Winch assembly with web strap storage

Abstract

In a winch assembly utilizing a web strap for securing a load on a railroad car, a winch box and/or an alternative spool assembly are provided mounted at a side of the railroad car. The winch box has a winch mandrel with a winding axis extending parallel to a longitudinal extent of the railroad car. An aperture in a side of the winch box facing away from the side of the railroad car is provided for receiving a slotted winding post of a crank. In a stored position, a first portion of the web strap is wound on the winch mandrel and a second portion of the web strap is wound in a roll on the winding past the crank. In the alternative embodiment, the spool assembly includes a spool tube with an adjacent winding mandrel. A first portion of the web is wound on the spool tube and a second portion is wound on the adjacent winding mandrel.

I claim as my invention:  
     
         1 . A winch assembly with a web strap storage for securing a load with a web strap on a railroad car, comprising: 
 a winch box mounted at a side of the railroad car;    the winch box having a winch mandrel and a winding axis of the mandrel extending parallel to a longitudinal extent of the railroad car;    an aperture in a side of the winch box facing away from the side of the railroad car; and    in a stored position, a first portion of the web strap being wound on the winch mandrel and a second portion of the web strap being wound in a roll which is stored adjacent to one end of the winch mandrel in said winch box such that a winding axis of the roll of the second portion of the web strap runs in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the railroad car.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein a swinging top cover is provided which in a closed position closes off a top of the winch box and in an open position is swung down to vertical position against the side wall of the winch box.  
     
     
         3 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein one end of the web strap is fixed to the winch mandrel.  
     
     
         4 . The winch assembly of    claim 1    including a crank having a crank arm and a winding post with a slot in it and wherein a free end of the web strap is received in the slot and the web winding post being receivable in said aperture in said side of the winch box for winding said roll for said second portion of said web strap inside said winch box.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein said winch mandrel is fastened to a front wall of said winch box.  
     
     
         6 . The winch assembly of    claim 1    wherein the winch mandrel has a drive portion and a toothed wheel engageable with a pawl for locking in one direction of rotation of the winch mandrel and allowing free rotation in the opposite direction.  
     
     
         7 . The winch assembly of    claim 1    wherein a curved sliding surface is provided at a top of the winch box positioned for allowing the web strap to bear there against when the web strap secures the load.  
     
     
         8 . The winch assembly according to    claim 7    wherein the sliding surface and the top cover when it is closed form a slot for receiving the web strap therethrough.  
     
     
         9 . The winch assembly according to    claim 1    wherein the web strap has one end attached to the winch mandrel and, in a load securement position, wraps over the load without twists between the winch mandrel and the load.  
     
     
         10 . The winch assembly according to    claim 1    wherein the winch box at a top side thereof is lined up with a top surface of a platform of the railroad car.  
     
     
         11 . A method for securing a load on a railroad car, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a winch box at a side of the railroad car, said winch box having a winch mandrel having a winding axis running parallel to a longitudinal extent of the railroad car;    unwinding a web strap from the winch mandrel and securing the load with the web strap; and    for storing the web strap when the load is no longer to be secured, winding a first portion of the web strap onto the winch mandrel and winding a second portion of the web strap into a roll received adjacent an end of the winch mandrel and stored in the winch box such that a winding axis of the second portion extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the railroad car.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to    claim 11    wherein 
 a crank is provided having a crank arm and a slotted winding post received through an aperture in a side of the winch box facing away from the side of the railroad car;  
 inserting the winding post through the aperture in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the railroad car; and  
 placing an end of the web strap opposite an end connecting to the mandrel into the slot, and winding the winding post with the crank to form said roll of the second portion of the web assembly inside the winch box.  
 
     
     
         13 . A method for storing a web strap used for securing a load on a railroad car, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a winch box at a side of the railroad car, said winch box having a winch mandrel having a winding axis running parallel to a longitudinal extent of the railroad car; and    storing the web strap when the load is no longer to be secured by winding at least a portion of the web strap into a roll and storing the roll in the winch box adjacent an end of the winch mandrel, a winding axis of the roll extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the railroad car.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to    claim 13    including the step of winding the roll with in the winch box by inserting a crank having a crank arm and a slotted winding post received through an aperture in the side of the winch box facing away from the side of the railroad car, and then placing an end of the web strap opposite an end connecting to the mandrel into the slot, and then winding the strap with a crank arm to form the roll with the portion of the web strap inside the winch box.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to    claim 13    including the step of also winding another portion of the web strap onto the winch mandrel prior to winding the roll with the portion of the web strap.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to    claim 15    including the step of winding said another portion of the web strap onto the winch mandrel until a diameter of the another portion rolled on the winch mandrel is such that the roll created on the winch mandrel substantially fills portions of the winch box radially outwardly of the winch mandrel.  
     
