ROPE COILER

Abstract

The rope coiler includes a base having a vertical frame supporting a horizontal central shaft. The central shaft supports a fixed spool flange near one end and a detachable spool flange at the other end. A collapsible inner drum is disposed between the flanges to facilitate winding and removal of wound rope. A drive wheel is affixed to the central shaft adjacent the fixed spool flange. A belt is operatively mounted to the drive wheel, and a motor is attached to a pivotal frame. The pivotal frame includes a foot pedal, which increases tension in the belt to drive the drive wheel when actuated. A rope coiling guide may be attached to the frame to guide arrangement of the rope along the drum.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/594,253, filed Feb. 2, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to winding and reeling devices, and more specifically to a rope coiler that is portable, economical, lightweight, and capable of handling a wide range of ropes for use at various locations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Ropes of various forms have been utilized for centuries from fishing to construction. Due to their form and weight, rope can be difficult to handle in mass quantities. This is a significant issue for fishermen, since they use ropes for many of their tasks, such as hauling and deploying nets or crab cages, rigging, and loading/unloading of cargo.

Since significant lengths of ropes are used, storing rope can be a difficult task. One of the most effective methods of storage requires the rope to be coiled into a drum or a spool, which is a daunting task when done manually, or an expensive task when done with industrial toilers. A typical heavy-duty rope coiler is an expensive device that must be installed on the boat or ship. While lucrative fishermen may have no issue with such expenses, the less fortunate may not have the financial means for similar appropriation. In addition, the utility of a permanently installed caller is significantly reduced when it cannot be used on land or anywhere outside the installed location. During the off-season, the fisherman not fortunate enough to own a coiler may be forced to store the rope in non-coiled form, which can lead to tedious tangles that must be unraveled or non-ideal storage conditions that can potentially damage the rope. The rope itself is a significant investment for the user in large quantities. It would be a benefit in the art to provide a rope-winding device that is portable, economical and durable for a wide range of ropes.

Thus, a rope coiler solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The rope coiler includes a base having a vertical frame supporting a horizontal central shaft. The central shaft supports a fixed spool flange near one end and a detachable spool flange at the other end. A collapsible inner drum is disposed between the flanges to facilitate winding and removal of wound rope. A drive wheel is affixed to the central shaft adjacent the fixed spool flange. A belt is operatively mounted to the drive wheel, and a motor is attached to a pivotal frame. The pivotal frame includes a foot pedal that increases tension in the belt to drive the drive wheel when actuated. A rope coiling guide may be attached to the frame to guide arrangement of the rope along the drum.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a rope coiler according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the rope coiler according to the present invention,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the drum mechanism for the rope coiler according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the drive mechanism for the rope caller according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the rope coiling guide for the rope coiler according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a belt retention bracket for the rope coiler according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a rope coiler, generally referred to by reference number 10 in the drawings, which is configured as an easily portable device for coiling rope in an easy manner. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rope coiler 10 includes a base 12 providing a support for a spooling mechanism 20 upon which rope or other flexible length of material R may be wound. The base 12 includes a vertical support frame 16 to which the spooling mechanism 20 is attached. The base 12 may comprise a pair of spaced, elongate beams, bars or legs 14 extending below the spooling mechanism to form a stable support for the rope coiler 10 on whatever surface the rope coiler 10 may be placed. For added stability, the legs 14 may include rubber feet, pads or other material having a high coefficient of friction to bear against a supporting surface to prevent undesirable movement of the rope coiler 10. Alternatively, the legs 14 may be replaced with a framework or plate, so long as the resultant base does not significantly impact the overall weight of the rope coiler 10 and the portability thereof.

