Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Richard F Hoehn

Bertwin E Behrends

Hugh C Morris

Ronald E Wineburner

Henry T Therkildsen

Norman R Allen

James M Poirot

The invention is concerned with an improvement in a winch and fluid control system. The preferred system which is improved comprises (1) a rotatable drum for receiving and releasing a cable, (2) a drive train for supporting said drum and for selectively transmitting rotary drive thereto, said drive train including a brake, (3) a source of pressurized fluid, (4) a control valve having an inlet communicating with the source of pressurized fluid and having an outlet system and a valving element which is shiftable between at least three positions including a Brake-On position, a Reel-In position and a Brake-Off position, and (5) a winch lubricating system which communicate said source of pressurized fluid with said winch. Preferably the valving element is also shiftable to a Free-Spool position. The improvement of the present invention comprises a one-way clutch associated with said brake which allows said drum to rotate in a reel-in direction when said brake is engaged; an auxiliary drag brake for stopping reel-in rotation of said drum caused by viscous drag of hydraulic fluid on said drive means when said valving element is in said Brake-On position; and a fluid flow directing system intermediate said winch lubricating system and said auxiliary drag brake which directs a flow of pressurized fluid from said winch lubricating system to said auxiliary drag brake responsive to shifting of said valving element to said Brake-On position and blocks said flow of pressurized fluid from said winch lubricating system to said auxiliary drag brake responsive to shifting of said valving element to any of said Brake-Off and Reel-In positions and, when applicable, said Free-Spool position.

Winch valve drag brake control

A winch drum carrying a cable is supported by drive mechanism which includes a normally disengaged drive input clutch that is engageable in response to pressurized fluid to reel in cable. A normally engaged disconnect clutch disengages in response to fluid pressure to free the drum for rotation independently of the drive mechanism. A normally engaged brake immobilizes the drive mechanism except when released by fluid pressure. A control valve provides for directing pressurized fluid to appropriate ones or combinations of the clutches and brake as necessary to establish any of four operational conditions including Reel-In, Brake-On, Brake-Off and Disconnect modes of operation. A check valve between the flow lines that connect the control valve to the input clutch and to the brake assures that there is no momentary overlapping of engagements of both the input clutch and the brake when the Reel-In mode of operation is initiated or terminated.

Fluid pressure-controlled winch mechanism

A towing winch system with fluid pressure actuated power input and winch input clutches disposed serially between the power take-off and cable drum. A controlled but variable reduced fluid pressure from a source is applied to the winch input clutches and full fluid pressure is applied to the power input clutch through a valve which opens in response to and when the pressure applied to the winch input clutches exceeds a manually selectable low or high value for inching or non-inching operation, respectively.

Adjustable sequence valve for towing winch hydraulic controls

A power shift transmission having a torque converter with a lock-up clutch for locking the impeller to the turbine of the torque converter to provide direct drive from the engine to the input end of the transmission includes a flow-limiting pressure-reducing valve, between the source of pressurized fluid for actuating the clutches of the system, for reducing the pressure and flow of the fluid to the pressure-actuated lock-up clutch below the pressure for the actuation of the remainder of the clutches in the system. This system provides a smoother operation of the lock-up clutch as well as prevents the creation of a high pressure drop within the actuating fluid system.

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Pekin, IL, United States of America

Richard F Hoehn