     
         17 . A method for securing a load, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a winch box at a side of a platform to which the load is to be secured, said winch box having a winch mandrel having a winding axis aligned so that there are no twists in the web strap when it is securing the load; and    for storing the web strap when the load is no longer to be secured, winding a portion of the web strap into a roll inside the winch box such that a winding axis of the roll extends perpendicular to the winch mandrel winding axis.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to    claim 17    wherein the roll is wound within the winch box by use of a crank having a slotted winding post received through an aperture in the side of the winch box facing away from the platform, and a crank arm connected to the winding post.  
     
     
         19 . A winch assembly with a web strap storage for securing a load on a railroad car with a web strap, comprising: 
 a winch box mounted at a side of a platform of the railroad car;    the winch box having a winch mandrel and a winding axis extending in a direction so that no twists are provided in the strap when the strap secures the load;    an aperture in a side of the winch box facing away from the platform; and    in a stored position, a first portion of the web strap being wound on the winch mandrel and a second portion of the web strap being wound in a roll which is stored adjacent to one end of the winch mandrel in said winch box such that a winding axis of the roll of the second portion of the web strap runs in a direction perpendicular to the winding axis of the winch mandrel.    
     
     
         20 . A web strap storage for a web strap which secures a load with the web strap on a railroad car, comprising: 
 a box mounted at a side of the railroad car;    the box having a mandrel and a winding axis of the mandrel extending parallel to a longitudinal extent of the railroad car;    in a stored position, a first portion of the web strap being wound on the mandrel and a second portion of the web strap being wound in a roll which is stored adjacent to one end of the mandrel in said box such that a winding axis of the roll of the second portion of the web strap runs in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the railroad car.    
     
     
         21 . A method for storing a web strap used for securing a load on a railroad car, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a box at a side of the railroad car, said box having a mandrel with a winding axis running parallel to a longitudinal extent of the railroad car; and    storing the web strap when the load is no longer to be secured by winding at least a portion of the web strap into a roll and storing the roll in the box adjacent an end of the mandrel, a winding axis of the roll extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the railroad car.    
     
     
         22 . A securement system for securing a load on a railroad car with a web strap, comprising: 
 a web strap having a first end and a second end;    a spool assembly mounted at one side of the railroad car containing a load, said first end being connected to said spool assembly;    a winch assembly on an opposite side of the railroad car;    said spool assembly including a spool compartment having a rotatable spool tube, and a storage compartment having a winding mandrel;    in a web storage position a first portion of the web strap being coiled on the spool tube and a second portion of the web strap being coiled on the winding mandrel; and    in a web use position, the first and second portion being unwound as to extend over and along sides of the load, the first end of the web strap being secured by said spool assembly, and the second end of the web strap being engaged to said winch assembly.    
     
     
         23 . The securement assembly according to    claim 22   , wherein the storage compartment includes a swinging door to which said winding mandrel is mounted; and 
 a winding axis of the winding mandrel extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spool tube when the door is in a closed position.    
     
     
         24 . The securement assembly according to    claim 23   , wherein the swinging door rotates around a hinge.  
     
     
         25 . The securement assembly according to    claim 22   , wherein: 
 the first end has a loop portion;    the spool tube has a window for receiving the loop portion; and    the spool assembly further comprising a pin, a retainer hub connected to the spool tube, said pin being inserted inside the spool tube through the loop portion of the web strap as to anchor the web strap to the spool assembly, said pin being retained at one end to the retainer hub, and having a head at the other end abutting a side wall part of the spool compartment.    
     
     
         26 . The securement system according to    claim 23   , wherein the storage compartment is adjacent to the spool compartment  
     
     
         27 . The securement system according to    claim 23   , wherein the swinging door maintains a closed position via a spring loaded door lock attached thereto.  
     
     
         28 . A method for securing a load onto a railroad car, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a web strap having a first end and a second end;    providing a spool assembly mounted at a first side of the railroad car, and a winch at a second side of the railroad car;    providing the spool assembly with a spool tube in a spool compartment and a storage compartment having a winding mandrel;    when no load is being secured, storing the web by winding a first portion of the web strap on the spool and a second portion of the web strap on the winding mandrel, the first portion of the web being secured at said first end to the spool;    when a load is being secured, then unwinding the first portion and the second portion of the web strap and extending it over and along sides of the load, engaging the second end of the web to the winch, and tightening the winch    
     
     
         29 . A method according to    claim 28   , further comprising the steps of: 
 when no load is being secured;    coiling the first portion of the web strap on to the spool tube by rotating the spool tube with a tool; and;    coiling the second portion of web strap on the winding mandrel by rotating the winding mandrel with a tool.    
     
     
         30 . A method for securing a load onto a structure, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a spool assembly with a winding mandrel at one side of the structure, said spool assembly also including a rotatable spool tube running parallel to a longitudinal extent of the structure; and    when storing the web strap, winding a first portion of the web strap onto the spool tube and winding a second portion of the web strap on to the winding mandrel,    a winding axis of the winding mandrel being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spool tube.