The vertical support frame 16 may be a pair of legs, beams or bars forming a triangular truss housing a bearing to rotatably support a central shaft 26 of the spooling mechanism 20 near the apex of the truss. The spooling mechanism 20 is disposed on one side of the vertical support frame 16, while a rotatable drive wheel 50 is disposed on the other side of the frame 16, the central shaft 26 being affixed to the drive wheel 50. Rotation of the drive wheel 50 correspondingly rotates the spooling mechanism 20 to coil the rope R. A shroud or cover 18 may surround the drive wheel 50 and associated structure to provide a protective covering preventing inadvertent injury to a user during operation of the rope coiler 10. The shroud 18 may include a meshed screen, as shown in FIG. 4, to increase protection. As an alternative, the shroud 18 may be a substantial structure providing a cover preventing water and spray from fouling the drive wheel 50. The spacing between the shroud 18 and the drive wheel 50 is preferably less than the profile thickness of the drive belt 52 so that the drive belt 52 will be prevented from derailing off the drive wheel 50. The interior of the lower portion of the shroud 18 may include frictionless guide strips to help maintain the teardrop shape of the trained drive belt 52, as well as to prevent accidental derailing. The frame 16 may also include a lift lug or loop 17 disposed on the rope coil guide 70 to facilitate easier transport of the rope coiler 10, e.g., by a crane.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the spooling mechanism 20 may include a fixed spool flange or end 22 (i.e., fixed to the central shaft 26 for rotation therewith) disposed adjacent the vertical frame 16 and a detachably mounted spool flange or end 24 at the opposing distal end of the central shaft 26. A plurality of equidistant, circumferentially spaced drum arms, beams or bars 34 pivotally connected to the fixed spool end 22 forms a central drum upon which the rope R may be coiled. The spool flanges 22, 24 and the drum arms 34 define a spool similar to conventional rope spools or barrels.

Each of the spool flanges 22, 24 may be an octagonal frame defining a rough circle. Each frame includes a plurality of respective spokes 23, 25 radiating from respective central axes thereof. While the preferred embodiment discloses the octagonal shape, other geometric shapes may also be used to form a substantially circular flange, e.g. circles, squares and other polygons, so long as they include at least four spokes. This configuration of the flanges 22, 24 provides substantial weight reduction (as compared to solid plate flanges), as well as a means for selective expansion of the collapsible central drum arms 34, the details of which will be further explained below. The detachable spool flange 24 may include a rope retention hook 27 attached or formed on one of the spokes 25 as a means of temporarily placing or holding the rope to be coiled. To securely hold the detachable spool flange 24 on the central shaft 26 in a non-rotating manner with respect to the central shaft 26, one side of the detachable spool flange 24 includes an end cap or locking sleeve 28 adapted to fit over the distal end of the central shaft 26 and is locked therein by a locking assembly or pin 30 extending through a bore in the shaft 26,

As mentioned previously, the collapsible central drum comprises a plurality of pivotal drum arms 34. When fully expanded, the drum arms 34 form a uniformly shaped central drum for the rope R to coil or wind thereon. If desired, each of the drum arms 34 may optionally include an arcuate plate cover 35, resulting in a segmented cylindrical drum, as shown in FIG. 1. In the collapsed or pivoted position or state, the drum arms form a frustoconical central drum, as shown in FIG. 3, which allows for easy removal of the wound rope R.

Referring to FIG. 3, each of the drum arms is pivotally mounted to a respective spoke 23 on the fixed spool flange 22 via a pivot 36. The drum arms 34 are biased in the collapsed state or position by respective springs 44. To ensure controlled collapse and expansion of the drum arms 34, the central shaft 26 includes a cross-shaped drum arm guide bracket 42 disposed on the shaft sleeve 40. The shaft sleeve 40 may be a square tube affixed to the central shaft 26 and/or the fixed spool flange 22 via welding or fasteners. The drum arm guide bracket 42 includes radiating guide arms for each of the drum arms 34. The guide arms each include a notch, gap or cutout 43 where the respective drum arm 34 rides so that the movement of the drum arm 34 is limited in the radial direction.

To expand the drum arms 34 into a uniform central drum shape, a wedging mechanism is used between the drum arms 34 and the detachable spool flange 24. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the detachable spool flange 24 includes axially extending wedges or expander plates 32 spaced equidistantly around the axis of the detachable spool flange 24 on the opposite side from the locking sleeve 28. Each of the expander plates 32 corresponds to each of the drum arms 34 so that during operation, the sloping side of the expander plate 32 acts against the distal end of the respective drum arm 34 and forces radial movement or expansion of the same. At least two drum expansion guides or plates 46 radially extend from the shaft sleeve 40 adjacent the distal end of the central shaft 26. Each guide plate 46 has a radially extending notch, gap or cutout 47. The notch 47 confines the movement of the respective expander plate 32 in the axial direction. Although the drawings disclose two drum expansion guides 46 to show that two should be sufficient for guided operation of the expander plates 32, additional guides 46 may be incorporated for the rest of the drum arms 34. To facilitate easier expansion of the drum arms 34, the distal end of each arm 34 may include a roller 38 to co-act with the expander plate 32. Thus, the drum arms 34 are spread or expanded during the process of mounting the detachable spool flange 24 onto the central shaft 26.

To wind rope R around the central drum, the rope coiler 10 utilizes a powered winding assembly. The winding assembly includes the drive wheel 50, a drive belt 52 and a motor 62 mounted to a pivotal motor support frame 54. The drive belt 52 is wound about the drive wheel 50 and the pinion or output shaft 64 of the motor 62 so that rotation of the output shaft 64 facilitates rotation of the drive wheel 50, and ultimately the spooling mechanism 20. The motor 62 may include a cover 63 protecting the same from water and spray while permitting cooling to occur.

The motor support frame 54 is pivotal about pivot 56 and includes a belt retention bracket 58. The belt retention bracket 58 may be a bent S-shaped bracket having one end attached to the motor support frame 54 and the opposite end spaced a small distance from the output shaft 64. The belt retention bracket 58 may include a pair of bracket arms 59 forming a U-shaped channel, as shown in FIG. 6. The U-shaped channel ensures that the drive belt is trained on the output shaft 64 and prevents the drive belt 52 from derailing. As an alternative to the belt retention bracket 58 shown in the drawings, the bracket 58 may be pivotal and include an extending distal end projecting further across the motor 62 so that the bracket 58 may be selectively pivoted to the retention position. As a further alternative, a covering may be selectively attached to the motor support frame 54 to cover the gap between the output shaft 64 and the frame 54 with an inwardly extending piece to ensure the trained engagement of the belt 52. The distal or free end of the motor support frame 54 includes a foot pedal 60 for the user to operate to commence winding of the rope R. As shown in FIG. 4, the motor support frame 54 is normally biased by a spring 66 to a raised position.

To operate the powered winding assembly, the user actuates a switch mechanism operatively attached to the rope coiler 10, which turns on the motor 62. Due to the normally raised position of the motor support frame 54, the drive belt 52 is not tensioned to the point where the belt 52 may drive the drive wheel 50. By pressing the foot pedal 60 in the direction indicated by arrow 61, the user increases the tension in the belt 52 and thereby commences driving rotation of the drive wheel 50.

While simple rotation of the spooling assembly 20 may be sufficient to coil the rope R, at times it may be necessary to control the manner in which the rope R is wound around the central drum to maximize the winding capacity of the spooling assembly 20. The common method is to wind the rope R around the central drum in uniform layers, and to facilitate this, the rope coiler 10 includes a rope coil guide 70 attached to the vertical support frame 16 via attachment arms or frame members 71.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, and particularly FIG. 5, the rope coil guide 70 includes an axially extending track 72 upon which a carriage 74 may reciprocate in the direction indicated by arrow 75. The carriage 74 includes a hollow body formed by plates fastened or welded together. The interior of the carriage 74 includes at least two pairs of rollers 76 engaging the sides of the track 72 for easy reciprocation thereon. An elongate handle 80 may be pivotally mounted to the top of the carriage 74 by a pivot bracket 82. The handle 80 allows the user to selectively reciprocate the carriage 74 on the track 72. To ensure proper delivery or feeding of rope R, the carriage 74 includes a rope guide 78 disposed atop the carriage 74. The rope guide 78 may be a semi-cylindrical trough through which the rope R may be fed. The pivot bracket 82 may also function as a brake by pushing the handle down during feeding when it is desired to discontinue feed or compact the wound rope R on the central drum.

For transport purposes, the rope coil guide 70 may include a locking strap 84 disposed at the distal end of the track 72. The locking strap or belt 84 battens down the detachable spool flange 24 to prevent the spool flange 24 from inadvertent rotation during transport. The locking strap 84 may be secured by hook-loop fasteners, buckles or any other means for securing straps or belts.

The following describes how to use the rope coiler 10. To begin the coiling operation, the detachable spool flange 24 is mounted and locked to the central shaft 26. This causes the expander plates 32 to act against the rollers 38 and thereby spread the drum arms 34 to form a central drum for winding. The user then feeds the rope R through the rope guide 78 and winds the initial end of the rope R around the central drum in preparation for powered operation of the rope coiler 10. The motor 62 is switched on, and the foot pedal 60 is pressed by the user to increase the tension in the belt 52 and establish rotation of the drive wheel 50. Rotation of the drive wheel 50 drives the central shaft 26 to coil or wind the rope around the central drum. During this operation, the user may reciprocate the carriage 74 to obtain even layers of coiled rope. Once the desired amount of rope has been coiled, the feeding operation may be stopped by a combination of turning the motor 62 off, releasing the foot pedal 60, and braking of feed by pivoting the pivot bracket 82. The detachable spool flange 24 is then removed from the central shaft 26, which collapses the drum arms 34. At this point, or prior thereto, the user may use twine to wrap the coiled rope. The user may then remove the coiled rope from the central drum with relative ease.

It is to be understood that the rope coiler 10 encompasses a variety of alternatives. For example, the rope coiler 10 is preferably made from steel tubes to maintain strength and durability while minimizing weight. However, other similar materials such as plastics and composites may also be used. The rollers 38, 76 may be made from plastic, steel or wood. As a further alternative to the roller 38, these rollers 38 may be replaced by a frictionless layer or coating, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon®). Another alternative includes a braking mechanism operatively attached to the motor 62. The rope coiler 10 may also include a variety of color and indicia for identification or advertising purposes.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A rope coiler, comprising:

a base;

a vertical support frame attached to the base;

a spooling mechanism operatively attached to the vertical support frame, the spooling mechanism having: an elongated central shaft; a fixed spool flange at one end of the shaft; a detachable spool flange at the distal end of the shaft; a collapsible central drum disposed between the fixed spool flange and the detachable spool flange, the central drum being adapted for winding and removal of rope thereon; and a spreading assembly for selective expansion of the central drum;

a powered winding assembly operatively attached to the central shaft to selectively rotate the central shaft; and

a rope coil guide for selectively feeding the rope to the central drum to form even layers of coiled rope;

wherein selective actuation of the powered winding assembly positively coils the rope around the central drum as the rope is fed through the rope coil guide.

2. The rope coiler according to claim 1, wherein said base comprises a pair of spaced legs for stable support of the rope coiler upon a surface.

3. The rope coiler according to claim 1, wherein said vertical support comprises a triangular truss extending vertically from said base, the triangular truss having an apex vertically spaced from said base, said central shaft being rotatably supported at the apex.

4. The rope coiler according to claim 3, wherein said triangular truss comprises at least a pair of beams extending angularly from said base to meet at said apex.

5. The rope coiler according to claim 3, wherein said powered winding assembly comprises:

a drive wheel attached to said central shaft;

an elongate motor support frame having one end pivotally mounted to a side of said triangular truss and a foot pedal extending from the other end of the motor support frame;

a motor mounted to the motor support frame, the motor having an output shaft;

a drive belt trained around the drive wheel and the output shaft; and

a spring disposed between the motor frame and said triangular truss, the spring normally biasing the output shaft into a non-driving, non-drive belt tensioning position;

wherein selective operation of the foot pedal by a user forces the output shaft into selective driving engagement with the drive belt, thereby simultaneously providing tension and drive for rotating the drive wheel and the central shaft connected thereto.

