Claims
- 1. A platform-mounted apparatus for drawing in, holding, paying out and rapidly releasing a flexible load line having the properties of a wire rope comprising:
- (a) winch means mounted to said platform, said winch means having the ability to draw in and hold the line up to a tensile force less than the breaking strength of the line; and
- (b) wedge gripper means for holding said line by self-locking up to a tensile force substantially equal to the breaking strength of the line, said gripper means comprising:
- (1) a grip frame mounted to the platform;
- (2) a pair of opposed grip wedges, having opposed internal gripping surfaces for engaging the line and external wedging surfaces that taper toward each other in the direction of tensile force in the line, each grip wedge having a wide end and a narrow end;
- (3) grip wedge connection means for moveably connecting the side end of each grip wedge to the grip frame, said grip wedge connection means including limiting means for limiting the motioin of said grip wedges relative to said platform at a travel limit in the direction of the tensile force in the line;
- (4) a grip body having opposed seating surfaces against which the external wedging surfaces moveably bear, said seating surfaces tapering toward each other at substantially the same angle as the external wedging surfaces such that relative motion of the grip wedges into the taper of the seating surfaces causes the opposed grip wedges to wedge together to engage the line, and relative motion out of the taper of the seating surfaces causes the opposed grip wedges to move apart and deisengage the line;
- (5) grip body holding means for connecting the grip body to the grip frame independently of the grip wedges, said grip body holding means permitting the grip body to move relative to the grip frame between a self-locking grip position and a release position; and
- (6) release means connected to the grip body holding means for positively moving the grip body relative to the grip frame into said release position while said limiting means maintains said grip wedges at said travel limit, whereby the grip body is moved relative to the grip wedges so that the grip wedges move out of the taper of the seating surfaces and release the line from self-locking.
- 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the release means for positively moving the grip body relative to the grip frame comprises a cam shaft having a cam thereon, said cam being inserted in the grip body holding means such that rotation of the cam shaft and cam causes the grip body to move between its grip position and its release position.
- 3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the grip body holding means comprises:
- at least one release link haivng one end connected to the grip body and the other end containing a cam opening for receiving a cam; and
- at least one cam shaft support having one end connected to the grip frame and the other end containing a shaft opening for receiving a cam shaft; and
- said release means for positively moving the grip body relative to the grip frame comprises a cam shaft passing through the shaft opening in the cam shaft support and having a cam received in the cam opening in the release link and means for rotating the cam shaft.
- 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the cam is a circular cam mounted off-center on the cam shaft.
- 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the winch means comprises traction winch means.
- 6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the traction winch means comprises a pair of winch drums around which the line is wrapped three or more times.
- 7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 further comprising a storage winch for drawing in, holding and paying out the line providing back-tension for said traction winch.
- 8. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein the traction winch means further comprises a center pinion drive means to drive both winch drums.
- 9. A platform-mounted apparatus for drawing in, holding, paying out and rapidly releasing a flexible load line having the properties of a wire rope comprising:
- (a) winch means mounted to said platform, said winch means having the ability to draw in and hold the line up to a tensile force less than the breaking strength of the line; and
- (b) wedge gripper means for holding said line by self-locking up to a tensile force substantially equal to the breaking strength of the line, said gripper means mounted to said platform and comprising:
- (1) a pair of opposed grip wedges having opposed internal gripping surfaces for engaging the line and external wedging surfaces that taper toward each other in the direction of tensile force in the line;
- (2) of grip body having opposed seating surfaces against which the external wedging surfaces moveably bear, said seating surfaces tapering toward each other at substantially the same angle as the external wedging surfaces, said grip body and said grip wedges being relatively shiftable between a line engaging position wherein said grip wedges are received within the taper of the seating surfaces such that the opposed grip wedges are wedged together to engage the line for self-locking, and a line clearing position wherein said grip wedges move out of the taper of the seating surfaces such that the opposed grip wedges are moveable apart to disengage the line; and
- (3) line release means operably connecting said grip body and said grip wedges to said platform for positively moving the grip body relative to the grip wedges to release self-locking by moving the grip body into said line clearing position while said grip wedges are limited in their travel relative to said platform.
