Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force – Apparatus for hauling or hoisting load – including driven... – Device includes rotatably driven – cable contacting drum
Reexamination Certificate
1996-08-06
2001-06-19
Matecki, Katherine A. (Department: 3653)
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Apparatus for hauling or hoisting load, including driven...
Device includes rotatably driven, cable contacting drum
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247680
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wire cable winch hoist controllers used with multi-story scaffolding and, more specifically, to such hoist controllers in which any segment of the cable used therewith may be positioned within the mechanism thereof when the initial assembly of a hoist system occurs at a work site.
While cable winches and controllers therefore are well known in the art as, for example, is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,029 (1959) to Tollefsen, entitled Portable Scaffolding; U.S. Pat. No. 3,110,199 (1963) to Lilly, entitled Hoist Controller; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,969 (1976) to Kaufer, entitled Cable Winch, an area of inconvenience which is common to these, and other prior art (for example the TIRAK product of Grip Hoist, Inc. and the PC
1
product of Power Climber Inc.), is that, in the setting-up and positioning, of the cable hoist controller at a work site, which typically comprises a multi-story structure of between four and dozens of floors, requires that one end of the wire cable of the hoist system be threaded into circumferential grooves which exist upon the driving sheaves which constitute the internal gear and pulley system which substantially all cable hoist controllers, in one configuration or another, use in the elevation and descent of suspended scaffolding, staging and the like.
Therefore, while prior art systems are satisfactory in their operation, once they have been properly set-up, it has been found by the within inventor that the period of time required to accomplish set-up of a cable winch and its associated controller for use with suspended scaffolding or staging can be substantially reduced with a system in which it is not necessary to begin the set-up process with the use of one of the ends of the cable used with the hoist system. The present invention may thereby be viewed as one that can be assembled on site with the use of any segment of the lifting cable that is accessible to the operator.
A further deficiency in the prior art to which the present invention responds is the use of drums upon which a wire cable is wound. After such a cable has been fully, or even partially wound upon a drum, the resultant weight is considerable, thereby impacting upon the safety and convenience in the use of such systems. The instant invention dispenses entirely with the use of any drum and with the use of any type of element which accumulates the wire cable thereon.
Further, the prior art of non-drum systems makes use of typically three sheaves in a controller. The present invention requires only one sheave because of the enhanced traction and safety factors associated therewith.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention pertains to a wire cable hoist controller, of a type used with mechanized multi-story scaffolding, in which said controller includes a load-bearing support plate and a prime mover, such as an electric motor, secured to said plate, said prime mover having a rotational power output shaft in integral communication with an angular velocity reduction gear. A primary gear for the hoist controller is provided in driven gear relationship with said reduction gear. Further provided is a driving sheave, which includes a circumferential surface thereof having a cable-receiving groove, in which an axis of rotation of said sheave is secured to an axis of rotation of said primary gear, thereby assuring that said sheave will rotate synchronously with said primary gear. Further provided is wire cable means which are disposable within said cable-receiving groove, of said sheave. Also provided is a plurality of rollers, each having a circumferential cable receiving groove, each roller generally proportioned in axial width to the width of said driving sheave, and each roller having an axial channel therethrough. There is further provided a corresponding plurality of opposing pairs of linkage means comprising means for connection of said rollers to each other. Said linkage means include a corresponding plurality of pairs of bar elements and axles at each end of each pair of bar elements, each axle extending through each of said axial channels of said rollers into opposing sides of each end of said bar elements. Also provided are means for anchoring a first end of said plurality of linkage means to said load-bearing support plate. The hoist controller further includes an input roller, at an input end of said plurality of linkage means, for facilitating feeding of said wire cable means between opposing cable receiving grooves of said sheaves and said rollers. Placement of any segment of said cable means between the respective circumferential grooves of said sheaves and said passive rollers is facilitated by means for selectably detachably securing one of a pair of bar elements connecting said input roller to a first of said plurality of rollers. Thereby, any segment of the cable means may be manually inserted between said opposing-cable receiving grooves of said sheave and rollers by the release of said detachable securing means, i.e., one of said pair of bar elements. Through attachment of the load of the hoist controller to said support plate, said wire cable means is increasingly tensioned as a function of increase in weight of the load or force thereon.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a cable hoist controller in which the usage thereof in connection with scaffolding or staging may be set-up utilizing any segment of a cable of a mechanized hoist which is convenient to the operator thereof.
It is another object to provide a cable hoist controller for use with scaffolding, staging and the like that is easier, more convenient and more cost-effective to assemble upon a multi-story work site than corresponding cable hoist controllers known in the art.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a cable hoist controller in which any segment of the cable thereof may be inserted into the hoist controller.
It is a still further object to provide a hoist controller of the above type which is able to provide greater traction to the cable and therefore increase its load-carrying capability over prior art hoist controllers.
It is a yet further object to provide a single sheave, non-drum, hoist controller having improved traction and gripping of wire cables used therewithin.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and Claims appended herewith.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2881029 (1959-04-01), Tollefsen
patent: 3110199 (1963-11-01), Lilly
patent: 3231240 (1966-01-01), Naito
patent: 3721426 (1973-03-01), Kaufer
patent: 3949969 (1976-04-01), Kaufer
patent: 4139178 (1979-02-01), Hippach
patent: 4555091 (1985-11-01), May et al.
patent: 5082248 (1992-01-01), Harig
TIRAK Product Literature. Grip Hoist Inc., Westwood, Mass., no date available.
PCI Product Literature. Power Climber, Inc., Los Angeles, CA., no date available.
Matecki Katherine A.
Silverman M K
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