Patent · US Expired

Clutching and braking control for hydraulically driven crane winches

US4447044A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
5References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 26, 1981
Grant dateMay 8, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 26, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16D67/04
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A control system for one or more hydraulically driven crane winch drums each having a hydraulically actuated clutch and a brake. Included is a negative braking mechanism having a brake cylinder of the single-acting, spring-return type for normally holding the brake applied by the force of the spring and releasing the brake on fluid pressure actuation. A mode selector valve selectively delivers hydraulic fluid under pressure from two separate sources to the clutch and the brake cylinder in order to condition the winch for a selected one of winching, brake-locking, and free-fall modes. The mode selector valve causes the negative braking mechanism to release the brake in the free-fall mode, so that a positive braking mechanism is also provided to permit the operator to arrest the free fall of the load, or the free running-out of the cable, in an exact position desired.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.