"ROPE COILER" DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a rope coiler. It is often necessary to collect lengths of rope in the form of coils. For example, a fishing boat fishing for lobster using pots has a length of rope for each pot. The number of pots can be large and each rope can be of considerable length.

When the pots are hauled into the boat after completion of fishing it is important that the pots and associated lengths of rope be stored in an orderly manner for when it is desired to recommence fishing.

Typically, the pots are housed into the boat by passing their lengths of rope around a winch which deposits the incoming rope on the deck of the boat. Rope has a natural tendency to form into a coil when wound off a winch but in practice a coil is not always obtained. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a rope coiler arranged to be mounted to a winch or the like and arranged to guide a rope wound off the winch or the like into a coil. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a rope coiler having a chassis arranged to be mounted to a winch or the like , guide means forming part of the chassis, a spoon mounted adjacent the guide means and being connected to a drive means, wherein

the spoon is connected to the drive means in such manner that when driven a lower end of the spoon describes a substantially circular endless path, and a rope wound off the winch or the like is guided by the guide means into the spoon which causes the rope to be deposited in the form of a coil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rope coiler in accordance with the present invention with a spoon in one position;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the rope coiler 15 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 from the opposite side of the rope coiler with a spoon in another position;

Figure 4 is an upper perspective view of the 20 rope coiler of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the way in which the rope coiler of Figures 1 to 4 is mounted to a winch and

Figure 6 is a side elevation of part of a winch 25 showing the way in which the rope coiler of

Figures 1 to 4 may be attached thereto. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figures 1 to 4 there is shown a rope coiler comprising a chassis 10 comprising a main plate 12 which is arranged to be mounted to winch as will be described hereinafter. -A formed plate 14 is welded to the underside of the main plate 12 at an angle thereto. The formed plate 14 is formed from a single piece of metal which is bent through 90° to have a downwardly depending portion 16 and a portion 18 inclined to the main plate 12 at an acute angle. The corner between the portions 16 and 18 of the formed plate 14 is radiused and may have a 7 " radius. The portion 16 of the formed plate 14 has a forward end shaped to conform closely to the shape of a winch drum. Further, adjacent the portion 18, the portion 16 has a forwardly projecting nib 20 which is arranged to project into a notch of a winch as will be described hereinafter. A rearwardly projecting guide plate 22 is welded across the corner formed by the portions 16 and 18. A downwardly depending end plate 24 is welded to the main plate 12 remot.e from the connection to the formed plate 14. A metal tube 26 is welded to the end plate 24. A flanged bush 28 is inserted in each end of the tube 26. Further, a metal spindle 30 (see Figure 2) passes through the tube 26 and is rotatably mounted by the bushes 28.

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At its upper end, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the spindle 30 is formed with a pulley 32. The pulley 32 and spindle 30 are arranged to rotate together. The pulley 32 rests on the flange of the adjacent bush 28 and uses this as a thrust face. Further, a steadying handle 34 is mounted about the upper end of the spindle 30. The handle 34 is arranged to be held by a winch man in rough weather and when held does not rotate with the spindle 30. At its lower end, as seen in Figures 1 to 4, the spindle 30 is formed with a crank 36. At its free end the crank 36 is formed with a bush 38.

The bush 38 contains at each end bushes (not shown) with oil retaining seals. The crank 36 uses the flange of the adjacent bush 28 as a thrust face in use.

The bush 38 contains a stem 40 which at its lower end (see Figure 2) is connected to a cross head 42. The stem 40 is, as will be described, mounted for reciprocating motion within the bush 38 and is positively located " therein by the bushes and lubricated by lubricant retained in the bush 38 by the oil retaining seals. The cross head 42 is mounted between a pair of flanges 44 by means of a through bolt 46. The flanges 44 are interconnected remote from the bolt 46 by a plate 48. The plate 48 is swivellingly mounted to the lower end

of a spoon 50. The upper end of the spoon 50 is connected as follows to the rear of the formed plate 14. A plate 52 is swivellingly mounted to the upper end of the spoon 50 in similar manner to the plate 48. A pair of flanges 54 extend outwardly from ends of the plate 52. A through bolt 56 is mounted between the flanges 54. A cross head 57 (see Figures 2 and 4) is mounted about the through bolt 56. The cross head 57 is welded to one end of a plate 60 which has its other end bolted to the rear of the formed plate 14.

As shown in Figures 5 and 5, a winch typically comprises a drive shaft 61 and a winch drum 62 with•a V-notch 64. The winch also comprises a finger bracket 66 which provides the mounting for a rope stripping finger 68. The rope coiler of the present invention is conveniently mounted on the bracket 66 by means of bolts 70 passes through a slot in the main plate 12 into the bracket 66. As can be seen the nib 20 projects into the V-notch 64 a slight distance upstream of the adjacent portion of the finger 68.

Further, a pulley (not shown) is, in use, mounted on top of the winch drive shaft 60. This pulley is drivingly connected to the pulley 32 by a belt.

In use, the winch drum 62 is rotated by the drive shaft 61 and a rope is pulled through the V-notch 64. The rope

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is stripped from the V-notch 64 by the finger 68. The stripped rope is then guided by the nib 20, the formed plate 14 and guide plate 22, into the spoon 50. Simultaneously, the pulley 32 is driven from the pulley or the winch drive shaft. This causes rotation of the spindle 30 and crank 36 and corresponding reciprocal motion of the stem 40 in the bush 38. The reciprocal motion of the stem 40 and circular motion of the bush 38 causes the lower end of the spoon 50 to describe an endless path which is substantially circular. As shown by a comparison between Figures 1 and 3, the spoon 50 is tilted rearwardly towards the bush 38 in a high position of the stem 40 and is substantially vertical in a low position of the bush 38 in the stem 40. Similarly the upper end of the spoon 50 is caused to undergo a similar sympathetic movement on its mounting to the plate 60. The rope leaves the winch at a substantial speed and is thus urged into engagement with the spoon 50 by centrifugal force. Thus, as the rope winds off the winch it is directed downwardly through the spoon 50 and is urged into a coil by the motion of the spoon 50. Conveniently the rope is collected as a coil in a box on the deck of a boat. The major components of the rope coiler such as the chassis and spoon are conveniently fabricated from

aluminium. Further the chassis can be made in right or left hand versions to suit winches with different directions of rotation.

Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention.