Bidirectional drive with a unidirectional irreversibility mechanism
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a drive arrangement that is bidirectionally rotatable in response to torque applied to an input shaft and which has a unidirectionally rotatable irreversibility mechanism in response to torque applied to an output shaft. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Winch systems consisting of two drums, a geared rotary actuator, an electric motor and an overtravel stop device are known. In such systems, a unidirectional rotational load is applied to the winch output through cables which are attached to the drums to which a force is applied such as that when a load is being lifted by the winch. It is required that the system will be irreversible in the direction of the applied load. Even though an included gear train is of a self-locking type, irreversibility in a vibration environment is not reliably provided. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide the required function of irreversibility to systems of this prior type. 
     Another object is to provide a novel unidirectional irreversibility mechanism of general applicability. 
     A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of force transmitting components, one group of components being used for transmitting shaft rotation in a first direction and another group of components being used for transmitting shaft rotation in the opposite direction. 
     A still further object resides in providing an input bidirectional drive which has a novel unidirectional irreversibility mechanism that includes a pawl and ratchet structure that has a fixed annular member with internal teeth surrounding force transmitting plates that have facing surfaces with pins and protrusions. 
    
    
     These and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparent from the claims and from the specification when read in conjunction with the drawings wherein: 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a system of a general type in which the present invention may be used; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the drive of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation in section taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view looking at the left side of the input shaft plate shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5, is a side elevation in section taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view looking at the right side of the output shaft plate shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial view showing the profile of a protrusion carried by the input shaft plate; and 
     FIG. 8 is a partial view showng the profile of a corresponding protrusion carried by the output shaft plate. 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     In a bidirectional winch which typically may include a drum 10 with a load weight 12, the shaft 14 is journaled for rotation in either direction of rotation. Important to understanding the disclosure is the fact that the direction of shaft rotation which lowers the weight 12 is referred to herein as being a forward direction and clockwise as viewed from the right hand side of drum 10 and in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. Clockwise shaft rotation controls the downward displacement of load weight 12 which is of concern and to be carefully monitored. Conventionally, the drum 10 may be rotated by a secondary source such as handle 16 or a gear provided by an auxiliary power train, not shown, or by motor 18 in a reverse direction for raising the load weight 12 or its equivalent. 
     Driving force in either a forward or reverse direction applied to shaft 14, is conventionally supplied by a suitable motor 18 and gear train 20. The present invention involves a novel drive mechanism 22 that is irreversible in the forward drive direction of the applied load 12. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the input shaft 24 is formed to receive a plate 26 on an end portion thereof. Output shaft 28 is formed to receive a plate 30 on an end portion thereof. 
     Surrounding the space between the facing surfaces of plates 26 and 30 is an annular member 32 that is fixed relative to the supports of the input and output shafts 24, 28 respectively. Annular member 32 has teeth 34 which extend around its entire inner periphery and serve as a part of a ratchet and pawl mechanism. 
     A lever or pawl 36, shown also in FIGS. 3 and 5, is mounted in the space between facing surfaces of the input shaft plate 26 and the output shaft plate 30. The free end 38 of lever 36 is arranged to engage the teeth 34 on annular member 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. 
     Lever 36 is mounted for a rocking or pivotal movement on a pin 40. Pin 40 is secured to the plate 30 of output shaft 28 in a cantilever fashion (See FIG. 6) so that the end 42 of pin 40 does not engage the plate 26 attached to the input shaft 24. The free end 38 of lever 36 is biased by a suitable spring 44, here illustrated as a helix that is under compression, to be normally in engagement with one of the teeth 34 of the annular member 32. A guide or housing 46 for spring 44 is rigidly secured to the plate 30 of the output shaft to serve as a stop or abutment to limit the pivotal movement of lever 36 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5 and to maintain one end of spring 44 in a fixed position. 
     Lever 36 may be also formed to have recess between surfaces 48 and 53. The mass at end 51 of lever 36 is oriented eccentrically so that during high speed operation, a centrifugal force is provided on lever 36 which causes the free end to move in opposition to the force of spring 44 away from engagement with the teeth 34 of annular member 32. Surface 48 of lever 36 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 to be in engagement with a pin 50. 
     Pin 50 may be cantilever mounted in plate 26 that is associated with the input shaft 24 and may have an end 52 which does not engage plate 30 that is associated with the output shaft 28. 
     As is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 the axis of rotation of the aligned input and output shafts 24 and 28 respectively is nearer to the output shaft pin 40 about which lever 36 rocks than to input shaft pin 50. Both pins 40 and 50 are nearer to the axis of rotation than is the abutment surface of spring guide 46. 
     The driving force in the clockwise or forward direction of rotation of the input shaft 24 that is transmitted by pin 50 to the output shaft 28, is applied to a mid-portion of lever 36 that is between the location of pin 40 and spring guide 46 which are both secured to the plate 30 that is associated with the output shaft 28. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 through 8, the plates 26 and 30 that are associated with the input and output shafts are formed with protrusions 54 which may be identical in construction. Each protrusion 54 has a surface 56 that is adapted to engage or abut the corresponding surface 56 on the other protrusion. Each of the protrusions 54 thus extends across the space between the facing surfaces of the plates 26 and 30 and both are located at positions that are generally diametrically opposite from the locations of the pins 40 and 50 and out of the path of movement of the lever or pawl 36. 
     When the system is at rest the free end portion 38 of the pawl or lever 36 is in engagement with tooth portion 34 of the annular member 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. 
     OPERATION 
     When the motor 18 causes input shaft 24 to be rotated in a forward direction to lower the load (i.e., rotates the shafts clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 and as labeled in FIG. 3) a force is applied to pin 50 which causes the lever 36 to pivot about pin 40 until the lever 36 engages the spring guide 46 that is secured to the output shaft plate 30. The free end 38 of the lever 36 is moved out of engagement with the teeth 34. Further rotation of the motor input shaft 24 causes the drum to rotate and lower the load 12 or to drive a rigid member in an application which does not use a winch. 
     When the motor 18 causes input shaft 24 to be rotated counterclockwise to raise the load (i.e., rotates the shafts 24 and 28 counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 and as labeled in FIG. 3) the protrusion 54 on the input shaft plate 26 rotates downwardly as illustrated in FIG. 3 and engages the similarly shaped protrusion 54 of the output shaft plate 30 thereby providing a positive drive force to the output shaft in a counterclockwise direction. Further rotation of the input motor driven shaft 24 causes pawl lever 36 to slide off the teeth 34. Due to enlarged size of the pawl or lever 36 at the end opposite the free end 38, rotation at high speed will generate a centrifugal force that operates in opposition to the force produced by spring 44 thereby reducing noise and wear; where rotational speed is sufficiently high, free end 38 of lever 36 will be free from teeth 34. 
     When the motor 18 is disabled, counterclockwise rotation of the output shaft 28 and plate 30 to raise the load weight 12 will be permitted and will pass through the mechanism to drive input shaft plate 26. As is evident from FIG. 5, counterclockwise rotation of pin 40 causes the lever 36 to slide off the teeth 34. the load weight 12 will be permitted and will pass through the mechanism to drive input shaft plate 26. As is evident from FIG. 5, counterclockwise rotation of pin 40 causes the lever 36 to slide off the teeth 34. Further rotation of the output plate shaft 30 will cause the abutment surfaces 56 of protrusions 54 to abut and thereafter to cause rotation of the motor input shaft 24. 
     However, when the motor 18 is disabled and the load or other external force applied to the output shaft 28 tends to rotate the shafts in a clockwise direction as when the system is in a rest condition, the free end 38 of the lever 36 will jam against the ratchet teeth 34 of the annular member 32 and prohibit this motion. 
     While only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is apparent that changes by reversal of parts and use of equivalent structural components may be used to achieve the benefits and unique advantages of the present invention. Accordingly, all changes and modifications which fall within the scope of the claims are intended to be covered thereby.