- 10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the line release means comprises:
- a grip frame mounted to the platform;
- grip wedge connection means for moveably connecting each grip wedge to the grip frame and defining a travel limit for each grip wedge in the direction of tensile force in the line;
- grip body holding means for connecting the grip body to the grip frame, said grip body holding means permitting the grip body to move relative to the grip frame between a grip position corresponding to said line engaging position and a release position corresponding to said line clearing position; and
- a cam shaft having a cam thereon, said cam being inserted in the grip body holding means such that rotation of the cam shaft and cam causes the grip body to move between its grip position and its release position.
- 11. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the release means comprises:
- at least one release link having one end connected to the grip body and the other end containing a cam opening for receiving a cam;
- at least one cam shaft support having one end connected to the platform and the other end containing a shaft opening for receiving a cam shaft;
- a cam shaft passing through the shaft opening in the cam shaft support and having a cam received in the cam opening in the release link; and means for rotating the cam shaft.
- 12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the cam is a circular cam mounted off-center on the cam shaft.
- 13. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the winch means comprises traction winch means.
- 14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein the traction winch means comprises a pair of winch drums around which the line is wrapped three or more times.
- 15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 further comprising a storage winch for drawing in, holding and paying out the line and providing back-tension for said traction winch.
- 16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein the traction winch means further comprises a center pinion drive means to drive both winch drums.
- 17. A platform-mounted apparatus for holding a flexible load line having the properties of a wire rope by self-locking up to a tensile force substantially equal to the breaking strength of the line and for rapidly releasing said line comprising:
- (1) a pair of opposed grip wedges having opposed internal gripping surfaces for engaging the line and external wedging surfaces that taper toward each other in the direction of tensile force in the line;
- (2) a grip body having opposed seating surfaces against which the external wedging surfaces moveably bear, said seating surfaces tapering toward each other at substantially the same angle as the external wedging surfaces, said grip body and said grip wedges being relatively shiftable between a line engaging position wherein said grip wedges are received within the taper of the seating surfaces such that the opposed grip wedges are wedged together to engage the line for self-locking, and a line clearing position wherein said grip wedges move out of the taper of the seating surfaces such that the opposed grip wedges are moveable apart to disengage the line; and
- (3) line release means operably connecting said grip body and said grip wedges to said platform for positively moving the grip body relative to the grip wedges to release self-locking, by moving the grip body into said line clearing position while said grip wedges are limited in their travel relative to said platform.
- 18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the line release means comprises:
- a grip frame mounted to the platform;
- grip wedge connection means for moveably connecting each grip wedge to the grip frame, said grip connection means defining a travel limit for each grip wedge in the direction of the tensile force in the line;
- grip body holding means connecting the grip body to the grip frame, said grip body holding means permitting the grip body to move relative to the grip frame between a grip position corresponding to said line engaging position and a release position corresponding to said line clearing position; and
- a cam shaft having a cam thereon, said cam being inserted in the grip body holding means such that rotation of the cam shaft and cam causes the grip body to move between its grip position and release position.
- 19. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the release means comprises:
- at least one release link having one end connected to the grip body and the other end containing a cam opening for receiving a cam;
- at least one cam shaft support having one end connected to the grip frame and the other end containing a shaft opening for receiving a cam shaft;
- a cam shaft passing through the shaft opening in the cam shaft support and having a cam received in the cam opening in the release link; and means for rotating the cam shaft.
- 20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein the cam is a circular cam mounted off-center on the cam shaft.
- 21. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the winch means comprises traction winch means.
- 22. The apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the traction winch means comprises a pair of winch drums around which the line is wrapped three or more times.
- 23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 further comprising a storage winch for drawing in, holding and paying out the line and providing a back-tension for said traction winch.
- 24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein the traction winch means further comprises a center pinion drive means to drive both winch drums.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/013,128, filed Feb. 10, 1987, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (22)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
"Recent Developments in Deep Water Mooring of Semi-Submersibles" by Christian V. Wolff, with attached FIG. 6 Mar. 9, 1984 letter from American Hoist & Derrick Co. to C. Wolff. |
American Hoist & Derrick Co. Drawing P-10034. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
13128 |
Feb 1987 |
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