6. The rope coiler according to claim 5, further comprising a belt retention bracket mounted to said motor frame, the belt retention bracket having at least one arm forming a channel disposed adjacent said output shaft, said channel preventing said drive belt from inadvertently derailing from said output shaft.

7. The rope coiler according to claim 5, further comprising a shroud for protectively covering at least said drive wheel.

8. The rope coiler according to claim 1, wherein said collapsible central drum comprises:

a plurality of elongate drum arms angularly spaced around said central shaft, each of the drum arms having one end pivotally mounted to said fixed spool flange, the drum aims being pivotal between a collapsed position forming a frustoconical shape for easy removal of coiled rope and an expanded position forming a cylindrical shape for coiling rope;

an elongate square sleeve fixed to said central shaft;

a drum arm guide bracket affixed to the square sleeve, the drum arm guide bracket having a plurality of radiating guide arms, each of the guide arms having a cutout therein, the cutout guiding a respective drum arm between the collapsed and expanded positions and confining movement of the drum arms in a radial direction; and

a plurality of springs disposed around said central shaft, each of the springs having one end connected to the square sleeve and the other end connected to one of the drum arms, the springs normally biasing the drum arms into the collapsed position.

9. The rope coiler according to claim 8, wherein each said drum arm includes an elongate, arcuate plate, the arcuate plates forming a segmented drum shape.

10. The rope coiler according to claim 8, wherein said spreading assembly comprises:

at least two drum expansion guides radially extending from said central shaft, each of the drum expansion guides having an elongate gap; and

a plurality of expander plates rigidly attached to one side of said detachable spool flange, the expander plates being angularly spaced on said detachable spool flange, at least two of the expander plates being slidably disposed through the elongate gaps, each of the expander plates being adapted for selective engagement with the other end of a respective said drum arm;

wherein selective attachment of said detachable spool flange to the distal end of said central shaft expands said drum arms via interaction between the expander plates and said drum arms.

11. The rope coiler according to claim 10, wherein each said expander plate comprises a wedge.

12. The rope coiler according to claim 10, further comprising a roller rotatably mounted to the other end of each said drum arm, the roller being selectively engageable with a respective said expander plate during attachment of said detachable spool flange.

13. The rope coiler according to claim 1, wherein said rope coil guide comprises:

a guide frame attached to said vertical support frame, the guide frame having an elongate track extending parallel to said collapsible central drum;

a carriage slidably mounted to said track;

a rope guide attached to said carriage, the rope guide having a groove for guided feeding of rope to said central drum to be coiled thereon; and

an elongate handle pivotally mounted to the carriage, the handle permitting a user to selectively reciprocate the carriage along said track, the handle being disposed above the rope guide and pivotal into an engaging position with the rope being coiled, thereby selectively braking feeding thereof.

14. The rope coiler according to claim 13, wherein said carriage comprises a hollow body having a hollow interior for receiving said track and at least one pair of rollers disposed inside the hollow body, the rollers engaging sides of said track.

15. The rope coiler according to claim 13, further comprising a locking strap disposed at a distal end of said track, the locking strap selectively securing said detachable spool flange for safe transport.

16. The rope coiler according to claim 13, further comprising a lift lug fixed to said guide frame, the lift lug facilitating lifting and transport of the rope coiler.

17. The rope coiler according to claim 1, further comprising a locking assembly mounted to the distal end of said central shaft, the locking assembly preventing inadvertent disengagement of said detachable spool flange from said central shaft.

18. The rope coiler according to claim 17, wherein said locking assembly comprises a locking sleeve slidably mounted to the distal end of said central shaft and a locking pin selectively securing the locking sleeve to said central shaft.