predetermined line position for producing an output signal proportional to said deviation, line tension sensing means responsive to the tension in aid line for producing an output signal proportional to the deviation of said tension from said preselected tension, said control means including computer means comprising means for receiving both said output signals and producing a continuously variable clutch control signal which is a function of the integration of said output signals, and means for varying said actuator means as a function of said clutch control signal to adjust said actuator means for causing said line to be stripped away from, held on, or returned to said drum in response to said clutch control signal to continuously control the deviation of said line from said predetermined line position in proportion to said deviation of the tension in said line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, speed sensing means operable by said drum, said control means including means operable by said speed sensing means to adjust said actuator means and control the speed of movement of said drum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising an air pressure responsive device, a source of air connected to said device, and said control means varying the supply of air to said device from said source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said control means comprising means for producing a variable air signal pressure to adjust said actuator means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 4, speed responsive means operable by said drum to adjust said air signal pressure to limit the speed of movement of said drum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said line tension sensing means comprising tensiometer means engaged with said line, said position sensing means engaged with said line, and said control means comprising computer means for receiving said output signals and producing a clutch control signal at a constant value determined by the difference between said output signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 6, speed responsive means to produce an output signal determined by the speed of movement of said line, said computer means receiving said output signal of said speed responsive means and being operable to produce a clutch control signal determined by the difference between the sum of said output signal of said position sensing means and said output signals of said speed responsive means, and the output signal of said tensiometer means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said line tension sensing means comprising tensiometer means engaged with said line, said position sensing means engaged with said line, said control means comprising computer means for receiving said output signals and producing a clutch control signal at a constant value determined by the difference between said output signals, and speed responsive means operable upon winding of line on said drum and stripping of line from said drum to produce a speed responsive output signal, said computer means receiving the latter output signal and adding the same to said position control signal in producing said clutch control signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said line tension sensing means comprising tensiometer means engaged with said line, said position sensing means engaged with said line, and said control means comprising computer means for receiving said output signals and producing a clutch control signal determined by the difference between said output signals, said control means including a pressure controller operable in response to said output signal of said tensiometer means to maintain said output signal determined by the load on said line at a constant value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said line tension sensing means comprising tensiometer means engaged with said line, said position sensing means engaged with said line, and said control means comprising computer means for receiving said output signals and producing a clutch control signal determined by the difference between said output signals, said control means including a pressure controller operable in response to said output signal of said tensiometer means to maintain said output signal determined by the load on said line at a constant value, and speed responsive means operable upon winding and unwinding of line on said drum to produce a speed responsive output signal, said computer means receiving the latter output signal, said speed responsive output signal being added to said output signal from said position sensing means by said computer means in producing said clutch control signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said actuator means comprising an air pressure responsive device, a source of air connected to said device, said control means varying the supply of air to said device from said source, said control means comprising a pressure computer for receiving variable input pressure signals representative of load on said line, the deviation of said line, and a reference pressure, and said computer producing an output pressure signal determined by the equation X 2P - R - T, where X is the computer output signal pressure, P is the input pressure signal determined by the deviation of said line, R is the reference input pressure signal, and T is the input signal pressure determined by load on said line, said tension sensing means sensing the load on said line and said position sensing means sensing the deviation of said line and supplying said variable input pressure signals to said computer means representative of load on said line and the position of said line, and means for supplying a selected reference signal pressure to said computer means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 11, said computer means comprising a control valve assembly having an air inlet, an air outlet, and an exhaust port, and valve means for controlling the flow of air from said inlet to said outlet and said exhaust port to maintain said output pressure signal substantially constant at a selected pressure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
213 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said clutch actuator means comprising an air pressure responsive device, a source of air connected to said device, said control means varying the supply of air to said device from said source, said control means comprising a pressure computer for receiving variable input pressure signals representative of load on said line, the deviation of said line, and a reference prEssure, and said computer producing an output pressure signal determined by the equation X 2P - R - T where X is the computer output signal pressure, P is the input pressure signal determined by the deviation of said line, R is the reference input pressure signal, and T is the input signal pressure determined by load on said line, said tension sensing means sensing the load on said line and said position sensing means sensing the deviation of said line and supplying said variable input pressure signals to said computer means representative of load on said line and the position of said line, means for supplying a selected reference signal pressure to said computer means, and controller means for receiving the computer output signal and variably transmitting a constant output signal to control said clutch of a magnitude determined by said computer output signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
200 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 1, said clutch actuator means being pneumatically operable, said line tension sensing means comprising hydraulic load sensing means for producing a hydraulic pressure signal determined by the load on said line, controller means having an air inlet, an air outlet, and control valve means operable by said hydraulic pressure signal to cause a constant output pressure signal at said outlet, said sensing means also comprising pneumatic sensing means operable in response to deviation of said line and including an air inlet, an air outlet, and control valve means operable to cause a constant output pressure signal at the latter outlet, additional controller means having an air inlet, an air outlet, and control valve means operable to cause a constant output pressure signal at the last-mentioned outlet, pneumatic computer means having an air inlet, an air outlet and control valve means for maintaining a constant output pressure signal at the outlet of said computer means at a pressure determined by a comparison of said output pressure signals from said controllers, and means for supplying air to said clutch actuator means at a pressure determined by said output pressure signal from said computer means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
In a winch system as defined in claim 14, speed responsive means operable in response to rotation of said drum to produce an air pressure signal determined by the speed of said drum, said computer means receiving the last-mentioned pressure signal to adjust the output pressure signal from said computer means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-01 | 1977-10-01 | 1978-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-01 | 1981-10-01 | 1982-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-01 | 1985-10-01 | 1986-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |